Author: Badalian Vardan

NO PREREQUISITES TO MOMENTUM TOWARDS ARMENIA-TURKEY RAPPROCHEMENT-EXPERT

news.am
June 15 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – No progress has been achieved in the Armenia-Turkey
rapprochement following parliamentary elections in Turkey, Director of
Oriental Studies Institute of Armenian National Academy of Sciences,
expert in Turkic studies Ruben Safrastyan told a press conference in
Yerevan on Wednesday.

“I do not see any prerequisites for “Justice and Development” party
to change its attitude towards Armenia. In his victory speech Erdogan
appealed to his party members, stressing it is their brothers’ victory,
in the name of Baku too. We can say for sure Turkey will not change its
attitude towards normalization with Armenia,” the expert emphasized.

Safrastyan noted unless a breakthrough is achieved in Karabakh conflict
resolution, Turkey will not open the border and establish diplomatic
relations with Armenia.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am reported earlier, October 10, 2009, in Zurich,
Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Turkey signed the “Protocol
on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations” and “Protocol for the
development of bilateral relations”, which needed to be ratified by
the parliaments of the two countries. However, this did not happen.

The signing ceremony was attended by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and France Bernard
Kouchner, as well as Secretary General of the Council of the European
Union Javier Solana. The signing ceremony was at the center of the
world’s attention, broadcast on 70 TV channels.

However, on December 7, 2009, Turkey linked the Armenian-Turkish
process to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. During a meeting with U.S.

President Barack Obama, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said
that Ankara would not ratify the Armenian-Turkish protocols without
resolution of the Karabakh conflict. On April 22, 2010, Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree suspending the ratification
process.

THREE ARMENIAN INSTITUTES TO RECEIVE 500 THOUSAND EURO GRANTS

news.am
June 15 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – Three institutes of Armenian National Academy of Sciences
(NAS) won EU’s Seventh Framework Grant for Research and Technological
Development. Each of the three institutes will receive 500 thousand
Euros of funding, said the president of NAS Radik Martirosyan to a
press conference on Wednesday.

According to him, the Institute for Physical Research, Institute
for Informatics and Automation Problems and Center for Ecological
Noosphere Studies of NAS will have the opportunity of integrating
into European scientific institutions for three years.

“This will be an excellent opportunity for our scholars to cooperate
with European scientific institutions and acquire new networks,”
said Martirosyan.

CEREMONIAL PARADE ON DAY OF RA STATE SYMBOLS

ARMENPRESS
JUNE 15, 2011
YEREVAN

A ceremonial parade on the Day of the Republic of Armenia State Symbols
marched today from the Republican Square to Nalbandyan and Sayat-Nova
Streets, Square of France, Mashtots Avenue, Amiryan Street and then
back to the Republican Square.

The parade was organized upon the initiative of “Menq” foundation
for preservation of national values, under the auspices of RA Prime
Minister Tigran Sargsyan and in assistance with the Youth Foundation
of Armenia.

Pavel Sargsyan, general director of “Menq” foundation, told Armenpress
that the ceremonial and all-national event, dedicated to the Day of the
RA State Symbols, is aimed at propagandizing the most important symbols
of the Armenian statehood and forming a deep respect towards them.

MINSK GROUP FORMAT IS EFFECTIVE, SAYS ROBERT BRADTKE

Tert.am
15.06.11

The Minsk Group of the Organization for Cooperation and Security in
Europe has at this stage proved effective for the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict settlement, US Co-Chair Robert Bradtke has said.

“The format of the OSCE Minsk Group is quite flexible and is capable
of promptly responding to all the changes taking place in the region,”
Bradtke was quoted as saying at a hearing at the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe.

Robert Bradtke further said that the European Union will also play
a big role in the resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

French Co-Chair Bernard Fassier, in turn, said that the EU’s role in
the Karabakh settlement will be decisive.

“The EU’s role is at least in preparing the civil societies of the
two countries,” said he.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict sparked in the early 1990s when Karabakhi
Armenians voiced their intention to live independently from Azerbaijan
after more than six decades of autonomy and sporadic clashes between
the two nations that intensified after 1988.

Later, the tension spiralled into pogroms against Armenians in
Sumgait, Baku and Nagorno Karabakh that turned into a bloody war,
leaving around 30,000 killed and more than a million displaced.

KARABAKH COMMITTEE FORMER MEMBER NEGATIVE ABOUT OSCE MG ACTIVITY

PanARMENIAN.Net
June 15, 2011 – 14:22 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenia should not expect positive developments
from Madrid principles on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement
and the OSCE Minsk Group’s activity, according to Ashot Manucharyan,
the former member of Karabakh committee.

“In 1992, Armenia entered the negotiations process of the OSCE MG,
which was only within the interests of U.S., and was not advantageous
either for Armenia, Artsakh or even Azerbaijan,” Manucharyan told a
press conference in Yerevan.

“Armenia was an active negotiator before, but now it merely reacts
to the actions of world powers, becoming a “ground for other players.”

The country is on the way to catastrophe unless it changes its position
in talks,” he said.

Manucharyan also commented on the forthcoming trilateral presidential
meeting in Kazan, Russia, saying that no real progress is expected. He
underlined the role of Iran in Karabakh process, which, according
to him, created new factors enabling to maintain the status quo in
the region.

NO BREAKTHROUGH IN TALKS WITHOUT KARABAKH – EXPERT

PanARMENIAN.Net
June 15, 2011 – 14:44 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – No breakthrough is expected in the process of Nagorno
Karabakh conflict settlement unless NKR itself is engaged in it,
according to professor Ruben Safrastyan, director of the Institute
of Oriental Studies at the RA National Academy of Sciences.

“There is no sense to expect drastic changes in talks unless Karabakh
is involved,” Safrastyan told a press conference in Yerevan.

Nevertheless, the expert did not exclude that a certain document on
Karabakh is to be signed during the Kazan meeting between Presidents
of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia. “This document is not intended
to mark the end of the process but to enable creation of favorable
conditions for continuation of talks,” the expert said.

The trilateral meeting is scheduled for June 25 in Kazan, Russia.

“THE PEOPLE WILL DEMAND AN ANSWER FOR THE SURRENDER OF REGIONS AROUND KARABAKH”: COMMANDER OF AN “ARABO”(ARMENIA)

Noyan Tapan

15.06.2011

(Noyan Tapan – 15.06.2011) All the talks on signing an agreement on
surrender to Azerbaijan some territories around Nagorno-Karabakh,
is unacceptable as long as the question of the status of Nagorno
Karabakh is unresolved. As the correspondent of IA REGNUM declared,
about it was mentioned at a press conference in Yerevan on June
13 by Manvel Yeghiazaryan the commander of the detachment “Arabo”,
and the veteran of Karabakh war.

In Yeghiazaryan’s opinion, firstly Karabakh’s independence together
with adjacent areas – Lachin, Kelbajar, Shahumyan and Getashen (the
latter two areas are now under the control of Azerbaijan ) must be
recognized , and only then to decide the remaining issues. “If the
Armenian government is not able to do so, we must withdraw from the
negotiation process and start the negotiations from scratch. At that
time, we do not condemn those of Armenian politicians, who in 1918
passed Kars, Erzurum, Batumi and signed the contract, therefore now
we face a similar problem on the Karabakh front, “- he stressed.

Touching upon the upcoming meeting of the Presidents of Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Russia in June 25 in Kazan, the veteran of Karabakh
war expressed confidence that in this round of talks “any document
on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will not be signed”.”We have not
still solved the problem of the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, how can
we speak of a document? I am sure that the Armenian side will not
agree to take such a step. If Armenian government signs a document on
confirming the territories, in which I strongly doubt, it will lose
not only the power but will have to answer for it before the people
and veterans of the Karabakh war, “- sharply mentioned Yeghiazaryan.

He is sure that today Azerbaijan is not a threat to Armenia. “The only
threat to us is the lack of consolidation in the domestic political
arena of the country. The recognition of Nagorno Kharabakh independence
is caused by this “, – says Manvel Yeghiazaryan.

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS: ARMENIANS OF JAVAKHQ ARE FULL CITIZENS OF SOVEREIGN GEORGIA

arminfo
Wednesday, June 15, 15:17

On June 14 Catholicos of All Armenians His Holiness Karekin II visited
Akhalkalaki accompanied by Patriarch of Georgia Ilya II.

The religious leaders visited Surb Khach Church. After prayer,
Catholicos consecrated the khachkar (cross- stone) erected in the
churchyard in honor of the patriarchal visit. Afterwards, Karekin
II visited the village of Tsurgut where the famous Tsurgut Gospel is
preserved at St. Zion Church.

‘WE’RE CONDEMNED TO STARVATION’ SAY YEREVAN FLOWER VENDORS

epress.am
06.14.2011 16:47

The appeal submitted to police by Narine Vardanyan and Heghine
Poghosyan, two flower vendors on Yerevan’s Abovyan street, has not
been processed yet.

Recall, on May 31, deputy head of the Yerevan City Hall Trade and
Services Department Arman Yedoyan told the street vendors that in
order to continue selling flowers in the area, they had to have the
necessary tables in place, for which they had to put down a deposit
of $1,000 USD each.

Apparently, the two indignant flower vendors then discussed this
issue that evening, expressing their discontent with the authorities’
decision. This discussion then apparently reached Yedoyan, who two
days later approached the vendors and, according to Vardanyan and
Poghosyan, cursed at them and ordered them to gather their things
and leave the area.

Speaking to Epress.am, Heghine Poghosyan said that after submitting
their complaint to the police, investigator Hayk Aramyan didn’t call
her in for questioning and only called in Narine Vardanyan. Further,
Poghosyan said that the investigator didn’t process the application
of her 21-year-old daughter Ani Avetisyan, who Yedoyan also insulted
that day.

At this point, the vendors say they don’t know whether a criminal
case has been launched against Yedoyan or not.

“In our complaint against Yedoyan, we’re also demanding financial
compensation, since they made a decision in one day, prohibiting
us from selling our flower and as a result, we have incurred great
losses – the flowers have perished,” said Poghosyan.

Vardanyan informed Epress.am that a little further away from their
spot on the sidewalk, a woman by the name of Sudarik very plainly
sells produce. Note street trade (other than selling ice cream, soft
drinks and flowers) was banned by Yerevan City Hall and enforced
early this year.

“Through an internal procedure, city hall has permitted her to sell
produce there, but they don’t allow us to sell flowers. Furthermore,
that woman wants to provoke us to [take] extreme action. She says,
‘Let’s go, bash their heads in’ and so on. But we know from whom that
[order] is sent and for what, and we stay as far as possible away
from that woman. Since Jun. 3 have been deprived of the opportunity
to sell flowers and we’re condemned to starvation,” said Vardanyan.

They will most likely appeal to the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
with an open letter, she added.

MICHAEL FOSBERG OF ARMENIAN DESCENT TO STAGE HIS ONE-MAN SHOW IN WAUKEGAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
June 14, 2011 – 18:31 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Michael Fosberg, born to an Armenian mother and now
retired Libertyville Realtor, Adrienne Pilibosian Fosberg, returns
to his hometown of Waukegan, Illinois, for three shows only of his
one-man play titled, Incognito, June 17, June 18, and Matinee June 19.

In a hybrid between the late-great satirical monologist Spalding Gray
and the vivid storytelling of Charlayne Woodard, Incognito is about
Michael Fosberg’s emotion-packed personal journey for self discovery.

Writer/performer Michael Fosberg began a personal search for his
biological father at age 34 that turns up a whole lot more. Armed
with only the name of his father and the knowledge that he lived in
the Detroit area two decades earlier, Fosberg makes a miraculous call
which sets in motion a series of discoveries of family – of secrets
and lies, confrontation and reconciliation. Incognito balances humor
and emotion as it deals with race, prejudice and life’s difficult
choices. Incognito has been seen from NYC to LA, at universities,
high schools, museums and theatres, TribLocal reports.