Author: Basmajian Ani

COOPERATION FOR THE GENDER EQUALITY

National Assembly of RA
Nov 30 2009
Armenia

On November 30, within the project Wo/Men in Politics the RA National
Assembly in the name of the Vice Speaker Mrs. Arevik Petrosyan and the
British Council in the name of the British Council Office Director in
Armenia Ms. Arevik Saribekyan signed a Memorandum of Understanding,
by which cooperation on the issues of gender equality was envisaged.

Vice Speaker Mrs. Arevik Petrosyan noted: the gender issues are
in the centre of attention of legislative body and highlighted any
effective cooperation directed to the solution of those issues. She
expressed hope that such cooperation would also develop with the
British Council. Mrs. Petrosyan noted that the Armenian Parliament
shares the European approaches on gender equality, according to which,
that equality is an important precondition of full honouring of human
rights, democracy, elimination of poverty and provision of social
justice and progress of legal state. According to Mrs. Petrosyan’s
assessment, in ensuring the gender equality, the National Assembly
of the current convocation has prior solutions: the gender issues are
also one of the main directions of the activities of the NA Standing
Committee on the Protection of Human Rights and Public Rights, in
the NA leadership the women deputies also are actively involved, the
women deputies are actively involved both in internal and external
processes. The Vice Speaker of the Parliament noted that the British
Council had implemented a number of projects. Mrs. Arevik Petrosyan
noted that with NA Speaker’s knowledge the directions of cooperation
had been agreed, and today this cooperation would be laid down on
the more coordinated bases by the Memorandum of Understanding.

The British Council Office Director i n Armenia Ms. Arevik Saribekyan
noted that the rise of women’s role in the politics had always been
one of the prior directions of the British Council. She highlighted
the cooperation of the Armenian Parliament and British Council,
expressing hope that it would be more visible and stable by the
Memorandum of Understanding.

Deputy Head of Mission of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland Mr. Gareth Wynn Owen also welcomed the cooperation
of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia and the British
Council.

NA Vice Speaker Mrs. Arevik Petrosyan expressed hope that though the
Memorandum was signed with one year term, but would be possible to
continue later, too.

news.am, Armenia
Nov 28 2009

RA Embassy clarifies information about Armenian citizens

13:45 / 11/28/2009RA Embassy in Russia is currently clarifying whether
there were Armenian citizens among victims and injured in Nevsky
express derailed train, RA Embassy press secretary Gevorg Minasyan
informed NEWS.am Nov. 28. `The lists of victims and hospitalized are
presently clarified, we will have precise information shortly,’ said
Minasyan.

The train was carrying 682 people, of which 661 passengers and 21 crew
members. There were passengers with Armenian surnames ‘ Dertsakyan,
Babayan, Myasnikov, Tomasov and Georgian ‘ Gognadze, Bochorashvili,
Khubutia. It is unclear yet whether the mentioned passengers were
injured, their citizenship is being clarified. Italian Sbalzarini and
Hindu Rajesh were among the passengers as well.

November 27, 2009 at 9:30 p.m. Moscow time a train derailment killed
30 passengers and wounded 90 others in Novgorod Region, Russia. Four
cars of Nevsky express train travelling from Moscow to St. Petersburg
derailed near the village of Uglovka. The health state of half of the
injured is esteemed as grave. 18 are still unaccounted for.

ABOUT MORE THAN 113 MLN DRAMS WERE ALREADY ANNOUNCED

NKR Government Information and
Public Relations Department
November 24, 2009

Fund-raising anticipated for restoration and development of Shoushi
is going on in Artsakh. According to the last data, received from the
republican headquarters regulating it, by 17.00 o’clock on November
24, in tote 4 mln 70 thousand and 216 drams were transferred to the
corresponding bank account by organizations and establishments, and
individual persons. As a whole, a sum equal to 113 mln 290 thousand
and 58 drams was declared.

The republican headquarters on national fund-raising makes an appeal
to the inhabitants of Artsakh to actively participate in donation
and bring sizeable contribution to the NKR restoration programme.

HAYASTAN ALL ARMENIAN FUND TELETHON 2009 RAISED USD 15,875,043

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.11.2009 13:08 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Hayastan All Armenian Fund concluded its 12th annual
Telethon – a twelve hour non stop live broadcast from Los Angeles, CA.

Summing up the results of a year long effort, which included a
whole range of fundraising activities, the Fund announced a total of
USD 15,875,043 in donations and pledges. The collected funds will
be directed at the realization of a variety of social and economic
infrastructure projects in the town of Shushi. Through building new
roads, schools, rehabilitating water mains and restoring apartment
buildings, the Fund will launch the process of the revival of the
historic Armenian town. Parallel to these projects, the Fund will
continue its rural development effort which reaches out to the villages
of Armenia and Artsakh.

Executive Director of Hayastan All Armenian Fund Ara Vardanyan and
Prime Minister of Nagorno Karabakh Arayik Harutyunyan were present
at the Telethon which also featured appearances by Primate of the
Artsakh Diocese Archbishop Pargev Martirosian, NKR President’s press
secretary David Babayan, Permanent Representative of the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic to the United States Robert Avetisyan as well as
other distinguished and benefactors.

In an address to all Armenians, the Fund’s executive director said:
"This Telethon is yet another testament of the unity of the Armenian
people. Today, as a rule, we sum up and present the results of
the fundraising activities organized by the Fund’s various local
affiliates throughout the year. These funds are directed at solving
issues of national importance. I would like to express my gratitude
to all the benefactors; without your invaluable support the Fund’s
work would simply not be possible. It is your trust that makes it
possible to move forward, rebuild our Homeland stone by stone and
craft a bright future for our children."

One of the key fundraising events preceding the annual Telethon was
the fundraising gala in Moscow where Russian Armenian businessmen
made their contributions – USD 5,290,000 – which were reflected in
the final results of this year’s all Armenian fundraiser.

Another important fundraising event on the eve of the Telethon was
the annual pan European phonethon. The results of phonethon 2009 were
USD 1,800,000 in donations and pledges: a 10 percent increase from
the USD 1,5mln collected in 2008. More than 12,400 Armenian families
from all over Europe participated in this year’s phonethon.

This year’s fundraising effort was unprecedented in terms of the
number of people who participated and decided to have their input
in tackling the challenge of rebuilding Shushi. The participation of
residents of Armenia was especially impressive with more than 20,000
people making their donations in the period leading to the annual
Telethon. More than 13,000 people made their donations in their
local post offices. Others used their mobile phones in an innovative
fundraising effort that the Fund brought together in association with
Viva Cell MTS mobile operator.

The main sponsor of Telethon 2009 was VivaCell-MTS. Other sponsors
were: ACBA Credit Agricole Bank, Ameria Bank, Ardshininvestbank
and Haypost.

The fundraising activities in Armenia and Artsakh continue. The results
of this year’s fundraising effort will be finalized at the end of
the year when the Fund will sum up all the donations and publish the
names of the benefactors, the Fund’s press office reported.

GEVORK OF MUGHNI ARMENIAN CHURCH COLLAPSED IN GEORGIA TO BE RESTORED

ArmInfo
2009-11-26 18:46:00

ArmInfo. Secretary of the Armenian National Security Council Artur
Baghdasaryan received the newly appointed Ambassador of Georgia to
Armenia Grigor Tabatadze on Thursday.

The Armenian National Security Council press service reported the
parties as discussing issues related to bilateral relations. They
agreed that the Armenian-Georgian relations are based on friendship
and the two countries have no unsolvable problems.

A. Baghdasaryan and G. Tabatadze highlighted the importance of
deepening cooperation between the Security Councils of Armenia and
Georgia.

The parties also discussed the issues on agenda including the Javakhq
problem. A. Baghdasaryan raised the issue of the Armenian Churches
in Georgia and the social-economic state in the region of Javakhq.

Ambassador Tabatadze said that St. Gevork of Mughni Armenian Church
that has collapsed in Georgia will be restored and the problems of
Javakhq are in the focus of attention of the Georgian authorities.

RUSSIA’S ROLE IS DANGEROUS FOR ARMENIA IN PROCESSES OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS NORMALIZATION AND KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT, ARF BUREAU MEMBER SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Nov 26, 2009

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian authorities have no
idea of what is primary in the Armenian-Turkish normalization.

Declaring this at the November 24 discussion, the member of the ARF
Bureau Vahan Hovhannisian said that the opening of the border should
be a means of reaching a goal, whereas for Armenian authorities it has
become a goal in itself. According to him, the authorities say that
the border’s opening would help solve many domestic problems, but
in reality this is not the case. In his words, the authorities fail
to deal with domestic problems such as the fight against corruption
and bridling the oligarchy, and under such conditions the opening
of the border becomes a goal, which is fraught with serious dangers
for Armenia.

For that reason, according to V. Hovhannisian, reservations are very
important in case of ratification of the Armenia-Turkey protocols.

"However, we do not understand what reservations the Armenian
authorities can have," V. Hovhannisian said, adding that the most
correct thing is not to ratify the protocols, which would allow
Armenia to avoid the existing dangers.

He expressed an opinion that the link between the normalization of
Armenian-Turkish relations and the Karabakh conflict settlement still
remains. Assessing the role of Russia in the processes of normalization
of Armenian-Turkish relations and the Karabakh conflict settlement,
he said that Russia’s role is dangerous for Armenia.

NAIRA ZOHRABYAN ANTICIPATES TURKISH SOCIETY TO ACKNOWLEDGE HISTORICAL TRUTH

PanARMENIAN.Net
26.11.2009 19:14 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A Turkish delegation of intellectuals and women’s NGO
representatives Thursday visited National Assembly. The delegation is
in Armenia within the frames of "Urban" foundation’s "Eurointegration
and Gender Problems" project.

The guests were received by women MPs to discuss questions concerning
Armenia’s national programs on gender issues and the country’s policy
aimed at enhancing euro-integration process.

Sharing his impressions, Bosfor University scholar Demir Raime Bulut
said that his studies helped him reveal that Armenians in Turkey
played essential role in their country’s life. Head of NA Standing
Committee on European Integration Issues Naira Zohrabyan welcomed
Turkish delegate’s interest in history. She also expressed hope that
the country would be bold enough to acknowledge the historical truth
"to the benefit of both states".

At the end, delegates expressed their gratitude for warm reception,
hopeful that such meetings would contribute to active Armenian-Turkish
dialogue.

AZERBAIJANI DEFENSE MINISTER SPOKE OF WAR POSSIBILITY

news.am
Nov 25 2009
Armenia

As a result of Armenian aggression over million of our compatriots
are expatriated from their lands and the talks held in frames of OSCE
Minsk Group within 15 years are futile. Under these circumstances,
Azerbaijan has to do nothing but use military means for conflict
solution," said Azerbaijani Defense Minister Safar Abiyev in the course
of his meeting with Polish Minister of National Defense Bogdan Klich,
Azerbaijani mass media reports.

According to them, Abiyev spoke of military-political situation in the
region "with Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and its consequences." The
officials discussed the prospects of cooperation in military education
field and military-technical ties, Azerbaijani Defense Ministry press
service reports. Polish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Krzysztof Krajewski
also participated in the meeting.

ALIYEV’S STATEMENT NOT AN ULTIMATUM: ANALYST

Tert.am
21:33 ~U 25.11.09

Aliyev’s statement is not an ultimatum, said political analyst
Alexander Manasyan today, commenting on statements made by Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev before his meeting with Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan in Munich.

According to Manasyan, the statement to resume military actions
was directed to Turkey, the mediator countries and for an internal
audience, but it "will yield no results."

Manasyan stated that Aliyev’s words should be viewed within the frames
of an info-war surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia. In the
political analyst’s opinion, the Armenia states (here, he includes
Nagorno-Karabakh), for their part, don’t undertake the necessary
counter steps. "We face a problem in the issue of shaping the nature
of the conflict for the benefit of Armenians. A problem, which we
haven’t been able to settle for two decades," he said.

As for the mediators, they "attempt to settle the issue by the easiest
way possible, which stems from their countries’ interests." Besides,
Manasyan assured attendees that he is far from the idea that any
resolution will be beneficial for Russia and the United States,
"but no one has additional funds, time or energy."

K. MANOYAN: "ALIEV’S STATEMENT WAS A "THREAT"

Aysor
Nov 24 2009
Armenia

"I want to believe that during the two hours of the meeting they have
spoken about Aliev’s threats and the impossibility of the continuation
of the talks in case of other such threats", – said Giro Manoyan, the
head of Armenian Cause Office of the ARF, speaking about the meeting
of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents’ that took place in Munich.

During the meeting with the journalists G. Manoyan informed that
when speaking about the that meeting we can’t not to speak about the
statement made by the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev according
to who if there will not be progress in the negotiations Azerbaijan
will resume the war. He mentioned that this was not a usual bellicose
announcement of Aliev but just a threat".

"The joint statement of the co-chairs was what they needed for
continuing the talks", -stressed G. Manoyan who also added that in this
statement it is mentioned that the presidents of the two countries
have instructed their foreign ministers to continue working with the
OSCE Co-Chairs.