Author: Andres-Papazian

ARMENIA, US HOLD BILATERAL DEFENSE CONSULTATIONS IN WASHINGTON

news.am
July 22 2011
Armenia

WASHINGTON. – The Armenian delegation headed by the First Deputy
Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan participated in Armenia-U.S. bilateral
defense consultations in Washington on July 19-20.

Within the framework of his visit, Tonoyan met with U.S. Under
Secretary of Defense for Policy Michele Flournoy. The sides discussed
bilateral strategic cooperation and issues on regional security.

Armenia’s Ambassador to U.S. Tatul Margaryan and military attache,
Colonel Mesrop Nazaryan also attended the meeting, the press service
of Armenian MOD informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Later Armenia-U.S. defense consultations were held, co-chaired by
Deputy Defense Minister David Tonoyan, U.S. Assistant Secretary of
Defense for International Security Affairs Alexander Vershbow and U.S.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia
Celeste Wallander.

The participants discussed issues on bilateral military cooperation,
particularly joint military exercises and trainings in peacekeeping
missions, military education, staff management and military medicine.

Tonoyan also held meetings with Eric Rubin, Deputy Assistant Secretary
in the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, Kurt Amend, Principal
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. The
officials discussed issues of common interest and exchanged views on
international and regional defense and security.

The bilateral consultations were held in a friendly and constructive
atmosphere. The sides expressed readiness to expand the cooperation
in the future.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIANS WANT GAREGIN II TO RESIGN

The Messenger
July 22 2011
Georgia

Akhali Taoba reports that the negative attitude towards Garegin II is
increasing every day in Armenia. Local media outlets do not hide their
negative opinions towards him and now a Facebook group has been created
demanding Garegin II’s resignation. Panarmenian.net, an Armenian
news agency reported about this new group first and in that time the
Facebook group had only 67 members which has now increased. A question
was asked whether Garegin II should be abandoned by the Armenian
church and 1560 persons answered positively, 221 answered negatively.

This negative attitude among Armenians increased when Garegin II said
that he does not care about the churches located in mountains. This
statement was followed by a big protest from society stating that
it is impossible for the Catholicos not to care about mountainous
monasteries.

Currently Armenia demands that Georgia gives it 5 churches in Tbilisi
and 1 in Akhaltsikhe. According to one newspaper it is interesting
that Garegin II cares for the churches in Georgia when he does not
care Armenian churches located in mountainous regions of his country.

From: A. Papazian

Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Tel: (818) 500-1918

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
July 21, 2011
Contact: Haig Hovsepian
Telephone: (818) 500-1918

ABA HONORS CURRENT, FORMER ANCA-WR BOARD MEMBERS AS “RISING STAR” ATTORNEYS

GLENDALE, CA—The Armenian National Committee of America-Western
Region (ANCA-WR) welcomed the Armenian Bar Association’s (ABA)
inclusion of current ANCA-WR Board Member Raffi Kassabian and former
ANCA-WR Board Member Armen Martin in its “20 Rising Stars Under 40”
honorees. Martin and Kassabian will join the other honorees, selected
from throughout the United States and Canada, for a special event
marking the occasion hosted by the ABA on July 28th in Pasadena,
California.

“The ANCA-WR draws its strength from its grassroots leadership and we
are proud that the ABA has chosen to honor Armen Martin and Raffi
Kassabian,” said Andrew Kzirian, Chairman of the ANCA-WR Board of
Directors.

Armen Martin is an attorney with the firm Liner Grode et al. LLP who,
in addition to having previously served on the ANCA-WR Board of
Directors, was a founding member of the Armenian National Committee of
America’s Professional Network, a group dedicated to bringing together
and promoting civic engagement among young professionals.

Raffi Kassabian is an attorney at the firm Reed Smith LLP. He
currently serves on the ANCA-WR Board of Directors and has served on
the ANCA Professional Network Committee and has served as the Chair of
the ANCA-WR’s California State Affairs Committee.

The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the
largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy
organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination
with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the
Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country,
the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community
on a broad range of issues.

####

Attached: Photos – Raffi Kassabian, Armen Martin

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJANI OFFICIAL: RUSSIA TO SHIFT FROM MILITARISTIC TO ECONOMIC PRESENCE IN SOUTH CAUCASUS

Trend Daily News
July 19, 2011 Tuesday 10:55 AM GMT +4

Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov believes that it’s
time for Russia to move from a militaristic to an economic stance in
the South Caucasus.

Azerbaijan is concerned by the presence of Russian troops in Armenia,
Azimov said in an interview with the Echo Moskvy radio station.

“Unfortunately, Russia finds it necessary to keep armed forces in
Armenia. We see less and less reason for such a militaristic presence
in the South Caucasus – it’s time to change from tanks to tankers;
that is, from a militaristic presence to an economic one”, he added.

Persuading Armenia to accept constructive suggestions in negotiations
over the Karabakh settlement is in Russia’s best interest, Azimov said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

From: A. Papazian

5TH PAN-ARMENIAN OLYMPIAD ON ARMENIAN LANGUAGE, LITERATURE AND ARMENIAN STUDIES KICKS OFF

Office of the Prime minister

July 18 2011
Armenia

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan attended the official opening ceremony
of the 5th pan-Armenian Olympiad on Armenian language, literature
and Armenian studies at Arno Babajanyan concert hall as dedicated
to the 20th anniversary of Armenia’s independence and organized by
the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Armenia
since 2005.

Welcoming the participants, the Prime Minister stated in part:
“We made a point of holding pan-Armenian events like this in Armenia
since they are important from several standpoints.

First of all, they symbolize our unity.

We thereby demonstrate that wherever we are, our language, literature,
history and culture remain key values to us.

We prove that those values are handed down to our children by teaching
them to be Armenians with the awareness of national identity, ethnic
background and history.

Secondly, a major problem in the modern world is the achievement of
self-knowledge and the preservation of originality.

What do we mean by saying Armenian identity: of course, our history
and our language, our culture and our religion.

In this respect, we highlight the basic objective of the Olympiad that
is to stimulate the knowledge of the Armenian language, literature,
history and culture.

We should do everything so that Armenian children living abroad
discover Armenia through stronger contacts maintained with the
homeland.

Also, we must give Armenia-based children deep knowledge of the
Diaspora. This synergy will enrich our vision of the world allowing
us to build on national unity.

I am glad that the Olympiad’s geography is expanding from year to
year fostered by an ever-growing interest in it. In educational terms,
the Olympiad promotes the application of uniform educational criteria.

It is symbolical that the Olympiad is dedicated to the 20th anniversary
of Armenia’s independence. Free and independent Armenia has become
a reality, an unbreakable truth for your generation.

While you will be competing for the next couple of day, I am sure that
there will be no losers in this competition. Every one is supposed
to be a winner since you will take away unforgettable and bright
memories in addition to the awards.

Congratulating you once again, I wish you every success and all
the best.”

130 participants from 12 different countries are participating in the
2011 edition of the Olympiad. The participants are pupils of grammar
schools and educational centers, as well as teenagers attending other
schools or having contacts with Diaspora communities.

The winners will get 3 diplomas and prizes in the first category, 6 –
in the second category and 9 – in the third category. Special awards
and incentive are also envisaged.

From: A. Papazian

CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES EYE SURGEON RETURNS TO ARMENIA TO SAVE SIGHT IN PREMATURE INFANTS

Sun Herald

July 20 2011
Mississippi

Telemedicine Project Significantly Reduces Blindness in Babies Through
Patient Screenings and Physician Education

LOS ANGELES — Thomas C. Lee, MD, eye surgeon with The Vision Center
at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and a member of the physician team
collaborating with the Armenian Eye Care Project (AECP), returned to
Yerevan, Armenia, and neighboring rural areas last week, to educate
even more doctors about complex blinding diseases in premature infants.

In July 2010, Dr. Lee joined the AECP in their annual mission
to Armenia to teach local doctors how to save sight in children
by diagnosing and treating Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), an
aggressive blinding disease affecting one third of Armenian premature
infants. After realizing the impact of intense and swift training
sessions, the doctors determined that an interactive telemedicine
and distance learning portal was needed to properly monitor exams
and surgeries using advanced medical equipment from across the globe.

To date, Dr. Lee and his team have screened more than 300 children
and observed more than 1,000 supervised exams over the internet. The
doctors in Armenia have treated over 40 children with the laser eye
equipment and administered sight-saving therapy to over 30 children
that would have otherwise been completely blind.

“I was eagerly looking forward to going back to Armenia to see the
impact of our last trip. It was literally the first time I have ever
witnessed ‘see one, do one, teach one’ in action. During this trip,
the team of doctors we trained throughout the year helped us teach
new physicians and neonatologists in rural areas through an in-country
training program,” said Dr. Lee.

In remote areas of Armenia, advanced technology is unheard of;
therefore, the team of physicians trained local doctors how to inject
Avastin, a monoclonal antibody that slows the growth of blood vessels,
into the eye.

“We think our model of teaching through telemedicine can be replicated
in other developing countries around the world where the infrastructure
to teach physicians is limited,” said Dr. Lee. “With the support of
the AECP and Armenian Ministry of Health, we hope kids will go on to
see years of the world around them.”

About Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles has been named the best children’s
hospital in California and among the best in the nation for clinical
excellence with its selection to the prestigious US News & World
Report Honor Roll. Children’s Hospital is home to The Saban Research
Institute, one of the largest and most productive pediatric research
facilities in the United States. Children’s Hospital is also one of
America’s premier teaching hospitals through its affiliation since
1932 with the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern
California.

For more information, visit Follow us on
Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn, or visit our blog:

From: A. Papazian

MEDIATORS ‘SHOULD NOT FORGET’ ABOUT MILITARY SOLUTION OF KARABAKH CONFLICT

news.az
July 20 2011
Azerbaijan

Given Azerbaijan’s opportunities and Armenia’s plight, Azerbaijan’s
victory in case of such a hypothetic way of solution is out of doubt.

We should not forget about another side of the issue that whether
super powers will allow Azerbaijan to use force or not.

The statement came from Vice-Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament
Bahar Muradova while commenting on whether the super powers will allow
Azerbaijan to use force and whether Azerbaijan will win in case of
a military solution to the conflict.

‘If we resort to this option, will it have a short-term outcome or
will it last long? In other words. We have faced such measures taken
within a military option in world practice… You know, I would rather
focus on peaceful way of solution of the conflict and would not want
the matter to reach the point of a war.

But I also don’t want the co-chairs and mediators to forget about
the military solution and make Azerbaijan to accept options that
contradict its interests.’

The current situation requires the mediators to have a comprehensive
approach to the issue, Muradova added.

From: A. Papazian

JOBS AGAINST MIGRATION

The Messenger
July 20 2011
Georgia

There are heated discussions taking place in Armenia concerning the
migration of the population from the country. PM Tigran Sarkisian in
his interview to Radio Liberty commented about the migration process
from Armenia. Sarkisian thinks that the main wave of migration from
Armenia took place in the beginning of the 1990s. According to him
in 2008-09 there were more Armenians returning home than leaving
the country. The Armenian PM named the global economic crisis as
a major factor deteriorating the picture of the country. The only
solution according to him is the creation of working places among the
population. Meanwhile there are more Armenians leaving the country
than returning at present.

From: A. Papazian

L’ARMENIE PREPARE L’OUVERTURE DE SA PREMIERE ZONE FRANCHE
Marion

armenews.com
jeudi 21 juillet 2011

Le gouvernement armenien et le groupe argentin Corporacion America SA,
gestionnaire de l’aeroport international de Zvartnots d’Erevan, ont
signe, jeudi 14 juillet, un accord qui ouvre la voie a l’ouverture de
la première zone franche d’Armenie, visant a stimuler les exportations
du pays.

La creation d’une telle zone au sein du complexe de l’aeroport est
prevue dans le cadre du contrat de gestion de l’aeroport signe en
2001 entre le gouvernement armenien et la societe d’Eduardo Eurnekian,
un milliardaire argentin d’origine armenienne.

L’operateur argentin prevoit la reconstruction d’installations
aeroportuaires cles d’ici la fin de cette annee. Le coût des travaux
est estime a plusieurs millions d’euros. La date de l’ouverture de
la zone franche n’est pas encore connue.

Le Parlement a adopte, le mois dernier, un projet de loi reglementant
les zones franches economiques.

” J’ai des attentes très elevees, car c’est une nouvelle opportunite
pour le developpement de notre economie “, a declare Tigran Davtian,
ministre de l’Economie.

La zone franche est censee accueillir principalement des produits
agricoles cultives en Armenie pour les exporter a l’etranger. Des
entrepôts equipes de refrigerateurs, des installations de
conditionnement et un laboratoire de securite alimentaire devraient
etre mis en place a cet effet.

T. Davtian a reaffirme le projet du gouvernement d’ouvrir deux
nouvelles zones franches dans les annees a venir.

Certains analystes economiques remettent neanmoins en question
l’interet de telles zones en Armenie. Bagrat Asatrian, ancien
gouverneur de la Banque centrale, a declare que la zone de Zvartnots
n’apportera aucun avantage a l’agriculture ou a d’autres secteurs de
l’economie armenienne.

” Dans un pays comme le nôtre, les zones franches economiques ne
serviront les interets que d’un petit nombre de personnes “, a-t-il
affirme a RFE/RL.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF AMERICA LAUNCHED CAMPAIGN AGAINST US AMBASSADOR TO AZERBAIJAN MATTHEW BRYZA

APA
July 19 2011
Azerbaijan

Baku. Habil Suleymanzadeh – APA. The Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA) has again started a campaign against the adoption of
U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Matthew Bryza to his post.

APA reports quoting ANCA’s website that the committee urged the
activists of local Armenian communities to organize mass electronic
calls to U.S. senators to oppose the nomination of Bryza. The Armenian
committee justified this with the fact that Bryza is allegedly close
to Azerbaijan and protects the interests of energy giants.

Matthew Bryza was appointed to the post of ambassador by President
Obama. At this time, as the pro-Armenian congressmen opposed this
nomination, the confirmation Bryza’s candidacy in the Senate did
not take place. Then, Barack Obama, using his authority, appointed
Bryza to the post of ambassador to Azerbaijan. But according to
current procedure, a confirmation of the appointment in the Senate
is necessary. If the Senate does not approve Bryza to this post,
he will stop his activity and come back.

The Senate also considers the John Heffern’s candidacy to the post
of US ambassador to Armenia. At the first stage of hearings, the
pro-Armenian senators angered for Heffern’s refusal to characterize
the 1915 incidents as genocide, and declared that they would try to
prevent his appointment.

From: A. Papazian