Month: December 2008

V. PUTIN: "RUSSIA AND ARMENIA TO DEVELOP RELATIONS"

Panorama.am
19:43 05/12/2008

"Russia and Armenia are intended to develop their cooperation,"
announced the Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin.

"What we have now in our relations is not sufficient and it should be
expanded and improved," mentioned V. Putin before the Armenian-Russian
negotiations of the Prime Ministers.

He reminded that Russian investments in the economy of Armenia forms
1,6 billion USD and trade circulation increased by 17% in 2007.

4 PRINCIPLE REASONS – DISASTROUS AFTERMATHS OF EARTHQUAKE

Panorama.am
16:20 05/12/2008

"The aftermaths and the number of victims of Spitak earthquake
should not be so disastrous if there were not four principle reasons
for that," said academician Edward Khachinyan in his report about
"aftermath of Spitak earthquake".

The first reason is underestimating seismic system of the country; it
has been underestimated four times lower than it should to be. Hence,
the whole construction was organized based on those assessments.

Another reason to that was the incompletion of normative documents
of seismic construction. The third reason is shocked people who were
not prepared to the disaster.

And finally the low quality of the construction.

HRAYR KARAPETYAN: "BRYZA SHOULD BE SERIOUS WITH HIS RESPONSIBILITIES"

Panorama.am
16:52 05/12/2008

The Vice Spokesman of National Assembly of Armenia Hrayr Karapetyan
said he was surprised by the incompatible announcements of the OSCE
Minsk group co-chairman Mattew Bryza in Helsinki.

"This is not the only case, and Bryza is famous for his incompatible
announcements," said Mr. Karapetyan during an NA briefing: "he should
be serious with his responsibilities".

Remind that regarding the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Armenia
and Azerbaijan, the American co-chairman announced that certainly
there were some improvements in the negotiations but still there
are disagreements between the sides. The American co-chairman has
also said that the first point of a peaceful contract should be on
the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and added: "but still the
contract can not be considered complete if there are no points on
Nagorno Karabakh. All these points should be included in the contract".

TURKISH, ARMENIAN DIRECTORS TO SHOOT DOCUMENTARY

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.12.2008 15:22 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Two directors from Turkey and Armenia are set to
shoot a documentary in a bid to contribute to the rapprochement
efforts between the countries after Turkish President’s historic
visit to Yerevan, the Armenian capital, the Anatolian Agency reports.

Turkish director Eray Mert and his Armenian colleague Gevorg Nazarian
have been working on the project since October and they are scheduled
to start in December shooting the joint documentary which tells the
story of a Turkish boy and an Armenian girl who fall in love after
meeting on the Internet.

The project for the documentary, titled Araks, after the river
that runs along the Turkish-Armenian border, is sponsored by the
U.S. Embassy in Ankara.

The documentary will also feature stories told by older generations
in Turkey and Armenia.

RA FM: TOGETHER ARMENIA AND TURKEY WILL ACHIEVE COMMON GOAL – NORMALIZE RELATIONS

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.12.2008 15:26 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The bold steps taken by the Presidents of Armenia
and Turkey demonstrate political will and readiness to move forward,
Armenian Foreign Minister said.

"Of course, no one expects miracles and we were pragmatic enough not
to think that all problems would be solved overnight. However, the
important thing is to achieve a tangible result and not to negotiate
for the sake of negotiations. We are looking for establishment of
diplomatic relations and opening of borders without any precondition
and we expect the same approach from the Turkish side. Parties continue
to work and negotiate and I hope that together we will achieve what
I believe is our common goal – normalize our relations and bring
security and stability to our region," Minister Edward Nalbandian
said in his address to the OSCE Ministerial Council.

"I would like to wish success to the incoming Chairmanship-in-Office
and to ensure my distinguished Greek colleague, Minister Dora Bakoyanis
that she can count on the support of Armenia in all her endeavours
aimed at reaching security and prosperity in the OSCE area."

"There is one more long-standing problem which needs wise approach
and political courage to be resolved. I would like to briefly touch
upon the Armenian-Turkish relations, the normalization of which will
highly contribute to the establishment of stability and security in
the whole region," he said

Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul was in Yerevan on Sept. 6 to watch
a World Cup qualifier between the Armenian and Turkish national
teams. Before the match, the heads of state discussed possibilities to
normalize bilateral relations. "We hope we will be able to demonstrate
goodwill to solve the problems between our countries and not leave
them to future generations," Armenian President Sargsyan said after
the meeting.

TURKISH, ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS RECEIVE PEACE AND SPORT IMAGE OF THE YEAR AWARD

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.12.2008 16:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Serzh Sargsyan Turkey and Armenia have been presented
with Peace and Sport Image of the Year Award by Monaco-based Peace
and Sport Organization.

The organization said in a statement posted in its web-site, "this
distinction for the best image of fraternization through sport was
awarded for a photograph of the historic handshake between Turkish
President Abdullah Gul and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan during
the World Cup qualifier between Turkey and Armenia on Sept. 6, 2008.

Mahmut Ozgener, president of the Turkish Football Federation, received
the award on behalf of President Gul from Prince Albert II of Monaco.

Ozgener said during the ceremony that President Gul’s historic visit
to Armenia proved that sport was a powerful instrument bringing peoples
together and ensuring world peace, the Anatolian Agency reports.

The Peace and Sport Organization aims to use sport to educate
individuals and communities across the world about peace. It acts to
promote sport as a basis for efficient political actions and a tool
for peace.

VLADIMIR PUTIN TO TIGRAN SARGSYAN: WE HAVE MUSH TO SPEAK ABOUT

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.12.2008 16:56 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan met in
Moscow with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin today.

"Relations between our countries are rapidly developing in all
fields. We are implementing a plenty of joint projects. I am confident
that your visit will be useful and constructive. We have much to
speak about," Mr. Putin said.

For his part, RA PM Tigran Sargsyan extended condolences on the death
of Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II, who passed away this
morning after lingering heart ailment.

FOREIGN MINISTERS OF OSCE MG CO-CHAIR STATES INTRODUCED CHANGES IN MADRID PRINCIPLES?

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.12.2008 17:25 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Foreign Ministers of the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chair states have submitted some changes in Madrid principles
to the sides in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the Azeri Foreign
Minister said.

"Thorough analysis of these changes will be apparently followed
by a ministerial or presidential meeting," Elmar Mammadyarov said,
Day.az reports.

Commenting on recent talks with his Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan,
the Minister said, "We did not refer to opening of the Turkish-Armenian
border before resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict but we did
discuss Turkey’s position on the seized territories of Azerbaijan."

AZERI DELEGATION CIRCULATES IN HELSINKI ITS VERSION OF KARABAKH SETTLEMENT "PRINCIPLES"

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.12.2008 17:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijani delegation circulated a document on the
"principles" applicable to peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict in and around the to the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting
in Helsinki.

The document says that "conflict can only be solved on the basis
of respect for the territorial integrity and inviolability of the
internationally-recognized borders of Azerbaijan and peaceful
coexistence of Armenian and Azerbaijani communities in Nagorno
Karabakh."

"The ultimate objective of the settlement process is to elaborate and
define the model and legal frameworks of the status of the Nagorno
Karabakh region within Azerbaijan… The process of definition of any
status shall take place in normal peaceful conditions with direct, full
and equal participation of the entire population of the region, namely,
the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities, and in their constructive
interaction with the government of Azerbaijan exclusively in the
framework of a lawful and democratic process," it says.

It also contains a number of "important steps" have to be taken to
reach a stage where the parties concerned can start negotiating a
self-rule status for the Nagorno Karabakh."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

U.S. AID TO ARMENIA FOR RECOVERY FROM SPITAK EARTHQUAKE TOTALED $51 MILLION

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.12.2008 19:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On December 5, U.S. Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch
opened a photo exhibit at the Moscow Cinema in Yerevan that tells
a visual story of the 1988 earthquake and the international relief
effort that followed. The exhibit entitled "From Survival to Revival"
highlights U.S. government assistance to the disaster zone, starting
with humanitarian and immediately following the earthquake and
continuing the story to the present-day developmental programs that
foster sustainable growth in the region.

"The U.S. was one of 74 countries which extended a helping hand
to Armenia. The U.S. aid to Armenia totaled $51 million," the
U.S. Ambassador said.

Mr. Steve Anlian, former chief of party of USAID’s $35 million
Earthquake Zone Recovery Program (200-2004). Gave a presentation
explaining how the program helped over 7 000 households living in
temporary shelters find permanent housing.

"I am confident that we are close to complete elimination of the
consequences of the 1988 calamity although we have a great deal of
work yet. All families should be provided with homes," he said.