Month: November 2009

KARABAKH PRESIDENT, KASPRZYK DISCUSS CURRENT SITUATION

Yerkir
10.11.2009 13:37

Yerevan (Yerkir) – NKR President Bako Sahakyan received
yesterday Andrzej Kasprzyk, the personal representative of the OSCE
chairman-in-office, to discuss issues related to the current situation
on the contact line of the Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijani armed
forces, the NKR presidential press service has said.

A scheduled monitoring will be held on Karabakh-Azerbaijani contact
line, near the Horadiz-Fizuli settlements on November 10.

AAA THANKS CONGRESSMAN TOM PERIELLO FOR SUPPORTING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

Noyan Tapan
11.11.2009

WASHINGTON, NOVEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. During a
meeting on Capital Hill, Armenian Assembly Executive Director Bryan
Ardouny and Congressional Relations Associate Bianka Dodov emphasized
the importance of squarely affirming the Armenian Genocide and thanked
Congressman Tom Periello (D-VA) for his support of H. Res. 252,
the Armenian Genocide resolution.

ZHARANGUTIUN’S LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVE TO BE DISCUSSED AT NA NOVEMBER 17 SITTING AS SPECIAL ISSUE

Noyan Tapan
11.11.2009

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA NA Standing Committee on
Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Affairs at its November
11 sitting voted against placing on the agenda of the November 16-19
NA four-day session the bill On Making an Amendment to the RA Law
On Television and Radio authored by Zharangutiun (Heritage) faction
members Anahit Bakhshian and Armen Martirosian.

It should be mentioned that the bill put into circulation as far
back as on February 17 proposed invalidating part 14 of Article 59
of RA law On Television and Radio (by 2008 September 10 amendment),
according to which, no tenders for television and radio transmission
are announced until 2010 July 20.

After Committee’s sitting the Zharangutiun faction with the consent of
the deputies – initiative’s authors considered special the mentioned
bill sending the decision to the NA Speaker.

According to Article 35 of RA law NA Regulations, "one bill or draft
decision considered special by the opposition faction is discussed
by the order established by Article 104.2 of the same law, at the
second sitting, on Tuesday, of regular session’s each second four-day
sittings."

Thus, according to Zharangutiun’s report, A. Bakhshian’s and A.

Martirosian’s legislative initiative not receiving profile committee’s
positive conclusion by the force of the law will be placed on the
agenda of the November 16-19 four-day session and will be discussed
as a special issue at the November 17 session’s second sitting.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RUBEN ABRAHAMIAN APPOINTED HONORARY CONSUL OF RA TO URUGUAY

Noyan Tapan
11.11.2009

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN. According to RA Foreign Minister’s
2009 September 16 order, citizen of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay
Ruben Abrahamian was appointed Honorary Consul of RA to Uruguay,
residence Montevideo.

R. Abrahamian was invited to the Foreign Ministry of Uruguay on October
30 where he was given Uruguay’s Foreign Minister’s decision recognizing
Ruben Abrahamian as Honorary Consul of RA to Uruguay and exequature.

According to the RA Foreign Ministry Press and Information Department,
the opening ceremony of RA Honorary Consul’s office in Montevideo is
planned to be held in late November.

JOHN MCCAIN ACCEPTS FACT OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Noyan Tapan
11.11.2009

WASHINGTON, NOVEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Republican
nominee for president in the last presidential elections in the
United States John McCain declared that the Armenian Genocide is a
historic fact.

According to Asbarez, in his interview to the Voice of America McCain,
who had refused to adopt such a position during his election campaign,
said that the assertions of the Armenian Genocide are grounded
by facts.

"I believe that a genocide was committed to Armenians and I think there
are a lot of facts in this connection. The Armenian and Turkish peoples
and states are not able to forget the events occurred in the past,
therefore they are going to develop their relations many-sidedly. It
is the first time the sides take steps recording progress, which is
praiseworthy," the Republican Senator said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN-SWISS BILATERAL AGREEMENTS SIGNED IN BERN

Noyan Tapan
11.11.2009

BERN, NOVEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN. On November 11, after RA President’s
state visit to Hungary, RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian left
Budapest for Switzerland on a short official visit where he met with
Foreign Minister of Hungary Micheline Calmy-Rey. According to the RA
Foreign Ministry Press and Information Department, a number of issues
related to various spheres of cooperation, regional and international
issues were on meeting’s agenda.

The sides mentioned with satisfaction that during the past year
the bilateral relations developed unprecedentedly, and one of its
evidence is Switzerland’s mediation in the normalization process
of Armenian-Turkish relations. Development of the relations was
marked by Charles Aznavour’s appointment as RA Ambassador to
Switzerland, as well as by foundation of Switzerland’s diplomatic
representation in Armenia. Highly evaluating the dynamics of recent
development of Armenian-Swiss relations E. Nalbandian and M. Calmy-Rey
attached importance to necessity of mutual visits, expansion of the
legal-contractual sphere as a guarantee of further expansion of the
comprehensive cooperation.

In the context of Switzerland’s coming chairmanship in the Council of
Europe the Ministers exchanged thoughts over issues on organization’s
agenda and its activity.

Touching upon the normalization process of Armenian-Turkish relations
and Switzerland’s mediation E. Nalbandian expressed gratitude
for the mediatory efforts. According to the RA Foreign Minister,
Switzerland has assumed a mission that demands inflexibility, reserve,
cautiousness and patience, and the mediator state carried out that
mission with honor.

Within the framework of the visit, at the Swiss government’s Reception
House, E. Nalbandian and M. Calmy-Rey signed Agreement On Regular Air
Communications between the RA Government and Swiss Federal Council and
Agreement On Liquidating the Demand of Entrance Visa for People Having
Diplomatic Passports between RA Government and Swiss Federal Council.

Ministers’ joint press conference took place after the ceremony.

The RA Foreign Minister returned to Yerevan on November 11.

NEW CASES OF A/H1 N1 IN ARMENIA

Aysor
Nov 11 2009
Armenia

Today in Armenia has been discovered 2 new cases of A/H1 N1.

Shushan Hunanyan the assistant of the Healthcare Minister of the
Armenian Republic informed Aysor.am that one of the infected patients
is Armenian and has arrived to our country at night from St.

Petersburg. The other one is a citizen of Iranian Republic, he has
applied to a hospital, from where he was taken to Nork infection
hospital.

"The symptoms are asserted. There are 5 cases of the illness in the
republic. But I can assure you that in our clinics we keep all the
conditions for not spreading the infection", – said Hunanyan adding
that today the cases suspected are transformed only to Nork infection
clinic.

She assured that in case of having many cases of infection the other
hospitals too will be mobilized.

As for the Swiss medicine against A/H1 N1 flu called Tamiflu Sh.

Hunanyan mentioned that there is already medical preparations for
7500 people and in a few days 20 000 pills will be gained. "Another
medicine called "Relenza" will be acquired for those who will not have
sensitivity for "Tamiflu". Negotiations are hold for the vaccine and
we will get them as soon as possible."

In all the public schools the Hygienic epidemic service is implementing
everyday monitoring, the employees visit the schools, realize general
monitoring, and provide with corresponding information.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SERVICES OF COMMEMORATION TO MARK THE END OF WORLD WAR I

Aysor
Nov 11 2009
Armenia

Today marks the 91 anniversary of signed Armistice that ended the
First World War.

The First World War involved 38 of 59 existing that times independent
states, for about 73.5 million people were mobilized. The First World
War left for about 20 million people dead and 20 million wounded and
3.5 million injured.

The German Empire lost its colonial possessions and was saddled with
accepting blame for the war. Austria-Hungary was also partitioned,
largely along ethnic lines, into several successor states including
Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and Yugoslavia, as well as adding
Transylvania to the Greater Romania who was allied with the victors.

The Russian Empire, which had withdrawn from the war in 1917 after
the October Revolution, lost much of its western frontier as the
newly independent nations of Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania,
and Poland were carved from it. The Ottoman Empire disintegrated
and was to be partitioned by the Treaty of Sèvres in 1920. However,
Treaty of Sèvres still isn’t ratified.

This brought big crash for Armenians since Turkey took advantage
of war and started killing Armenians. The Armenian Genocide was
centrally planned and administered by the Turkish government against
the entire Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire. It was carried
out during W.W.I between the years 1915 and 1918. The Armenian
people were subjected to deportation, expropriation, abduction,
torture, massacre, and starvation. It is estimated that one and a
half million Armenians perished between 1915 and 1923. There were an
estimated two million Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire on the
eve of W.W.I. Well over a million were deported in 1915. Hundreds of
thousands were butchered outright. Many others died of starvation,
exhaustion, and epidemics which ravaged the concentration camps. Among
the Armenians living along the periphery of the Ottoman Empire many
at first escaped the fate of their countrymen in the central provinces
of Turkey. Tens of thousands in the east fled to the Russian border to
lead a precarious existence as refugees. The majority of the Armenians
in Constantinople, the capital city, were spared deportation. By 1923
the entire landmass of Asia Minor and historic West Armenia had been
expunged of its Armenian population. The destruction of the Armenian
communities in this part of the world was total.

As Big Ben chimes 11 a.m. in London marking eleven o’clock on eleventh
day of eleventh month people remember that war which left 20 million
dead is over.

LUKASHENKO ON KARABAKH ISSUE

news.am
Nov 11 2009
Armenia

Belarus had neither turned to Nagorno-Karabakh issue in its politics
nor kept company with someone against another, Alexander Lukashenko
told in the interview with Trend News Agency.

"In various areas we cannot stand aside in Transdniestrian, Crimean,
and Karabakhi issues. I have often discussed this issue with former
and incumbent Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan," said Lukashenko
pointing out he has never interfered into "numerous problems" and
nuances that this issue comprises.

Lukashenko states that he realizes how critical the issue for Armenian
and Azerbaijani people is, meanwhile expressing confidence that the two
presidents will resolve the conflict. This Gordian knot should be cut,
there is no need to confide in any mediators. Although there is a Minsk
Group, and if Minsk as a centre of its creation can assist somehow, we
will gladly do so," Belarus President declared adding that mediators’
involvement "might be a good idea, but it incites liabilities,
mandatory consideration of the third, firth and fifth parts."

Lukashenko reckons that every mediation side will try to implement a
policy based on its own interests. As for Karabakh issue settlement,
he considers that it should be reached only reckoning with NKR people
interests, "people cannot live in those conditions and situation and
resolution ways will be found by smart people anyhow, they have to."

NEWS.am recalls, that President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev leaves
for Minsk Nov. 12.

AZERBAIJAN SEES THREE STAGES IN KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

news.az
Nov 11 2009
Azerbaijan

Elmar Mammadyarov Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told journalists
in Baku today that Azerbaijan "sees three stages in the Karabakh
conflict settlement".

The first stage is the withdrawal of Armenian troops from Karabakh
with subsequent mine clearance. The second stage is the restoration
of infrastructure, the resolution of socio-economic problems and the
third – the return of all refugees to their native lands. Only after
that will it be possible to speak about the status of Nagorno Karabakh,
Mammadyarov said.

During the three stages, the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities
of Nagorno-Karabakh will discuss the future status of this region
together.

"I would like to repeat that the issue of status can be settled
only within the framework of territorial integrity. Similar models
of resolving status have been used in Tatarstan, Bashkortostan and
most countries, including in Europe."

Mammadyarov hoped that Armenia will take a constructive position at
the upcoming talks which will help to bring closer the final stage
of resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

The foreign ministries of Azerbaijan and Armenia will continue
consultations on 1-2 December in Athens, which is hosting the OSCE
foreign ministers’ meeting. The ministries will discuss the outcome
of the meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents which is due
to be held in late November, Mammadyarov said.