Author: Basmajian Ani

NO MEETING WITH TURKISH PRIME MINISTER ENVISAGED IN RA PRESIDENT’S WORKING CALENDAR

NOYAN TAPAN
SEPTEMBER 15, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 15, NOYAN TAPAN. No meeting with Turkish
Prime Minister is envisaged in RA President’s working calendar. RA
President’s Spokesperson Samvel Farmanian stated in response to the
question of the News.am website.

It should be mentioned that a medium spread information on September
14 that allegedly Serzh Sargsyan can meet with Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Erdogan on September 21 within the framework of the political
dialogue aimed at normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations.

According to S. Farmanian, on September 21, S. Sargsyan will take part
in the traditional official reception to be organized on his behalf on
the occasion of the holiday of Armenia’s Independence. Meanwhile RA
President’s Spokesperson said that Armenia-Turkey political dialogue
and striving for normalization of relations in itself implies holding
meetings between Armenian and Turkish officials at various levels.

DECISION TO BE RATIFIED BY TELEVISION COMMITTEE

esctoday.com
Sept 14 2009

EBU concludes Azerbaijan InvestigationRadio Liberty has received
confirmation from Svante Stockselius, Executive Supervisor of the
Eurovision Song Contest, that the EBU’s investigation into reported
interrogation of people in Azerbaijan voting for Armenia at the 2009
Eurovision Song Contest has now been concluded and discussed by the
Reference Group for the competition. Their decision has been passed
to the EBU Television Committee who will announce a final decision
in the next few days.

The investigation was launched after reports of Azeri members of the
public were called for questioning over voting for Armenia at the
2009 Eurovision Song Contest. The issue became a headline news story
around the world. The result of the EBU investigation and decision
on any action by the Reference Group must now be ratified by the EBU
Television Committee before any action can be taken.

Radio Liberty report that Svante Stockselius explained that Azerbaijan
could be cleared of the charges or it could be found to have violated
Eurovision rules and either fined or banned from participating in
the contest for up to three years.

EUROVISION TO ANNOUNCE DECISION ON AZERBAIJAN INVESTIGATION

Asbarez
/09/14/eurovision-to-announce-decision-on-azerbaij an-investigation/
Sep 14, 2009

OSLO (RFE/RL)- Eurovision has concluded an investigation into charges
that Azerbaijani officials harassed people who voted for the Armenian
entry in May’s Eurovision Song Content and will soon decide whether
to sanction Azerbaijan, RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani Service reports.

Svante Stockselius, the executive supervisor of the Eurovision Song
Contest, told RFE/RL on Friday that Eurovision’s Reference Group –
which consists of eight members – has met in Oslo and made a decision
regarding Azerbaijan.

The decision will be sent to the European Broadcasting Union’s
Television Committee, which will announce its decision on Azerbaijan
in the coming days.

Stockselius said Azerbaijan could be cleared of the charges or it
could be found to have violated Eurovision rules and either fined or
banned from participating in the contest for up to three years.

The Reference Group is made up of delegates from Russia, Serbia,
and Norway – the last three winners of the Eurovision contest –
along with Spain, Holland, Ireland, and two members from Sweden.

Rovshan Nasirli, a 25-year-old Azerbaijani, was called to Azerbaijan’s
National Security Ministry on August 12 to explain why he voted for
an Armenian song in the Eurovision Song Contest, which was held in
Moscow in May.

The officials told Nasirli that his vote for Armenia was a matter
of national security, and asked him for a written explanation before
releasing him.

He said the ministry had a list of a few dozen other Azerbaijanis
who voted for the Armenian entry by sending a text message from their
mobile phones.

DOCUMENTS ON ANDRANIK OZANYAN AND GAREGIN NZHDEH’S LIFE CONVEYED TO RA HISTORY MUSEUM

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
10.09.2009 17:01 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Bulgarian Ambassador to Armenia Todor Staykov
handed the copies of a large number of documents related to the
life and activities of Armenia’s national heroes – Andranik Ozanyan
and Garegin Nzhdeh – kept in Bulgaria’s Veliko-Turnovo military and
historical archive to Armenian history museum and national archive.

"Such documents are the memory of the nation and we conveyed their
copies in compliance with the law. I would also like to thank the
Armenian Ministry of Culture for assistance," Ambassador Staykov said.

For his part, Armenia’s Ambassador to Bulgaria Sergei Manaseryan
thanked the Bulgarian side for the research carried out. "2010 will
be announced the Year of Armenia and Bulgaria. We are planning to
exhibit Matenadaran documents referring to Protobulgarians," he said.

Upon completion of the ceremony, national archive director Amatuni
Virabyan said that the Armenian side is also interested in obtaining
documents on World War I and Armenian Genocide kept in Bulgarian
archives.

HRANT MARGARIAN: ARF WILL STRONGLY FIGHT ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS

Yerkir
08.09.2009 16:30
Yerevan

ARF Bureau representative Hrant Margarian has said that the issue of
the Armenian-Turkish relations is more serious than relations with
any other country.

Speaking at a news conference on September 8, Margarian, referring to
the threats stemming from the document, said: "We are actually giving
up the right of our further generations to fight for their rights,
we are questioning the fact of the Armenian Genocide, a matter of
security for the Republic of Armenia and a matter of dignity and
justice for our nation, and is a component of the Hay Dat."

He criticized the provision of the document on recognizing
"territorial rights of other countries" but there is no reference to
the self-determination right.

"Are Armenia and Turkey recognizing the territorial integrity of
other countries?" Margarian asked. He added that if no amendments
could be made in the documents, and we are supposed to either say
‘yes’ or ‘no’, then the Armenian people – no matter where they live-
should say ‘no’ to this document.

ARF has worked on a package of amendments and will made it public in
the days to come. In addition, the party will work towards failing
this document, he said, adding that the methods of fighting the
document will be clarified soon.0D

Margarian said he didn’t think the government would not heed the voice
of the people, because, otherwise, it would go for a voluntary suicide.

When asked why is the ARF demanding the resignation of the foreign
minister when the president is in charge of the foreign policies,
Margarian said that Serzh Sargsian would have been foreign minister
and not defense minister if he were an expert in foreign policies.

"The president, after all, is working with a professional team. The
foreign minister is the key advisor in foreign policies. I am not
trying to protect the president. By demanding the foreign minister’s
resignation, we are showing a position. Demanding the resignation of
the president should not be ruled out, we may get to that point some
day," he added.

ARMENIAN CHOICE PARTY PROTESTS RECOGNITION OF TURKEY’S BORDERS BY ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.09.2009 17:58 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The dividing line between the Eastern and Western
Armenia can’t be considered the Armenian-Turkish border, according
to Armen Aghayan, member of Armenian Choice party’s initiative group.

He said he doesn’t mind establishment of checkpoints at the border
but recognition of Turkey’s hegemony over the historic Armenian lands
is unacceptable.

"Armenia should only demand lifting of the blockade imposed by Turkey,"
Aghayan told reporters today.

"The process of normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations will
be suspended if no progress is fixed in Karabakh talks. Although the
problem is not mentioned in the Protocols, it is being discussed. This
becomes evident judging by Azerbaijani high ranking officials’
statements," he said.

HEIRS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS TO RECEIVE INSURANCE PAYMENTS

AZG DAILY #160,
08-09-2009

Armenian Genocide

California Court of Appeals decision of the declared unconstitutional
the law on the payment of insurance to heirs of Armenian Genocide
victims in the Ottoman Turkey, in 1915, will not touch insurance
company launched "AXA".

Recall that Armenia’s ministry of justice has completed its part of
the process of making a statement on the case of the French insurance
agency "AXA".

Armenia’s ministry of justice has organized consultations and sent
inquiries addressed to "Kurkjian and Ouzounian v. AXA Settlement
Administrator AXA Settlement Claim fund 900 Wilshire Blvd., Suite
614 Los Angeles, CA 90017". All the applications have been sent to
the regulatory body before January 7, 2008.

On the basis of sent requests the court will make a decision whether to
recognize human the heir of Armenian Genocide victims or not. According
to the executive director of AXA’s regulatory body B. Gartalyan,
the trial will be finished before the end of this year, and AXA will
liaise with the authors of the statement without the mediation of
Armenia’s ministry of justice.

The complainants will be informed of the decision of the court and the
amount of insurance payment by letters, the press office of Armenia’s
ministry of justice said, aysor.am reports.

Charles Aznavour today gives concert in Uruguay

MONTEVIDEO, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. World-famous
chansonier, Armenian national hero, Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of Armenia to Switzerland Charles Aznavour is in Punta
Del Este city, Uruguay, where he will give a concert in five-star
Conrad hotel.

He arrived with his impresario Levon Sayan and a delegation consisting
of 8 members, including his daughter Katia and son Misha. Hotel manager
Edgar Ferejian met Aznavour.

According to the Radio Liberty, about 1300 spectators will be present
at the concert who can enter the hall only with a special invitation.

Aznavour will give concerts in different cities of Chile, as well as in
Argentina.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT SPECIFIES 2009 BUDGET AFTER RECEIVING IMF LOAN

/ARKA/
September 4, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, September 4, /ARKA/. Armenia’s government made some changes
to the major indices of the 2009 budget at its recurrent session
on Thursday saying the move was prompted by the arrival of a 57.4
billion Dram loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

A deputy finance minister Pavel Safarian reminded that Armenia’s
parliament had ratified on July 10 an agreement whereby the IMF vowed
to allocate Armenia a 202.2 million SDR loan. He said the IMF has
transferred the 57.4 billion Dram loan, which is an equivalent of
102.6 million SDR.

‘Because receiving this loan was not envisaged by the 2009 budget,
we had to incorporate it in the budget and make some changes to it,’
he said.

The deputy minister said the original budget did not earmark
expenditures to service loans from Russia and IMF, that would require
additionally 3.5 billion Drams. Therefore, he said, we need to increase
the money earmarked for servicing these debts by as much.

He said the government has also revised upwards the amount of
earlier projected proceeds from taxes by 3.7 billion Drams increasing
concurrently as much the government spending.

The 2009 budget was approved by Armenian parliament on November 27,
2008 setting revenues at 905.4 billion Drams and spending at 945.4
billion Drams with 40 billion deficit. Proceeds from taxes and
customs=2 0 dues were set at 727.5 billion Drams.

The 2009 budget has also projected the country’s GDP at 4 trillion
and 169 billion Drams, a 4% deflator and a 4+-1.5%. inflation. The
exchange rate of one US Dollar in the budget was set 303.69 Drams.

SARKISIAN PROPOSES MEASURES TO ‘ALLEVIATE’ PLIGHT OF JAVAKHK ARMENIANS

sian-proposes-measures-to-%e2%80%98alleviate%e2%80 %99-plight-of-javakhk-armenians/
Sep 2, 2009

YEREVAN (Combined Sources)-Addressing a gathering of senior Armenian
diplomats on September 1, President Serzh Sarkisian outlined measures
he considers necessary to help the large Armenian community in the
southern Georgian region of Javakhk integrate more successfully into
Georgian society without losing their Armenian identity.

The announcement came ahead of a scheduled visit to Armenia by
Georgian Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze, who will arrive in Yerevan
on Friday for talks with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
on bilateral relations between the two countries. Also on the agenda
are the measures Sarkisian discussed in his statement.

Those measures include granting Armenian the formal status of a
regional language, registering the Armenian Apostolic Church, and
preserving Armenian historic monuments on Georgian territory.

Granting Armenian the status of an official regional language was one
of the issues NGOs in the predominantly Armenian-populated Javakhk
region had asked Sarkisian to raise with his Georgian counterpart,
Mikheil Saakashvili, during his official visit to Tbilisi in late June.

Many Armenians in Javakhk have only a rudimentary knowledge of
Georgian, which limits their career prospects.

They also require the restoration to Armenian control a number of
churches and other historic monuments which the Georgia government
has seized, and, crucially, local self-government for the region.

The various Javakhk-based organizations have said it is of vital
interest to the community that political stability and economic
prosperity in the region be preserved and that democratic development
in Georgia continues. But they also warn of "imminent dangers" that
may result from "illegal actions" by local Georgian officials that
have exacerbated tensions in the region.

Among the other issues the Georgian NGOs are calling on Sarkisian to
raise with his Georgian counterpart is the immediate release of Vahagn
Chakhalian, a young Armenian community leader who was arrested 11
months ago and sentenced in April to 10 years in prison, Chakhalian
was arrested on unsubstantiated charges for the illegal possession
of weapons, participating in mass disorders, resisting arrest, and
"hooliganism."

The organizations are also calling for the reopening of the Verkhinii
Lars border and customs post on the Russian-Georgian border. The
gateway, if opened, would enable Armenians to travel overland to
Russia. Georgia signaled its readiness late last month to begin talks
with Moscow on reopening Verkhnii Lars. But talks have yet to begin.

Dual Armenian-Georgian citizenship for the Armenians of Javakhk-a right
provided by both countries’ constitutions-as well as the establishment
of a local branch of the Tbilisi State University in the region are
also issues Sarkisian is being asked to bring up during his talks
with Saakashvili.