Author: Andres-Papazian

WIKILEAKS-RELEASED CABLE BARES U.S. FEAR OF POTENTIAL TERRORISTS IN TURKEY

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 24, 2011 – 10:05 AMT 06:05 GMT

A leading Turkish national security analyst told U.S. diplomats that
seven percent of Turkish citizens support “radical forms of Islam.”

He said that “even if half a percent of the population supports
al-Qaeda-type terrorism in a country of 70 million [people], this
would mean 350,000 potential terrorists,” Hurriyet Daily News reported
quoting according Taraf newspaper, a Turkish partner of Wikileaks,
which released the diplomatic cable.

The Sunni Islamic doctrine has changed so little since the Middle Ages
that there is not much difference between the Taliban in Afghanistan
and Turkey, the Religious Affairs Directorate’s research office
director, Niyazi Kahveci, told U.S. officials during a visit on Nov.

14, 1996, according to another recently leaked cable, Hurriyet
reported.

Later, as more cables revealed, U.S. diplomats have observed that
Islam in Turkey is not “monolithic” and is politically divided, with
both secularists and conservative Islamists trying to manipulate
religion’s role in public affairs to their own ends.

A June 27, 2003, diplomatic cable released by Taraf, also claimed
the country’s Religious Affairs Directorate “is suppressing Islamic
beliefs that do not fit the official version.”

The Turkish version of secularism is “180 degrees opposite” of the
U.S. version as it is not one embraced by the people and protected
by the Constitution but “divinized” by the Constitution and forced
on the people, the cable said.

According to the cable, Turkey’s Religious Affairs Directorate and the
institutions within its scope are not separated from the state but are
to the contrary, an indivisible part of it. The cable read that the
directorate was among the biggest official institutions in Turkey,
with 90,000 personnel as of 2003, and that it employs all the imams
in Turkey and controls the contents of their preaching.

The directorate produces a “Kemalist Islam” that has little to do
with the beliefs held in the “less elite” corners of Anatolia, the
cable said, adding that the directorate is oppressing forms of Islam,
including the pro-secular faction of Alevism, that do not fit the
official version, the report in Hurriyet said.

From: A. Papazian

BSTDB TO FINANCE UP TO 7 PROJECTS AT AMOUNT OF 50 MLN EUROS IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 24, 2011 – 12:35 AMT 08:35 GMT

The Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) and Armenian
government are negotiating the possibility of financing of up to 7
projects at the amount of 50 mln euros in 2011-2014.

“The matter concerns doubling of the investment portfolio, which
currently totals 51 million euros,” BSTDB president Andrey Kondakov
told journalists in Yerevan on March 24.

The BSTDB also intends to expand cooperation with Armenian banks,
bringing the amount of financing to 4-8 million euros. Besides, a
major project is supposed to be implemented in the real estate sector.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN MP: ARTSAKH, ARMENIA AND DIASPORA CAN JOINTLY STRIKE AZERBAIJAN, IF NEEDED

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 22, 2011 – 21:05 AMT 17:05 GMT

Member of Prosperous Armenia parliamentary group Vahe Enfiajyan
made a statement on March 22, saying that Azerbaijan violates the
Armenian-Azerbaijani agreements on a daily basis in both military
and political fields.

“Everyone knows that Armenia, Artsakh and the Diaspora are united
and will be able to strike a heavy blow at Azerbaijan, if needed.

Armenia’s army is combat-effective, what is conceived also by
Azerbaijanis,” noted Enfiajyan.

He added that Azerbaijan always speaks about improvement of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, but nobody has witnessed implementation
of this policy up to date.

“Even after the March 5 meeting among the Armenian, Russian and
Azerbaijani Presidents, Azerbaijan violated all agreements and again
fired shots at the NKR positions,” said Enfiajyan.

From: A. Papazian

TURKOLOGIST: INCREASE OF TURKEY’S ROLE IN ARAB WORLD DOES NOT STEM FROM INTERESTS OF ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 22, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 22, ARMENPRESS: Turkey is trying to assume the role of
assembler of the Arab world, vice dean of the YSU Oriental Sciences
Chair, Turkologist Ruben Melkonyan said at a news conference today.

According to him, the active policy of Turkey in Middle East and
Northern Africa is aimed at establishing Turkey’s priority, reinforce
economic sources in the Arab World.

“Still in 1990s the main provisions of “neoottomanism” were worked out
aiming to reunite the states forming the former Ottoman empire. To be
frank, Turkey does it good. The other candidates for having influence
in the Arab world – Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Iran appeared weak in
fight with Turkey,” the Turkologist said, adding that as a result of
super-active political participation the Arab world sees Erdogan as
an ambassador of the Muslim people and attorney in the whole world.

“Armenia must be concerned with this circumstance as the increase
of Turkey’s role does not stem from the interests of the official
Yerevan. Turkey is trying to present itself as a fair, unbiased
judge who can participate in the regional conflict as reconciler,”
Melkonyan said.

“Unfortunately, the Armenian-Turkish protocols remained as a bright
example for the whole world that Turkey’s “zero issue” policy in
reality is pretence and the latter continues speaking in the language
of pre-conditions,” Melkonyan said.

From: A. Papazian

THE FILM “ASH-TRAY” IN MOSCOW CINEMA

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 22, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 22, ARMENPRESS: “A person, who proves that dreams can
come true,” broadcaster and actress Nazeni Hovhannisyan depicted
young film director Lilit Movsisyan, noting that without having a
corresponding budget, Lilit had the courage to screen a film.

Lilit Movsiisyan is also the scriptwriter of the film screened within
15-20 days in 2009 summer. The film director notes that the mounting
works of the film have just been finished because of non-sufficient
financial means.

“The film is about phenomena taking place in our reality. The hero has
a website – “Ash-tray.am” where he places materials to raise interest
in his readers, but it is not always that the news must be positive to
raise interest. It is already for several weeks the website has no news
and the hero decides to shake everybody placing a true murder,” the
film director told about the film, not wishing to open the brackets.

“This film will give something to everybody. Its name is symbolic:
let everybody leave the bad things in the ash-tray, getting rid of
them,” Lily Elbakyan – the performer of the main hero Nare said. The
speakers also noted that the spectator will have the opportunity of
watching the film March 25 in Moscow Cinema.

From: A. Papazian

CATTLE-BREEDING DEVELOPMENT AND GRASS IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM IN ARAGATSOTN

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 22, 2011
ASHTARAK

ASHTARAK, MARCH 22, ARMENPRESS: A number of projects are being
implemented in the Armenian province of Aragatsotn for the improvement
of the sphere of agriculture. One of the projects is “Development of
cattle-breeding and improvement of grass” which is being implemented
by the World Bank and the Agriculture Ministry’s “Assistance to the
Agricultural Reforms” programs’ implementation office.

Head of the program Gagik Khachatryan told Armenpress that they have
good experience in working in the province. With the previous program
they connected about 32 communities of the province to the gas network,
conducted water supply works, donated 60 units of agricultural engine.

The current program will fully promote the development of
cattle-breeding.

From: A. Papazian

“POKRIK ISHKHAN” SOCIAL CENTER OPENS IN VANADZOR

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 22, 2011
VANADZOR

VANADZOR, MARCH 22, ARMENPRESS: The opening ceremony of “Pokrik
Ishkhan” social center was held today in Vanadzor. Suchlike centers
already worked in Gyumri, Gavar and Tashir, and now Vanadzor children
will also have the opportunity of making use of different services
of the center. The goals of the program, financed by “German Caritas”
and implemented by “Crossing Roads” organization, is to contribute to
harmonious social-psychological development of Vanadzor children and
young people and make the family a more stable and healthy environment
for living.

Many children and their parents were present at the opening ceremony
of the center at the address of Tumanyan 2. Executive Director of
“Armenian Caritas” Anahit Mkhoyan, governor of Lori province Aram
Kocharyan, German Ambassador Hans-Jochen Schmidt, and Vanadzor Mayor
Samvel Darbinyan congratulated Vanadzor people on the occasion of
the opening of the new center. Mrs. Mkhoyan noted in his speech that
the extreme poverty level in Lori province reaches 9%, but children
must not be poor. “We must take care of them. We do not bring up,
but provide conditions and a field so that children manage to realize
their beautiful ideas and moods,” she noted.

The representatives of Lori and Vanadzor expressed readiness to
hereafter support the center, the beneficiaries of which will be
70 children and 35 members of their families who have appeared in
difficult situation and belong to vulnerable group of society. The
German Ambasasdor to Armenia congratulated the children and said that
it is honor for him to be present at opening of such a center

From: A. Papazian

EVENT DEDICATED TO NKR INDEPENDENCE IN VIENNE

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 22, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 22, ARMENPRESS: A conference dedicated to the 20th
anniversary of proclaiming the NKR independence took place in the
city of Vienne March 18, NKR MFA Press Service reported.

Representatives of the municipal authorities and the Armenian community
participated in the conference. NKR Permanent Representative to France
Hovhannes Gevorkian made a speech on the achievements of the 20 years
of independence of Artsakh. Then, a documentary film was shown.

The same day, on the invitation of Vienne’s Mayor Jack Remilier,
Hovhannes Gevorkian was received at the Mayor’s Office. During the
meeting, Jack Remilier, as Mayor and Deputy of the National Assembly
of France, expressed his support to the NKR independence, noting the
necessity of corresponding assessment of the militant statements and
aggressive actions of Azerbaijan.

The NKR Permanent Representative to France expressed his gratitude
to the Mayor of Vienne for his assistance in holding the event, as
well as for signing the appeal for consolidating the peace in the
South Caucasus and condemning the militaristic policy of Azerbaijan.

From: A. Papazian

HYGIENE AND FOOD ISSUES IN SCHOOLS UNDER LIMELIGHT OF EDUCATION MINISTRY

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 22, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 22, ARMENPRESS: Within the framework of the “Initiative
for Health and Education” program memorandum of mutual understanding
was signed today between the RA Ministry of Education and Science
and the Armenian branch of “Save the Children Federation” organization.

The goal of the memorandum is to promote the educational development
of the Armenia-based children.

Deputy education and science minister Karine Harutyunyan said the
program will promote the participation of children in high-quality
programs, will help in improving the health and food services of
schools.

Director of the Armenian branch of the “Save the Children Federation”
Irina Saghoyan said the program will be carried out in 12 needy
rural communities of Aragatsotn, Armavir and Gegharkunik provinces
during 2011-2013.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA AND ARTSAKH – PARTICIPANTS OF LARGEST SHOW TRAVEL EVENT

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 22, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 22, ARMENPRESS: March 19-20 on the initiative of the
RA Consulate-General in Los Angeles, Armenia and Artsakh participated
for the second time in LA Times Travel & Adventure Show – largest show
travel event in West. Representatives of hundreds of organizations
arrived from different countries presented the bets resorts of rest
and travel. During the two days a dozen of thousand visitors came to
watch the exhibition.

Press service of the Armenian Foreign Affairs Ministry told Armenpress
that Armenia and Artsakh have come forth with a joint pavilion.

Representatives of travel companies arrived from Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh unanswered visitors’ questions. Information booklets were
delivered to visitors.

Publisher and Chief Executive Officer of LA Times Eddy W. Hartenstein
noted that like the last year this time too the Armenian pavilion
was singled out by beautiful photos and diversity of materials.

The students of “Vardan and Siranuysh Gevorgyans” and “Zvartnots”
dance ensembles came forth with performances in the cultural part of
the exhbition.

From: A. Papazian