Month: October 2008

‘SOUVENIR PHOTOS’ WITH SUSPECT NOT A CRIME

Turkish Daily News (subscription)
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Turkey

SAMSUN – Anatolia News Agency

Two senior police officers charged with negligence over the leaked
photos of police and gendarmerie officers posing with the man suspected
of murdering journalist Hrant Dink were found not guilty yesterday.

An ultra-nationalist teenager gunned down the editor-in-chief of the
Armenian weekly Agos on Jan. 19, 2007 in Istanbul and was captured
by the gendarmerie on his way back to his hometown of Trabzon on the
Black Sea.

The murder of Dink, who was vocal in his criticism of the official
stance on the killings of Armenians in 1915, caused serious domestic
and international criticism. While the Turkish state argues both
Armenians and Turks died in wartime conditions, Armenians say there
was a systematic genocide.

The photos of the suspect with police and gendarmerie officers appeared
in the media, causing a huge embarrassment for the department.

Two senior police officers were charged with "dereliction of duty"
by allowing the photos to be taken and then leaked to the media and
"causing the public to believe the department sympathized with the
murder suspect."

The court said there was no evidence the charged officers were
responsible for the leak and found both defendants not guilty.

WHAT WILL THE ELECTIONS CHANGE?

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
23 Oct 2008
Armenia

According to Kiro Manoyan, depending on the election returns in
the USA, the policy of that country in the region will change. "One
thing is clear, in case Obama is elected as President, there is more
possibility that he will recognize Armenian Genocide.

As regards NKR issue, I don’t think that there will be a great change.

The USA accepts that NKR must become self-determined and the newly
elected President doesn’t have any bases to change that stance. One
thing can change – their activeness. Because they intend to have
dialogue rather than vie in our region.

ARMENIAN CENTRAL BANK SANGUINE ABOUT GLOBAL CRISIS
Shakeh Avoyan

Daily Georgian Times
2008.10.23 16:03
Georgia

The chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) on Friday echoed
government assurances that the global financial crisis will not spill
over into the Armenian banking sector.

Artur Javadian told President Serzh Sarkisian that Armenian banks
continue to be trusted by the population and have sufficient capital
to avoid major losses. "The CBA assured that Armenia has sufficient
potential to cope with and prevent crises," Sarkisian’s press service
said in a statement.

Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian, who headed the CBA until last April,
said on Thursday that the crisis poses no immediate threat to Armenia’s
banking sector because "the reliability of our financial sector is
extremely high." Sarkisian cautioned at the same time that the crisis
could ultimately hurt the Armenian economy if it hits the European
Union and Russia, Armenia’s main trading partners, harder.

Javadian was reported to tell Sarkisian that the CBA devised three
contingency plans of "pre-emptive measures." With the presidential
office giving no details, it was not clear if those measures are
in tune with steps suggested by Armenia’s main opposition alliance
earlier this week.

Sarkisian instructed the CBA chief to brief him on "developments in
the international markets" on a weekly basis.

CONCERT TO BENEFIT STUDENTS IN ARMENIA
By Robert S. Hong, [email protected]

San Gabriel Valley Tribune
10/22/2008 10:51:28 PM PDT
CA

HELP FOR STUDENTS: The Verdugo Youth Orchestra will be performing
Nov. 1 at the "Love Armenia" benefit concert. (Courtesy Photo)PASADENA
– A host of local and international artists will light up the night
Nov. 1 to raise money for education.

The "Love Armenia" benefit concert, put on by the Nor Serount Cultural
Association of Pasadena, will bring together a bouquet of musicians
and dancers at the First Church of the Nazarene.

The cultural association, which celebrates Armenian culture and the
arts, is trying to raise money for students in Armenia who may not
have the chance to get a higher education.

"A lot of Armenian students – they don’t have the money to go to
college, and we are trying to get money to help them pay for tuition,"
said Vahe Atchabahian, an association member, who is helping put on
the program.

He has teamed with city activist Nat Nehdar and several musicians,
singers and dancers to organize a concert with mass appeal, he said.

Among featured artists will be international concert pianists Vatche
Mankerian and Yin Yin Huang, recording artist Razmik Mansourian,
and The Verdugo Youth Orchestra.

The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the church, 3700 Sierra Madre
Blvd. General admission is $20; seniors and students get in for
$12. Children under 12 are free.
From: Baghdasarian

WHY WAS THE TERM PROLONGED?

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
23 Oct 2008
Armenia

"We could have avoided prolonging the terms of the committee’s
activity. We could have introduced to the Parliament the results of
the works that we have done during those months, before October 25
and discharged responsibility. But we didn’t choose that way. Society
wouldn’t accept that report because there are lots of unrevealed
circumstances. I’m absolutely not interested in how will "Heritage"
party or the radical "congress" estimate our report. Instead I attach
great importance to the attitude and perception of the public,"
Chairman of the NA Interim Committee Samvel Nikoyan says.

KONSTANTIN ZATULIN: NEW WAR IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH MAY HARM RUSSIA

ArmInfo
2008-10-23 18:46:00

ArmInfo. A new war in Nagorno-Karabakh may harm Russia, the first
vice chairman of the State Duma CIS Committee, the director of the
CIS Institute Konstantin Zatulin said during the Yerevan-Moscow video
bridge concerning the results of the visit of President Medvedev
to Yerevan.

Russia does not need actions similar to the ones undertaken in the
Caucasus in Aug 2008. Even though new war in Nagorno-Karabakh is not
real, the last events in South Ossetia were followed by skirmishes
on the Armenian-Azeri contact line. Zatulian warned against involving
third countries that might try to trim the unhealed wounds. Medvedev’s
visit was preceded by comments showing that the parties to the peace
process are discussing specific problems. For example, Russian Foreign
Minister Sergey Lavrov has mentioned ongoing negotiations concerning
Latchin corridor.

EX DEPUTY DEFENSE MINISTER OF ARMENIA OBJECTS TO CONSCRIPTION OF ALL 18-YEAR-OLDS

ArmInfo
2008-10-23 18:43:00

ArmInfo. The Defense Ministry must consider all possible conscription
scenarios, ex deputy defense minister, chairman of the standing
parliamentary committee on defense, national security and internal
affairs Artur Agabekyan said when asked to comment on the possibility
of conscription of all 18-year-old youths.

The Ministry must reconsider this scenario. It is not the best
solution.

"Our army needs educated people. If it consists of 18-year-olds only it
will not be efficient enough as educated people are its key strength,"
Agabekyan said.

GOMIDAS SONGS – ISABEL BAYRAKDARIAN, SOPRANO/ SEROUJ KRADJIAN, PIANO/ CHAMBER PLAYERS OF THE ARMENIAN PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA/ EUDARD TOPCHJAN, CONDUCTOR – NONESUCH
Steven Ritter

Audiophile Audition
October 23, 2008

A mandatory release by Isabel Bayrakdarian of the music of the Father
of Armenian Classical Music.

GOMIDAS Songs – Isabel Bayrakdarian, soprano/ Serouj Kradjian,
piano/ Chamber Players of the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra/ Eudard
Topchjan, conductor – Nonesuch 511487-2, 55:10 *****:

How is it that a man who never wrote an opera, oratorio, symphony,
or string quartet came to be recognized as the "Father of Armenian
Classical Music"? Yet this is precisely what Gomidas Vartobed
(1869-1935) achieved. Gomidas had a tremendous singing prowess from
an early age, and consequently became heavily involved in the music of
the Armenian Apostolic Church, of which he became a priest at a young
age. He then went to study in Berlin where he met Joseph Joachim,
and became the master of music at the seminary and cathedral choir
upon his return to Etchmiadzinin 1899.

Over the years he developed new settings of the Divine Liturgy and
became increasingly interested in the folk music of Armenia and the
surrounding lands. His greatest contribution is in the purification of
these many melodies for future generations of Armenians, creating in
essence a national Armenian music. He moved to Constantinople in 1910
and founded a 300 member choir which also put his music into contact
with some of the great composers of the age. In 1915 he was deported,
along with 300 other Armenian intellectuals, as part of the beginning
of the Armenian Genocide by the Turks (which they deny to this day)
which ended up killing over 1.5 million people. Gomitas amazingly
survived this, but when he eventually returned he found that he had
lost everything, friends, students, and his life’s work. He died
in Paris in a mental institution – a broken man devoid of hope,
and never composing again.

These songs, rendered to perfection by the wonderful Isabel
Bayrakdarian, have been arranged by Serouj Kradjian, who used some
cylinder recordings of Gomidas to garner some ideas. The songs
are fabulous, tuneful, bittersweet, and hopeful–you name the
emotion. Orchestral accompaniments are excellently done, and this
album soars to one of the top song albums of the year, heartily and
urgently recommended to all.

TrackList: Lullaby, Song of the Partridge, Children’s Prayer,
The Cloudy Sky/ It’s Raining, Apricot Tree, Spring, Mount Alakyaz/
Incense Tree, Dance of unabi, Dance of Shooshig, Striding Beaming,
Oh Nazan/ Jingle-Jangle, Ah Dear Maral, Strolling, Tall as the Poplar
Tree, I Cannot Dance, I’m Burning with Love/ Dear Shogher, Oh, What
a Delight!, The Crane, Without a Home, Call to the Sea

RUSSIA CAN AVOID CRISIS, EMERGE STRONGER: MEDVEDEV
By Oleg Shchedrov

U.S. Daily
10/23/08
CA

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev attends a wreath laying ceremony at
the Tsitsernakaberd memorial in Yerevan October 21, 2008. Russia said
on Tuesday it hoped to bring together leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan
to discuss their dispute over breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh, as Moscow
vies with the West for influence in the Caucasus region. REUTERS/RIA
Novosti/Pool

MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia may avoid a full-scale crisis despite global
financial turmoil and can emerge from it with a more effective economy,
President Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday.

"We have a chance to avoid banking, forex or debt crisis and go
through today’s difficulties without losing the potential we have
created," Medvedev said in a video blog posted on his official website

Russian markets have plunged more than 70 percent since their peak
in May amid capital flight and liquidity problems, fuelling fears of
a financial crunch spreading into sectors of the wider economy.

The rouble collapsed during a 1998 economic crisis but a devaluation
coupled with high international oil prices helped the economy recover.

The government says Russia, which has piled hundreds of billions
of dollars in reserves during eight years of economic boom and has
healthy fundamentals, can weather the storm.

The cabinet has come out with a rescue package topping $200 billion
in credits for banks and companies and in tax benefits.

But avoiding panic and maintaining trust in the government remains a
top priority in the country, where the 1998 crisis triggered public
discontent and led to a political crisis.

Medvedev, dressed in a suit and white shirt but tieless, was calm and
confident in a 6-minute address telling Russians that the financial
squeezes would not affect the real economy and their jobs.

"Russia has not yet got into this difficult situation. It has chances
to avoid this. It must avoid this," he said.

Medvedev said the government would support the banking sector and
six key sectors of the economy — retail, agriculture, construction,
machine-building, the defense industry and small businesses.

NEW CHANCE

Critics say the global crisis accompanied by a fall in energy and
commodity prices will bring an end to Russia’s prosperity, which
has revived Moscow’s ambitions of becoming one of the leading global
economies and a key global political player.

On the contrary, Medvedev said the global crisis gave Russia an chance
to modernize its economy and have a stronger international role.

He said the consolidation of assets of Russian companies would make
them more competitive and promised a government support and funds to
support that process.

He said the crisis would make financial organizations more effective
and attractive for investors.

Medvedev said Russian companies would also have to improve their
production and management structures "so their effectiveness and
productivity will rise to the level which will allow them to compete
with most successful foreign companies."

Medvedev said the crisis, which had shown the ineffectiveness of the
global economic infrastructure, would allow Russia to have a stronger
say in shaping a new order.

"We must actively take part in working out the new rules of the game,"
Medvedev said.

He confirmed he was planning to attend the summit of the Group of 20
industrialized and developing nations in Washington on November 15.

In a separate gesture intended to show that the Kremlin sees the
current economic turmoil as a hurdle rather than a fatal threat,
Medvedev’s press secretary said the crisis would not top his state
of the nation address.

"The issue of overcoming the consequences of the global financial
crisis will not be the main theme of the presidential address,"
Natalya Timakova said. "It will traditionally touch upon basic issues
of domestic and foreign policy."

Timakova said Medvedev, who took office in May, would deliver his
first address to parliament soon but did not specify when.

(Writing by Oleg Shchedrov; Editing by Richard Williams)

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STATEMENTS ON COORDINATION OF STANDS BY RUSSIA AND TURKEY ON KARABAKH ARE UNTIMELY: RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARIAN

ArmInfo
2008-10-23 18:40:00

ArmInfo. Statements on coordination of stands by Russia and Turkey on
Karabakh are untimely, Konstantin Zatoulin, First Vice Chairman of the
State Duma Committee for CIS and Relations with Compatriots, Director
of CIS Institute said in the course of a video-bridge Yerevan-Moscow
‘Results of Russian President’s visit to Armenia’ in Yerevan Thursday.

‘Russia and Turkey have a number of common interests and it is evident.

However, we have no coordinated approach to the Karabakh problem. It
is another matter that Turkey’s interests are not always in compliance
with the interests of NATO it is a member of. Thus, during the five-day
war in South-Ossetia Ankara’s approach to the problem proved different
than that of NATO, which considerably reduced the quantity of the
US and NATO Navy hurrying on to render humanitarian assistance
to Georgia’, he said. Zatoulin said that in Moscow they display
‘understanding’ to Turkey’s interests in NATO. However, it is possible
to develop constructive relations with Ankara since NATO membership
not always contributes to developing relations of Turkey and European
states and the USA. ‘The situation with Northern Cyprus is an evident
example of that, for Northern Cyprus was occupied by Turkey despite
the fact that Greece is also a NATO member-state’, Zatoulin said.