Author: Antonian Lara

MP: "CAUCASIAN ALLIANCE" IMPORTANT TO ARMENIA

ARKA
Sep 3, 2008

YEREVAN, September 3. /ARKA/. Development of a regional cooperation
platform is very important to Armenia, member of Armenian Parliament
from the ruling Republican Party of Armenia Chairman of Parliament
Commission on Financial Issues Gagik Minasyan said.

The alliance is first of all an economic initiative enabling
direct settlement of the regional political issues, he told a press
conference.

On August 11, Turkish Premier Erdogan proposed creating a Caucasian
Alliance to stabilize the regional situation and involve the countries
of the region, as well as Russia, the USA and Turkey. Turkish Foreign
Minister Ali Babajan is expected to negotiate with his Russian
counterpart Sergey Lavrov on format of dialogue with Armenia.

According to Minasyan, Azerbaijan may oppose formation of the platform
as it is trying to hold Turkey "captive" in Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict.

According to the MP, substantial changes cannot be achieved in the
region without economic development. Minasyan also pointed out that
implementation of the initiative will unblock Armenia and will help
prevent possible humanitarian catastrophes in the region.

ARMENIAN, RUSSIAN PRESIDENTS TO DISCUSS REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ISSUES IN SOCHI

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.09.2008 12:33 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan departed for
Sochi on a working visit to meet with his Russian counterpart Dmitry
Medvedev, the RA leader’s press office told PanARMENIAN.Net.

The Presidents will focus on development of the Armenian-Russian
strategic partnership and Armenia’s presidency in the Collective
Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). They will also touch upon some
regional and international issues.

110th ANNIVERSARY OF ESTABLISHMENT OF PRELACY OF ARMENIAN CHURCH OF AMERICA TO BE MARKED IN OCTOBER

Noyan Tapan

Se p 1, 2008

NEW JERSEY, SEPTEMBER 1, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. The dual
anniversaries of the 110th anniversary of the establishment of the
Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America and the 50th
anniversary of the Prelacy’s affiliation with the Great House of
Cilicia will be marked with a gala banquet on October 25, in New
Jersey. An exhibit about the history of the Prelacy and a DVD film,
"A Journey of Faith" will be on display during the cocktail hour.

PRIME-MINISTER T.SARGSYAN: SAROYAN HAS BEEN ACCEPTED THROUGH ALL OVER THE WORLD

Panorama.am
18:02 01/09/2008

Prime-minister Tigran Sargsyan, together with Armenian intellectuals
and pupils have visited Komitas pantheon of Yerevan and put flowers
on the grave where the heart of prominent Armenian-American author
Willyam Saroyan is buried. This solemn ceremony celebrated Willyam
Saroyan’s 100-th anniversary on August 31.

Saroyan’s anniversary has become the occasion of many arrangements in
Armenia and in California (Frezno) as well. Moreover, the anniversary
of famous Armenian-American writer has been included in UNESCO’s
2008-2009 anniversarie’s honor-list.

"Saroyan is a genius accepted through all over the world. Everybody
finds their own world in his novels," Prime-minister Sargsyan says.

"Willyam Saroyan is one of the greatest authors of 20-th century.His
works characterize not only his Armenian origins, but his American
education as well,"The US chargé d’affaires in Armenia Joseph
Pennington says.

–Boundary_(ID_Vlc8mYf9GLj2Eb8j46EtqA)–

ARMENIA PUTS THREE NAMES FORWARD FOR THIRD MOBILE LICENCE

TeleGeography
m/cu/article.php?article_id=24831&email=html
S ept 1 2008
DC

Armenia’s Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) has shortlisted
three companies – France Telecom’s Orange, Tele2 of Sweden and
Ireland-based Blackrock Communications – for the country’s third mobile
operating licence. The Transport and Communication Ministry Press
Secretary Susanna Tonoyan told local online news portal ArmInfo that
the companies must now submit formal bids within the next 40 days and
the winner of the auction will be announced after the bids have been
assessed. Besides cellular services, the third licensee will also be
granted rights to provide internet access and, in future, WiLL-based
fixed telephony services. The Ministry said 17 companies initially
requested bidding documents, although only six actually submitted bids:
Orange, Blackrock and Tele2, plus V-Tel, Auroratel and PJ Engineering.

The winning bidder will compete head-to-head with Armenia’s two
incumbent mobile operators, ArmenTel (Beeline), which is majority
owned by Russia’s VimpelCom, and K-Telecom, which trades under the
brand name VivaCell and which is majority owned by Russia’s MTS). In
July this year the PSRC announced its timetable for the award of the
third licence. At the time the head of the PSRC’s telecoms division,
Gevorg Gevorgian, said prospective wireless operators would have
to offer to pay at least EUR10 million (USD16 million) for the
GSM-900/1800 licence and invest a minimum EUR200 million in their
network to launch the service.

A BALANCE OF FORCES IN REGION IS TO ARMENIA’S ADVANTAGE, STEPAN GRIGORIAN SAYS

Noyan Tapan

Au g 27, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 27, NOYAN TAPAN. Russia’s steps (unexpected to the
world) in Georgia are continuing and will result in Russia’s signing
bilateral agreements with Abkhazia and South Ossetia, including in the
military sphere, the head of the Analytical Center of Globalization
and Regional Cooperation Stepan Grigorian stated at the August 27
press conference.

He paid attention to the fact that today Russia is implementing the
idea of restoring a mini-USSR. In particular, it is not ruled out that
Belarus and the unrecognized by international community Abkhazia and
South Ossetia may enter this format. In the political scientist’s
opinion, while realizing this idea, Russia may also tackle in real
earnest the problems of the Crimea and Transnistria. "Thus Russia is
taking concrete steps on the formation of a new pole of force in the
world, and these steps are directed against the West’s influence,"
S. Grigorian said.

According to him, since the moment when Russian aircraft started
bombing Poti, the conflict moved to the plane of international
relations as a number of Western programs were related to
Poti. In the words of S. Grigorian, the discontinued operation of
Baku-Supsa pipeline, the freezing of the project on construction of
Kars-Akhalkalak-Baku railway, etc, are directed against the influence
of the West in Georgia and the South Caucasian region. He expressed
an opinion that the "cold war" between West and Russia will continue
and intensify.

As regards Armenia, S. Grigrian underlined the necessity of a serious
analysys of what happened in the neighboring country. He paid attention
to the circumstance that the presence of both Russia and the West in
the region is to Armenia’s advantage, and he drew some historical
parallels. "We do not benefit when only one power fully controls
the region, we remember the 1921 lessons. A balance of forces in
the region, that is, the presence of both the West and Russia is to
Armenia’s advantage," S. Grigorian said.

130 WAGONS OF GOODS, INCLUDING 10 WITH GASOLINE, TRANSPORTED INTO ARMENIA FROM GEORGIA IN PAST TWO DAYS

Noyan Tapan

Au g 27, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 27, NOYAN TAPAN. 130 wagons of goods, including
72 wagons of mixed goods, 48 wagons of wheat, and 10 wagons with
gasoline have been transported into Armenia from Georgia in the past
two days. 15 wagons of wheat and 7 wagons of mixed goods are now at
the Sadakhlo customs point on the Armenian-Georgian border.

191 wagons of goods to be imported into Armenia, including 92
with grain and 99 with mixed goods, are currently in the Georgian
railway. Out of 2,800 tons of gasoline for Armenia, 10 wagons have
already been loaded in the port of Poti; out of 3 thousand tons of
wheat, 13 wagons have been loaded: these goods will soon be transported
to Armenia.

ARMENIANS IN LOS ANGELES DISSATISFIED WITH AZERBAIJANI PARLIAMENTARIAN’S VISIT TO CALIFORNIA

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Aug 27 2008

Los Angeles-APA. Los Angeles-based Dashnak’s Asbarez newspaper
published severe article against the Azerbaijani parliamentarians’
visit to California in the middle August. Allen Yekikan, author of
the article, voiced severe messages not only against Azerbaijan’s
Consulate General in Los Angeles and Azerbaijani parliamentarians
but also against the leaders of local Jewish community.

Dashnak’s Asbarez reporter protested their support for Georgia at the
press conference hosted by Museum of Tolerance of the Simon Wiesenthal
Center in Los Angeles. As the press conference coincided with Russia’s
invasion to Georgia parliamentarian Asim Mollazadeh said this event was
an offensive against the United States, American interests and values.

He said war was going between Russia and Georgia and Osetins were
used for show-off.

The Armenian journalist denounced administration of Museum of
Tolerance too. He accused Museum administration in solidarity with
the Azerbaijani parliamentarians. It is not first accusations by Los
Angeles Armenian community against the Simon Wiesenthal Center Museum
of Tolerance because the Center refused to organize exhibition about
the false "Armenian genocide" in 2003. Armenian Diaspora has targeted
the Museum since than.

Last month Dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center Rabbi Abraham Cooper
visited Baku. He met with the Azerbaijani officials and representatives
of different religious confessions and Jewish community as well.

BAKO SAHAKYAN CONGRATULATES THE PRESIDENTS OF ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA

armradio.am
28.08.2008 12:40

On 28 August President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan
sent a congratulatory letter to the President of the Republic of
Abkhazia Sergey Bagapsh, Central Information Department of the Office
of the NKR President.

The letter reads as follows:

"On behalf of the people and authorities of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic I cordially congratulate You and the people of Abkhazia on
this momentous event, the recognition of state independence of the
Republic of Abkhazia.

The people of Artsakh heard with great pleasure this news so
long-awaited by your people. Abkhazia has achieved its goal overcoming
numerous difficulties for many years.

I am confident that international recognition will give a new impetus
to the development and prosperity of the Republic of Abkhazia.

I once again congratulate You and the people of fraternal Abkhazia. I
wish you peace and prosperity."

On the same day President of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic Bako
Sahakyan sent a congratulatory letter also to the President of the
Republic of South Ossetia Eduard Kokoity. The letter reads as follows:

"On behalf of the people and authorities of the Nagorno Karabagh
Republic I cordially congratulate You and the people of South Ossetia
on this momentous event, the recognition of state independence of
the Republic of=2 0South Ossetia.

For the people of South Ossetia the path to independence was thorny,
full of difficulties and hardships. However, the Republic has found
strength and come off with flying colors.

Artsakh is genuinely glad for the recognition of South Ossetia’s
independence.

I congratulate You and the people of fraternal South Ossetia once
again. Let peace be established in your country forever. I wish you
prosperity and wellbeing".

COLD WAR II: TODAY IT WAS GEORGIA, TOMORROW UKRAINE?
By Jeff Thompson

Journal Chrétie
e14089.html
Aug 25 2008
France

On August 7th we received the startling news via telephone of a major
attack on Russia by the small country of Georgia. The caller repeated
the information they had just heard on RTV, the main Russian television
station. Georgia had attacked South Ossetia and killed 2000 innocent
Russian civilians.

The next day we found a television and watched as the RTV station
ran updates throughout the day. The Russian propaganda broadcasts
made no attempt at objectivity.

"Today the country of Georgia has attacked the Russian people of South
Ossetia, killing thousands and causing a humanitarian disaster. This
is genocide against the Russian people. In response, our Russian
peacekeeping forces have entered Georgia to protect our people and
bring peace against the Georgian aggressor financed and supported by
the United States."

RTV and all major media outlets are owned or controlled by Russian
government approved entities. At the time of the invasion our
small EEO team was conducting a children’s camp in Armenia near the
Georgia border, just 75 miles from Tblisi. In a remote location in
this mountainous region we had no other source of information. Our
village barely had running water much less an internet connection.

I was shocked to hear Russian T.V. announcers including the Minister
of Defense, Sergei Ivanov, repeatedly refer to the "unprovoked attack"
by Georgia as "genocide" against the Russian people. RTV also showed
video of a supposed American made landmine used against Russian
forces. They not so subtlety suggested that NATO and America are
providing arms to a regime hostile to Russia.

Map of the affected region

Armenia is a small country without a seaport. They are wholly
dependent on the Georgian commercial port of Poti for imported goods
and international trade. Nagorno-Karabakh is an Armenian enclave in
Azerbaijan, a disputed territory that like South Ossetia has existed
under a tense and unresolved truce for the last 15 years. They daily
exchange fire in the border zone with Azerbaijan and are unrelentingly
committed to fighting for the independence of Karabakh.

Georgian protest by Parliament Building in London

South Ossetia, Karabakh, Chechnya, Ingushetia, Georgia, Azerbaijan,
Armenia – the Caucuses Region remains a simmering caldron of ancient
ethnic enmity and fiercely independent people. With Caspian oil flowing
through the region to the Georgian port of Poti, the Russians have now
proven that they are indeed the only superpower that really matters
in this part of the world.

As Christians we need to be bold and not shy away from working in this

region of the world, showing Christ’s love in word and deed. As for
politics, well, we need to pray that an emboldened Russian State
does not decide to "liberate" the Russian citizens living in their
neighboring historical motherland "Kyivan Rus," that pro-European
and pro-western country of Ukraine.

Editor’s note: Jeff Thompson, author of "Leaving The American Sector"
and director of the California based mission agency Eastern European
Outreach () recently returned from the Caucuses region
during the Russian invasion of Georgia.

–Boundary_(ID_dpSy/6wIUh7QNkWfskD89Q)–