Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

ARF MEMBER CAUTIONS AGAINST HIGH EXPECTATIONS FROM TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER’S VISIT TO ARMENIA

YEREVAN, December 11, / ARKA /. Kiro Manoyan, the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Political Affairs Director, has
cautioned today against high expectations from Turkish foreign minister
Ahmet Davutoglu’s visit to Armenia saying it has nothing to do with
normalization of relations between the two countries.

Speaking at a news conference he said it is merely a ploy to create
the illusion of progress in the normalization process before 2015 –
the centennial of the Armenian Genocide.

Turkey’s top diplomat is expected in the Armenian capital on December
12 to attend a regular meeting of foreign ministers of countries
making the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) organization.

“We should expect nothing from this visit. He is coming to Yerevan
to just attend a regular BSEC meeting,” Manoyan said.

According to earlier reports in Turkish press, Davutoglu was going to
Armenia with a message to normalize ties with its neighbor, however
preconditioning that Armenia “cede” at least two of the so-called
“occupied territories” in reference to liberated regions around
Nagorno-Karabakh.

On Tuesday an Armenian newspaper “Aravot” said citing a source in
the foreign ministry that Armenia developed a new “road map” for
normalization of Armenian- Turkish relations and delivered it to
Davutoglu about 10 days ago. -0-

16:21 11.12.2013

From: Baghdasarian

DAVUTOGLU DISCUSSED ARMENIA VISIT WITH JOHN KERRY AND WILLIAM HAGUE

15:10, 11 December, 2013

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS. At the course of the recent
telephone conversation with the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry
and the British Foreign Secretary William Hague, the Foreign Minister
of Turkey Ahmet Davutoglu discussed the upcoming visit to Armenia.

“Armenpress” reports about this citing Turkish Haber7.com.

Among other things the interlocutors discussed the Syria crisis,
the Cyprus issue, and the situation in the Caucasus.

Ahmet Davutoglu will arrive in Yerevan on December 12 to participate in
the meeting of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation.

The 29th session of the Foreign Ministers’ Council of the Organization
of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation will take place in Yerevan on
December 12, during which the results of the six-month chairmanship
of Armenia in the Organization will be summed up. The high ranking
delegations of the Organization’s member states will arrive in Yerevan
to attend the session. A press conference will follow the 29th session
of the Foreign Ministers’ Council of the Organization of the Black Sea
Economic Cooperation. At the Ministerial meeting the BSEC chairmanship
will pass from Armenia to Bulgaria.

© 2009 ARMENPRESS.am

From: Baghdasarian

U.S., TURKEY MULL SITUATION IN S.CAUCASUS

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Dec 11 2013

11 December 2013, 13:34 (GMT+04:00)

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and U.S. Secretary of State
John Kerry discussed the situation in the South Caucasus in a telephone
conversation.

Local media reported that Davutoglu’s expected visit to Yerevan was
also discussed.

Davutoglu will visit Armenia on December 12 to participate in a
meeting of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organisation.

Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic relations. The border has been
closed since 1993. The reason was Armenia’s claims for international
recognition of the so-called ‘genocide’ and occupation of Azerbaijani
territories by Armenian armed forces.

From: Baghdasarian

TURKISH ARMY TO RETURN ARMENIAN CHURCH LOCATED ON BASE

Al-Monitor
Dec 11 2013

Author: Sabah (Turkey)Posted December 10, 2013

The Turkish army is making an important contribution to the decision
to return the property of minority foundations.

Surp Kevork Armenian church, which is located inside the
Sivas-Temeltepe 5th Infantry Training Brigade’s base, will be restored
and handed over to the Friends of Armenians Association of Sivas.

Sebuk Kocak, the president of the Friends of Armenians Association
of Sivas expressed his pleasure in a statement to Sabah. “The church
has been inside that military zone since 1940. For many years, we
were not allowed to go near it. This summer we went to the brigade
with our friends. The commander allowed us in and we were able to
see our church after so many years. Frankly, we were not expecting
to be given permission [to enter]. We were all happy. We didn’t have
a church where we could worship and pay respect to our dead,” he said.

Before 1915, the Armenians had 198 churches and 21 monasteries in the
Sivas region. The only one still standing is the Surp Kevork Church.

There is an Armenian cemetery near it. Turkish Minister of Defense
Ismet Yilmaz, who hails from Sivas, was personally involved in the
work to return the church. Association officials visited the minister
in October and asked him to restore and return the church. Yilmaz
told them that the government had made serious efforts to return
the properties of minorities. He promised them that he would try to
expedite the return of the property after restoration was completed.

Yilmaz later went to Sivas and instructed the governor of Sivas,
Zubeyir Kemelek, and his deputy, Salih Ayhan, to start the work.

The church has been inside a military zone for 73 years, thus saving
it from treasure hunters. The church has little damage and should be
restored quickly.

Gov. Kemelek also spoke to Sabah. “It is the only structure that is
standing with its walls and roof intact. The minister responded to the
request made to him by coming and inspecting it. It is good fortune
that the church was inside a military zone. As soon as formalities
are competed we will ask for bids for restoration, which will not
deviate from the original. I have asked our Armenian citizens to
bring photographs of it,” he said.

Deputy Gov. Ayhan, who is coordinating the restoration work, said the
church will be removed from the guarded military zone. He added, “That
military base has been the largest military training base in the region
since the 1940s. It is also a training center for our border units. The
church occupies an area of about five acres in the military zone. We
asked for its return from the Treasury and they wrote their approval
to the Ministry of Defense. As soon the Defense Ministry agrees, that
land will be handed over to us. Then the restoration will commence.”

Architect Zakarya Mildanoglu, who was in the delegation that visited
Yilmaz, said, “Our people don’t have a place of worship and somewhere
that they can pay their respects to their dead in Sivas. There is one
cemetery. After the Armenian deportation, churches were destroyed in
many parts of Anatolia. Similar places exist in other military zones.

I hope the procedures will be completed quickly.”

From: Baghdasarian

HYATT PLACE HOTEL OPENS IN DOWNTOWN YEREVAN

Herald Online
dec 11 2013

CHICAGO – Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) and “Interarm-M” LLC
announce the opening of Hyatt Place Yerevan, just steps away from
the heart of Armenia’s capital city, the Republic Square.

The opening marks a significant milestone as the Hyatt Place brand
continues to expand outside the United States. New Hyatt Place
locations recently opened in Puerto Rico, Costa Rica and India, and
in Europe, Hyatt Place Amsterdam Schiphol is set to open its doors
in early 2014.

“Having built a strong foundation for the brand with more than 180
Hyatt Place hotels in the United States, we are delighted to now
bring Hyatt Place to Europe and establish the brand’s presence in
new markets where our guests are increasingly traveling,” said Peter
Fulton, Executive Vice President, Group President – EAME/Southwest
Asia, Hyatt Hotels Corporation. “We have designed every aspect of the
Hyatt Place experience with today’s traveler in mind. As we continue
to grow the brand strategically and thoughtfully in key markets, this
hotel will allow us to provide more choice to new and existing guests.”

“We are excited to open the first Hyatt Place hotel in Europe in
one of the best locations in downtown Yerevan,” said Igor Jovovic,
general manager of Hyatt Place Yerevan. “This all-new, beautiful hotel
is designed to meet all the needs of modern multitasking business or
leisure travelers, and we are looking forward to showing our guests
the authentic hospitality and purposeful service for which the Hyatt
Place brand is known.”

Hyatt Place Yerevan is located next to Republic Square, the heart
of Yerevan’s city center, in close proximity to Government House,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Gallery, and Abovyan Street,
the city’s main thoroughfare with many boutiques, cafes and gift shops.

Hyatt Place Yerevan offers:

95 spacious guestrooms, each featuring a swiveling 42-inch HDTV,
the plush Hyatt Grand Bed, a Cozy Corner with sectional sofa-sleeper
and Hyatt Plug Panel media center for connecting a laptop or media
device to the TV Free Wi-Fi everywhere Free public computers and
internet access in the Gallery Free hot breakfast for guests daily
Full-service restaurant and 24/7 Gallery Menu serving made-to-order
appetizer, salads, sandwiches and desserts A Coffee to Cocktails Bar
featuring specialty coffees and premium beers, as well as wines and
cocktails 24 hour StayFit Gym 2 meeting rooms, 65 sqm each Open-air
Terrace Complimentary car parking

Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, is a very vibrant and rapidly growing
city, where more and more businesses and international organizations
are launching their operations, and the growing influx of tourists
from all over the world makes Yerevan one of the top destinations in
the world for both leisure and business purposes.

HYATT PLACE YEREVAN LEADERSHIP

Hyatt Place Yerevan is under the leadership of General Manager Igor
Jovovic and Director of Sales Marina Solakhyan. In his role, Jovovic
is directly responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of
the hotel and ensuring guests encounter the purposeful service
for which Hyatt Place is known. Mr. Jovovic also oversees the
hotel’s approximately 70 enthusiastic associates from Armenia and
two expatriates. Ms. Solakhyan is responsible for providing sales
service and support to tourists and businessmen visiting Yerevan.

ABOUT HYATT PLACE

Launched in 2006, Hyatt Place brings to the upscale select service
hotel category the authentic hospitality for which Hyatt is known.

Inspired by multitasking travelers’ 24/7 lifestyle, Hyatt Place
combines style with casual hospitality, featuring spacious guestrooms
with the Cozy Corner, free Wi-Fi, the 24/7 Gallery Menu, Coffee to
Cocktails Bar, and free hot breakfast daily with your stay.

Hyatt Place, a brand of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, offers more than
180 locations in the United States, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, India
and Armenia. For Hyatt Place information or to make a reservation,
call 1-888-HYATT-HP (888-492-8847) or visit

From: Baghdasarian

STEPAN SAFARYAN. “THE MAIN MESSAGE IS THAT ARMENIA IS RUSSIA’S PROVINCES.”

December 10 2013

“The main message of this statement is that Armenia is a province,
a countryside for the Russian Empire”,- so replied the secretary of
“Heritage” party Stepan Safaryan to the question of Aravot.am as to
what the Russian’s outpost characterization of Armenia is about. To
remind that Alexander Gusev, Professor, Director of the RF Center
for Strategic Development of the Institute of CIS countries, days
ago, made the following statement, “Russia views Armenia as a kind
of original outpost in the Caucasus, and it is clear that under the
political processes that are underway in Armenia and Georgia, or have
been already implemented, anyway Russia has a very definite attitude
in regard to Georgia, and under these conditions, Armenia acts as a
certain outpost for Russia in the Caucasus.” Mr. Safaryan said that
“the game did not end with September 3, and it has just launched for
Russia”. Then he detailed, “To this respect, Russia would not be too
lazy to make statements and exert pressure on Armenia until the full
membership of the European Union, because Armenia has not yet joined,
it had made only a statement about joining the Customs Union.” To our
observation whether the pressures from the Russian side would become
tougher, Mr. Safaryan replied as follows: “If Yerevan attempts to
question its accession to the Customs Union, then the pressure would
certainly increase.” Ashot Manucharyan, a member of the Karabakh
Committee, believes that it is appropriate to take offence of Russia
and emphasize, “When countries are establishing relationships with
each other, each one becomes something for the other side. Russia is
the guarantor of our security; we can also say that Russia has become
a blackjack for us, which we can use to hit on the head of others.

There is no need to see other shades. Russia is establishing the
biggest military unit in the Caucasus, and it adds security of the
Russian Federation, as well as drastically increases the security of
Armenia”. And to the observation whether similar “confessions” from
the Russian side do not show that the decision on September 3 was
really made under pressure, Mr. Manucharyan answered, “Undoubtedly,
it was made under pressure.” The member of the Karabakh Committee
believes that this game has nothing to do with us, it refers to
Russian-American relations, when “one wins the other.” Then, he added,
“We take an offence to what. How is it associated with us? As they say,
we and our mountains”.

Tatev HARUTYUNYAN

Read more at:

From: Baghdasarian

ANC AUSTRALIA ADVOCACY WEEK FEATURES JOHN EVANS, RAISES $85,000 AND HONORS OFFICIALS

Monday, December 9th, 2013

The Armenian National Committee of Australia honored seven Members
of the NSW Parliament who took part in a trip to Artsakh

SYDNEY-The Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia)
completed its most successful Advocacy Week to date by raising $85,000
at its Annual Banquet. This completed a week which included high
profile meetings and events featuring international guest of honor,
the former United States Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans.

During ANC Australia Advocacy Week, Evans gave numerous talks in Sydney
and Melbourne. He held numerous high-level meetings with Members of
the Federal Parliament on various issues including Armenian Genocide
recognition and trade relations with Armenia. Ambassador Evans also
joined a panel discussion, organized by the Armenian Youth Federation
of Australia and held at the Urban Hotel, with Member of the New South
Wales Legislative Council Marie Ficarra, Sassoon Grigorian and Vache
Kahramanian, who discussed the issues of genocide denial and the path
to recognition.

The signature event to conclude the week was the ANC Australia Annual
Banquet, held at Miramare Gardens with a capacity crowd of supporters
in attendance. Throughout the evening, over $85,000 was raised to help
fund the activities of the community’s peak public affairs committee
throughout 2014.

Evans delivered the keynote address to a standing ovation recounting
his personal experiences as Ambassador to Armenia, a post from which he
was removed by the Bush Administration after affirming the historical
reality of the Armenian Genocide.

ANC Australia bestowed the Armenian-Australian Community’s Friend of
the Year Award to Member of the NSW Legislative Council Fred Nile
for his tireless efforts in advancing issues of importance to the
Armenian-Australian community.

The NSW Parliamentary trip to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, led
by ANC Australia in July, was a key theme of the evening, with ANC
Australia and the community paying tribute to the seven Members of
the NSW Parliament who took part. In their honor, individual trees
were planted in Armenia as a token of appreciation on behalf of the
Armenian-Australian community.

Other key themes presented on the night was a reflection of the
successful 2013 launch of the ANC Australia Professional Network and
the unprecedented positive media coverage received for the Armenian
cause in Australian mass press over recent months.

At the conclusion of the week, ANC Australia Executive Director Vache
Kahramanian remarked: “This evening brings the end to one of the most
successful Advocacy Weeks held to date. Over the past twelve months
ANC Australia has continued to demonstrate the vital importance of the
work it does in ensuring a stronger Armenia, an independent Artsakh,
and a strong and vibrant Armenian-Australian community.”

ANC Austalia’s Community Relations Director, Stephen Abolakian said:
“Tonight is a clear testament to the strength of the community and
its full-fledged support of the ANC. We are deeply humbled by the
ongoing support which is vital for our continued success.”

From: Baghdasarian

OPPOSITIONIST LAUNCHES NEW BLOC TO PUSH FOR POWER CHANGE

Politics | 09.12.13 | 14:31
Photolure

Opposition lawmaker Nikol Pashinyan has presented a new political
unit called Civil Accord, which is a bloc set up to push for a power
change in Armenia.

Pashinyan, a member of the parliamentary faction of the opposition
Armenian National Congress (ANC) who effectively quit the opposition
group over policy differences last year, told a press conference in
Yerevan on Monday that they deem President Serzh Sargsyan and his
administration to be the main obstacle to the country’s development.

“They will no longer have the status that they enjoy today,” the
oppositionist pledged.

Besides Pashinyan Civil Accord’s governing board consists of a number
of other opposition figures and civil activists, including Sasun
Mikayelyan, a Karabakh war hero who was also formerly associated with
the ANC.

The first sitting of the board was due to be held today.

From: Baghdasarian

TURKISH, ARMENIAN ACTORS BREAK LONGEST HANDSHAKE RECORD

Journal of Turkish Weekly
dec 9 2013

9 December 2013

A Turkish and an Armenian actor completed the longest-ever handshake
on Dec. 8 in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, in an act designed to
help foster peace between the two long-time foes.

Deniz BarıÅ~_ from Turkey and Hovhannes Hajinyan from Armenia stood
for 43 straight hours holding each other’s hands, in a performance
aimed at underlining the possibility of better relations between
Turkey and Armenia.

It took place thanks to the initiative of a group of Turkish and
Armenian entrepreneurs and artists, supported by the TANGO Network
(Turkish and Armenian NGO Network), which unites Armenian and Turkish
non-profit organizations.

BarıÅ~_ and Hajinyan’s handshake beat the previous record, which
was set in New York in 2011, by 25 minutes.

The whole event was broadcast live on the Internet, allowing everyone
to witness BarıÅ~_ and Hajinyan holding hands in defiance of the
rain, wind and cold weather, with the temperature falling to as low as
minus 3 degrees Celsius during the night. The organizers are currently
working on a Guinness World Records Book entry.

Hajinyan is an actor at the Yerevan Patomime Theater, and BarıÅ~_
is from the southern Turkish province of Mersin.

9 December 2013

From: Baghdasarian

TURKEY TO PROPOSE OPENING ARMENIA BORDER DURING FM DAVUTOGLU’S VISIT: REPORT

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Dec 9 2013

ISTANBUL

Turkey will propose to open its border gate with Armenia in return
for Yerevan’s ceding from two occupied Nagorno-Karabakh regions,
daily AkÅ~_am reported Dec. 9.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will visit Armenia on Dec. 12,
marking a first diplomatic push since the protocols signed between
the two countries in 2009, which foresaw the development of relations,
including the decision on opening the borders, was shelved.

According to the daily, Davutoglu will demand Armenia to cede from at
least two of the seven regions Armenia has been occupying since 1993.

In return, the border gate between two countries will be re-opened.

A 2009 protocol aiming to boost ties was halted upon request by
Azerbaijan, which has repeatedly said such a move must not happen
until there is an agreement on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh.

December/09/2013

From: Baghdasarian