Author: Badalian Vardan

ARMEN MAZMANYAN: I AM SURE THAT AMNESTY DOES NOT MAKE LEVON TER-PETROSSIAN HAPPY

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
02.07.2009 17:26 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian film producer and one of the activists of
the national liberation movement Armen Mazmanyan shared his political
views at a meeting with journalists today.

"I hail the amnesty, which touched many my friends, although it
is granted very late. I am sure that amnesty does not make Levon
Ter-Petrossian happy, since detained people were token coins in
his struggle for power, " Armen Mazmanyan, creative director of the
experimental theater "Goy" said. "Despite polar difference in our
political views, my friends are now at liberty," he said.

Many journalists asked the opinion of Armen Mazmanyan about major
news the previous day: a voluntary coming of Nikol Pashinyan,
editor-in-chief of "Haykakan Zhamanak" daily to the prosecutor’s
office.

"You can’t compare Movses Georgisyan, a political figure, who was at
the first front line under bullets of the Azeri, with Nicol Pashinyn,
who declared himself an opposition leader and, hiding himself, called
on the rest to struggle with arms. And after a year of rest, while
others were in jail instead of him, he just appeared at the moment
when amnesty announced," Mazmanyan said.

On July 1, being sought, one of the most active participants in the
events of 1 March 2008, chief editor of "Haykakan Zhamanak" Nikol
Pashinyan surrendered to law enforcement authorities. He was arrested
and taken to the "Yerevan-Kentron" penitentiary.

Earlier Nikol Pashinyan had expressed his intention to come out of
hiding and continue his struggle in prison.

In February-March 2008, the Armenian opposition, dissatisfied results
of presidential elections of February 19, 2008, headed by the first
Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrossian held rallies in center of
Yerevan. 1-2 March protests degenerated into riots, resulted in
the death of 10 people. Nikol Pashinyan was being searched by law
enforcers.

ARMENIA AND TURKEY SHOULD START FROM SCRATCH WITHOUT PRECONDITIONS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
30.06.2009 23:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "By leaving the coalition ARF Dashnaktsutyun has
already taken an important step in the Armenian-Turkish relations,
expressing a different view and interests of the Armenian people,"
Armen Rustamyan, MP of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun fraction of the National
Assembly told a press conference today.

"The EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus has repeatedly
pointed out that Turkish society is not ready for such changes. I have
a question, is the Armenian society ready?" Mr. Rustamyan said. He
also stressed that at least one political force (ARF Dashnaktsutyun)
is against it in Armenia.

According to Rustamian, the best way out of the situation can be
only one: to establish diplomatic relations Armenia and Turkey
should start from scratch without preconditions and on the base of
international norms.

USA AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA DEFENDS OBAMA

armradio.am
01.07.2009 15:59

The U.S. ambassador to Armenia learned that President Obama’s
words do have consequences, as she was peppered with criticism from
Armenian-Americans upset that Mr. Obama is backing off a campaign
pledge to recognize the Armenian "genocide."

On a cross-country tour of Armenian-American communities, Ambassador
Marie Yovanovitch has had to defend Mr. Obama while trying to calm
her listeners who are suspicious of a political double-cross, the
Washington Times writes.

"I know there is disappointment and even anger at President Obama’s
April 24 statement," she said at a meeting last week in Arlington,
Mass., referring to Mr. Obama’s decision to avoid using the word,
"genocide," in his address on the annual Armenian Remembrance Day.

"But President Obama went further in his statement than any previous
American president. While we must never forget the past, we also must
work together for a better future."

In his remarks, Mr. Obama referred to the "1.5 million Armenians who
were subsequently massacred or marched to their death" in "one of
the greatest atrocities of the 20th century."

However, during the presidential campaign, he pledged to refer to
the tragedy as "genocide."

ORGANIZATIONS OF ARMENIAN COMMUNITY IN FRANCE AND GREEK AND CYPRIAN COMMUNITIES IN MARSEILLE SIGN JOINT STATEMENT

NOYAN TAPAN – ARNENIANS TODAY
JUNE 30, 2009
PARIS

PARIS, JUNE 30, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Council on
Coordination of Armenian Organizations in France (CCAF- Le Conseil de
coordination des organisations armeniennes de France), the Cyprian
community of France (Communaute chypriote de France), the Union of
Greeks of Marseille region (Union hellenique de Marseille at de la
Region) and the Greek community of Marseille (Communaute grecue de
Marseille) signed a statement, in which they condemn the envisaged
arrival of a Turkish ship in Marseille from the city of Foca (Turkey)
– the former Greek city of Phocee, within the framework of Year of
Turkey to be celebrated in France.

The point is that on the same day 2,600 years ago a ship from the
above mentioned Greek city was moored to the area of the present-day
Marseille and its passengers founded the city of Marseille,
hayernaysor.am reported, referring to Nouvelles d’Armenie monthly
published in France. The statement says that the Turks have no right
to follow the route taken by the Greeks because it was not them that
founded the city of Marseille 2,600 years ago after having traveled on
that route. According to the statement, to receive the Turkish ship
in Marseille within the framework of Year of Turkey in France means
to consign to oblivion all those Armenians who arrived in Marseille
by ship after surviving the Armenian Genocide and also to forget the
fact that Turkey occupied part of Cyprus in 1974.

It is expected that the ship with Turkish participants in the events of
Year of Turkey will leave Foca on July 1 when these events will start.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION MAINLY SATISFIED WITH PACE RESOLUTION

Noyan Tapan
June 29, 2009

YEREVAN, JUNE 29, NOYAN TAPAN. The last PACE Resolution on activity
of democratic institutions in Armenia has more positive than negative
provisions. Armenian National Congress (ANC) representative Levon
Zurabian expressed such an opinion at the June 25 press conference. In
his words, the words of praise addressed to the Armenian authorities
in the Resolution was the price to be paid for release of the most
part of the political prisoners. He attached importance to the
fact that the Assembly also calls the authorities for releasing
the political prisoners, to which the amnesty was not extended. By
the way, according to L. Zurabian, Armenian delegation’s member,
Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Issues David
Haroutiunian struggled to remove these provisions from the Resolution
text, therefore he is personally responsible for NA deputy Sasun
Mikayelian’s and other political prisoners’ remaining in prison.

L. Zurabian also attached importance to the circumstance that in spite
of the authorities’ efforts, the necessity of returning on air the A1+
TV company is mentioned in the document.

Meanwhile L. Zurabian said that but for Congress’ efforts and people’s
struggle, the European structures would not have made these demands
to the Armenian authorities.

SMALL AND MEDIUM BUSINESS SUPPORT CENTER ESTABLISHED IN KAPAN

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
26.06.2009 20:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan attended
the opening ceremony of small and medium business support center in
Kapan, reported the government’s press office.

"Assistance to small and medium sized businesses is a priority of
the government’s economic program," he said.

The center will assist unpracticed businessmen and promote
implementation of programs.

MATTHEW BRYZA: THERE IS HOPE FOR REACHING AGREEMENT ON BASIC PRINCIPLES

ArmInfo
2009-06-24 11:30:00

ArmInfo-TURAN. There is a hope that until the end of the year
Armenia’s and Azerbaijan’s Presidents will agree on basic principles
of settlement the Karabakh conflict, American co-chairman of the OSCE
Minsk Group Matthew Bryza told in interview to Azerbaijan’s Service
of Voice of America.

‘Presidents Aliyev and Sarkisian agreed on some 10 or 12 principles,
and we hope on continuation of development in this direction,’ Bryza
said. He considers that process of settlement and normalization of
Armenian-Turkish relations should not be connected. He confirmed that
USA understands Azerbaijan’s concern in this question. ‘However,
if the Armenian-Turkish relations are normalized, Armenia will be
on a more constructive position in the settlement of the Karabakh
conflict,’ he said.

ARMENIAN "GRANT THORNTON AMYOT" TO CONDUCT AUDIT FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

ARKA
June 22, 2009

YEREVAN, June 22. /ARKA/. Armenian audit and consulting company "Grant
Thornton Amyot" will carry out the audit of financial statements of
the year 2009 of the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic.

As ARKA was told by the press-service of the company, the Parliament
of the Kyrgyz Republic has approved the decision on June 11.

"We are very happy to be announced as the winner of this tender
and to have the opportunity to provide high quality service to the
National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic," said Armen Hovhannisyan,
Partner and Director of Financial Institutions Audit Department at
Grant Thornton Amyot.

He also said that in November 2008 the Parliament of Kyrgyzstan made
amendments in the law lifting the requirement of license for conducting
audit activity on the territory of Kyrgyzstan.

According to Hovhannisyan due to this amendment Grant Thornton Amyot
became eligible for this assignment.

"As Grant Thornton Amyot also has experience with the audit of the
Central Bank of Armenia, we fully satisfied all requirements of the
tender," he noted.

Hovhannisyan also stated all efforts of Grant Thornton Amyot are
invested into geographic expansion of the company’s activity as part
of their development strategy.

Grant Thornton launched its activities in Armenia in 1991. In 1994,
Grant Thornto n France established a branch in Armenia. Later the
branch was transformed to Grant Thornton Amyot.

Grant Thornton Amyot is a full member of Grant Thornton International
(GTI), one of the world’s largest auditing and consulting organizations
uniting 521 companies in 113 countries.

For over a decade Grant Thornton Amyot has been providing audit and
professional advisory services to a vast number of organizations,
including financial institutions in Armenia, Georgia, Tajikistan and
other countries, among which are 25 banks and over a dozen credit
organizations, funds, insurance and brokerage companies.

BOOK ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BY BRYCE AND TOYNBEE TO BE RELEASED SIMULTANEOUSLY IN LONDON AND ANKARA

Noyan Tapan
June 19, 2009

LONDON, JUNE 19, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The English translation
of the uncensored edition of the book "The Treatment of Armenians
in the Ottoman Empire in 1915-1916. Documents Presented to Viscount
Grey of Fallodon by Viscount Bryce" by James Bryce and Arnold Toynbee
will be released next week in London and Ankara, Azg daily reported,
referring to a report of Gomidas Institute (London).

Ara Sarafian is the editor of the 654-page book. Interestingly,
in 2005, considering the book a "propaganda publication", Turkish
parliamentarians filed a petition to British MPs, probably requesting
not to publish an English translation. However, after some discussions
British MPs rejected the petition in 2006, inviting their Turkish
colleagues to consult with them. The members of Turkish parliament
refused to meet with them.

ARMENIAN PREMIER TO TAKE PART IN BRIDGE ARTSAKH FORUM

ARKA
June 19, 2009

YEREVAN, June 19. /ARKA/. RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan will be
on a visit to the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) to take part in
the Bridge Artsakh forum to be held in Stepanakert.

The RA Government’s press service reports that the Premier-headed
Armenian delegation is to hold a meeting with NKR Government members.

The Armenian delegation includes Head of the RA Government staff David
Sargsyan, RA Minister of Finance Tigran Davtyan, Minister of Economy
Nerses Yeritsyan, Minister of Agriculture Gerasim Alaverdyan, Minister
of Urban Development Vardan Vardanyan and Minister of Transport and
Communications Gurgen Sargsyan.

The Bridge Artsakh forum will be held in the NKR on June 19-21, 2009.

Organized by the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen (Employers)
of Armenia (UMB(E)A), the forum will be held under the auspices of
the NKR President and under the sponsorship of the NKR Government.

The Artsakh Investment Fund is official partner of the forum. The
forum participants will get acquainted with the political and business
circles of Armenia and other countries, as well as with the NKR’s
socio-economic potential. A keynote address entitled "Investment
attractiveness of Artsakh" will be presented by the Artakh Investment
Fund.