Month: August 2008

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PRESS RELEASE

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Philanthropist Vartkess M. Balian Leaves a Rich Legacy

A tireless supporter of Armenian causes, Vartkess M. Balian passed away
on Monday, August 3, 2008, in Arlington, Virginia, at the age of 76
after a courageous battle with cancer. A former president of the
Armenian General Benevolent Union’s (AGBU) Central Committee of America,
he was a co-founder, along with his wife, Rita, of the highly successful
AGBU New York Summer Intern Program, which offers Armenian students from
around the world opportunities to gain professional work experience that
will aid them in their future careers. The New York Intern Program has
over 600 alumni.

AGBU President Berge Setrakian offered his condolences to the Balian
family and cited his invaluable contributions to AGBU: "Vartkess was
always a most ardent and loyal supporter of our Armenian heritage. He
was a devoted leader within the AGBU community, having served as a Board
member and as co-founder and co-chair of the President’s Club of AGBU’s
New York Intern Program."

A Life Remembered

Vartkess Balian was an architect, home builder, developer, humanitarian
and art collector who was a giant in Washington, DC’s Armenian-American
community. He dedicated his life to public and community service and was
forever devoted to his Armenian heritage. Along with his wife, he
supported countless cultural and humanitarian efforts around the world,
particularly in Armenia and the United States.

Born in Beirut, Lebanon, he studied architecture and civil engineering
at the American University of Beirut and, soon afterwards, opened an
architectural and engineering firm that designed many institutions and
residential buildings in Lebanon, including numerous Armenian schools.
Along with Yenovk Balikian, he designed the modernist AGBU Alex
Manoogian Center in downtown Beirut.

He left Beirut during the onset of that country’s civil war and settled
in Washington, DC in 1976. He was a founder and partner of the
Hyattsville-based Quad Group of America, a land development and
construction company that has built several thousand residences across
the region. In the 1990s, he became a partner in Haverford Homes, a
Hyattsville home development business founded by his oldest son.

Vartkess Balian was also active in many other Armenian-American
organizations. He was a trustee of the Washington-based Armenian
Assembly of America. He established an endowment fund with the Tekeyan
Cultural Association to sponsor an annual international media award for
Armenian journalists. He served as president of the Tekeyan central
board and as a trustee of St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church in
Washington, DC.

After the 1988 Armenian earthquake, the Balians initiated humanitarian
and cultural efforts to aid the people of Armenia. A school in Garbi,
Armenia, was named in their honor.

For the past 11 years, Vartkess Balian was a trustee of the Armenian
American Wellness Center in Yerevan, which has provided medical services
to underserved women in Armenia.

Vartkess Balian was also a patron of the arts and a noted collector of
modern Armenian art. His collection, which he lovingly built with his
wife, has been showcased in museums, galleries and U.S. embassies
throughout the world. In Washington, he was a benefactor of art museums,
orchestras, opera and other cultural institutions. He was also a member
of the Washington National Cathedral Association.

He and his wife have been honored by His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos
of All Armenians, for their efforts in promoting the international
Armenian Apostolic Church.

Vartkess Balian is survived by his wife of 47 years, Rita Balian; his
two sons, Sevag Balian of Chevy Chase and Raffi Balian of Arlington; two
sisters, Haikouhi Koudoussian of Rockville and Marie Balian of
Arlington; and four grandchildren.

Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest Armenian
non-profit organization. Headquartered in New York, AGBU preserves and
promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through educational,
cultural, and humanitarian programs, annually serving some 400,000
Armenians in 37 countries.

FAREWELL TO ILLUSION. SOUTH OSSETIAN EVENTS LAY BARE CRISIS IN RUSSIA’S MILITARY-POLITICAL RELATIONS WITH CLOSEST ALLIES
by Vladimir Mukhin

Nezavisimaya Gazeta
Aug 22 2008
Russia

Military cooperation of CIS countries is falling apart before the
eyes of ODKB General Secretary Nikolay Bordyuzha (22 August 2008,
Nezavisimaya Gazeta)

Most of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (ODKB) member
countries that are considered Russia’s closest allies have an extremely
reserved attitude towards its tough actions taken to repel the Georgian
aggression in South Ossetia. It became obvious following a routine
summit meeting held by defence ministers in Yerevan yesterday [21
August]. Its participants refrained from openly supporting Moscow’s
military actions against Georgia.

Only just recently, the ODKB leaders made declarations on plans
to form peacekeeping subunits and the possibility of engaging them
in operations in hot spots on CIS territory. These plans have been
forgotten now, while Russia’s ODKB allies either keep silent about
the peace-coercing operation or cover it in the tone that does not
suit Russian interests.

Even though ODKB General Secretary Nikolay Bordyuzha expressed an
unfavourable assessment of Georgian actions on behalf of the ODKB
Permanent Council, that organization eventually produced no specific
documents. In addition, Bordyuzha declared that "an assessment of
the entire situation that is currently shaping not only in Georgia or
South Ossetia but also in the foreign-policy area as a whole" would
be made at the summits to be held by the foreign diplomatic chiefs and
leaders of ODKB member states next September. Will it not be too late?

Uzbekistan, which was backed by Moscow in the rebellious days of 2005
Andijon events, has still not voiced its position on Moscow’s actions
in South Ossetia.

Also silent is Tajikistan, whose independence and territorial integrity
were defended by Russia and its ODKB allies in the early 1990’s.

At a meeting with the Kazakhstani president the other day,
Kyrgyzstani leader Kurmanbek Bakiyev declared: "Conflicts such as
the one between Russia and Georgia should be resolved exclusively
based on international law and only by political and diplomatic
methods." Meanwhile, Kazakhstani President Nursultan Nazarbayev
emphasized for his part that "Russian mass media described the
situation as a humanitarian catastrophe and genocide of Ossetian
people. The truth will probably become clear later." Thus, they have
already decided that the military force applied by Russia against
Georgia was unjustified.

One would think that Armenia should be interested in military support
of the Russian Federation but that country, too, is sitting on two
chairs. During the military fighting in South Ossetia, the Armenian
Foreign Ministry expressed its hope that the warring sides would
make efforts to resolve as soon as possible disputable issues through
dialogue but did not condemn in any way the facts of aggression and
genocide. Let us note that shortly before the Armenian military took
part in NATO’s Immediate Response 2008 exercises, whose scenario
resembled significantly the dynamics of military operations in South
Ossetia.

Today, on 22 August, is the beginning of the fourth and final stage of
the joint command and staff ODKB Rubezh 2008 exercises, whose active
phase will be held on the Marshall Bagramyan training grounds located
40 km west of Yerevan. After accomplishing tasks aimed at organizing
a joint defence operation protecting sovereignty and territorial
integrity of Armenia, the troops will practice actions intended to
rebuff an aggressor’s invasion. But the question of who should be
considered an aggressor remains sort of off screen, and so does the
fact that of all the seven ODKB countries only Armenian and Russian
subunits really take part in the manoeuvres.

After finishing the ODKB military manoeuvres, Armenia will smoothly
start exercises with NATO countries Joint Bow/Joint Lancebearer on
its territory in late September. Their scenario will be based on NATO
documents "on actions in reaction to crises." Thus, it may happen one
day that specifically NATO becomes the main guarantor of stability
in the Caucasus.

ENVOY REITERATES US SUPPORT TO GEORGIA, AZERBAIJAN

Turan news agency
Aug 26 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku, 26 August: US Vice-President Dick Cheney’s visit to Georgia,
Azerbaijan, Ukraine and Italy in early September is intended
to consolidate strategic partnership relations in all spheres
between the two states [as published], and that it will be the most
representative US delegation that has visited Baku since bilateral
relations were established. US Ambassador Anne Derse told this to a
group of Azerbaijani journalists in Baku. She said that the visit was
connected with the situation in Georgia and Cheney would visit Tbilisi
to show solidarity with and support to the people of Georgia, as well
as to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia. The visit
to the region is aimed at showing Washington’s support to Georgia’s and
Azerbaijan’s orientation towards integration into the Euro-Atlantic
space, the ambassador said. She gave to understand that it was not
spontaneous but a preplanned visit, however the developments in
Georgia attached special "topicality" to the visit.

"After Russia’s incursion into the territory of a sovereign state and
the US steps were not intended to threaten Russia. However, things
that mean that we cannot behave as if nothing occurred. Russia’s
deeds speak for themselves and many in the region fear that those
deeds are aimed not only against Georgia but against those aspiring
democracy. Being independent states, Georgia and Azerbaijan will
themselves define their course and in doing so they can rely on US
support and cooperation. Dick Cheney’s visit is intended to stress
this support," Derse said. She said that a wide range of issues,
first of all security problems and energy cooperation, would be
discussed at a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev. "We will work
with Azerbaijan to ensure its interests in the issues of delivering
its energy resources to world markets," she said.

Asked by a Turan correspondent what moves would Washington make in
Georgia if Russia refuses to pull back troops, the ambassador said
that the situation there was absolutely unacceptable. "We demanded
that all troops be pulled out, hostilities be ceased and humanitarian
corridors be opened. We also declared that territorial integrity of
Georgia cannot be put into question. If the situation does not change,
together with our partners we will continue demanding that all these
terms be fulfilled and take relevant steps in this direction," Derse
said. The ambassador evaded the question about the possibility of the
US providing direct military aid to Georgia. Asked what the USA may
offer Azerbaijan and Georgia to ensure security of the [oil and gas]
pipelines and transport routes in the light of direct threats to these
communication lines from Russia, the ambassador gave to understand that
all this had been taken into account and these issues would be in the
focus of attention during Cheney’s consultations with the Azerbaijani
leadership. Asked by the Turan correspondent what ordinary citizens
of Azerbaijan could wait from Cheney’s visit and would their live
be safer after the visit, the ambassador said "the main task is to
restore stability and security in the region and ensure continuation
of our strategic partnership and that is in the interests of everyone".

She added that the issues of ensuring democracy and the forthcoming
presidential election would be discussed during the visit.

She refused to comment on rumours that the OSCE Minsk Group for
[the settlement of] Nagornyy Karabakh conflict may be dissolved,
saying that she "has not heard such rumours".

EU ENVOY MEETS ARMENIAN LEADERS, OPPOSITION

168 Zham
Aug 26 2008
Armenia

Peter Semneby, the EU special representative for the South Caucasus,
arrived in Yerevan from Tbilisi on a brief informal visit yesterday
[25 August] and met Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, National
Security Council secretary Artur Baghdasaryan, Armenia’s first
President Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the secretary of the Heritage party
faction in parliament, Stepan Safaryan, and the heads of several
non-governmental organizations.

The EU office in Yerevan said that domestic political issues and
regional issues were discussed at the meetings. Semneby asked the
opposition members to brief him on the pace of the [implementation]
of the Council of Europe resolution 1620, and in particular, how
the government was responding to their calls for freeing political
prisoners.

Sanctioning of rallies was also discussed. They were very concerned
about the recent violence against journalists and the fact that the
perpetrators go unpunished.

DEMO UNDER WAY ON IN ARMENIAN CAPITAL DESPITE POLICE CRACKDOWN

ArmInfo News Agency (in Russian)
Aug 26 2008
Armenia

Yerevan, 25 August: Despite a morning incident when the police took
away placards from the opposition on a sit in protest on North Avenue,
the protest demonstration is still going on.

After 1900 [1400 gmt], a representative of the central office of the
Armenian National Congress, Levon Zurabyan, appealed to the opposition
activists. He called for calm. Zurabyan said that by taking away
and destroying the placards and "political prisoners" pictures,
the authorities showed their weakness and inability to carry out
political struggle by civilized methods.

"Most of all, the authorities want to provoke incidents to derail the
national rally slated for 5 September, which will trigger a new wave of
popular protests. In this situation we have to show calmness and not
engage [in quarrels] with the police. Let them continue their actions
and further discredit them," Zurabyan said. He said the opposition
leadership is discussing the situation and adequate countermeasures
will be found.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION SAID TO TAKE ADEQUATE STEPS AGAINST "REGIME"

ArmInfo News Agency (in Russian)
Aug 26 2008
Armenia

Yerevan, 26 August: Active participation of people in the national
rally on 5 September will become a deserved rebuff to the authorities’
provocation, Levon Zurabyan, the representative of the Armenian
National Congress central office, told a news conference at the
Hayatsk press club today.

He said that the authorities, having seen that the movement led by the
first president, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, is gaining momentum have decided
to stage provocation against the protest demonstration on North Avenue.

"The regime is doing what it can to involve police in the political
struggle as it can do nothing else. We are analyzing the new situation
and will work out new adequate steps," Zurabyan said.

Asked why the Armenian police have changed the tactics of the past
two months and began acting actively again, Zurabyan said that the
authorities’ hopes that the popular movement would eventually fade
did not come true, and the "regime became nervous".

KARABAKH MP URGES AZERBAIJAN TO RECOGNIZE KARABAKH’S INDEPENDENCE

ArmInfo News Agency (in Russian)
Aug 26 2008
Armenia

Stepanakert, 26 August: "The fact that the parliament of a powerful
country, the Russian Federation, is recommending the country’s
leadership to recognize the independence of unrecognized nations –
in particular, South Ossetia and Abkhazia – means that a new era is
coming in the world politics, even though this move could be considered
Russia’s response to the West’s recognition of Kosovo without taking
Russia’s position into account.

"But this makes no difference now. The fact is that certain countries,
the USA and Russia in particular, consider it possible to recognize
nations that had been ignored by the international community. This,
of course, opens new opportunities for those nations, including the
Nagornyy Karabakh republic [NKR], but I don’t wish to draw parallels
between the situations in South Osetia and Nagornyy Karabakh," Vahram
Atanesyan, chairman of the foreign relations committee of the NKR
National Assembly, has told Arminfo. He was commenting on the Russian
Duma appeal to Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev to recognize South
Ossetia’s and Abkhazia’s independence.

He said that "it is desirable that taking into consideration the
processes going on in the modern world, the Azerbaijani leadership
make a fair and smart decision on recognizing Nagornyy Karabakh
independence and establishing direct ties with the NKR to settle the
issues that both sides are interested in".

"This would be the best option. I hope that the current processes would
lead to that and I think that we should not speed up the processes
in any direction. It should be realized that the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict settlement talks are under way and some possibilities are
seen, and I think that in the light of the recent events, those
possibilities would be made more concrete," Atanesyan concluded.

RESUMPTION OF WAR IN KARABAKH WOULD BE "CATASTROPHE" – US ENVOY

ArmInfo News Agency (in Russian)
Aug 26 2008
Armenia

Yerevan, 26 August: A war cannot be a solution to the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict, the US charge d’affaires in Armenia, Joseph Pennington, said
today. He was answering a question about the situation in the region
and the ongoing belligerent statements by the Azerbaijani leadership.

"A new war in the region would be a catastrophe. The USA is making
consistent efforts not to allow this. I think the Armenian and
Azerbaijani authorities realize that a war would be a catastrophe
and a military means is not a solution to the problem," he said.

US ENVOY CALLS FOR REOPENING OF TURKISH-ARMENIAN BORDER

ArmInfo News Agency (in Russian)
Aug 26 2008
Armenia

Yerevan, 26 August: The events in the region of the Georgian-Ossetian
conflict once again showed that the border between Armenia and
Turkey should be opened and trade should be carried out through
the border, the US charge d’affaires in Armenia, Joseph Pennington,
told journalists today.

He said that the USA, like nobody else, is helping in the opening of
the Armenian-Turkish border, and in establishing peace and diplomatic
relations between the two countries.

Speaking about the domestic political situation in Armenia, the
diplomat noted that the USA was observing positive developments in some
spheres. However, there are simply no [progress] in some other areas.

"We will continue to work with the Armenian authorities to facilitate
the continuation of reforms in the economic sphere, the fight against
corruption, and also on the issue of freedom of expression of political
views," Pennington said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GEORGIA ACCUSED OF REFUSING TO GUIDE RUSSIAN AIRLINER THOROUGH ITS AIRSPACE

RedOrbit
Aug 27 2008
TX

Moscow, 26 August: The Georgian civil aviation department unreasonably
refuses to serve flights from Russia in Georgian airspace, a spokesman
for the State Corporation for Organizing Air Traffic in the Russian
Federation FGUP [federal state unitary enterprise] told ITAR-TASS
today, commenting on the situation that has evolved with the serving
of aircraft over Georgian territory.

"On 25 August, the Tbilisi aviation authorities refused, without
explaining the reasons, to serve the aircraft of the Volgaaviaekspress
airline on the flight from Volgograd to Yerevan", a spokesman for
the state corporation said, recalling that "the route in question had
been approved by the Georgian side for the entire 2008 spring-summer
timetable".

There was a similar situation on 19 August with an aircraft of the
Armavia airlines flying from Domodedovo [in Moscow] to Yerevan. When
the Russian side inquired about the flight, the Georgian civil aviation
department sent a telegram giving the reason for the refusal, namely
the introduction of restrictions on flights in Georgian airspace:
"enforced shutdown of the secondary radar by Russian troops in the
town of Senaki in Georgia and the high volume over air traffic in
Georgian airspace".

However, letters exchanged between the director of the
Sakaeronavigatsia public company (the Georgian air navigation
service provider) and a representative of the IATA (International
Air Transport Association) on 25 August said that the operation of
the radar position in Senaki had resumed on the morning of 24 August,
and that the Georgian air traffic control system was fully ready to
serve the flights of civilian aircraft and provide the required level
of flight safety. [Passage omitted]

Airlines flying to or from Russia carry out up to 150 flights a day
through Georgian airspace.

Originally published by ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow, in Russian
1535 26 Aug 08.