Month: December 2008

RA FOREIGN MINISTER HAD MEETINGS IN THE NKR

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2008-12-22 16:40
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic

On December 19-20, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Edward
Nalbandyan paid a working visit to the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

The Head of the RA Foreign Ministry met with the NKR President Bako
Sahakyan. Issues related to the current stage and prospects of the
Azerbaijani-Karabakhi conflict settlement were discussed at the
meeting. NKR Minister of Foreign Affairs Georgy Petrossyan partook
in the meeting.

The RA Minister of Foreign Affairs also met with the faculty and
students of the Artsakh State University and presented the latest
developments within the context of the conflict settlement. In
particular, Edward Nalbandyan dwelt on the OSCE Ministerial Council
meeting in Helsinki and mentioned, that the adherence to the
peaceful solution of the Karabakhi problem and to the continuation
of negotiations within the frames of the OSCE MG was confirmed at
the meeting.

Edward Nalbandyan noted that the issue can only be solved in case of
the recognition and the realization of right of the Karabakhi people
to self-determination.

"Without the NKR’s agreement, no document can be accepted. We attach
great importance to the issue of the NKR’s direct participation to
negotiations. Without the NKR’s direct participation to negotiations,
we are not able to come to any solution", Edward Nalbandyan emphasized.

AAC DOESN’T HAVE STATUS IN GEORGIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.12.2008 14:38 GMT+04:00

Armenian Church doesn’t have any status in Georgia. The other
religious minorities experience the same problem, the head of the
Georgian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Armenian said.

"We were offered a status of a non-governmental organization but
we rejected. We urge the Georgian authorities either to pass a law
on religion or conclude an agreement with the religious minorities,
recognizing them as artificial persons," bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan
said.

At the same time, he remarked that the intelligentsia and clergy should
not involve the flock in the problem of return of churches. "This
problem should be resolved at the highest level and religious fanatics
should not instigate national hostility. Georgians should understand
that Armenians are not crazy to lay claims to a Georgian Church in
Tbilisi," he said.

The Georgian Patriarchate doesn’t comment on the issue. "It’s well
known that Georgian and Armenian churches differ on belonging of
the historical religious monument, what Armenians call Norashen. A
commission consisting of professional experts will be formed to deal
with the issue," says the statement published by the Patriarchate on
December 8.

TURKEY CAN EASILY TURN ITS BACK ON "FRATERNAL AZERBAIJAN"

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.12.2008 14:51 GMT+04:00

Turkey is not a state which reckons with interests of its friends
and allies, according to an Armenian professor.

"If relations with Azerbaijan conflict with its national interests,
Turkey will easily turn its back on "fraternal Baku," said Ruben
Safrastyan, director of the institute of oriental studies at the RA
academy of sciences.

"During World War I, Turkey intruded in the Caucasus despite opposition
of its ally, Germany," he reminded.

"Ankara’s Caucasus initiative like its intention to join Karabakh
talks has failed. At the same time it tries to expand its influence
throughout the Middle East and Caucasus because the hope for EU
membership is fading. Moreover, the Turkish authorities do not seem
eager to join the Union. Islamists are trying to get along well with
the army to maintain power while Europe insists on resolution of the
Cyprus problem and human rights protection. Do not forget about the
Kurdish problem either," prof. Safrastyan said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKEY BUYING HELICOPTERS FROM RUSSIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.12.2008 14:55 GMT+04:00

Ankara will purchase attack helicopters from Russia after its request
to buy Cobra and Super Cobra helicopters from the United States was
turned down.

Turkey will purchase 32 Mi-28 attack helicopters from Russia and pay
some 1 billion USD to use them till Turkey and Italy will co-produce
A-129 helicopters, Vatan reports.

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY’S ATTITUDE TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION CHANGED

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.12.2008 15:22 GMT+04:00

The international community’s attitude to recognition the Armenian
Genocide has considerably changed recently, an Armenian professor said.

"Several years ago politicians and historians in the United State
could question the fact of the Genocide. Now, the situation is quite
different. Media publications referring to the 1915 events blame
the Ottoman Empire for the massacre of Armenians," Ruben Safrastyan,
director of the institute of oriental studies at the RA academy of
sciences, told a news conference in Yerevan.

Turkish political elite can’t renounce the Ottoman heritage. This is
the problem of the Armenian-Turkish relations, according to him.

"Turkey fears that Armenia will lay territorial claims. Actually,
it’s impossible over the absence an appropriate international legal
mechanism," prof. Safrastyan said.

ANDREY ARESHEV: YEREVAN SHOULD BE MORE PERSISTENT IN KARABAKH ISSUE

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.12.2008 15:47 GMT+04:00

The consequences of the USSR decline will be felt for a long time,
a Russian expert said.

"The August was in South Ossetia and Russia’s recognition of two
Georgian breakaway republics proved that Georgia launched a losing
battle," Andrey Areshev, member of strategic culture foundation,
wrote in his "Karabakh conflict: returning to the truth" article
obtained by PanARMENIAN.Net.

"Unlike Abkhazia and South Ossetia, Transnistria and Nagorno Karabakh
were not recognized. At that the situation with Karabakh resembles
a diplomatic fuss: frequent visits, statements contradicting one
another, vows to observe Madrid principles. Political scientists
and journalists discuss who will cede Karabakh to Azerbaijan: either
Russia in exchange for gas in Shah Deniz field or the United States
in exchange for Baku’s joining NATO and the Afghan transit. At that,
one and the most important fact remains neglected: the people of
Nagorno Karabakh who paid such a high price for their independence
will never renounce it," the article says.

"Militarization of the region is going on. The UN and other
international organizations demonstrate impotence to alleviate
tensions. The mediators neglect military, geopolitical, psychological
and geographical aspects of the Karabakh conflict. Pseudo-calls to
face the future smack of demagogy; the unity of the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-chairs is exaggerated. Under the circumstances, Yerevan should be
more persistent in the issue. Neglect of reality is not a productive
approach after the August events in South Ossetia," it says.

MONITORING CONDUCTED IN ARMENIA AND TURKEY SIMULTANEOUSLY
ARMEN TSATOURYAN

Hayots Ashkharh Daily
19 Dec 2008
Armenia

The decision on suspending the Armenian delegation’s right to vote,
adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on
December 17, is the beginning of the process of subordinating the
democracy issues to the European Union and the entire West.

At first sight associated with course of the implementation of PACE
Resolutions # 1609 and 1620 on the March 1 developments in Armenia,
the "yellow card" shown to our country is not going to turn into a
"red" one in the PACE winter session to be held on January 26.

Moreover, we believe that the authors of this warning do not simply
pursue a goal of controlling the course of the implementation of the
two PACE resolutions.

The "yellow card" shown to our country certainly has different
political motives. And from the point of view of such motives, it is
becoming clear why the European officials so suddenly remembered about
the investigation of the March 1 developments, an issue they kept in a
"half-frozen" state for several months continuously.

If we view the issue against the background of the developments in our
country, we will immediately see where the heart of the matter lies.

Moreover, the serious developments expected in the Karabakh peace
process have become a matter of20concern not only for the Armenian but
also for the Azerbaijani authorities, which are facing more serious
problems in comparison with us.

The "yellow card" shown to the Armenian authorities on December 17
is one of the loops of the long chain of steps aimed at integrating
our country to the Euro-Atlantic area. Following the Russian-Georgian
war and the subsequent developments, the EU member states and the US
have made the issue of unknotting the century-old Armenian-Turkish
entangled string their primary task in the South Caucasus.

And the current plans of conducting monitoring in Armenia and Turkey
simultaneously lie behind such calculations. Along with raffling the
"perestroyka" that started in Turkey by a shake of the "magic stick",
the principal issues which will enable Armenia to quickly integrate to
the Euro-Atlantic area through the formation of a new balance between
the authorities and the opposition are being speedily brought out
from the archives of our country.

The pro-opposition camp and its leader who formed a united block in
Armenia prior to the 2008 presidential elections are the only real
political force whose political revival can create a favorable internal
balance to the authorities and the political forces supporting it,
so as to adopt a more moderate and neutral stance on the regulation
of the Armenian-Turkish relations.

Therefore, it is not accidental that along with the unprecedentedly
acute campaign starring in Turkey, its neighboring state Armenia is
also being subjected to a monitoring regime.

The coordinated nature of the international and internal political
responses accompanying the process of collecting signatures below
the petition "Armenians Forgive Us" testifies to the pro-Armenian
orientation of the "perestroyka". The representatives of the
pro-Western Turkish intelligentsia, the political circles of a number
of European countries, the western press and even the moderately
Islamic authorities are making haste for taking their part in
the Turkish "perestroyka". However, the process cannot be full
if Armenia, the country on the other side of the border, does not
start the "re-evaluation of values" with the purpose of undermining
the authorities by way of threatening with sanctions and making the
pro-opposition camp (which adheres to Western values) active.

That first of all concerns the force structures and the judicial system
which laid obstacles on the path of achieving a shift of Government
through the planned operations of March 1.

Prior to the PACE winter session scheduled for January 26, Armenia is
becoming faced with the compulsion of concealing the results of the
inquests and the proceedings and ignoring the crimes committed. As
a result, the state government system and first of the judiciary may
lose their value in the eyes of the people.

Moreover, this may also lead the above-mentioned systems to lose
their trust in the higher bodies of government, because during
the past months they were doing a job whose products are now being
"thrown into water".

Strengthening the positions of this pro-opposition force (whose leader
immediately sends the crowd home after making his "prophecy"), it is
possible to create relevant conditions and atmosphere for doing the
same with regard to the Armenian-Turkish relations.

Thus, the task of strengthening its "fifth column" in Armenia required
that the country be involved in developments similar to the "March 1",
supporting the opposition not only in organizing but also concealing
such acts. Hereafter, it will be quite easy to involve the country in
a new "March 1" and adopt Resolutions # 1609 and 1620 and this will
continue till the moment when the country "democratized" through such
methods becomes fully "receptive".

CLEAR ROLECASTING NECESSARY
LILIT POGHOSYAN

Hayots Ashkharh Daily
19 Dec 2008
Armenia

Armenia shouldn’t negotiate instead of Karabakh

Yesterday the Caucasian Institute of Mass Media organized a
"summarizing" discussion on Karabakh issue, in which ex presidential
candidate of NKR Masis Mayilyan was invited. The latter introduced
his viewpoints regarding the developments that took place in 2008
around the negotiation process on the settlement of Karabakh issue.

According to the speaker the Moscow declaration gave a positive
impulse to the negotiation process. It is another question that the
Azerbaijani President partially devaluated Medvedev’s initiative,
making announcements, which included "elements of perfidy", saying
that no document can exclude the possibility of restarting war.

It is not accidental that during the meeting of OSCE Foreign Ministers
in Helsinki, the Foreign Ministers of Minsk Group Co-Chairing states,
as well as the Foreign Ministers of the 56 member states, enshrined
and reconfirmed with a joint announcement, that the problem must be
settled exclusively with peaceful methods. Moreover in response to
the announcements made by Ilham Aliev, they underscored the principle
of not using force in the declaration, the expression "political
settlement" included in the Maindorf declaration was replaced by the
formulation "peaceful settlement" in Helsinki.

The second speaker, political scientist Alexander Iskandaryan said
we shouldn’t confuse the settlement of Karabakh conflict with the
negotiation process: "They are two different formats, with different
parameters, different role-players, different developments, etc. The
developments taking place in the settlement process are not always
expressed in the negotiation process.

For example they build roads in Karabakh, inhabit territories
and all the before mentioned remains unnoticed in the negotiation
process. And visa verse the rumors circulated in the press "about
ceding territories" are very often combined with articles about
inhabiting the same territories, building roads, because I must repeat
they are two different formats. That is to say Minsk process is not
only Minsk process."

As regards Maindorf declaration the political scientist considers it
strange that our political figures raise hullabaloo regarding this
neutral document.

He said the latter simply states that: "At the moment there is no
settlement for Karabakh issue." Meanwhile he says that Azerbaijan’s
endeavor to shift the issue to other instances is a waste of time.

He said the existing panic is firstly conditioned by the "alarmism
and catastrophic mentality" characteristic to our society and the
anticipation of the radicals to gain political dividends. "Actually
this is a problem, but it is not the problem of20Karabakh. It is
conditioned by internal factors."

"Is the settlement process eternal? Or one day they will bring us
face to face with fact, forcing us to solve the issue?"

According to A. Iskandaryan this can happen only if the ratio of
forces is breached and the scale works to the benefit of the one
party. Something that can’t happen in the near future. "On the other
hand who said that Karabakh conflict can’t be frozen." The speaker said
quoting the precedents of Kashmir, Taiwan, Northern Cyprus. The most
important thing is that the negotiations continue, because dialogue
is always better than cold and especially "hot" war.

Moreover as Masis Mayilyan stated: "Life shows that after the meeting
of the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan or the Ministers of the
two countries, the firings usually stop on the border.

"And what should they do to bring Karabakh to the negotiation table
and make it a complete party to negotiation?"

A. Iskandaryan doesn’t consider this issue very urgent. Moreover he
believes at present Karabakh has nothing to do there. Once the two
parties achieve fundamental agreement over certain version and the
matter comes to the discussion of certain details of Karabakh’s
principle interests, they will not invite but even ask Karabakh
authorities to partake in the negotiation process.

According to Masis May ilyan: "It is high time for the two Armenian
states to develop the third direction, the process of the recognition
of NKR, irrespective of Azerbaijan, as for example the process of
the recognition of the genocide without Turkey’s participation. They
should start similar process in the direction of the recognition
of Karabakh. This will make Minsk group work more effectively and
Azerbaijan – to be more flexible in its stance."

On the other hand: "Karabakh and Armenia must reach an agreement
regarding their roles in the negotiation process. Which means
there should be a clear casting of roles and competencies. Armenia
shouldn’t hold negotiations regarding issues under the jurisdiction
of Karabakh. In that case they will have to speak with Karabakh."

UNITED ARMENIAN FUND

1101 N. Pacific Avenue # 204
Glendale, CA 91202
Tel: 818.241.8900
Fax: 818.241.6900

PRESS RELEASE

December 20, 2008

UAF’s 150th Airlift Delivers
$7 Million of Aid to Armenia
Glendale, CA – The United Armenian Fund’s 150th airlift arrived in Yerevan
on December 20, delivering $7.3 million of humanitarian assistance.
The UAF itself collected $6.9 million of medicines and medical supplies for
this flight, donated by Hope For The City ($4.1 million); (AmeriCares ($1.8
million); the Catholic Medical Mission Board ($945,000); Direct Relief
International ($70,000) and Health Partners International of Canada
($23,000).
Other organizations which contributed goods for this airlift were: U.M.A.F.
Rhone-Alpes of France ($65,000); Dr. Stephen Kashian ($45,000); Birthlink of
UK ($30,000); Armenian Missionary Association of America ($29,000); Society
for Orphaned Armenian Relief ($29,000); Dr. Samuel Malayan ($23,000);
Armenian Cultural Foundation ($21,000) and Armenian Bone Marrow Donor
Registry ($20,000).
Also contributing supplies to this airlift were: Armenian Youth Federation
($16,000); Herman Hinteryan ($12,000); First Christian Church ($11,000) and
Dr. Albert Shahnarian ($10,000).
Since its inception in 1989, the UAF has sent $549 million of humanitarian
assistance to Armenia on board 150 airlifts and 1,637 sea containers.
The UAF is the collective effort of the Armenian Assembly of America,
Armenian General Benevolent Union, Armenian Missionary Association of
America, Armenian Relief Society, Diocese of the Armenian Church of America,
Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America and The Lincy
Foundation.
For more information, contact the UAF office at 1101 North Pacific Avenue,
Suite 204, Glendale, CA 91202 or call (818) 241-8900.

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:

PRESS RELEASE

Monday, December 22, 2008

AGBU Scout Movement Begins in Armenia

The scouting movement has its unique place among the activities of AGBU.
The first AGBU scout troops were formed in Lebanon, Syria and Egypt in
the 1940s and, since then, new groups have formed around the world. This
year, and for the first time, AGBU initiated a scout troop in Armenia.

Early this year, Hermine Duzian, AGBU Diasporan Youth Programs
Coordinator in Armenia, began recruiting potential scouts at the Arabkir
Children’s Center of Yerevan. Through gatherings and consultations, as
well as meetings with potential scout parents, the heads of the new
scout troop explained the binding principles of the international
scouting movement. As a result of these events, the troop enrolled a
substantial number of youths interested in the mission of scouting,
which is to educate youth about good conduct, respect for others, and
honesty. Scouts learn skills that will last a lifetime, including basic
outdoor skills, first aid, citizenship skills, leadership skills, and
how to get along with others.

A Movement Begins

The flag-blessing ceremony of the first Armenia-based scout troop took
place on June 2008. A month later, the AGBU Armenia scout troop joined
300 diasporan Armenian scouts to participate in two summer camping
sessions at the newly opened AGBU Antranik Camp in Armenia’s Lori
region. Since then, the scouting movement continues to expand in Armenia
as a result of growing local interest.

On November 29, 2008, the first official gala celebration of the newly
established scout troop took place in Yerevan, Armenia. The event was
attended by the Republic of Armenia’s Education and Science Deputy
Minister Bagrat Yesayan, president of "Children First" non-profit
organization, Nani Oskanian, Armenian painter Mr. & Mrs. Hagop Hagopian,
artists Mr. & Mrs. Jirayr Altounian, Mr. & Mrs. Nikolay Tsaturian, and
others.

The festive evening culminated the inaugural year of AGBU’s scouting
activities in Armenia and is set to become the first tradition of the
country’s fledgling scout movement.

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

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress