EX-MAYOR OF ARMENIAN CAPITAL BECOMES COMMITTEE HEAD
Mediamax
April 3 2009
Armenia
Yerevan, 3 April: Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan signed decrees
relieving Manuk Vardanyan of the position of the Chairman of the
Sate Committee for Real Estate Cadastre and appointing an advisor to
the president.
As Mediamax was told by the presidential press service today, by
another decree, ex-mayor of Yerevan Yervand Zakaryan was appointed
new head of the Sate Committee for Real Estate Cadastre.
Foreign minister of Armenia: Normalization of Armenian-Turkish
relations cannot prejudice the fact of Armenian Genocide
2009-03-12 11:05:00
ArmInfo. Normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations cannot
prejudice the fact of the Armenian Genocide, and if the Armenian and
Turkish parties have a political will and desire to normalize the
relations, no circumstances may hinder that, Foreign Minister of
Armenia Edward Nalbandyan said when making a speech in the Academy of
International Diplomacy of France.
As the press service of Armenia’s Foreign Ministry reports, E.
Nalbandyan said the ‘crucial’ meeting of the Armenian and Turkish
presidents in Yerevan enabled to start the negotiations meeting the
interests of the two states and peoples. According to the minister,
they are directed not only at normalizing of the Armenian-Turkish
relations, but also seriously contribute to assurance of the
regional security and stability. E. Nalbandyan said he is
optimistically disposed regarding normalization of the relations as his
meetings with Ali Babacan were constructive and promising. The Armenian
FM also answered the questions of those present about Armenia-EU
cooperation, strengthening of security, stability and cooperation in
the Caucasus, as well as the Armenian-Iranian and Armenian-Georgian
relations.
OBAMA BRINGS NEW HOPES FOR TURKEY
Emrullah Uslu
Jamestown Foundation
he=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=34380&tx_ttnew s%5BbackPid%5D=7&cHash=15923d9826
Jan 21 2009
DC
President Barack Obama’s inaugural address has been warmly welcomed
by the Turkish media. Three of his statements have been commonly
praised by the Turkish press: his warm message to the Muslim world,
the virtue of democracy, and hope for the future. The liberal daily
Radikal ran the headline "Virtue of Democracy"; the Center-Right
Milliyet announced "A New World"; and the Center-Right Hurriyet’s
headline was "Our Hope Is Obama." The Center-Left Sabah’s banner was
"We Are a Friend of the World." The Islamist Yeni Safak used Obama’s
message to the Muslim world, "Extend Your Hand" for its headline,
while Zaman pronounced "A New Beginning Full of Hope."
Almost all of the newspapers stressed the following paragraph from
Obama’s Inaugural address:
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual
interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who
seek to sow conflict or blame their society’s ills on the West: Know
that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you
destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit
and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of
history but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench
your fist (, January 20).
Obama’s message to the Islamic world was welcomed. Editorial
analyses of the substance of the speech have not yet appeared in
the Turkish press, but comments in Internet blogs warmly praised
Obama’s words. Very few of the 116 messages in an Internet blog were
negative. Some of the people were praying for Obama ("May Allah not
embarrasses you"); and one said, "he gave a very positive message. My
gut feeling tells me that this guy will deliver on what he says." "I
hope you will not turn into another Bush," another blogger wrote. Still
another said, "I am deeply touched by his speech and message. May
God help Obama. Our prayers are with him, because he is not only
the hope of America but the hope of all people" (,
January 21). Some 80 percent of Turks were anti-American before this,
but enthusiasm like this indicates that people are ready to forget
what the Bush administration did in the Middle East and want to open
a new chapter of relations with the Obama administration.
Columnists in Turkish newspapers take a positive view of Obama but
also question whether he will actually be able to deliver on his
promises. Beril Dedeoglu of Star, for instance, argues that Obama’s
policies call for sharing responsibilities with the international
community. This policy can only be implemented if all players share
accountability. In short, the United States outlined a model of
cooperation and expects others to go along with it. If international
players accept his plan there will be no problem…but if they do
not? In this case, it appears that the United States will continue to
punish those who damage the harmony of the American-led international
cooperation (Star, January 21).
Soli Ozel of Sabah cited Obama’s speech and interpreted it as a sign of
change. Obama’s statement that "as for our common defense, we reject
as false the choice between our safety and our ideals" showed that
he has a different approach from that of his predecessor Bush, Ozel
said. In addition, "by emphasizing ‘our power alone cannot protect us,
nor does it entitle us to do as we please,’ Obama rejected neo-con,
foreign policy principles. If Obama can keep his promises he will
change not only his own country but also the rest of the world. I
hope he can do it" (Sabah, January 21).
Cengiz Candar of Radikal is the most optimistic policy analyst. He
thinks that "by electing Obama as President, the most powerful country
in the world showed its capacity to change. It will initiate a momentum
of change. After this, it will be very difficult to maintain those
fossilized political structures and fossilized politicians in power"
(Radikal, January 21).
Cuneyt Ulsever of Hurriyet does not agree with the optimist
commentators, claiming that Obama simply cannot pursue his plans for
change but will be a realist and will maintain the United States’
position as a superpower. According to Ulsever, Obama’s policy
preferences will be tested in his Middle East policies. How fast will
he withdraw American troops from Iraq? While withdrawing his troops,
how will he shape the new balance in Iraq? Will he accept the reality
of the Taliban in Afghanistan and the fact that it is not possible
to control Afghanistan without establishing cooperation with the
Taliban? Will he negotiate with Iran and convince it to stop enriching
uranium? How will he position himself toward Hamas and Hezbollah? Will
he continue to work with American-friendly Arab dictators, or will
he endorse democracy in the Arab world? (Hurriyet, January 21).
In addition to the media’s optimism, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan expects Obama to "be the defender of those who have no defender
and the voice of those who have no voice" (Star, January 21).
It seems that with Barack Obama, amost everyone, from the prime
minister down to the man in the street, is ready to open a new chapter
in Turkish-U.S. relations. They do, however, have some concerns as
well. They want to know how he will handle the Armenian claims of
genocide and whether he will continue to support Turkish efforts
to curb Kurdish separatist terror activities. Given the fact that
Obama’s inaugural messages were warmly welcomed in a Muslim country
like Turkey, where anti-Americanism was on the rise, it would perhaps
be a wise step for Obama to visit Turkey in his early days in office
to reinforce his positive position toward the Muslim world.
RA NA SPEAKER: CZECHIA CAN CONTRIBUTE TO ARMENIA-EU COOPERATION
PanARMENIAN.Net
12.09.2008 18:14 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia attaches importance to relations with
Czechia, which will assume the EU rotating presidency in 2009,
Armenian National Assembly Speaker Tigran Torosyan said during a
joint news conference with Czech Senate President PÅ~Yemysl Sobotka.
"This visit will help to strengthen interparliamentary ties," he said.
For his part, Mr Sobotka invited the Armenian NA speaker to Czechia. He
also informed that the Czech Senate will honor the memory of the 1988
Spitak earthquake victims in December.
–Boundary_(ID_gTmt8FXC7h2oK9b/TqfVGw)- –
The Press Association
Sept 5 2008
US warship delivers aid to Georgia
The flagship of the US Navy’s Mediterranean fleet has anchored outside
a key Georgian port, defiantly bringing in tons of humanitarian aid to
a city still partly occupied by hundreds of Russian troops.
The USS Mount Whitney was the first Navy ship to travel to Poti since
Georgia’s five-day war with Russia last month. The continued presence
of Russian troops here has been a major point of friction between
Russia and the West, which insists Russia has failed to honor a deal
to pull back to positions held before fighting broke out on August 7.
The in-your-face anchorage at Poti came as US Vice President Dick
Cheney visited nearby Ukraine, another former Soviet republic that
feels threatened by Moscow’s military aggression.
Cheney pledged in Kiev, the capital, that the United States was
committed to Ukraine’s security and freedom and said Ukrainians should
not be forced to live under Russia’s "threat of tyranny, economic
blackmail and military invasion".
In a diplomatic counterpunch, Russia received support on Friday from
six other former Soviet republics who issued a joint statement
condemning Georgia for using force to try to retake control of its
separatist province of South Ossetia.
The declaration by members of the Collective Security Treaty
Organisation – which groups Russia with Armenia, Belarus and four
Central Asian nations; Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and
Uzbekistan – also praised Russia for "helping peace and security" in
the region. However, the nations did not go as far as Russia and
recognise Georgia’s two separatist areas – South Ossetia and Abkhazia
– as independent nations.
The Kremlin has watched the arrival of the USS Mount Whitney and other
US warships carrying aid with deep suspicion, but a Russian Foreign
Ministry official said no military action was planned in response to
the US naval presence in the Black Sea.
The Mount Whitney will unload aid at Poti’s commercial port Saturday,
right next door to Poti’s badly damaged naval base.
During the war, Russian forces bombed Poti, which has a large oil
shipment facility, attacked the port and sank eight Georgian naval
vessels in the harbour.
Signs of destruction were all around. The missile boat Dioskuria – the
flagship for Georgia’s small navy – stood with its hull under water,
its badly damaged communications masts protruding from the water. The
windows of Georgia’s naval headquarters were shattered, the buildings
pockmarked by large calibre ammunition.
RUSSIA SHRUGS OFF EU ‘PUNISHMENT’
Jessica Le Masurier
Sky News
Sept 2 2008
UK
As the Russian Prime Minister struck a macho pose with a Siberian
tiger, the EU looked rather toothless after its emergency "what to
do about Russia" summit.
Russian president Dmitry Medvedev (right) and Tajik counterpart
Imomali Rakhmon inspect troops in Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Could the European Union’s so-called "punishment", the postponement
of EU-Russia partnership talks, actually play in Russia’s favour?
Russian affairs expert Alexander Rahr told Sky News Online the move
may have suited Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. He said: "Medvedev
wants to avoid an outdated partnership deal with the EU as he would
like a more strategic approach.
"Russia doesn’t want to be pressed into obeying EU rules. It wants
to stall the talks. The EU has played into Russia’s hands."
The European Union re-emphasised its support for Georgia on Monday
and criticised Russia’s continuing military presence there. There
was, however, no real condemnation of Russia’s behaviour – just a
vague statement about potentially postponing EU-Russia partnership
negotiations if Russia does not withdraw its troops from Georgia
within the next three months.
Meanwhile, both Russia and Georgia took the opportunity to whip up
more patriotic fervour over the Caucasus crisis.
Georgians held anti-Russian protests to coincide with the summit in
Brussels while the Russian media branded the talks a failure.
In the Georgian capital Tbilisi, protesters formed a human
chain. President Mikhail Saakashvili claimed a million people had
gathered there as he rallied the crowds.
He said: "The whole of Europe, the whole world is with us. Georgia
will never stop resisting, Georgia will never surrender."
More protests were held across Georgia as well as in London and
Athens. Demonstrators waved red and white national flags and chanted
"Georgia! Georgia!".
Russian newspapers claimed Moscow had got the upper hand after the
EU said although it would freeze talks on a partnership deal with
Russia it would not impose economic sanctions.
The Russia daily Kommersant called it a "victory for Russian
diplomacy". Russian newspapers led with sarcastic headlines like;
"Europe can keep sucking our oil and gas". The government newspaper
Rossiiskaya Gazeta said the outcome was no surprise: "The mutual
dependency between Russia and the EU leaves no alternative to
developing close bilateral relations. This was once again confirmed
at the EU summit in Brussels."
It appears the EU is keen to negotiate rather than row with
Russia. French President Nicolas Sarkozy is to lead an EU delegation
to Moscow and Tbilisi next week.
Tensions in South Ossetia, Abkhazia and the Nagorno-Karabakh region
between Armenia and Azerbaijan are all to be factored into an EU
Caucasus "stability pact". But critics say the EU is already too
stretched in Iraq and Afghanistan to channel enough money into a
serious plan for stabilising the Caucasus.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had some advice for the West
on how to deal with the crisis. He picked up the Russian tiger theme
again, implying, in his Shere Khan-esque voice, that it might just
be best to let Russia remove the Georgian President.
He said: "If instead of choosing their national interests and the
interests of the Georgian people, the United States and its allies
choose the Saakashvili regime, this will be a mistake of truly
historic proportions."
THE HEAD OF THE COUNTRY VISITED HIS TEACHER
Svetlana Khachatryan
Azat Artsakh Daily,
27 June 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]
On June 24th NKR President Bako Sahakyan visited his teacher Satenik
Soghomonyan. Minister of NKR Culture and Youth Norek Gasparyan
accompanied the President, who had been also S.Soghomonyan’s
pupil.S.Soghomonyan was a teacher of history. Inspite of venerable
age and illness, she doesn’t feel separated from life. She keeps
communication with society by means of newspapers, TV and radio.She is
the most active reader of all published newspapers of Artsakh and has
her reviews in connection with any publication and program. But our
teacher has a deep pain, which is already 39 years, that she bears
in herself. It’s a question of literary hereditament of her husband
Sargis Abrahamyan, and particularly, a book "About generations",
by which a whole generation has been brought up. Because of illness,
the writer during 2-3 months remade two-volume edition wanting to see
it one-volume. In 1969 the book was introduced into publishing plan,
but the death mixed everything. About two tens later, in 1988 the
book was returned to the writer’s wife.Processes of republishing
it were vain.But S.Soghomonyan decided once again to try to send
a letter to the President. The handwriting was already ready, when
President himself visited her.The President asked her to send him
the book, and knowing that there are many unpublished materials
in the writer’s archive, promised to solve the problem of their
publishing. Before saying good-bye, NKR President said: "I’m very
glad for this meeting. It will give me new energy in my work. I’m
sure, that we always remember You and teachers like You. After this
meeting I shall take with me not only my human impressions. I say
without exaggeration, I shall take with me an impression, which will
be effective for my activity. And my activity is guaranteeing of our
people’s prosperity".
NEWLY-CONSTRUCTED BUILDING COLLAPSED IN ARMENIA
Azeri Press Agency
June 19 2008
Azerbaijan
Newly-constructed building collapsed in Gumru, third largest city of
Armenia. Three dead and one injured, APA quotes Armenia Today. Armenian
rescue service said the incident happened on June 18 in the evening.
The wall of the building constructed near the Gumru Mayor’s Office
collapsed onto the nearby small houses. Luisa Adamian, 68, Georgette
Arutunian, 69 and Asmik Arutunian, 39 died under the ruins. Gayane
Lambarian, 20 was taken to the hospital. Doctors said she was in
hard condition.
SUCCESS OF ARMENIAN CHESS PLAYERS
Panorama.am
16:13 16/04/2008
Armenian Grand Master Vladimir Hakobyan participating in the Russian
chess clubs’ cup gained the title of champion. Armenian GM was
presenting Ural club. The championship took place in Dagamis.
Another Armenian international master Grigor Sevak Mekhitaryan pressing
Brazil took part in international chess championship and gained the
third horizontal.
The champion of the competition became Brazilian Laitao. The
competition took place in San-Paolo.
"Dubai Open" international open competition was not so successful for
our Armenian GM-s. Tigran Kotandjyan occupied the 13-th horizontal and
David Harutyunyan presenting Georgia gained 9-th horizontal. Totally
132 chess players were taking part in the championship and the champion
became GN Son from Philippines.
UKRAINE’S DEPUTY FM KONSTANTIN YELISEEV VISITS ARMENIA
armradio.am
03.04.2008 11:11
April 3-5 the delegation headed by the Deputy Foreign Minister of
Ukraine Konstantin Yeliseevwill visit Armenia to participate in
interagency consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs
of Armenia and Ukraine.
During the visit Konstantin Yeliseev will meet with RA Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian and will participate in the opening ceremony of an
exhibition dedicated to the 90th anniversary of Armenian-Ukrainian
diplomatic relations and will have a meeting with the Chairman of
the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Foreign Relations
Armen Rustamyan.
The Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine is also expected to visit
Matenadaran and Etchmiadzin.