Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER RECEIVES FRENCH MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC RECOVERY

Panorama.am
18:54 20/05/2010

Politics

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian received French Minister
for Economic Recovery, President of the Hauts-de-Seine General Council
Patrick Devedjian, information department of MFA reported.

Greeting the guest, Minister Nalbandian expressed satisfaction over the
high-level relations between Armenia and France and attached importance
to Mr. Devedjian’s personal contribution to the reinforcement and
deepening of bilateral ties.

The delegation headed by Mr. Devedjian is in Armenia in the frames
of the implementation of Tavush region development program. In 2008
the Council of the Hauts-de-Seine Department started implementing a
program of modernization of agricultural infrastructures in Armenia’s
Tavush region.

Minister Nalbandian expressed gratitude for the participation of
the Hauts-de-Seine Department in the program implemented under the
auspices of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund, emphasizing that it’s
another evidence of gradually expanding Armenian-French cooperation.

The parties noted that decentralized cooperation between the two
countries is developing simultaneously with interstate relations.
From: Baghdasarian

AZERI ELECTORAL BODY CONDEMNS KARABAKH’S POLLS, WARNS OBSERVERS

Turan
May 20 2010
Azerbaijan

Baku, 20 May: The CEC [Central Electoral Commission] of Azerbaijan
issued a statement today that describes as illegal the so-called
"parliamentary election" in Nagornyy Karabakh slated for 23 May.

Armenia created on the occupied Azerbaijani land the so-called
"Nagornyy Karabakh republic" and has made many attempts to create
the appearance of "elections", the statement said.

"The new election farce" on the occupied territories runs counter to
the Azerbaijani Constitution and to international law. On the other
hand, this is yet another demonstration of the essence of Armenia’s
policy of occupation, of its efforts to mislead the international
community and to erect obstacles for the negotiations on settling
the Karabakh conflict.

According to the statement, the Azerbaijani Constitution bans
any social group or person from appropriating the functions of the
authorities and elections and referenda can only be conducted on the
basis of Azerbaijan’s Electoral Code.

The CEC urged "observers" who want to "monitor the elections" in
Nagornyy Karabakh to not do what is against international norms.

"Their actions will be regarded as violation of Azerbaijan’s
sovereignty," the statement read.

The CEC states that legal elections and referenda on the occupied
territories can only be conducted after they are fully liberated
and after forced migrants return. "The CEC considers this ‘election’
directed against Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as
illegal, will not recognize them and believes that the international
community is of the same opinion," the statement by Azerbaijan’s
CEC read.
From: Baghdasarian

FOREIGN MINISTER OF ARGENTINA JORGE TAIANA ARRIVING IN ARMENIA

NOYAN TAPAN
MAY 20, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 20, NOYAN TAPAN. Foreign Minister of Argentina Jorge
Taiana is arriving in Armenia on a working visit on May 20. J. Taiana
will meet with RA President Serzh Sargsyan and Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandian.

E. Nalbandian-J. Taiana meeting will take place on May 21, MFA press
service reported.

The same day J. Taiana will take part in the official opening ceremony
of the Embassy of Argentina in RA.
From: Baghdasarian

EXPERT: ENLARGEMENT OF FINE SIZE INEFFECTIVE TOOL FOR COMBATING POACHING

/ARKA/
May 19, 2010
YEREVAN

Inga Zarafyan, head of Ecolur non-governmental organization, finds
enlargement of fine size ineffective tool for combating poaching.

"It seems that enlarging size of fine for poaching, Armenian Nature
Protection Ministry sells our nature," she said at a news conference
on Tuesday. "I find it wrong to measure everything with money."

Today, the fine for illegal hunting starts from AMD 3 million (about
$7,500), and the fine for hunting in protected territories is five
times greater.

Zarafyan said that the moufflon, the leopard and the bezoar goat,
which are at the verge of extinction, are the most attractive targets
to local and foreign hunters.

She said that according to Armenian Police Department’s figures, only
four illegal hunt cases have been reported since the beginning of 2009.

"But in fact, the number of illegal hunt cases in Armenia is far
greater," she said adding that only three or four leopards remain in
Armenia as a result of poaching.

Armenian resident office of WWF said in April that five to seven
leopards, 2,500 to 3,000 bezoar goats and 250 to 300 Armenian moufflons
remained in the country.
From: Baghdasarian

YEREVAN TO HOST CAUCASUS 2009 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 20, 2010 – 13:45 AMT 08:45 GMT

The Caucasus Institute will hold Caucasus 2009 International Conference
in Yerevan on May 21-22, 2010.

The conference will sum up the year 2009 in the Caucasus. Participants
will be scholars, journalists and public activists from Armenia,
Georgia, Turkey, Russia and European states. Topics for discussion are
the political, social and economic development of the North and South
Caucasus in 2009; Russian, European, Turkish and U.S. policies in the
Caucasus in 2009; unrecognized states and ethno-political conflicts
in the Caucasus; regional security in the South Caucasus.

Speakers include Mitat Celikpala, TOBB University of Economics and
Technologies, Ankara; Richard Giragosyan, ACNIS, Yerevan; Magdalena
Frichova Grono, Conciliation Resources, Brussels; Ivlian Haindrava,
Center for Development and Cooperation, Tbilisi; Alexander Krylov,
Institute of World Economics and International Relations, Moscow;
Sergey Markedonov, Institute for Military and Policy Analysis, Moscow;
Edward Naghdalyan, Delovoy Express Weekly, Yerevan.

The conference is part of a project on Building Capacity for Policy
Debate in Armenia financed by the European Union to the tune of 180
000 euro. The conference is also supported by the Swiss Agency for
Development and Cooperation and the Heinrich Boll Foundation.

Onno Simons, Charge d’Affaires of the Delegation of the European
Union to Armenia will make a welcome speech at the opening session.
From: Baghdasarian

ODETTE BAZIL: CAVUSOGLU HAS ACTED AGAINST INTERESTS AND DECISIONS OF PACE

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 19, 2010 – 19:18 AMT 14:18 GMT

It is inadmissible and is a serious breach of diplomatic protocol
that Mr Mevlut Cavusoglu, chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe (PACE), while representing PACE on an
official visit to Armenia, has taken the liberty to act as a Turkish
parliamentarian driven by his hatred towards the Host Country,
rather than a responsible chairman lucky to have the rare opportunity
to represent such influential and important organisation, British
publicist Odette Bazil stated.

As she emphasized in a letter addressed to PanARMENIAN.Net "If a
Turkish national has been chosen to represent a European Organisation
(despite the fact that Turkey is not a member of the European Union
and might never be) then that person should understand his obligation
to serve only the organisation he represents and not his own personal
denialistic feelings."

"The European Parliament has – repeatedly and formally – recognised the
veracity of the Armenian Genocide and Statements have been issued to
that effect in 1987, 2000, 2002 and 2005. The actions of a chairman,
while officially representing an organisation, reflect on the stand
and resolution adopted by that organisation: by refusing to visit the
Memorial Monument erected in Armenia to the memory of the one and half
million victims of the Armenian Genocide – a genocide perpetrated
by the Ottoman government of 1915 and formally recognised by the
organisation he represents – Mr Cavusoglu has acted for Turkey’s
interest and against the interests and decisions of PACE."

"Mr Cavusoglu must be recalled and replaced the soonest possible –
before October when he intends to re-visit and re-insult Armenia,"
Odette Bazil stressed in her letter.
From: Baghdasarian

ALIYEV SAYS TO OPEN BORDERS IF ARMENIA TROOPS QUIT AZERI LAND

WorldBulletin.net
May 18 2010
Turkey

President said that his country would open all its borders with
Armenia, if Armenia started to withdraw its occupant forces from the
Azerbaijani territory.

Azerbaijan’s president said on Monday that his country would open all
its borders with Armenia, if Armenia accepted the revised Madrid
criteria and started to withdraw its occupant forces from the
Azerbaijani territory.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev appeared at a joint press
conference with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan following
a tete-a-tete meeting and talks between Turkish and Azerbaijani
delegations at his presidential Zagulba Palace.

Speaking at the conference, Aliyev said talks had been held for long
years for the solution of the Karabakh dispute between Azerbaijan
and Armenia.

Noting that Azerbaijan had been displaying efforts for a fair and
peaceful solution that was in accordance with international law,
Aliyev said his country approved the revised Madrid criteria on the
matter with only some minor exceptions and it expected Armenia to
act the same way.

"Armenia should express its stance on the matter," Aliyev said, noting
the country would either display a positive stance and parties would
get closer to a settlement, or it would respond negatively and the
negotiation process would be destroyed.

The Azerbaijani president said that his country would open its borders
with Armenia and peace and security measures would be taken in the
region, if Armenia stopped its invasion on the Azerbaijani territory.

Upon a question on whether the Azerbaijani natural gas would join the
Nabucco project, Aliyev said the Azerbaijani gas was a great source
for the pipelines in the region, adding his country could participate
in such project under the right conditions.
From: Baghdasarian

18 YEARS AGO BERDZOR WAS LIBERATED

Aysor
May 18 2010
Armenia

It was 18 years ago, in 1992 on this very day when the subdivisions of
the defense forces of the NKR entered Lachin (now Berdzor, Kashatagh
region), thus they broke the 3 years long ring of blockade.

On May 9 in 1992 after liberating Shushi and abolishing the fire points
in the surrounding regions the self-defending forces of the NKR got
another mission to open the road of Shushi-Lachin-Zabukh which was
of a vital importance. It would allow stopping the blockade of Artsakh.

On May 18 the Karabakh subdivisions which were being formed during
the military activities entered Lachin, and on May 20 through the
corridor of Goris-Stepanakert hundreds of tones of humanitarian cargo
were delivered to the capital city of the NKR, food; medicine and
other essential items. Thus this road was called the "Road of Life".

After the military activities of Shushi – Lachin the tension reduced
a little bit in the zone. The liberation of Lachin became the logical
conclusion of Shushi – Lachin strategic operation.
From: Baghdasarian

EDITION RUSSE DU TESTAMENT ARMENIEN PAR GONZALO GUARCH PRESENTEE A MOSCOU
Stephane

armenews
18 mai 2010
RUSSIE

L’edition russe du livre " le Testament armenien " par l’auteur
espagnol Gonzalo Guarch a ete presentee au centre de presse de
RIA Novosti a Moscou lors d’un evenement organise par l’Amitie
russo-armenienne, le Fonds de Perspective Historique et le Consulat
general d’Armenie en Espagne.

Le monde doit connaître le genocide armenien et condamner les
evenements tragiques qui ont eu lieu dans la Turquie Ottomane a la
tournure du 20ème siècle a dit Gonzalo Guarch, un auteur de trois
livres consacres au genocide armenien.

" J’ai ecrit trois livres sur la question armenienne : l’Arbre
genealogique armenien, le Testament armenien et la Montagne Blanche.

L’histoire tragique du peuple armenien est une partie importante
de l’histoire du monde et je crois qu’il est plutôt important de se
rappeler ce qui est arrive " a dit l’auteur.

Le heros du Testament armenien est Henri de Latour, un journaliste
francais travaillant a l’Ambassade francaise dans Constantinople,
qui plus tard epouse Maritsa, une fille armenienne ce qu’il l’a aide
a survivre.

Au commencement Gonzalo Guarch a juste ete interesse par la question
armenienne mais plus tard … "j’en suis venu a me rendre compte que
c’est une histoire passionnante et je devais raconter ces evenements"
a-t-il dit.
From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN PEACEKEEPERS IN AFGHANISTAN AWARDED MEDALS AND CERTIFICATES OF MERIT

ArmInfo
2010-05-18 12:53:00

ArmInfo. The German command of "North" peacekeeping forces in
Afghanistan has made a decision on awarding 20 Armenian peacekeepers
medals and Certificates of Merits.

As Armenian Defense Ministry’s press service reports, the awarding
ceremony was recently held near the chapel in the airport of Kunduz
town built by the Armenian peacekeepers. The German command highly
appreciated the diligence and industry of the Armenian peacekeepers.

To recall, Armenia has been taking part in a peacekeeping mission in
Afghanistan since January 2010. The Armenian contingent, numbering
40 servicemen, operates among the German north regional command and
ensures security of Kunduz airport.
From: Baghdasarian