Author: Basmajian Ani

THE STATEMENT OF ZARUHI POSTANJYAN

Lragir.am
12:29:54 – 15/11/2008

Member of Parliament Zaruhi Postanjyan has made a statement.

"As a result of aggravation of the U.S.-Russia relations, Russia,
the United States, Turkey are now competing in a race for using the
Karabakh conflict for their strategic interests. The axis of all
"mediation", "assistance to settle the conflict" is the return of the
territories liberated by the Armenian force and the deployment of alien
forces in those regions. The most terrible thing is that the Armenian
government principally agrees to that return and any controversy with
Azerbaijan concerns details and technical issues, meanwhile in case
of legal guarantees of independence of Karabakh from Azerbaijan they
are ready to return the liberated territories almost completely.

Once again, and maybe more imminently now than before, we are on
the verge of witnessing a defensive agreement which will shatter the
security of our nation and state," Zaruhi Postanjyan stated.

"The liberated territories are essential to the existence of the
nation and people because they are the only guarantee of security of
the Eastern border," the statement holds.

"Rule out every intention to sell out the native land. Turn over
at last the page of the abject defensive diplomacy of the past 15
years, formed around the axis of the return of the liberated native
0Aterritories, a diplomacy and a parallel propaganda aiming to prepare
the public psychologically for silent agreement," the statement of
the member of parliament concludes.

15 November, 2008

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian National Committee of Australia
259 Penshurst Street, Willoughby NSW 2068
PO Box 768, Willoughby NSW 2068
T: (02) 9419 8264 | F: (02) 9411 8898
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{CONTACT: Haig Kayserian (Communications Officer) ~ 0403 317 903 ~
[email protected]}

PROF. COLIN TATZ HONOURED AT ANC ANNUAL BANQUET

SYDNEY: The Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia) has
awarded the 2008 Friend of the Armenian-Australian Community Award to
political scholar and genocide recognition activist, Professor Colin Tatz at
its Annual Banquet.

Over 250 guests attended ANC Australia’s premier event on Friday evening at
Dee Why RSL’s Gallery Room, and applauded Prof. Tatz as he accepted the
prestigious award.

"I feel like more than a ‘friend’ to the Armenian-Australian community, you
are more like family," he said after being handed the award by ANC Australia
President, Mr. Varant Meguerditchian.

Prof. Tatz, who has recently helped uncover archives highlighting Australian
relief efforts during the Armenian Genocide, told the audience his hope was
that major governments including the United States of America and Australia
will see past political lines and enter a period where humanity and human
rights takes preference.

Prof. Tatz was born and educated in South Africa. At the University of Natal
he completed his BA (Law), BA (Hons) and MA (Hons) in political science. He
came to Australia in 1961, and in 1964, he was awarded his PhD from the
Australian National University, for work on the policies and practices of
Aboriginal administration in the Northern Territory and Queensland. In 1982
he took the chair of politics at Macquarie University, Sydney, from which he
retired on 9 July 1999.

Prof. Tatz is a Founding Director of the Australian Institute for Holocaust
and Genocide Studies at the Shalom Institute, University of New South Wales.
In 1997 he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia and was awarded an
honorary Doctor of Laws degree by Natal University.

Prof. Tatz joins Peter Collins, Bob Carr, Joe Hockey and John Watkins on the
Friend of the Armenian-Australian Community Award honour roll.

Mr. Meguerditchian said: "We congratulate Prof. Tatz. He has been
instrumental in the advancement of the Armenian cause in Australia, and our
community’s distinguished partnership with him is deserving of this and many
honours."

The ANC Australia – Melbourne Chapter award was won by Victorian Scholar Dr.
Paul Bartrop on Tuesday.

The past week has been dubbed ANC Australia Advocacy Week, and has been
headlined by ANC America board member and long-time community activist, Mr.
Raffi Hamparian.

Mr. Hamparian has joined ANC Australia in meetings with over 40 legislators
in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne in a highly successful awareness effort
highlighting issues of concern to Armenians and Armenian-Australians.

The delegation’s trip to Canberra resulted in West Australian Senator Chris
Ellison’s call, in the national Senate, for Australia to recognise the
Armenian Genocide. This address was three weeks after the Hon. Joe Hockey
did likewise in the Australian Parliament’s House of Representatives.

Mr. Hamparian addressed the ANC Australia Annual Banquet on Friday,
delivering an inspiring speech which called on the community to lead the
peak public affairs body in their fight to bring justice to the Armenian
cause.

The Armenian National Committee of Australia is the peak public affairs body
of the Armenian-Australian community. ANC Australia advances the concerns of
the Armenian-Australian community.

LATVIA’S AMBASSADOR HANDS CREDENTIALS TO PRESIDENT SARGSYAN

armradio.am
14.11.2008 10:44

The newly appointed Ambassador of Latvia to the Republic of Armenia
Nils Janson presented his credentials to President Serzh Sargsyan,
President’s Press Office reported.

The President of Armenia congratulated the Ambassador on his nomination
and expressed confidence that during his tenure the Ambassador would
do his best to further promote cooperation of the two states.

"Armenia is striving to get closer to Europe and on that road we
anticipate the assistance of our partner states," the President of
Armenia said, underscoring the importance of the Latvian experience
of Eurointegration.

Serzh Sargsyan also hailed the cooperation of the two countries in
the framework of international organizations as well as Latvia’s
balanced approach on the issue of the NK conflict resolution.

Stressing the desire of his country to deepen relations with Armenia,
Ambassador Janson noted that the Armenian-Latvian cooperation could
unfold on all those areas which would be of interest for Armenia and
where Latvia had something to share.

PRESIDENT CHRISTOPHIAS INAUGURATES NEWLY BUILT LIMASSOL NAREG SCHOOL

Gibrahayer
Nov 12, 2008

Limassol – Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra – Gibrahayer 10 November,
2008 -Wednesday, 5 November 2008 was a glorious day for the Armenian
education in Cyprus, as the newly re-built Limassol Nareg School
was inaugurated by His Excellency the President of the Republic,
Mr Demetris Christophias.

In a quiet neighbourhood in central Limassol, at 5 o’clock in the
afternoon, the simple ceremony started off with the National Anthems of
Cyprus and Armenia. Immediately afterwards, Headmaster, Artin Aivazian,
made a small introduction, after which he read a greeting in Armenian
by the newly-appointed Minister of Diaspora of Armenia. Then came
the greeting by the Chairman of the Nareg Hokapartsoutiun (School
Committee), Krikor Haroutunian, who articulated the importance
of education for Armenians, especially when they first arrived as
refugees in Cyprus. Afterwards, our MP at the House of Representatives,
Vartkes Mahdessian, took the floor. In his greeting, Mahdessian gave
a short historical account of the Armenian education in Limassol,
and he thanked the Republic of Cyprus for all their support; like
Haroutunian, he made specific mention to Dr Vahakn Atamyan and the
late Bedros Kalaydjian, for their contribution in making this school
building a reality.

After Mahdessian finished his greeting, the Nareg schoolchildren
beautifully recited two poems, one in Armenian (My mother tongue) and
one in Greek (Build schools), which were followed by a traditional
Armenian lyrical dance (Ouzoundara), perfectly danced by a group of
five girls in white dresses.

After the cultural presentations, His Excellency the President of the
Republic, Demetris Christophias, addressed the people present with a
moving s peech. He recognised the importance of the Armenian community
of Cyprus, he declared that the Gibrahayer are an inextricable part of
the people of Cyprus, and he re-affirmed the government’s determination
to aid the community in all ways possible.

Later on, a prayer was performed by Archbishop Varoujan Hergelian,
assisted by Der Mashdots Ashkarian and Der Momik Habeshian. After the
blessing, at around 17:30 the President unveiled the marble plaque
of the school, and cut the ribbon, thus officially inaugurating the
jewel of Limassol’s Armenian community.

While the President and the other officials (including the President
of the House of Representatives, Marios Garoyian, the Minister of
Education and Culture Andreas Demetriou, the Maronite MP Antonis
Hadjiroussos, Limassol’s Mayor Andreas Christou, as well as the
Ambassador of Armenia to Greece and Cyprus, Vahram Kazhoyan) were
being toured around the newly-inaugurated school, a rich cocktail
party was taking place.

Occasions like this, remind us that the future of all communities,
especially of a small one like the Gibrahayer, lies in a well-educated
nor serount, as these youngsters will one day become the leaders of
the community. We were also reminded of the importance of a solid and
comprehensive education, which ensures that the students are equipped
with an invaluable asset to deal with the adversities of our highly
competitive society.

TURK MINISTER: DEPORTATION COMMENTS MISUNDERSTOOD TURKISH MEDIA QUOTED GONUL ON TUESDAY AS SAYING HE HAD BEEN MISUNDERSTOOD

Javno.hr
Nov 11 2008
Croatia

Turkey’s defence minister said on Tuesday he was misunderstood when
he apparently praised the deportation of Greeks and Armenians after
the fall of the Ottoman Empire as an important step in creating
modern Turkey.

Vecdi Gonul’s statement during a ceremony to mark the death of
the republic’s revered founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk on Monday may
reignite decades-old issues that have left deep scars in Turkey and
in neighbouring Greece and Armenia.

"Would Turkey be a nation state if the Greeks had stayed in the Aegean
region and Armenians had stayed in several parts of Turkey?," Gonul
was quoted by state Anatolian news agency as saying at the Turkish
embassy in Brussels on Monday.

"I do not know which words to use to explain the importance of this
population exchange but if you look at the old (population) balances,
its importance will be seen very clearly," he said, adding Ankara was
made up of Jews, Muslims, Armenians and Greeks before the republic
was founded.

Turkish media quoted Gonul on Tuesday as saying he had been
misunderstood. The defence ministry declined to comment.

Hundreds of thousands of Greek Orthodox Christians were expelled from
Turkey as smaller numbers of Muslims were forced out of Greece in
the 1920s, under an agreement that established the Greek and Turkish
borders. More Greeks were forced out of Turkey during the 1950s.

Armenians were deported by Ottoman Turks during World War
One. Armenians say some 1.5 million died either in massacres or from
starvation or deprivation as they were marched through the desert.

Turkey has always insisted that the deaths of Armenians, most of them
in 1915, were part of a war in which a beleaguered Ottoman Empire
was facing Armenian rebels allied with its enemies.

After Turkey’s defeat in World War One and its subsequent war with
Greece, Ataturk founded modern Turkey in 1923 and established a
secular republic.

HOVIK ABRAHAMIAN AWARDED NOMINAL GOLD MEDAL OF REPUBLICAN ASSOCIATION OF ARMENIAN COMMUNITIES

Noyan Tapan

Nov 11, 2008

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN. RA NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamian was
awarded the annual nominal gold medal of the Republican Association of
Armenian communities for his personal and considerable contribution
to the development of local democracy in Armenia, by the decision
of Association’s Board. Noyan Tapan was informed about it by the
Association’s Press and Public Relations Department.

Armenia’s 2009 agricultural budget 13.8bln amd

YEREVAN, November 7. /ARKA/. Armenia’s 2009 agricultural budget is
13.8bln AMD ` an annual increase of 7%.
RA Minister of Agriculture Aramais Grigoryan reported that a total of
300mln AMD is to be allocated for the plant protection program.

The Minister pointed out that 300mln AMD is budgeted for land
reclamation, with 120mln AMD to be allocated for the purification of
riverbeds and bank consolidation. Grigoryan pointed out that the work
is being properly carried out.

He said that 100mln AMD will be allocated for the purification of the
Hrazdan River and consolidation of its banks. A total of 80mln AMD will
be directed to the construction of three reservoirs in the Ararat
valley for the irrigation of 160 hectares of land.

The Minister said that a total of 188mln AMD is budgeted for seed
farming development.

`We will import elite seeds, particularly from Ukraine, Russia and
Belarus because they get well acclimatized here. We plan to import 30
tons of spring grain crops and 30 tons of winter barley,’ the Minister
said.

Grigoryan pointed out that 1.6bln AMD is budgeted for a program of
government grants for citizens wishing to engage in agriculture.

`Last year the program proved its efficiency ` the sown area increased
by 6,000 hectares. The program must be continued, and we would like to
pay more attention to cereal crops next year,’ Grigoryan said.

He reported that 183mln AMD are budgeted for agricultural consulting.
The Ministry also plans to implement a large-scale forest protection
program, antiepidemic measures as well as vaccination of livestock.`0–

CYPRUS, ARMENIA TO PROMOTE CLOSER COOPERATION

Cypriot news agency
Nov 4 2008

Nicosia, Nov 5 (CNA) – Cyprus and Armenia are determined to enhance
their cooperation in the future, Justice and Public Order Minister
Kypros Chrysostomides [Kipros Khrisostomidhis] and Armenian Minister
of Justice Gevorg Danielyan have said.

Chrysostomides said during the official talks, earlier today, they
exchanged views and experiences, noting that relations between the
two countries are traditionally excellent.

He explained to Danielyan the responsibilities of his ministry and
they talked about the Police, the Central Prisons, the Fire Service,
the State Archives, the Courts and equality between men and women.

Chrysostomides said they reiterated the intention and determination
of the two governments for closer cooperation in the future. Already,
he said, there are cooperation agreements to fight organized crime
and there is also an agreement to avoid double taxation.

The Cypriot Minister said House Speaker Marios Garoyian [Karoyian]
will visit Armenia next week while President of the Republic Demetris
Christofias [Dhimitris Khristofias] will visit in the spring.

"We will remain in touch to promote the agreement and handle common
issues which the two countries are facing. Cooperation at international
organizations is a fact and respect of international law defines the
wider policy", he added.

Speaking through an interpreter, Danielyan said their meeting
signalled the start of cooperation and we hope that we will have
continued contact to work on many levels.

He said that Armenia is undergoing a restructuring of its judiciary
and legal system and in this effort, Cyprus is a valuable example.

Noting that Cyprus is facing a difficult and complex situation as far
as the application of international law on the island is concerned,
Danielyan said the authorities are making every effort to uphold
democracy throughout the country.

Cyprus has been divided since the 1974 Turkish invasion. UN-led
efforts to reunite the country have so far failed, due to Turkey’s
intransigent stance. The legal government of the Republic of Cyprus
has been prevented from exercising its jurisdiction in the northern
Turkish occupied part of the country.

Danielyan said there is an agreement to fight organized crime but
"we are ready to promote more agreements to combat other forms of
crime and have cooperation at all levels".

He also stressed the need to further promote the agreement to
avoid double taxation, something, which he said "will help economic
cooperation between the two countries and will give Cypriot business
people the opportunity to invest in Armenia and avoid double taxation."

SERZH SARGSYAN: ANY MEETING WITH AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT LEADS TO POSITIVE RESULTS

ArmInfo
2008-11-07 11:01:00

ArmInfo. "I am pleased at any meeting with President of Azerbaijan
Ilham Aliyev as any our meeting leads to positive solutions. Several
days ago we signed a Declaration in Moscow. We fixed by one of the
points of this Declaration that we see solution of Nagorno Karabakh
issue in the format of OSCE MG cochairmen", President of Armenia
Serzh Sargsyan said at a joint press-conference in Brussels with
Head of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso, the Public TV
of Armenia reports.

S. Sargsyan also emphasized that he is glad about any meeting
with the Azerbaijani president as these contacts lead to positive
solutions. "After the Moscow meeting with President Aliyev we agreed
to charge our foreign ministers to hold negotiations within the frames
of Madrid principles", Serzh Sargsyan.

VERDICT TO BE ANNOUNCED ON NOVEMBER 10

A1+
[06:52 pm] 05 November, 2008

The Court of General Jurisdiction of Yerevan’s Kentron and Nork-Marash
districts finished the court hearings on the case of Iranian Armenian
Vardges Gaspar. The latter was Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s proxy during
the Presidential election of February 19, 2008.

Vardges Gaspar is charged under Article 1 of the Criminal Code
/violence against a government representative/.

Prosecutor Koryun Piloyan asked to sentence the defendant to 1.6
years of imprisonment.

"Your steps are illegal and do not stem from the requirements of the
law, and we have every reason to doubt the impartiality of the court
ruling," announced Advocate Ara Zakarian and left the courtroom. Ara
Zakarian requested three working days to submit his resignation.

The court will bring in the verdict at 1:00 p.m. November 10.