Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

FELICITATIONS DE LA FRANCE
Jean [email protected]

armenews.com
mercredi 21 septembre 2011

INDEPENDANCE

A l’occasion du 20ème anniversaire de l’independance de l’Armenie,
le president Nicolas Sarkozy a adresse au president de la Republique
d’Armenie, Serge Sarkissian, les felicitations de la France a tous
les Armeniens.

Le courrier dit, en substance :” L’Armenie peut etre fière de tout
ce qui a ete realise au cours des vingt dernières annees, souvent
dans des circonstances très difficiles.

L’Armenie a construit une democratie, est passee a une economie de
marche et a pris place dans l’arène internationale. ”

Le President francais poursuit en saluant ” les liens forts
historiques entre la France et l’Armenie qui durant ces annees ont
permis d’elaborer et constamment approfondir une cooperation dans
tous les secteurs “. Ajoutant que ” la France est au côte de son amie
l’Armenie pour l’aider a affronter les defis d’aujourd’hui. ”

Il termine en disant qu’il aura encore l’occasion de feliciter et
exprimer l’amitie de la France lors d’une prochaine visite du President
Sarkissian a Paris, et au cours de son prochain voyage en Armenie,
qui par ailleurs le mènera egalement en Georgie.

From: Baghdasarian

US URGES TURKEY TO DEFUSE ROW WITH ISRAEL

Agence France Presse
September 19, 2011 Monday 7:31 PM GMT

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton here on Monday urged Turkey to
defuse tension and repair strategic ties with Israel as Washington
values them both as allies, US officials said.

Washington has expressed mounting concern about the bitter row between
Turkey and Israel over a May 2010 Israeli commando raid on an aid
flotilla heading to the Gaza Strip that left nine Turks dead.

In her meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in New
York, Clinton “made clear that this is not a time when we need more
tension, more volatility in the region,” a senior US official said
on condition of anonymity.

The chief US diplomat and Davutoglu met before US President Barack
Obama holds talks Tuesday with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan as they gather for the UN General Assembly opening Wednesday.

The United States has offered to mediate an end to the Israeli-Turkish
crisis — which analysts said could also harm ties between NATO allies
Washington and Ankara — but Davutoglu has rejected the US offer.

Washington stressed that the countries are “two close friends and
allies of the United States, and urged them to keep the door open,”
another US State Department official told reporters.

It asked Turkey to “avoid steps that would close that door, and on the
contrary to actively seek ways that they can repair their important
relationship with Israel,” the official said.

“It’s not really for us to structure the detailed path forward in
the way Turkey and Israel are going to relate to each other,” the
official said.

“We want to be helpful if we can but ultimately they need to talk
to each other,” the official said, adding it is not for Washington
“to write the plan.”

Israel and Turkey have been locked in a bitter dispute since May 2010
when Israeli naval commandos stormed a convoy of six ships trying to
reach the Gaza Strip in defiance of an Israeli naval blockade.

Earlier this month, Turkey expelled the Israeli ambassador and froze
military ties and defense trade deals. Ties strained even further
when Erdogan threatened to send warships to escort any Turkish vessels
trying to reach Hamas-ruled Gaza.

The United Nations criticized Israel for using “excessive” force in
the 2010 raid, but upheld Israel’s right to impose a naval blockade
on Gaza. Israel has refused Turkish demands for an apology.

Apart from the Turkish-Israel dispute, Clinton and Davutoglu discussed
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s crackdown on popular protests, the
revolution in Libya, Somalia, and moves to normalize Turkish-Armenian
ties, officials said.

The United States and Turkey are long-time NATO allies.

However, Ankara is now pursuing a more independent course that is
putting it at odds with Washington: its hard line over the Cyprus
problem, its softer line on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and
its late support for Libya’s rebels.

The US official said the United States supports “the right” of the
internationally-recognized government of Cyprus to explore for energy
off its shores amid a dispute with Turkey over such exploration.

Turkey has repeatedly called on the Republic of Cyprus to postpone
its gas exploration, saying it has no right to do so while the island
remains split, thus leaving the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus —
which is only recognized by Ankara — out of the picture.

On the positive side, US officials said Turkey has agreed to host
a radar for the reconfigured NATO anti-missile shield in Europe,
which is designed to counter future missile threats from Iran.

From: Baghdasarian

ELECTION IN NAGORNO KARABAKH WAS ILLEGAL – LITHUANIAN MPS

Baltic News Service / – BNS
September 19, 2011 Monday 7:58 AM EET

VILNIUS, Sep 19, BNS – The Sunday’s election to local governments
of Nagorno Karabakh, a region that has split away from Azerbaijan,
cannot be recognized legitimate, Lithuanian MPs said on Monday.

“We do not recognize the election in Nagorno Karabakh, which is part
of Azerbaijan, according to the international law. The election there
must be held in line with the country’s law,” Egidijus Vareikis,
chairman of the Lithuanian parliamentary group for relations with
Azerbaijan, told a news conference on Monday.

“The majority of Nagorno Karabakh’s residents could not vote because
they are refugees,” said the MP of the largest ruling political group
of the Homeland Union – Lithuanian Christian Democrats.

Mantas Varaska, another member of the parliamentary group for ties with
Azerbaijan, said the election was illogical, as a large share of the
population did not have an opportunity to cast ballots, furthermore,
there is no adequate legal base for elections.

With support from the Armenian administration, Armenians living in
Nagorno Karabakh took over control of the region after a decade-long
war that claimed about 30,000 lives. The international community does
not recognize the region’s independence.

From: Baghdasarian

IRAN-ARMENIA TRADE TIES UP BY 40%

FARS News Agency
September 19, 2011 Monday
Iran

TEHRAN (FNA)- Trade between Iran and Armenia has increased by 40%
despite the economic crisis and the financial meltdown in the world,
Armenian envoy to Tehran said.

“The tendency has continued in 2011 as well,” Armenian Ambassador to
Iran Girgor Arakelian said.

There are different projects now underway which involve Armenia and
Iran. A new motorway will soon be built to pass though Armenia in
the direction of the Georgian Black Sea region which will make it
easier for Iranian products to reach the Georgian Black Sea ports
and further to Europe.

Substantial energy projects are also underway between Iran and Armenia
for developing cooperation between the two countries.

Iran and Armenia have taken major strides to promote their bilateral
relations in the last few years. The bilateral trade volume between
the two states stands at nearly $270 million, a figure that is expected
to rapidly climb in a near future, according to officials.

Iran and Armenia have mainly expanded cooperation in power and gas
swap in recent years.

Iran mainly exports natural gas to Armenia and imports power supplies
from the Caucasian state through two transfer lines with a total
power transfer capacity of 220kw/ph at present.

From: Baghdasarian

CUBAN GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN CANADIAN COMPANY
BYLINE: Diego Moya Ocampos

Global Insight
September 19, 2011

Security forces on Friday (16 September) shut down the offices
of the Tokmakjian group, a Canadian company based in Ontario and
operating in Cuba, which conducted sales of construction, transport
and mining equipment and was the representative of Hyundai on the
Communist island. The Tokmakjian group has been operating in Cuba
since 1988. It is not clear if any arrests have been conducted so
far. The company is run by Canadians of Armenian origin.

Significance:The Tokmakjian group constituted one of the biggest
commercial companies in Cuba and operated a USD80-million-per-year
business. The closure of the company is likely to have an impact on
the Cuba’s economy, which is going through a process of opening up
the private sector. This is the second Canadian company operating in
the same sector to have closed this year after Tri-Star Caribbean,
Tokmakjian’s competitor, was also closed on 15 July as part of an
investigation into corrupt import-export procedures. So far, it seems
that both investigations are connected and more broadly form part of
incumbent president Raul Castro’s crackdown on corruption

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA’S INDEPENDENCE BRILLIANTLY PASSED TEST ON BECOMING RESPONSIBLE – OPPOSITION

news.am
Sept 20 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – Independent state is the first guarantee of a nation and
an individual’s life and prosperity, congratulation of oppositional
Armenian National Congress (ANC) reads.

“Wednesday marks 20th anniversary of Armenia’s independence. ANC
congratulates Armenian nation for its gracious victory.

Independent state is the first guarantee of a nation and an
individual’s life and prosperity. Histories of nations are not
something else but struggle for achieving independence or to develop
and preserve already existing independence. Independence Day is the
greatest celebration. All nations are ready for great sacrifices to
preserve the independence.

Armenia experienced the sharpest issues and the hardest challenges
among post-soviet states. Those issues were solved graciously on
behalf of serious earthquake, economic blockade, forced war and
restricted resources.

However, Armenia currently faces a challenge dangerous for an
independent state, that is, an illegal authority. We need to
overcome this inner obstacle to grant deserved and legal state to
our generations,” the statement reads.

From: Baghdasarian

NOTHING TERRIBLE IN RUSSIAN TROOPS PARTICIPATING IN ARMENIAN PARADE – POLITICIAN

news.am
Sept 20 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – There is nothing terrible in the fact that Russian troops
take part in the parade dedicated to the 20th Anniversary of Armenia’s
Independence, said the leader of the Union for Self-Determination
Paruyr Hayrikyan.

“I am not against good relations, I would be glad if on that day
Georgian and American troops pass in front of the president of Armenia
and Armenian flag in the Republic Square”, Hayrikyan said. “The fact
that the Russian military will take part in the parade and pay honor
to the Armenian government is not bad at all. I hope someday Turkish
and Azerbaijani troops will pass through our square.”

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA EXPANDS FAMOUS MANUSCRIPT REPOSITORY
Ruzanna Stepanian

Armenialiberty.org
Sept 20 2011

Amenia – A new building of Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient
Manuscripts inaugurated on September 20, 20Sep2011.

President Serzh Sarkisian and the top leaders of the Armenian Apostolic
Church inaugurated on Tuesday a new, more sprawling building of
Armenia’s world-famous Matenadaran repository of ancient manuscripts.

The Matenadaran, officially called the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of
Ancient Manuscripts, was founded in 1959 to house and maintain one
of the world’s richest collections of handwritten books spanning a
broad range of subjects, including history, philosophy, medicine
and literature. It currently has 17,000 mainly Armenian-language
manuscripts and 30,000 other documents of interest to scholars.

A fraction of those manuscripts dating back to medieval times is put
on display at a museum operating within the old Matenadaran building
which is perched on a hillside overlooking downtown Yerevan.

The Armenian government initiated in early 2008 the $14 million
construction of a new building adjacent to the existing one. It will
now house the manuscript repository itself as well as other facilities
of the institute employing hundreds of people.

Armenia – Manuscripts and other old books kept at a new building
of Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts inaugurated on
September 20, 19Sep2011.

The project was financed by Russian-Armenian businessman Sergei
Hambardzumian and Maxim Hakobian, a major shareholder in Armenia’s
largest mining company. They donated $10 million and $4 million
respectively.

Sarkisian paid tribute to both businessmen as well as Artur Meschian,
a prominent Armenian musician and architect who designed the building,
in a speech at the inauguration ceremony.

Catholicos Garegin II, the supreme head of the Armenian Apostolic
Church, and Catholicos Aram I, the number two figure in the church
hierarchy, then consecrated the building in a joint prayer service.

The new structure is equipped with a high-tech laboratory to preserve,
restore and digitize manuscripts.

“This is one of the most important events taking place within the
framework of the celebrations of the republic’s 20th anniversary,”
Hrachya Tamrazian, the Matenadaran director, told RFE/RL’s Armenian
service (Azatutyun.am). He said it is “opening up huge possibilities
for internationalizing Matenadaran’s scientific activities.”

Tamrazian also emphasized the fact that the reconstruction will lead
to a major expansion of the manuscript museum. The Matenadaran’s
entire old building, constructed in 1957, will be used for permanent
exhibitions, he said.

“It will become one of the world’s unique museums,” added Tamrazian.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA INTERESTED IN PURCHASING HUNDREDS OF VEHICLES AND AGRICULTURAL DEVICES FROM BELARUS

news.am
Sept 20 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – Armenia is interested in purchasing several hundred
Belarusian buses, said Armenian Ambassador to Belarus Armen Khachatryan
on Tuesday.

“I think we will find a way to cooperate with MAZ (Minsk Auto
Factory)”, he added.

The Ambassador added that during the last 10 years the trade between
Armenia and Belarus has increased by 20.5 times. In 2010 the Armenian
export of Belarusian goods was $2.1 million, the import of Armenian
goods in Belarus was $5.1 million.

From: Baghdasarian

SERZH SARGSYAN: EU INTEGRATION PROCESS OF ARMENIA HAS BEEN STRONG

Panorama
Sept 20 2011
Armenia

President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan received today the European
delegation chaired by the Vice President of European Parliament
Mr. Libor Roucek.

The press service of President~Rs Cabinet informed that the President
has welcomed the European delegation, which arrived in Armenia
to attend the festive events dedicated to the 20th anniversary
of Armenia~Rs Independence. ~SDuring these two decades along with
the strengthening of Armenian State our relations with the European
institutes have been much developed. The process of Armenia~Rs European
integration has become more stable during the recent years,~T said
Serzh Sargsyan.

President of the Republic stressed that the European Union isn~Rt only
a vital partner of Armenia in foreign policy and trade field, but it
is an important partner for the implementation of domestic reforms.

Mr. Roucek has congratulated the President on the occasion of the
20th anniversary of Armenia~Rs Independence. The European diplomat
underlined that Armenia has recorded a noticeable progress.

From: Baghdasarian