Author: Andres-Papazian

PRESIDENT OF ARTSAKH REPUBLIC RECEIVES CHAIRMAN OF UNION OF ARMENIANS OF RUSSIA AND WORLD ARMENIAN CONGRESS

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 15, 2010 – 19:48 AMT 14:48 GMT

On October 15, President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan received
Chairman of the Union of Armenians of Russia and the World Armenian
Congress Ara Abrahamyan.

Cooperation with the Union of Armenians of Russia and the World
Armenian Congress, particularly the process and prospects of programs
carried out in Artsakh, were discussed during the meeting.

Mr. Sahakyan noted that these pan-Armenian organizations have
played an active role in strengthening the independent Armenian
statehood, preserving national identity of Armenians living abroad
and consolidating Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora trinity.

Bako Sahakyan noted that Artsakh is interested in further widening
and deepening cooperation with the Union of Armenians of Russia and
the World Armenian Congress.

Primate of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan and NKR Deputy Prime Minister, Finance
Minister Spartak Tevosyan participated in the meeting, the Central
Information Department of the Office of the Artsakh Republic President
reported.

Ara Abrahamyan and a group of members of the Union of Armenians of
Russia were awarded with the NKR state awards for services shown to
the Artsakh Republic and its people and on the occasion of the 10th
anniversary of the organization’s establishment.

For exclusive services shown to the Artsakh Republic Chairman of
the Union of Armenians of Russia and the World Armenian Congress Ara
Abrahamyan was awarded with Grigor Lousavorich order.

Primate of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan, chairman of the National Assembly Ashot
Ghoulyan, Prime Minister Ara Harutyunyan, Minister of Diaspora of the
Republic of Armenia Hranush Hakobyan and other officials participated
in the awarding ceremony.

From: A. Papazian

OSCE SHARES IN CONCERN OVER THE DEATHS OF ARMENIAN SERVICEMEN ON THE LINE OF CONTACT

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 15, 2010 – 19:46 AMT 14:46 GMT

On October 15, Armenian Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan met with
the representatives of OSCE Yerevan office led by the Ambassador
Sergey Kapinos.

At the meeting, the Minister thanked OSCE Yerevan office for methodical
assistance offered. The Ambassador, in turn, briefed the Minister
on a number of offers on reforms relating to military, political,
educational and human rights sectors.

The parties expressed concern over increased instances of ceasefire
violation on the line of contact. As Ohanyan noted, in view of
Azerbaijan’s ignoring humanitarian norms and urges for cessation of
fire, the Defense Ministry is induced to toughen measures towards
neutralization of Azeri snipers. In conclusion, Kapinos promised to
report the situation to OSCE authorities, ministerial press service
reported.

From: A. Papazian

NALBANDIAN: HOMENETMEN ATOP MT. ARARAT
Ruppen Nalbandian

Fri, Oct 15 2010

Ararat: For many, it is merely a mountain, a snow-covered peak where
Noah’s Ark came to rest. But for me, as a son of the Armenian people,
this mountain takes on a special significance-it is a holy place,
a pilgrimage site, and the symbol of a dream that has long awaited
realization. At last, I can say that for me, that dream has become
a reality.

I had long dreamt of climbing Mt. Ararat, but it was as I was preparing
to be elevated to the Homenetmen rank of Ararat as a scout that I began
to initialize my plans for doing so. When I received this rank at the
Homenetmen 9th Panagoum (Jamboree) in Armenia this past summer, it
was as though I received the key to the passage to Ararat’s summit. At
the time, I made a vow to all my Homenetmen brothers and sisters that
I would shortly raise the scarf and medallion of the Ararat rank,
as well as the Homenetmen flag, atop of Mt. Ararat. Many laughed
and called it an impossible act. Others said that they, too, shared
the same aspiration. But I had already made up my mind to see this
promise through, and it did not take me long to act upon my decision.

Soon after returning home from the 9th Panagoum, I left my home city
of Jerusalem once more, this time setting my sights on a different
destination: Ararat. On Aug. 25, my plane landed at the airport in
Kars. Shortly after landing, I was on my way towards Mt. Ararat. I
joined a small group of Europeans who also planned on climbing but who,
as might be expected, did not share the same purpose for doing so. The
morning of Aug. 27, our small group began to ascend the mountain,
and by nightfall, we had reached the first station at an altitude
of 3,200 meters. On the second day of the expedition, as we reached
4,000 meters, we allowed our bodies to grow accustomed to the physical
conditions at such an altitude, a process called climatization. The
third day, we continued the climb to the second station at a height of
4,200 meters, where during the daytime, the sun is ruthlessley hot,
and during the moon-lit night, temperatures drop to an unfathomable
coldness. At 1:30 a.m. the following morning, we began the final climb
to the peak of the mountain. The fourth and final day proved to be
the most challenging as the snow and ice covering the mountain made
the climb exceedingly difficult. But finally, after six long hours
of climbing, when I sank my boots into the clean, undisturbed snow
on Mt. Ararat, I knew that my dream was no longer merely a dream-it
had become a tangible reality.

Atop Mt. Ararat, I quickly unfurled the Homenetmen flag, renewed my
Homenetmen pledge, and almost instantaneously and without prompting,
my lips began to utter the words and tune of “Haratch Nahadag.” These
moments I describe were moments that I lived and experienced for all
Armenians. I was not standing atop Mt. Ararat as Ruppen, but as one
member of the Armenian nation who had embarked on a pilgrimage, and
who had set out to promise to the majestic Mt. Ararat that one day,
we would all come to return her home. By elevating myself atop Mt.

Ararat, I sought to elevate all others with me.

From: A. Papazian

RAFFI HOVANNISIAN AT DITCHLEY CONFERENCE

Lragir.am
15 Oct 2010

Ditchley Park, UK-Raffi K. Hovannisian, Armenia’s first foreign
minister and Heritage Party chairman is currently in the United
Kingdom participating in a Ditchley Foundation conference on “The EU
and Russia’s shared neighbourhood.” Attended by leading policymakers
and analysts from the Russian Federation, the European Union, the
United States and beyond, the conference is being chaired by Sir
Rodric Brathwaite, Her Majesty’s first ambassador to the independent
Republic of Armenia and its neighboring states.

In the plenary session today on Russia, Europe, and the ‘neighborhood’
which was introduced, among others, by Ambassador Peter Semneby and
Russian specialist Sergey Karaganov, Raffi Hovannisian took the floor
to address the Russian-European relationship and its impact on Armenia
and the region in the light of three relevant unsurmounted divides
on the Georgia-Russia, Armenia-Turkey, and Iran-Transatlantic axes.

Against this background, he noted the imperative to maintain and
deepen Armenian sovereignty and policy diversification based on a
truly reciprocal ‘strategic’ relationship between Moscow and Yerevan.

Hovannisian further underscored the need to support Turkish-Armenian
normalization, not as ‘West-friendly’ window dressing that often
glosses over and shores up the weak legitimacy of the negotiating
sides, but as a brave new way to get to true reconciliation through
the truth and full closure on the Genocide and Great Armenian
Dispossession. On Mountainous Karabagh and similarly situated others,
he articulated the inadmissibility of inventing artificial legal
constructs such as ‘sui generis’ to fit political predispositions and
to support one nation’s sovereignty to the exclusion of others-both
the West and Russia have engaged in this selective application
of international legal standards-and the long-overdue requirement
to recognize the Mountainous Karabagh Republic, the original ‘sui
generis’ case.

Finally, Raffi Hovannisian issued the challenge of applying the rule of
law both domestically and in international affairs and thus overcoming
the long-standing tension, both in Western and Russian policy, between
democratic benchmarks and the pursuit of raw geopolitical interests.

The Ditchley conference continues today and tomorrow in the format of
smaller working groups that will work out policy prescriptions on the
Moscow-Brussels connection; the shared neighborhood and protracted
conflicts; and economic and energy issues.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA’S AUTHORITIES HAVE TIES WITH WORLD MAFIA: LEVON ZURABYAN

Tert.am
15.10.10

Armenia is over corrupted and the actions by the Armenian elite can
be considered as robbery, coordinator of opposition alliance Armenian
National Congress (HAK) Levon Zurabyan said at a rally held near the
Matenadaran today.

“Armenia has seen quite interesting developments recently. Armenia
is overcorrected. The elite is acting through robbery and is using
it for its personal enrichment,” said Mr Zurabyan.

Further he mentioned that Armenia’s elite has ties with the world
mafia network.

“Mafia’s activities are being revealed all over the world,” said he.

From: A. Papazian

MESSAGE OF THE NKR POLITICAL PARTIES

Azat Artsakh Daily
12 October 2010
Republic Of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

AND PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS TO THE OSCE CHAIRMAN-IN-OFFICE AND MINSK
GROUP CO-CHAIRMEN In connection with the OSCE field assessment mission
taking place in the territory of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic,
the political parties, public organizations, and creative unions of
Artsakh sent on October 11 a message to OSCE Chairman-in-Office Kanat
Saudabaev and the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen, which was passed the
same day to Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office,
Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk. Following is the text of the message: TO:
OSCE Chairman-in-Office Kanat Saudabaev OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen:
Ambassador Robert Bradtke – the United States of America Ambassador
Igor Popov – the Russian Federation Ambassador Bernard Fassier – the
French Republic The reason for our appeal to you is the realization
of the OSCE field assessment mission taking place now in the Nagorno
Karabakh (Artsakh) Republic and the corresponding views and concerns
existing in public-political life of our country. The basic issue of
the NKR population’s concern is the goal of this mission. If its real
goal is indeed the assessment of the current humanitarian situation
in the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict zone it is at least strange why
the field mission is implemented only in one section of this zone,
in the NKR territory. Appreciating your awareness of the history
of the Karabakh issue, however, we consider it necessary remind you
some facts and events, which played their role in the formation of
the current humanitarian situation in the region. The subordination
of Nagorno Karabakh to the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic
(SSR) via wide regional autonomy was endorsed by the July 5, 1921
resolution of the Caucasian Bureau of the Communist (Bolshevik)
Party. Prior this the League of Nations left the resolution of
the issue of internationally recognized status of Nagorno Karabakh
upon the Paris Peace Conference. At the same time only two years
later, in 1923, after the urgent demands of the Armenian majority
of NK and Soviet Armenia, the Central Executive Committee of the
Azerbaijan SSR proclaimed the Autonomous Oblast (Region) of Nagorno
Karabakh on the part of the predominantly Armenian populated region,
which always constituted an integrated whole as well as deprived the
town of Shoushi from its status of Karabakh’s capital. For the whole
period of the Soviet rule this unilateral resolution, which violated
the interests of the Armenian majority of Nagorno Karabakh, caused
constant indignation and complaints, which were sharply oppressed
by the Azerbaijani authorities, and were leading to mass emigration
of the Armenian population from the region. Suffice it to say that
within 25 years after the forced subordination to Azerbaijan the
number of the Armenians in Nagorno Karabakh declined by 22000 people,
while the Azerbaijani population of the oblast (region) increased
almost threefold. The discrimination towards Nagorno Karabakh
is also testified by the fact that during the war in 1941-1945,
over a third of its population, 44000 people, were recruited to
the active army and almost half of them perished. In percentage,
such horrible human losses were suffered only by the nations that
underwent through the fascist occupation and ethnic cleansing. To
compare, it should be noted that only 20% of the population of the
Azerbaijan SSR was recruited to the front. The issue of Armenian
expulsions from Nagorno Karabakh was always on the agenda of the
Azerbaijani state policy. In 2001 during a meeting with a group
of writers Azerbaijani president Heydar Aliyev stated proudly that
within 1969-1982, while being the leader of Soviet Azerbaijan, he
could “radically change the demographic situation in Nagorno Karabakh
in favor of the Azerbaijanis”. This was one of the rare cases when
president Aliyev said the truth. Today, about a million of Karabakh
Armenians live in various countries of the world. A considerable part
of them was forced to leave the homeland for the reason of political
persecution, real threats of physical extermination, and being
deprived of the livelihood. The last ethnic cleansing in Nagorno
Karabakh took place in the regions of Shahoumyan and Getashen in
1991-1992 with the rough use of military force. As a result over 50000
Armenians were deprived of their homeland. Overall, 420000 Armenians
were deported within 1988-1992 from Azerbaijan, having left in this
country their property and wealth worth of billions of dollars and
having got no compensation so far. Unfortunately, Azerbaijan closed
the window for a dialogue, resorting to violation. We had no other
way but following the fundamental principles of international law
proclaim our independence, create our national state institutes,
and resist the military aggression, which led to destructions,
tens of thousands of human losses and hardships. Meanwhile, human
sufferings of both the Armenians and the Azerbaijanis in the conflict
zone could have been prevented if the Azerbaijani authorities had
displayed elementary understanding of the Armenian population of the
region. Thus, the existing situation is the consequence of the war
imposed by Azerbaijan. This is why the Azerbaijani authorities bear
the full responsibility for the human losses. The criminal style and
anti-Armenian rhetoric, armament drive and militant statements still
depict Azerbaijani ideology. We hope that the structure, which has
assumed the mediation between the parties to the conflict, realizes
that such a style of actions does not contribute to the peaceful
settlement of the Karabakh conflict and provokes a new war. We have
to remind that in the existing situation where the Karabakh party
is deprived of the possibility of full-fledged participation in the
negotiation process, Azerbaijan and the structure, which has assumed
the settlement mission, will again be responsible for the consequences
in case of resuming the war in the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict zone.

We hope that your further mediation activities will not inflame
the ill imagination of Azerbaijan suffering from a mania of new
bloodshed, will sober it up and will contribute to the creation of
an atmosphere of a civilized dialogue and to the peaceful settlement
of the conflict. Stepanakert, October 11, 2010 The Free Motherland
Party The Democratic Party of Artsakh Artsakh organization of the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutiun) Party The Armenakan
Party of Artsakh The Nagorno Karabakh Communist Party The Union of
the Relatives of Perished in the Artsakh War Soldiers The Union of
the Relatives of the Artsakh War Missing in action Soldiers Nagorno
Karabakh Committee of the Helsinki Initiative-92 Artsakh Union of
Writers Artsakh Union of Journalists Artsakh Union of Painters Artsakh
Union of Intelligentsia Vita organization of the Artsakh War Disable
Freedom Fighters The NKR Union of Refugees The Union of War and Labor
Veterans Federation of NKR Trade Unions

From: A. Papazian

IT IS TIME TO CONSOLIDATE FOR ACHIEVING THE NATIONAL GOALS
Laura Grigorian

Azat Artsakh Daily
15 October 2010
Republic Of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

The 5th Pan-Armenian Conference of Journalists Within October
12-16, the 5th Pan-Armenian conference of journalists entitled ‘The
Challenges of the 21st Century: Informational Security and Armenian
Journalism’ will take place in Artsakh. The initiator and organizer
of the conference is the RA Ministry of Diaspora Affairs supported
by One Nation, One Culture Foundation, the Pan-Armenian mass media
association, and the RA Union of Journalists. The conference started
on October 13 at the Stepanakert Youth and Culture Palace. Prior to
this, the conference participants visited the Stepanakert Memorial
Complex to pay tribute to the memory of those deceased at the Artsakh
War. The conference opening was attended by the Artsakh authorities
led by President Bako Sahakian, head of the Artsakh Diocese of the
Armenian Apostolic Church, Archbishop Pargev Martirosian, statesmen,
and representatives of intelligentsia. About 200 delegates from 26
countries are participating in this unprecedented Pan-Armenian event,
which is quite impressive and is held in an online regime. The
conference was opened by RA Minister of Diaspora Affairs Hranush
Hakobian. According to her, the very fact that the conference is held
in Artsakh – the cradle of the Armenian people’s national revival,
self-concept, just struggle, and great victories – is noteworthy. It
is really a pleasure to welcome here the people, who, at the fate’s
decree, live and work far from the homeland, assuming the mission
to keep the torch of national word and spirit bright at the foreign
coasts. “We are sure you will gain strength from this saint land,
will be encouraged and charged, will have new ideas while winning
victories in the informational war”, H. Hakobian said. NKR President
Bako Sahakian made a greeting speech and wished a fruitful work to
the 5th Pan-Armenian conference of journalists. Archbishop Pargev
Martirosian passed the patriarchal blessing of All-Armenian Catholicos
Garegin II to the conference participants. “Justice and falsehood have
been struggling for centuries, and our nation always finds itself at
their crossroad. We, Armenians, have no need in falsifying the history
and avoid doing this, which is currently done by our opponents,
announcing an informational war against us in order that lie can
prevail over truth”, the Archbishop said. He wished the journalists to
continue their job and to use their efforts for breaking the blockade,
to serve diligently our people and wished success to the conference
participants, sending them God’s blessing. Minister Hranush Hakobian
made a detailed speech, introducing the goals and objectives of
the conference. “We, Armenians, have also territorial challenges,
as the issue of Nagorno Karabakh isn’t resolved yet. Besides, we have
domestic challenges. Our state is only 20, and within this period we
couldn’t create all the democratic and civil institutes existing in the
multi-year democratic states. We haven’t eradicated corruption yet,
haven’t fully achieved the goals on increasing the efficiency of the
state governance system, we have still the problem of poverty both
in Armenia and Artsakh. And for resisting the domestic and foreign
challenges, the 4th power’s role is also important, along with the
state power, which is called to ensure its people’s well-being and
security”, said H. Hakobian. According to her, the 4th power should
use its arm, i.e. its pen and camera, in favor of All-Armenians and
Armenia. The RA Minister of Diaspora Affairs also touched upon the
challenges existing in the Diaspora. The Armenian Diaspora worldwide
is dwindling and losing its language… Disagreement between the
classic Armenian Diaspora and the new one is still on. We have still
disorganized new Diasporas. And all this are our challenges as well.

So, it is time for us to consolidate not only for resisting pain and
misfortune, but also for achieving our national goals. In this context,
the speaker again called upon the attendants to consolidate, expressing
her confidence that the Armenian mass media can become the basic
consolidating force. H. Hakobian drew the attendants’ attention to the
basic goals of the conference – five significant national goals. They
are: fair resolution of Nagorno Karabakh’s issue, recognition of the
Armenian Genocide, consolidation and development of the RA and NKR,
maintenance of the native language and culture, and consolidation
about the Armenian Church. Noting the significant role of Armenian
journalists in the informational war, the Minister called upon them
‘to leave the defense position for taking the offensive one’, as the
time has passed when a similar position of Armenian journalists could
be justified. The plenary meeting was continued by the speech of Azg
(Nation) paper’s editor Hakob Avetikian on the following topic: ‘The
challenges of the 21st century, the current situation in the Diaspora
mass media, and the present goals’. Are we really consolidated about
the goals, which our statehood and people face? H. Avetikian answered
his own question in the following way: “The word ‘consolidation’
means that we should be on the same wave and speed, should listen
to each other and understand the interlocutor’s words. Speaking of
Armenia’s mass media, we can notice their unwillingness to listen
to and to understand each other. There are two large camps there,
the so-called official and opposition…”, said the editor of Azg
newspaper. According to H. Avetikian, in Armenia, the so-called
opposition press represents only opposition to the authorities,
while nothing is said about its own mistakes… According to
him, today’s recognized opposition plays into the authorities’
hands… Non-prospective opposition, which occupies a certain place to
prevent others’ gathering there… And God forbid somebody to try to
become or display any sign of opposition, this press starts ‘killing’
it. As of the Artsakh mass media, the editor of Azg paper called it the
weakest and inactive link of the Armenian mass media. In this context,
he noted the significance of the ‘Armenia-Diaspora-Artsakh’ trinity and
the struggle for its consolidation. The conference organizers expressed
hope for elaborating corresponding programs, which would become the
guide-books for the mass media for the nearest one or two years.

From: A. Papazian

THE ARM MOD RECEIVES THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE OSCE YEREVAN OFFICE

15.10.10

On the 15th of October, 2010 ARM MoD Seyran Ohanyan received the
representative of the OSCE Yerevan office, ambassador Sergey Kapinos.

In the beginning of the meeting the Minister thanked the OSCE
Yerevan office for periodical methodological assistance to the ARM
MoD. In his turn the ambassador presented the Minister a number of
constructive suggestions regarding the broadening of the ARM AF
reforms, military-political and civil control over the AF, human
rights protection in the AF, and the volume of the OSCE assistance
in reforming the armament sector.

The two sides expressed their concerns about the increase of the
recent border incidents. Seyran Ohanyan stated that albeit Armenia’s
suggestion to remove the snipers from the contact line and the urges
of the international community, Azerbaijan continues ignoring the
famous humanitarian norms, by periodically breaking the armistice.

Thus, the ARM MoD will have to dramatically stricter its actions aimed
at neutralizing the Azerbaijani snipers. Ambassador Kapinos promised
to report the situation to the OSCE leaders.

The meeting was in a cnstructive atmosphere. The two sides agreed to
realize the discussed matters by programs implemented in different
spheres of defence reforms.

RA MoD Department of Information and Public Affairs

From: A. Papazian

GRANDMASTER LEVON ARONIAN TO REPRESENT ARMENIA AT WORLD BLITZ CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 15, 2010 – 16:24 AMT 11:24 GMT

The World Blitz Chess Championship will take place in Moscow November
16-18, 2010.

The participants include eight players from Mikhail Tal Memorial 2010 –
grandmaster Levon Aronian (Armenia, 2783 points), grandmaster Vladimir
Kramnik (Russia, 2780 points), grandmaster Pavel Eljanov (Ukraine,
2761 points), grandmaster Alexander Grischuk (Russia, 2760 points),
grandmaster Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (Azerbaijan, 2756 points), Boris
Gelfand (Israel, 2751 poitns), grandmaster Sergey Karjakin (Russia,
2747 points) and grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura (USA, 2733 points).

They will be joined by 3 invited players – grandmaster Magnus Carlsen
(Norway, 2826 points), grandmaster Ruslan Ponomariov (Ukraine, 2749
points), and grandmaster Peter Svidler (Russia, 2731 points), as well
as the six section winners grandmaster Maxime Vachier Lagrave (France,
2721 points), grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi (Russia, 2706 points),
grandmaster Bu Xiangzhi (China, 2695 points), grandmaster Boris
Grachev (Russia, 2668 points), grandmaster Rauf Mamedov (Azerbaijan,
2660 points), and grandmaster Boris Savchenko (Russia, 2627 points).

3 more participants are to be announced in the following days,
Chessdom reported.

From: A. Papazian

STRENGTH OF SYUNIK REGION TO CONTRIBUTE ALSO TO STRENGTH OF ARTSAKH

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 15, 2010 – 20:00 AMT 15:00 GMT

During a meeting, Syunik region’s administration briefed Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan on social and economic situation in the
region as of October 1.

“We presented all problems of the region to the President. Besides,
major part of them will be discussed during a meeting with Armenian
Minister of Territorial Administration Armen Gevorgyan. I should note
that construction of new houses solves not only dwelling problems,
but also reduces unemployment. The stronger Syunik is, the stronger
Karabakh will be,” head of Syunik region’s administration Sourik
Khachatryan told journalists after the meeting.

According to Khachatryan, gasification, creation of new jobs, problems
of roads and potable water are among basic problems of Syunik.

“The unemployment rate is 1.9 times higher compared to the general
figure in Armenia. As for gasification, there is Iran-Armenia gas
pipeline and, as per instruction of the Minister of Energy, Meghri and
Agarak will be gasified soon. AMD 720mln will be allocated to Syunik
region in addition to the funds envisaged under the 2011 budget,”
said Khachatryan, adding that hydropower plant construction on Arax
and development of a new deposit will solve the unemployment problem,
a PanARMENIAN.Net correspondent reported from Syunik.

From: A. Papazian