RUMORS ABOUT CIS DEMISE GROUNDLESS
PanARMENIAN.Net
17.12.2008 17:43 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Rumors about demise of the Commonwealth of
Independent States are groundless, CIS executive officer said.
"This year we have undertook measures to strengthen the Commonwealth
and we are optimistic about 2009," Sergei Lebedev told reporters in
Minsk, BELTA reports.
ONLY THOSE WORKERS THAT UK NEEDS WILL BE ABLE TO COME TO UK
PanARMENIAN.Net
17.12.2008 18:37 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On 27 November 2008, Tiers 2 and 5 of the points
based system (PBS) that deals with immigration to the UK went live. The
Tiers sweep aside the old work permit system, the press office of
the UK Embassy told PanARMENIAN.Net.
Tier 2 ensures that only those workers that UK needs will be able to
come to the UK. To get in under Tier 2 skilled workers must have a
grasp of English language, prospective earnings of more than £24,000
per annum or have a decent qualification, and enough money to support
themselves for the first month of their stay.
Under Tier 2, UK companies must pass the Resident Labour Market test
by proving they cannot fill the post with a resident worker before
they can bring in someone from outside the EEA.
Tier 5 covers those travelling temporarily to the UK for primarily
non-economic reasons, such as sportspeople, entertainers and charity
workers. The entertainers coming to the UK for gigs or festivals will
be assessed under visitor visa rules.
>From 27 November foreign non-EEA nationals granted leave to remain in
the UK as a student or on the basis of marriage will be issued with an
IDENTITY CARD containing their facial image and fingerprints. Identity
cards will be mandatory for foreign nationals, and will provide
evidence of an individual’s nationality and status in the UK. It
will confirm the holder’s right to work and the services to which
the person is entitled.
This card will replace the sticker that would have previously been
placed in the person’s passport. People applying for leave to remain in
other categories will continue, for the moment, to receive a sticker.
–Boundary_(ID_W3NadtZ3mgwM1jKgaLJrNw)–
TURKISH MFA: INTELLECTUALS’ APOLOGY DEMONSTRATION OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH
PanARMENIAN.Net
17.12.2008 18:49 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Burak Ozugergin, spokesperson for the Turkish
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman said Wednesday that the apology
campaign for the Armenian Genocide and the following counter campaign
launched by retired diplomats should be viewed within the scope of
freedom of speech.
Commenting on the issue at a press briefing at the Turkish Foreign
Ministry in Ankara, Ozuergin said both campaigns were privately
initiated noting that they did not inspire nor would react to both
campaigns. Ozugergin said that "Turkey’s stance on the 1915 incidents"
is well known by everybody and noted that all kinds of topics should
be discussed freely in Turkey.
"However our foreign policy is not fragile to shift as a result of
daily debates. We will continue to act on principles," said Ozugergin,
the Anatolian Agency reports.
Over 10 thousand people have already signed the public apology for
Armenian Genocide, which says, "My conscience does not accept the
insensitivity showed to and the denial of the Great Catastrophe
that the Ottoman Armenians were subjected to in 1915. I reject this
injustice and for my share, I empathize with the feelings and pain
of my Armenian brothers. I apologize to them."
TURKISH REPUBLIC RATHER THAN TURKISH INTELLIGENTSIA OUGHT TO APOLOGIZE TO ARMENIANS
Karine Ter-Sahakyan
PanARMENIAN.Net
16.12.2008 GMT+04:00
Besides the quests of national identity there is also an internal
struggle going on in Turkey for future of the country that has fallen
into the clutches of Kemalism and can in no way get out of them.
The quests of national identity led Turkish intellectuals to an,
at first glance, highly unexpected action. For the last few days
the entire world press has been exclusively writing about confessing
"butchers", remorse, duty before your offspring – in a word, about
anything with reference to Turkey. Such burst of interest towards the
Turkish nation could also be observed 2 years ago, when Hrant Dink
was assassinated in Istanbul. People then carried placards saying
"We are all Hrant Dink", "We are all Armenians". And now Turkish
intellectuals call for apology to Armenians for the killings in the
Ottoman Empire in the years of the World War I.
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ However, as always, the word "genocide" is not
uttered. On the one hand, the movement "Armenians, forgive us"
is, logically, aimed at touching the most sensitive cords of the
Armenian nation, who might unexpectedly accept the apology as if
nothing had happened. On the other hand, the appeal to apologize to
Armenians is highly criticized by not only nationalists, which was
quite predictable, but also by a part of the society who consider
such kind of statements to be halved. "It is a good starting
point, but not enough. Firstly, what do they mean by saying ‘Great
Catastrophe’? Let’s name it. It is genocide. Secondly, the state has
to apologize," said Aytekin Yildiz, Coordinator of the Confrontation
Association. However, in its confession the Turkish nation cannot
be considered to have reached the point of calling a spade a spade
until Article 301 of the Criminal Code of Turkey is revoked. Under
the present circumstances any of those more than 5000 signatories
can be taken to court ant moment. By the way, it is exactly what the
retired diplomats suggest now.
Ex-ambassadors severely criticized the internet campaign of public
apology to Armenians for the events of 1915 and consider that Turkish
intelligentsia should not apologize to the Armenian nation for the
Genocide. The diplomats issued Monday a statement in which they
characterized the campaign as "unfair, wrong and unfavorable for
national interests." According to the Hurriyet Daily News about 60
retired ambassadors and diplomats signed under the statement. "Such an
incorrect and one-sided attempt would mean disrespecting our history
and betraying our people who lost their lives in the violent attacks
of the terror organizations in the final days of the Ottoman Empire,
as well as during the formation of the Republic," says the statement
signed by Sukru Elekdag and Onur Oymen. Authors of the statement also
remind that Armenia has rejected Turkey’s suggestion on forming a
commission of historians to investigate the events of 1915.
The diplomats’ letter, as well as the nationalists’ threats to punish
the intelligentsia representatives, in our opinion, suggest that the
Government does not intend apologize. Besides the quests of national
identity there is also an internal struggle going on in Turkey for
future of the country that has fallen into the clutches of Kemalism
and can in no way get out of them. Even the Islamist party of Gul and
Erdogan is still unable to outweigh the influence of the Joint Staff
on the country’s policy. Prime-Minister Erdogan is a pragmatic and he
perfectly realizes where the military will finally lead Turkey to,
but he is still unable to stand against them. Thereupon, the online
petition of the intellectuals may play a great role. According to
Antonio Ferrari, Journalist of the Corriere della Sera and author of
an article about the online petition of the Turkish intellectuals,
Prime-Minister Erdogan and President Gul’s silence on the apology
campaign can be regarded as their interest in the initiative, directed
to intimacy between Turkey and Armenia.
The only "oddity" in all this story is that the petition has not
been signed by Orhan Pamuk, Taner Akcam, Elif Safak, Ragip Zarakolu –
those who for publicly mentioning the Armenian Genocide were brought
to trial under Article 301 and were forced to leave Turkey.
COAF CONDUCTS OF HEALTHY LIFESTYLE IN COMMUNITIES OF THE REPUBLIC
ARMENPRESS
Dec 17, 2008
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS: Following World AIDS Day celebrated
worldwide on December 1, the community of Lernagog recently hosted
an event in the premises of a newly renovated village school with
the aim of raising public awareness and advocating HIV/AIDS free
behavior in the community and throughout the region. Lernagog is one
of six villages included in Comprehensive Rural Development Program,
initiated and implemented by the Children of Armenia Fund (COAF)
since early 2006. Other communities constituting COAF’s Model Cluster
include Argina, Dalarik, Karakert, Miasnikian and Shenik.
An official from COAF told Armenpress that the event was organized
by the members of the local "YES" youth club on healthy lifestyle
established by Heifer International in close cooperation with
COAF. COAF health education team additionally supported Lernagog
club members in developing and elaborating the materials for the
event. Through the mentioned club, which makes part of a chain
of 30 clubs operating in four villages of the Model Cluster and
one neighboring Hushakert, the local youth acquires knowledge and
builds capacity on disease prevention, healthy nutrition, physical
activities and healthy behavior. Other clubs focus on such areas of
development as agribusiness, civic education, ecology, logics and
journalism/public relations.
The participants and organizers built the event on question and answer
scheme, which was taking part among inhabitants of the Earth planet
and other planets of our Universe. The main character named Little
Healthy landed on the Earth planet from the Planet of the Healthy and
knew very little about HIV/AIDS. The members of Lernagog Youth Club on
Healthy Lifestyle invited Little Healthy to join their discussion and
talk about the difference between HIV-infected individuals and people
suffering from AIDS, the nature of HIV and ways of its transmission,
the essence of ‘risk group’ and its potential members. Through role
play, the event participants also considered HIV transmission through
unprotected sex and also presented some statistics on HIV/AIDS affected
children and adults throughout Armenia and abroad.
Of special importance were the stage decorations, divided into
two colors – white and black. The white part of the stage was
totally inhabited by healthy people, and the guests and the local
community could witness that this part was blossoming with flowers
and flourishing with sunshine, thus promising a bright future and
prosperity for its inhabitants. Meanwhile the opposite black camp
symbolized diseases in general, and AIDS in particular, with its grey
and gloomy colors, arousing sadness and bore among its residents.
For the past two years, apart from classes on healthy lifestyle
conducted in Lernagog and other five villages of the Model Cluster,
COAF community health education program additionally included
trainings and workshops on first aid, prevention of infectious
diseases, management of chronic health problems, prenatal care,
child care, cervical and breast cancer prevention, family planning,
sexually transmitted diseases, and family violence.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
NON-OFFICIAL CIS SUMMIT TO TAKE PLACE DECEMBER 19 IN ASTANA
ARMENPRESS
Dec 17, 2008
ASTANA, DECEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS: The CIS non-official summit will take
place December 19 in Astana. Official representative of the Foreign
Ministry of Kazakhstan Erzhan Ashikbayev informed that presidents of
Armenia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and
Uzbekistan are invited to the summit.
"It is supposed that during the meeting of the presidents they
will exchange ideas on the urgent issues of development of regional
cooperation as well as will discuss issues connected with the world
financial crisis", E. Ashikbayev said.
According to him, "possible means of confrontation of the crisis and
not allowing its uncontrolled spread in the region" will be discussed
during the non-official summit.
"Heads of the countries will give their assessment to the situation
in the region connected with the fight against military-political
security, challenges and threats", noted the official representative
of Foreign Ministry of Kazakhstan.
EDWARD NALBANDIAN: "ARMENIA MUST CONTINUE PROCESS OF REFORMS AS IT STEMS FROM INTERESTS OF OUR PEOPLE"
ARMENPRESS
Dec 17, 2008
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS: Session of the Monitoring Committee
of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) took
place in Paris during which the draft report on the implementation
of PACE’s 1609 and 1620 resolutions by Armenia was presented by
co-rapporteurs John Prescott and George Columbien.
In this respect at a short briefing Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian said that during the session unfavorable suggestions
concerning Armenia have been made. "It is a working process and only
15 of 80 members of the Committee where present 10 of which voted
for the voiced suggestions. The very issue on Armenia will be put for
voting at the January session of the PACE," the foreign minister noted.
According to him, before the January session co-rapporteurs John
Prescott and George Columbien will visit Armenia. "I think that
in January such developments will take place which will give an
opportunity to review today’s suggestion and approve that Armenia has
carried out the major part of the 1609 and 1620 resolutions. Our
position and approach is that we must continue the process of
reforms as it corresponds to the interests of our people. This is
our decision and not the advice of anyone. Of course we respect all
those establishments the members of which we are and the commitments
we have assumed. We implement them and will continue doing it,"
Edward Nalbandian said.
ARONYAN SUSTAINED HIS FIRST DEFEAT
A1+
[03:58 pm] 17 December, 2008
Armenian Grand Master Levon Aronyan sustained his first defeat at the
chess super-tournament in Nanjing (China) after losing to Bulgarian
Vesselin Topalov at the sixth round.
Before the game the contenders had three points each and ranked
among the tournament leaders. Topalov also enjoyed time privilege
over Aronyan, and the latter had to yield at the 72nd minute.
Chinese Bu Xiangzhi played a tie with Slovakian Sergey Movsisyan and
Russian Peter Svidler won over Ukrainian Vassily Ivanchuk.
Presently, Vesselin Topalov heads the fixture list with four points. Bu
Xiangzhi is the second followed by Levon Aronyan and Sergey Movsisyan
having three points each.
AWARDED FOR SAVING A SOLDIER
A1+
[04:17 pm] 17 December, 2008
On December 15 President Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree on conferring
a Medal for Courage upon the Deputy Commander of Military Unit #25836,
Lieutenant Colonel Samvel Martirosyan for the courage and devotion
demonstrated when carrying out his duties.
During the practical training of throwing hand grenades at the shooting
gallery of the military unit on December 12, the grenade slipped
out of the hand of the Junior Sergeant and exploded. At that moment
the Lieutenant Colonel demonstrated personal courage and covered a
soldier with his body, thus saving his life.
Today President Serzh Sargsyan handed the high award to Samvel
Martrosyan. Expressing gratitude for his service, the President said:
"I’m glad and proud that the number of Officers ready to demonstrate
courage and bravery if necessary is increasing in our army. The
serviceman’s life is sometimes endangered even in peaceful times.
President Sargsyan hailed the fact that servicemen risked his life to
save his subordinate. "Commanders should behave this way," he stressed.
ADVOCATES BOYCOTT COURT SITTINGS
A1+
[05:53 pm] 17 December, 2008
The advocates of former servicemen Razmik Sargsyan, Arayik Zalyan
and Musa Serobyan do not attend court sittings on the case of Mataghis.
Advocate Hayk Alumyan told A1+ that three judges hear the case at a
time. One of them is from Gyumri’s Northern Criminal Court and the
other two from Shirak’s First Instance Court.
The advocates have already submitted their withdrawals to the two
judges but the they turned them down showing the order of the Cassation
Court according to which they had been sent to the Northern Criminal
Court from Shirak’s First Instance Court.
"We found the order illegal and incompliant with the Constitution. So,
we protested it at the Constitution Court. The latter also recognised
the decision as anti-constitutional. Regardless of it, the judges
continue case hearing," said Hayk Alumyan.
The advocate admits that he breaches the law by his non-attendance
at court sittings. Yet he says, "I shall make a rougher breach if I
call the judges, "Your Excellencies!" We proved that we were right
but they don’t take the Court’s decision for granted. Most likely
they need the consent of their superiors or the Cassation Court."
Remind that under the indictment statutory servicemen Razmik Sargsyan,
Arayik Zalyan and Musa Serobyan are charged with the murder of
servicemen Hovsep Mkrtumyan and Roman Eghiazaryan. Court of First
Instance sentenced them to 15 years’ imprisonment and the Appellate
Court announced a verdict of life imprisonment. The Cassation Court
had remitted the case for further inquiry at the same time changing
the restraint with a written a written cognizance not to leave the
republic.
The next sitting is due on December 25.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress