Month: October 2008

TURKEY HIRES FORMER BUSH ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL TO FIGHT ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION

armradio.am
22.10.2008 10:23

The Turkish Government has hired former Bush Administration official,
Noam Neusner, to harness Jewish American support for a pro-Turkey
agenda in Congress, with defeat of the Armenian Genocide Resolution as
his top priority, reported the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA).

"If Turkey had a credible case to make to the Jewish American community
– which has grown weary of Ankara’s pressure to deny the Armenian
Genocide – it wouldn’t need to be spending this kind of money in a
misguided attempt to manipulate Jewish American pinion," said ANCA
Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "Sadly, it seems that for $8,500
a month from a foreign government, Neusner Communications is putting
at risk the well-deserved reputation of the Jewish American community
as a powerful opponent of all genocides and a defender of universal
human rights."

This revelation came as part of a September 30, 2008, mandatory
U.S. Department of Justice (U.S. DOJ) Foreign Agent Registration
Act filings by Neusner Communications, LLC, a Washington, DC public
relations firm that has been on the Turkish Government payrollsince
September, 2007. The initial registration document submitted by the
firm cites "policy goals" including "U.S. Jewish efforts to promote
a pro-Turkey agenda in the U.S. Congress."

Neusner Communications LLC is tasked to ensure "regular emails and
phone calls to Jewish leaders highlighting Turkey’s relationship
with Israel" and facilitating the "creation of working relationships
between U.S.-based Jewish and Turkish community groups."

Neusner’s filings reveal that the first order of business for the
public relations firm was, in September and October of last year, to
contact top Jewish-American organizations regarding pending Armenian
Genocide legislation, H.Res.106. Beginning with a phone conversation
with AIPAC Director of National Affairs and Development Jon Missner on
September 17th, Neusner personally contacted groups, including JINSA,
the American Jewish Congress, Anti-Defamation League, B’nai B’rith,
Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, and the Jewish
Council for Public Affairs some 23 times over the next four weeks
regarding H.Res.106. The House Foreign Affairs Committee adopted the
Armenian Genocide Resolution on October 11th by a vote of 27 to 21.

The U.S. DOJ filings note subsequent emails by Neusner with the ADL’s
Director of Government and National Affairs Jess Hordes regarding "ADL
action on HR 106," and ADL Director "Abe Foxman’s visit to Turkey"
in May, 2008. Neusner continued to hold meetings with AIPAC’s Jon
Missner and National Political Director Rob Bassin regarding the
Armenian Genocide Resolution, including one on November 29th. Seven
months later, Neusner held a follow up meeting with Missner and AIPAC
Director of Research and Information Rafi Danziger to discuss "Turkish
concerns about Armenian issue; lack of support on the Hill from Jewish
orgs." The meeting came just one day after the House Foreign Affairs
Committee held a two- hour hearing on the South Caucasus region,
with specific focus on Turkey’s ongoing blockade of Armenia. In total,
in the span of one year, Neusner Communications contacted or met with
Jewish American groups at least 100 times – 32 times specifically to
discuss Armenian Genocide legislation or Armenian American concerns.

Neusner is well-known to Jewish American leaders, having served
as President Bush’s liaison to the U.S. Jewish community from 2002
through 2005, in addition to his capacity as Special Assistant to the
President for Economic Speechwriting. Neusner’s DOJ filingsindicate
that he was hired by the "Embassy of the Republic of Turkey through
DiNovo Strategies and Fleishman Hilliard." DiNovo Strategies partner
Jay Footlik served as Clinton Administration liaison to Jewish
Americans and to European and Mediterranean groups, including the
Armenian American community.

MEDVEDEV: WE PAY FOR SOME COUNTRIES’ ERRORS, ESPECIALLY USA

Panorama.am
20:38 21/10/2008

The objective of every Government is to reduce the financial-economic
crisis, said the President of Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev
during his two-day working visit to Armenia.

"The developing economic crisis causes little fun to us. These are
pure wastes of developing temps, investments, and measures. Hence
every Government is trying hard to get out of that situation with
minimal level wastes," he said.

"It is clear that we pay for the errors of some countries and
especially the USA, since the share of the American financial market
and its affecting global economy is very big," said the President
of Russia and added that the current decisions which are adopted are
enough, but the list of these decisions should not be concluded once
and forever.

"The reality is that life makes its corrections and we shall reply
to them via new organizational, structural and financial decisions,"
announced D. Medvedev.

HAYASTAN ALL ARMENIAN FUND LAUNCHES TWO PROJECTS IN TAVUSH REGION’S DITAVAN VILLAGE

armradio.am
22.10.2008 12:21

Hayastan All Armenian Fund continues its work in Armenia’s border
communities – villages that today face a whole host of infrastructure
and economic challenges. Focusing on six border communities in
Armenia’s Tavush region, the Fund is working on effectively tackling
these challenges and ensuring the people living in these villages a
better life. As part of this on going initiative, the Fund signaled
the launch of two projects in the community of Ditavan. Thanks to
Argentinean Armenian benefactors Armen and Nadya Ekserciyan, the
village will soon have access to natural gas and a reconstructed
community administration building.

The parallel launch of these two projects is part of the Fund’s
comprehensive strategy of tackling the whole spectrum of challenges
that the people living in the beneficiary villages face today. In this
sense, the gasification of the village was the first on the priority
list for the community where people depended almost solely on the
neighboring woods for a source of heat in the long winter months. This
has brought to a serious damage to the environment of the region. The
lack of access to natural gas has also become a catalyst of emigration
from this tiny border village with people escaping the dread of yet
another cold winter. This year, all this20is about to change – the
community will receive gasification and people will no longer have
to make long trips to the nearby woods just to heat their homes.

The community administration building restoration project is
designed to incorporate the features of the village mayor’s office,
the community center as well as the health care point, becoming a
social and administrative hub of the village. The renovated building
will also be fully refurbished and reequipped.

"There is a lot of excitement in the village," says Seyran Sargsyan,
the mayor of Ditavan. "People are finally starting to feel that
things are changing for the better thanks to the Hayastan Fund,
and our benefactors Armen and Nadya Ekserciyan."

"The completion of these two projects will not solve all the problems
facing Ditavan today but we will instead become a strong and positive
signal for the families living in the village that their community
has a future.

These projects will become the firm base upon which we together with
the people of Ditavan and the support of the benefactors will build
a thriving community," says the Acting Executive Director of the Fund
Ara Vardanyan.

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN RECEIVES HEADS OF CIS SECURITY AND SPECIAL SERVICE BODIES

armradio.am
22.10.2008 13:13

President Serzh Sargsyan today received the delegation of participants
of the Council of heads of security and special service bodies of
CIS countries.

Assessing such meetings as extremely useful, the President emphasized
their importance from the perspective of exchange of information and
experience, elaboration and implementation of joint actions against
dangerous phenomena.

In his words, the world is rapidly changing, new realities and
challenges come forth, which simultaneously leads to the change of
the requirements posed to special service bodies.

According to Serzh Sargsyan, the regular contacts of security
bodies contribute to the elaboration and implementation of measures
corresponding to existing challenges.

President of the CIS Council of heads of security and special service
bodies, Head of the Federal Security Service of Russia, General
Alexander Bortnikov presented the issues discussed during the 25th
sitting of the Council. It was noted that most issues referred to
fighting terrorism and their objective was to ensure coordinated
actions and a high level of cooperation.

President Serzh Sargsyan said the Council of heads of security and
special service bodies is one of the most active and effective bodies
of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

FASSIER: MEETING OF ARMENIAN, RUSSIAN, AZERBAIJANI PRESIDNETS NOT A BAD IDEA

armradio.am
22.10.2008 13:38

"The meeting of the Presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia is
not a bad idea," French co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group Bernard Fassier
told APA commenting on Russian President’s proposal in Yerevan.

"This is a very interesting idea, but everything should be
discussed. I hope the negotiations on the settlement of Nagorno
Karabakh conflict will become more active after the presidential
elections in Azerbaijan. The elections came to an end and I think we
can continue working on the items we are interested in. The co-chairs
plan to visit the region next week. I can not say when the visit will
take place," he said.

VASILI ISTRATOV: THE TRILATERAL MEETING COULD FACILITATE KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

armradio.am
22.10.2008 15:37

Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Vasili Istratov has declared that
the trilateral meeting between the Presidents of Azerbaijan, Armenia
and Russia can contribute to the Karabakh conflict resolution.

"Russian President’s proposal of a trilateral meeting was made just
yesterday, and the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan still have
to give their consent to visit Russia for the meeting," Istraotov
told Trend News.

Novruz Mammadov, Head of International Affairs Department of the
Azeri President’s Office, declared earlier that Russian President’s
initiative could be productive.

G. GYURJYAN: OUR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM HAS SHORTCOMINGS

Panorama.am
20:39 21/10/2008

"When Armenia joins the convention "on protection of Europe’s
architectural heritage" it will give more opportunities for our
citizens to implement their constitutional right to take the advantage
of cultural and scientific achievements," said Gagik Gyurjyan, the
Deputy Minister of Culture.

Note that the other day National Assembly of Armenia has discussed
the question to join the convention "on protection of Europe’s
architectural heritage". The hearings of the session will be continued
today.

"When joining the convention we should adopt such strategic
improvements to implement the articles of the convention. Countries
which join to the convention are obliged to improve their management
system," he said.

DECISION ON DJUGHA

Panorama.am
20:54 21/10/2008

In the 16th Assembly of IKOMOS Armenian delegation headed by the
Deputy Minister of Culture Gagik Gyurjyan presented a project "on
destruction of Djugha historic cemetery".

"We’ve presented the case in the forum of professionals and protectors
and the decision has been adopted," said G. Gyurjyan.

It has been defined that the authorities of Azerbaijan should be
informed about the condition of current historic cultural value and
to contribute UNESCO or IKOMOS international experts’ surveys there.

PRESIDENTS OF BOTH COUNTRIES INTRODUCED TO COMSTAR

Panorama.am
20:37 21/10/2008

The biggest operator "ComStar Tele-Syatems" of Russia and CIS countries
and "Cornet-AM" CSJC "Comstar-Tele-Systems" Daughter Company will
start its service in Armenia, which will invest WIMax technologies,
reported the press service of the President’s Administration.

According to the source, the Presidents of Armenia and Russian
Federation Serzh Sargsyan and Dmitry Medvedev have taken part in the
official opening ceremony of WIMax internet connection. The activities
of the company have been presented to the Presidents.

MEDICAL WORKERS’ SALARY TO INCREASE IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH IN 2009

DeFacto Agency
2008-10-22 15:29:00
Armenia

STEPANAKERT, 22.10.08. DE FACTO. In 2009 salary of medical workers
of the Nagorno-Karabakh will increase 30% on average.

In the course of a meeting with the representatives of the sphere of
the Republic’s health care Nagorno-Karabakh Republic PM Ara Harutyunian
stated that next year NKR government was to increase financing of
health care system by 400 million drams. The Premier noted that the
means would be spent to increase medical workers’ salaries.

To note, the NKR Minister of Health and A. Khachatrian and NKR Minister
of Finance S. Tevosian also attended the meeting.