Author: Badalian Vardan

RA FM: KARABAKH SETTLEMENT SHOULD BE BASED ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH PEOPLE’S RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION

DeFacto Agency
Sept 17 2008
Armenia

YEREVAN, 17.09.08. DE FACTO. In the course of a meeting held in
Tehran on September 16 Armenian and Iranian FMs Edvard Nalbandian
and Manouchehr Mottaki discussed latest developments in the region
and their influence on stability and security of the region.

In this context Armenian Minister noted that Armenia had always
advocated establishment and strengthening long-lasting peace and
stability in the region. According to Edvard Nalbandian, Armenia
believes that any disputable issue should be resolved exclusively in
a peaceful way – via talks and a dialogue.

On the Iranian FM’s request Armenian Minister presented
situation around Karabakh talks and perspectives of the issue’s
settlement. According to Edvard Nalbandian, Karabakh settlement should
be based on the recognition and realization of the Nagorno-Karabakh
people’s right to self-determination.

The head of the RA MFA also presented Armenian party’s stand in
the issue referring to possibility of Armenian-Turkish relations’
establishment, RA MFA Pres Office reports.

ANKARA KEEN ON MEDIATING GARABAGH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

AzerNews Weekly
Sept 17 2008
Azerbaijan

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan intends to discuss the Upper
(Nagorno) Garabagh conflict with his Armenian and Azerbaijanian
counterparts in late September.

"The Garabagh conflict is also Turkey`s problem," Babacan said,
stressing that while in Yerevan, he had forwarded to the Armenian
foreign minister a proposal on arranging a meeting of the three
countries` foreign ministers, and the initiative was accepted.

"After meeting my Azerbaijani counterpart and inquiring about his
views, we will be able to hold such a meeting on the sidelines of
the UN session," he told a local television channel.

Babacan stressed that peace talks are expected to intensify after
Azerbaijan`s October 15 presidential election.

The 63rd session of the UN General Assembly began in New York on
Tuesday.

The Garabagh conflict will be discussed by Turkish and Armenian
Presidents Abdullah Gul and Serzh Sarkisian on the sidelines of the
session, CNN Turk TV channel said. Given that the meeting will be
held shortly before elections in Azerbaijan, President Ilham Aliyev
will not be able to attend, the report said.

In reference to Turkish-Armenian relations, Babacan said outstanding
differences cannot be unilaterally ironed out.

Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian has told CNN Turk that if
efforts are being made to normalize ties between Ankara and Yerevan,
no pre-conditions should be set.

"If we seriously and sincerely want to make amends, we should not talk
about any conditions, as restoring relations between Turkey and Armenia
would benefit both countries. Peace should not be expected in the
region until the Ankara-Yerevan relations are rectified, because a full
integration of the region is impossible with the border being closed."

The presidents of Turkey and Armenia attended a soccer match together
in the Armenian capital on Saturday. Yerevan called the accompanying
talks an opportunity to forge ties with the neighboring country.

Armenia and Turkey have been at odds and the border between the two
countries has been closed since 1993 on Ankara`s insistence due to
Armenia`s policy of occupation of Azerbaijan territory and its claims
that Ottoman Turks committed mass killings in the early 20th century.

Nalbandian pledged that if Turkish-Armenian relations normalize,
Armenia will not put forth its "genocide" claims and all unresolved
issues would be solved through negotiations.

Yury Merzlyakov, Russian co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group (MG),
a team of US, Russian and French diplomats brokering Garabagh peace
talks, has confirmed that Turkish, Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign
ministers are due to meet. He said, however, that the date of the
meeting has not been scheduled.

Merzlyakov said the possibility of such a ministerial meeting was
discussed by the Azerbaijani and Armenian ministers during their
meeting in Moscow on August 1.

"The three ministers` meeting is a good idea and the co-chairs would
only welcome that," the diplomat said.

He emphasized that it was wrong to cite possible changes in the format
of peace talks. "Turkish President Abdullah Gul`s mediation [of talks]
between the Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders could be beneficial for
the resolution of the Garabagh conflict."

Merzlyakov added that the MG co-chairs are expected to visit the
region soon.

Meanwhile, the Armenian opposition expressed concern over Turkey`s
actively joining peace talks, claiming that Ankara`s assuming a
mediating role in the peace process has raised eyebrows. It further
maintained that Turkey`s mediation is unacceptable, given that the
country is Azerbaijan`s closest ally.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus republics reared up
in the late 1980s due to Armenia`s territorial claims. Armenia has
been occupying over 20% of Azerbaijan`s internationally recognized
territory since the early 1990s. Years of peace talks have brought
few tangible results. Azerbaijani officials have repeatedly warned
against Armenia`s policy of aggression, saying the country`s land
will be freed at any cost.

PRESS RELEASE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-0710
Fax: (212) 779-3558
Web:
Email: [email protected]

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians, will Preside over the Fortieth Anniversary Celebration of
the Consecration of St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral on October 12

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians, will preside over the 40th anniversary celebration of the
consecration of St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral in New York City and
bestow his blessings and good wishes upon the Armenian community of
America on Sunday, October 12.

His Holiness Karekin II will deliver his message of blessing to the
faithful participating in the Divine Liturgy at St. Vartan Cathedral,
celebrated by His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern). A requiem
service also will be offered for the deceased founders of the
Cathedral followed by a commemorative luncheon and tribute.

`We are truly honored and blessed to know that our beloved Catholicos
will be present and participating in this most significant of
celebrations in our Diocese. The consecration of St. Vartan Armenian
Cathedral in 1968 is one of the most important events ever to have
taken place in the Armenian community in the United States,’
Archbishop Barsamian said. `Knowing that His Holiness will be
celebrating this momentous anniversary with our faithful links our
Diocese, once again, to our sacred Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.’

It is in the spirit of commemorating the past and celebrating the
future that the Eastern Diocese will mark the 40th anniversary of the
consecration of St. Vartan Cathedral. During services on October 12,
vessels containing newly-blessed Holy Chrism, known as Holy Muron in
Armenian, will be distributed to youth representatives of every parish
in the Eastern Diocese. The recipients will deliver the Muron to their
home parishes where it will be used for consecrations, baptisms and
ordinations.

`Just as our parents and grandparents gave us the gift of this
beautiful Cathedral and inspired us with their unwavering faith, we
must now share our rich legacy with a new generation of Armenian
Christians,’ the Primate said.

The Holy Muron ` a substance prepared with olive oil and other plant
extracts in a tradition that dates back to the Apostles of Christ ` is
blessed at Holy Etchmiadzin once every seven years. During this
special ceremony, the Catholicos of All Armenians mixes a portion of
the existing oil with the newly-made Muron and distributes it to
Armenian Dioceses all over the world.

On September 28, His Holiness Karekin II will preside at this year’s
Blessing of the Holy Muron. Pilgrims from the Eastern Diocese will
visit Holy Etchmiadzin to witness the service and to bring back the
Muron to the Cathedral in New York.

Consecrated in April 1968, St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral was built by
a generation of Armenian Genocide survivors who were determined to
preserve their faith in the New World. In its 40-year history, the
Cathedral has been home to countless spiritual and cultural events,
and today it continues to serve as the spiritual center of the Eastern
Diocese.

The October 12 program is part of a yearlong celebration of the
Cathedral’s anniversary that began this summer with an art exhibition
and concert featuring established and emerging Armenian-American
artists. Crowning the exhibition, which drew a capacity crowd on
opening night, was Arshile Gorky’s `The Artist and His Mother,’ loaned
to the Diocese by the Whitney Museum of American Art.

`This exhibition was a great success,’ said Lynn Beylerian,
co-chairwoman of the 40th Anniversary Committee. `We hope to see our
faithful join us again in October as we continue the celebration of
our Cathedral’s history with our spiritual leader, His Holiness
Karekin II.’

For more information about the October 12 events, please call the
Diocese.

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Sept 12 2008

RA FM TO VISIT IRAN

YEREVAN, 12.09.08. DE FACTO. On September 11 RA FM Edvard Nalbandian
met with Seyed Ali Saghaeyan, Ambassador of Islamic Republic of Iran
to the RA.

According to the RA MFA Press Office, in the course of the meeting the
parties considered the issues referring to RA FM’s forthcoming visit
to Tehran on the invitation of his Iranian colleague Manouchehr
Mottaki.

Pallone and Radanovich seek congressional support for post-conflict aid
to Javakhk and Armenia

armradio.am
13.09.2008 11:26

In a bipartisan appeal, Representatives Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and George
Radanovich (R-CA) reached out to their Congressional colleagues to
support targeting portions of the proposed $1 billion post
Georgia-Russia conflict aid package for the Samtskhe-Javakheti region
of Georgia and to help offset the economic impact of the recent crisis
on Armenia, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

In a September 12th Dear Colleague letter, the two legislators
explained to their fellow Representatives that Armenia, which continues
to be materially harmed by the fighting to its north, has remained "a
constructive partner to Georgia through ensuring safe transit for
humanitarian needs, reconstruction assistance, and diplomatic
measures." They also stressed the urgency of providing funds
pecifically for Samtskhe-Javakheti, a chronically underdeveloped region
in Georgia, heavily populated by Armenians.

"We thank Representatives Pallone and Radanovich for their vision
and compassion in addressing the pressing humanitarian and
developmental needs, both in Georgia and in Armenia, created by the
recent fighting," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We
are hopeful that their colleagues will join with them in ensuring
that the United States lends a helping hand to the people of
Samtskhe-Javakheti and Armenia during this difficult time."

Representatives Pallone and Radanovich are currently urging their
colleagues to co-sign a Congressional letter to President Bush
suggesting that the Administration implement two specific policy
recommendations:

1) Ensuring that a meaningful level of the new Georgia aid program
is specifically targeted to the vital Samtskhe-Javakheti region.
This largely Armenian-inhabited area, home to roughly five percent
of Georgia’s overall population, remains, in great measure,
economically undeveloped. Of the $1 billion being proposed for
Georgia, a proportional share on a per capita basis, should be
officially dedicated to developmental programs in Samtskhe-
Javakheti, with a special focus on alleviating poverty, developing
transportation and communication links, promoting international
trade and investment, and supporting sustainable economic growth.

2) In light of Yerevan’s extensive assistance during this crisis
and also the large-scale harm it has endured as a result of the
fighting in the region, portions of the new Georgia assistance
package should be used to help offset the damage to Armenia’s
economy. This damage, estimated at between $680 and $1 billion,
has largely been the result of higher transportation costs,
increased prices for basic commodities such as food and fuel, and a
slow down in international investments.

BEGINNING OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH NEGOTIATIONS IS ONE OF ANKARA’S STEPS TOWARDS EUROPE, RUSSIAN EXPERT THINKS

ArmInfo
2008-09-11 15:01:00

ArmInfo. The beginning of Armenian-Turkish negotiations is one of
Ankara’s steps towards Europe, Sergey Markedonov, the head of the
department of international relations at the Institute of Political
and Military Analysis, told ArmInfo correspondent.

"Turkey is striving to establish relations with EU at any
expense. Therefore I think that the beginning of the Armenian-Turkish
negotiations is one of the steps made by Ankara towards Europe. It’s
no secret that Europe connects the issue of Turkey’s admission to
EU with issues of Turkey’s settlement of its problems with Cyprian
Greeks, Armenia and Kurds living in Turkey, and these are only some
of Europe’s requirements", he noted.

According to the expert, along with activation of the talks between
Armenia and Turkey, the Cyprian issue on which Turkey started talks
with Greeks has also recently been activated. Markedonov doesn’t
consider this parallel accidental in the context of the latest events
in the region.

"Moreover, one shouldn’t forget the factor of Armenian lobby in
the USA. It is known that the USA have been striving to unblock the
Armenian-Turkish border under the pressure of Armenians living in
the USA", he said. Turkey can’t help taking into account Washington’s
opinion, he said.

To recall, Turkey and Armenia lack diplomatic relations, and the
border has been blocked since 1993. Local and foreign analysts
qualify Abdullah Gul’s visit to Yerevan as extremely important for
normalization of the two countries’ relations.

AZERBAIJANI AND TURKISH PRESIDENTS MAKE STATEMENTS FOR PRESS

Azeri Press Agency
Sept 11 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku-APA. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of
Turkey Abdullah Gul made statements for the press. Azerbaijani leader
said after welcoming the guest he discussed with his counterpart all
directions of bilateral relations once again and they passed decisions
about the joint activity in future, APA reports.

"Our relationship is at high level. Reciprocal visits of heads of
states and governments and very active relations, of course, increase
opportunities for operative reaction to the regional processes. A
lot of joint projects are carried out at bilateral level. Energy
and transport corridors tied Turkey and Azerbaijan are successfully
functioning. All these are successful results of our joint efforts".

The president said exploitation of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and
Baku-Tbilisi-Erzrum oil and gas pipelines enabled us to meet economic
and political interests of both countries much more and emphasized that
successful measures were taken in the transport sector as well. "All
our economic and political initiatives contribute to the cooperation,
stability and peace in the region. We can state with absolute
confidence that Turkey’s and Azerbaijan’s policy, initiatives made
in the region will create conditions for strengthening of stability
today and in future".

Azerbaijani president said while discussing bilateral relations and
regional situation, as well as latest developments with Abdullah
Gul, they discovered once again that Turkey and Azerbaijan had same
positions, interests and views. "It is very important, because it
strengthens traditional friendship and fraternity between the both
countries and on the other hand, it is not secret that Turkey’s and
Azerbaijan’s role and influence in the region are increasing. It has
different reasons and of course, our activity contributes to these
reasons. We see very clear view of joint activity in future and I am
sure that joint efforts will bring peace to the region".

The head of state stressed that Nagorno Karabakh problem moved to the
forefront and long-time unresolved problem was a great threat for
both Azerbaijan and the region. "We want the issue to find soonest
solution based on the norms of international law. Azerbaijan clearly
shows its position in the international organizations".

Reminding about the positions of the United Nations and other
international organizations on Nagorno Karabakh, the head of
state once again said that we wanted to end this occupation. Ilham
Aliyev emphasized that Azerbaijan was loyal to the peace process
and therefore despite the talks remained without results for more
than 15 years, Azerbaijan continues the process. "Solution of this
issue should be based on the norms and principles of international
law only. Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity should be restored and
Armenian forces should withdraw from the all occupied lands and one
million Azerbaijani refugees and displaced persons should return
home. If we achieve it, absolutely new situation will be created
in the region: cooperation, stability, new economic and political
initiatives, opening the communications. In a word, peace will be
established in the region and development will go more rapidly".

President said the economy of Turkey and Azerbaijan was so strong
that no one could make influence on this development.

"But if we can solve Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh conflict,
I hope, of course all the countries will develop more rapidly. Every
country will make use of it. We want this. We want peace, tranquility
in the region and want all the countries in the region to establish
normal relations. I reiterate that it requires will and wise steps
of Armenian political leadership," he said.

President said he and his Turkish counterpart thought that new
leadership of Armenia would continue to make efforts for the settlement
of this problem.

"There are some promising factors and data. Of course, I would not
like to overtake the events, but we look forward hopefully. I want to
believe that we will achieve peace in the region owing to the efforts
of Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia and other countries," he said.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul said they had discussed bilateral and
regional issues and underlined that the relations between our countries
were developing perfectly in all spheres. He said Turkey had always
been and would continue to be with Azerbaijan in the political issues.

Turkish President expressed his hope that Nagorno Karabakh problem
between Azerbaijan and Armenia would be solved through dialogue,
understanding and negotiations.

"We think new occasion have arisen to solve the problem lasting for 17
years. I returned from Armenia hopefully. I believe that this problem
will be solved through negotiations. The solution to this problem will
bring peaceful atmosphere to the region and it will mean establishment
of great economic cooperation in the whole region. Oil pipelines,
railways can establish network in the whole Caucasus. That’s why one
should improve the new opportunity and solve the frozen conflicts,"
he said.

ISRAELI HISTORIAN MICHMAN TO LECTURE SEPT. 17, IN ROSE LIBRARY AT CLARK UNIVERSITY CAMPUS

Targeted News Service
September 9, 2008 Tuesday 1:52 AM EST

The Clark University Strassler Family Center for Holocaust and
Genocide Studies will present "Jewish ‘Headships’ (Judenrate and
Judenvereininungen): The Emergence and Application of an Administrative
Concept in Nazi Anti-Jewish Policies," a talk by acclaimed scholar
Dan Michman, at 4 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 17, in the Rose Library at
the Cohen-Lasry House, 11 Hawthorne Street, Clark University Campus.

Professor Michman will examine the historical development
of administrative procedure by the Nazis as a means to better
execute anti-Jewish policy in Nazi occupied territory during World
War II. Michman will discuss the crucial role that constructed
administrative concepts played in the organized effort to first
exclude, and ultimately eradicate the Jewish people from European
society.

Michman is a Professor of Modern Jewish History and chair of the
Finkler Institute of Holocaust Research at Bar-Ilan University
in Israel. He is the chief historian for Yad Vashem, an Israeli
organization dedicated to preserving and documenting the history of
the Jewish people during the Holocaust period. Professor Michman was
born in Amsterdam in 1947 and immigrated to Israel 10 years later
when his father was appointed chairman of Yad Vashem.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information,
contact 508-793-8897.

The mission of the Strassler Family Center for Holocaust and
Genocide Studies is to educate undergraduate and graduate students
about genocide and the Holocaust; to host a lecture series, free of
charge and open to the public, to use scholarship to address current
problems stemming from the murderous past; and to participate in
public discussion about a host of issues ranging from the significance
of state-sponsored denial of the Armenian genocide and well-funded
denial of the Holocaust to intervention in and prevention of genocidal
situations today.

DM SEYRAN OHANYAN RECEIVED THE NEWLY APPOINTED AMBASSADOR OF GREECE

armradio.am
09.09.2008 15:30

On September 9 RA Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan received the newly
appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Greece to
Armenia Ioannis Korintios and the newly appointed Military Attaché
of the Greek Embassy in Armenia Anastasios Meletughli.

At the beginning of the meeting Seyran Ohanyan congratulated the
Ambassador on his appointment to that responsible position and
expressed hope that the military and political cooperation between
the two countries will further expand during his tenure in office.

During the meeting Seyran Ohanyan underlined that having chosen
the European path of development, Armenia views Greece as a primary
partner in its policy of integration with European structures. He
said the cooperation with Greece is important in economic, cultural
and other spheres, as well.

Turning to the military, military-technical and military educational
cooperation in the context of bilateral relations, the parties stressed
the necessity of deepening this cooperation. Seyran Ohanyan said that
invaluable is the support of the Greek side in the formation, training
and technical equipping of the Armenian peacekeeping battalion.

For his part the Ambassador appreciated the high level of professional
preparedness of the Armenian peacekeepers.

Speaking about the Karabakh conflict settlement, the parties attached
importance to the=2 0peaceful resolution of the issue. Questions
connected with regional security and stability were discussed.

At the end of the meeting the parties exchanged views on the reforms
underway in the armed forces of both countries.

–Boundary_(ID_gIIdw1NtAU+mS/kOYMyGeQ) —

TURKEY BUS CRASH KILLS 16 IRANIAN TOURISTS

Reuters
09 Sep 2008 12:41:15 GMT

ISTANBUL, Sept 9 (Reuters) – Sixteen Iranian tourists were killed and
32 injured when their bus careered off a bendy road in eastern Turkey,
state news agency Anatolian said on Tuesday.

The crash took place late on Monday in Agri province after the driver
lost control of the bus, media reports said.

The tourists, Iranians of Armenian descent, had spent a week in eastern
Turkey visiting historical sites as part of a 90-person group, Vatan
newspaper reported.

The buses were heading back to the Turkey-Iran border.

Ambulances were sent to the scene and gendarme paramilitary police
worked to save passengers trapped inside the bus. The injured were
taken to hospitals in Van, Agri and Igdir provinces, Anatolian
said. (Reporting by Thomas Grove)