Author: Andres-Papazian

KAN. ADJUTANT GENERAL HEADING TO ARMENIA

The Associated Press State & Local Wire
September 19, 2011 Monday 9:01 AM GMT

The Kansas adjutant general is heading to Armenia as part of an
international partnership program between U.S. states and other
nations.

Maj. Gen. Lee Tafanelli will be in Armenia from Tuesday through Friday.

Tafanelli will visit with Armenian military and emergency management
officials. He’ll also take part in a parade marking the 20th
anniversary of Armenian independence from the former Soviet Union.

Officials from Kansas and Armenia have participated in several
exchanges over the past decade, under the National Guard Bureau’s
State Partnership Program.

From: A. Papazian

THE CLOSED ARMENIAN-TURKISH BORDER IS THE “LAST REMNANT OF THE COLD WAR”, THE GERMANY’S AMBASSADOR STATES

Mediamax
Sept 20 2011
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Germany’s Ambassador to Armenia Hans -Johan
Schmidt wished Armenia today “to find a solution acceptable for all
the sides to settle the Nagorno Karabakh conflict jointly with its
partner countries”.

Addressing a press conference in Yerevan today, the diplomat also
wished the Armenian- Turkish border to open which in his opinion, is
“the last remnant of the cold war”, Mediamax reports.

“All the OSCE countries, Turkey including, expressed the political
will to have open borders and realize open trade. The settlement of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and problem of closed Armenian-Turkish
border is of special importance for political and civil development
of the Southern Caucasus”, stated Hans-Johan Schmidt.

From: A. Papazian

YEREVAN ACTIVISTS WILL PROTEST AGAINST RUSSIAN TROOPS ON INDEPENDENCE DAY

ArmeniaDiaspora.com
Sept 20 2011

Epress.am — A group “against foreign brigades and flags” in the
military parade celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Republic of
Armenia is set to march from Saryan Park in Yerevan to Liberty Square
beginning at 9 am on Sept. 21.

“We invite all those who believe that foreign countries’ flags
and troops have no place in our Independence Day military parade
to participate in the protest march. The route is currently under
discussion, but the point and time of departure is definite. If
you will be participating, express yourselves – all suggestions
(clothing, posters, route and so on) are encouraged. Speak up,”
reads the statement posted on the event’s Facebook page.

As previously reported, the 102nd Russian military base located in
Gyumri will be taking part in the military parade and flying the
Russian flag.

This news was conveyed to Epress.am by Armenian defense ministry
press spokesperson David Karapetyan.

Karapetyan also confirmed the participation of those Armenian military
bases that take part in Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO)
operations and are trained to be called on in case of aggression
against a CSTO signatory.

Photo: army-news.ru

Article source:

From: A. Papazian

KARA: ERDOGAN IS ALSO GUILTY

Arutz Sheva
Sept 20 2011
Israel

Deputy Minister Ayoub Kara congratulated Prime Minister Binyamin
Netanyahu on Tuesday for his decision to go to New York and address
the international community.

Kara also criticized Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for
his actions against Israel and said, “Lately we hear criticism and
threats, and I suggest that Erdogan not preach about morality to us
and not play honor games.

“Erdogan’s country is guilty of genocide of the Kurds and the
Armenians, and perhaps this should be mentioned to him,” added Kara.

“It is not us who refuse peace, and authentic Palestinian leaders
will attest to that.”

From: A. Papazian

FULE: EU TO CONTINUE BACKING ARMENIA’S AMBITIOUS REFORMS

ENPI Info Centre
Sept 20 2011

The EU will continue backing Armenia’s ambitious agenda of internal
reforms, European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood
Policy tefan Fule has said. In a statement following his meeting with
Prime Minister TigranSargsyanof Armenia,on 19 Septemberin Brussels,
he announced the Commission’s decision to open negotiations on the
visa facilitation and readmission agreements with Armenia, with the
talks expected to begin as soon as the Council adopts the mandate.

Fule said the EU and Armenia were both “committed to further enhance
the relations within the renewed European Neighbourhood Policy”and
voicedhope that the forthcoming Eastern Partnership Summit (29-30
September, Warsaw) would “create an important momentum to bring the
countries of the Eastern Partnership even closer to the EU”.

The Commissioner said Armenia had advanced in the negotiations on
the Association Agreement, including the preparations for Deep and
Comprehensive Free Trade Area, but had to do more “building on the
good progress reached in the recent months.”

Fule noted that the EU had practically doubled assistance to Armenia
as of 2011 and underlined that the EU Advisory Group would continue
to support the Armenian authorities over the reforms in the core
areas of the Association Agreement.(ENPI Info Centre)

From: A. Papazian

CREATION OF MATENADARAN NEW FACILITY PROVED THAT HAYK WILL ALWAYS WIN BEL – ARMENIAN PRESIDENT

news.am
Sept 20 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – The new facility of Matenadaran by architect Arthur Meschian
proved that Hayk will always win Bel, although Meschian’s song state
the opposite, said the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan at the
opening ceremony of Matenadaran’s new facility on Tuesday.

“Arthur Meschian became the worthy successor of brilliant Armenian
Architect Mark Grigoryan (architect of Matenadaran’s main building)
continuing his work and keeping with the logic and spirit of the
building,” Sargsyan added.

Note that Arthur Meschian, although largely popular as a singer,
is an architect and the author of Matenadaran’s new facility.

View video at

From: A. Papazian

MOLDOVA SAYS ARMENIA BOUGHT 60 TONS OF WEAPONS AND AMMO IN LIBYA

Vestnik Kavkaza
Sept 20 2011

Moldova insists that a plane carrying 60 tons of weapons belongs
to Armenia. OMEGA reported that an Il-76 from Libya landed at the
airport of Kishinev on September 12. It then headed to the airfield
of Merkuleshty to pick up cargo from a Latvian company registered
in Riga. 60 tons of weapons were sold in September. Two Libyan
planes transported weapons on September 13 and 14. The head of the
press-service of the Moldovan Defense Ministry, Alexander Zhosan,
said that the cargo consisted of artillery and anti-missile systems.

Vice-Premier and Minister of the Economy Valery Lazer said that the
Armenian air authorities denied the arguments. The press secretary
of the Armenian Administration of Civil Aviation said that the
Libya-Moldova flight with weapons never happened.

The plane flew from Benghazi to Kishinev three days after Prime
Minister Vladimir Filat’s visit to Germany for a visit with President
of Trans-Dniester Igor Smirnov.

From: A. Papazian

USA DOES NOT RECOGNIZE INDEPENDENCE OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH

Vestnik Kavkaza
Sept 20 2011

Not a single state, including the USA, recognizes the independence
of Nagorno-Karabakh, AzerTAG cites the press-service of the US State
Department.

Such is the US response to the local elections in Nagorno-Karabakh
held on September 18. The elections should not become an obstacle to
settling the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.

Operating with the OSCE Minsk Group, the US is searching for peaceful
means of reaching a solution, based on the Helsinki Principles.

From: A. Papazian

EU TO LAUNCH VISA LIBERALIZATION TALKS WITH ARMENIA, NOTES PROGRESS
Armen Hareyan

HULIQ.com
Sept 20 2011
SC

European Union’s Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule, following
his meeting with Tigran Sargsyan, Prime Minister of the Republic
of Armenia, announced that the Commission has just adopted the
negotiating directives for the negotiations on the visa facilitation
and readmission agreements with Armenia.

“It is our intention to launch negotiations as soon as the Council
adopts the mandate,” Fule said referring to easy visa requirements for
the citizens of Armenia, who want to travel to Europea Union. Both
sides agreed that Amenia dn EU remain committed to further enhance
the relations within the renewed European Neighbourhood Policy.

Further visa developments in ten days

The visa liberalization policy between EU and Armenia will be further
developed in ten days in Poland. At the Eastern Partnership Summit the
sides will reconfirm their mutual commitment and create an important
momentum to bring the countries of Eastern Partnership even closer
to the EU. This summit, which will take place in Warsaw, is seen as
a milestone in the program’s history. The president of Armenia Serzh
Sargsyan will travel to Warsaw to participate in the summit.

The visa agreement will be based on reciprocity. EU will facilitate
and liberalize issuing short term visas and Armenia, in return,
will readmit its citizens who are irregular migrants in EU.

The mechanism are already agreed. “The list of suggested visa
facilitations include the simplification of documentary evidence to
be submitted in support of the visa application, the possibility
of issuing multiple-entry visas with a long period of validity,
the waiving/reducing of the handling fees for specific categories of
travellers, set deadlines for processing visa applications, as well as
a possible exemption from the visa obligation for holders of diplomatic
passports,” said Cecilia Malmstrom, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs.

She added that these are the tangible results of the Eastern
Partnership.

Sources familiar with the matter, told Huliq that the visa facilitation
will be carried out in several stages. The first stage will be the
simplification of required documents, lowering the fees and providing
visa exemption for those who hold diplomatic passport.

The next stage, expected in spring of 2012, will be easy requirements
for students and businessmen. By the early 2013 Armenia and European
Union will be close to waiving visa requirements for mutual travel.

EaP Background (Reference) The upcoming Eastern Partnership
Ministerial meeting will provide an opportunity to take stock of the
implementation of the Eastern Partnership. It will also allow the
EU and the partner countries to discuss the further implementation
of the Eastern Partnership with a view to supporting further reforms
and strengthening and deepening the relations between the EU and the
partner countries on the basis of common values.

From: A. Papazian

YEREVAN HAS STRONG POSITIONS IN INTERNATIONAL ARENA AS RELIABLE PARTNER-UN COORDINATOR

news.am
Sept 20 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – UN permanent coordinator in Armenia Dafina Gercheva
congratulated Armenian people on the occasion of 20th anniversary of
Armenia’s independence.

“20 years ago on September 21 the Armenian nation proved its loyalty
to the principle of freedom and independence and joint to the family
of UN independent states,” the congratulation reads.

Armenia faced and stood many challenges during those two decades. The
state, however, recorded significant progress in social-economic,
environmental and management spheres, she added.

As a UN member state, Armenia has a strong position in the
international arena as a reliable partner and has its contribution to
the process of facing challenges of human development. It also takes
the global experience and contributes it to regional cooperation
and stability.

UN office in Armenia makes efforts to promote national development. It
also aims to strengthen the effective cooperation with the authorities
and the society in the interests of the Armenian nation.

“I wish Armenian people prosperity, health and success in future,”
congratulation letter reads.

From: A. Papazian