Author: Boshkezenian Garik

AZERBAIJAN AND TURKEY DISCUSSED BILATERAL COOPERATION

RIA OREANDA
Sept 8 2008
Russia

Baku. ">OREANDA-NEWS . September 8, 2008. The Chairman of the
Azerbaijan-Turkey Business Association (ATIB) Ahmet Erentok was in
a business trip in Ankara (Turkey).

ATIB press-service informed that during the visit A.Erentok held
meeting with the 9th President of Turkey Suleymen Demirel, State
Ministers of Turkey Sait Yazichoglu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Turkey Hikmet Chetin, TPAO General Director Mehmet Uysal.

The main subject of the talks was ATIB activity, implemented projects
and projects to be realized as well as bilateral cooperation, it
was reported.

During the meeting it was also discussed the aims of Azerbaijan-Turkey
Fund of Historic Research created in order to inform the world
community on all the truth about Armenian issues in Azerbaijan
and Turkey.

Agence France Presse
September 6, 2008 Saturday

Armenians boo Turkish president at football match

YEREVAN, Sept 6 2008

Armenian fans greeted Turkish President Abdullah Gul’s arrival for a
football match in the capital Yerevan on Saturday with boos and
hisses.

Gul, on the first visit of a Turkish president to Armenia, was seated
in a special bullet-proof area to watch the World Cup qualifying match
with his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sarkisian.

His arrival followed talks with Sarkisian after which the two leaders
pledged to try and resolve decades of animosity between the
neighbouring countries, stemming from the Ottoman-era massacre of
Armenians in 1915-1917.

Aljazeera.net, Qatar
Sept 6 2008

Armenians protest Gul visit

Abdullah Gul, the Turkish president, has been greeted by protests
after arriving in Armenia to attend a football match in an attempt to
improve relations between the two countries.

Gul’s arrival on Saturday in Yerevan, the Armenian capital, marked the
first visit to the country by a Turkish head of state since Armenian
independence in 1991.

The two countries have long argued over Armenia’s attempt to have
recognised as genocide a massacre of hundreds of thousands of
Armenians by Ottoman Turks during the First World War.

Hundreds of Armenians lined the route of Gul’s motorcade to protest
against Ankara’s refusal to consider the 1915-1917 atrocities as
crimes against humanity.

Bardasar Akhpar, a demonstrator, said: "We are here because we want to
tell the entire world that we do not forget the genocide of 1915.

"We will not welcome Gul nor any other Turk until they have recognised
the genocide."

Breakthrough ‘unlikely’

Gul was taken to meet Serzh Sakisian, the Armenian president, after
being invited by him to attend a world Cup football qualifier between
Armenia and Turkey at Yerevan’s Hrazdan stadium.

The invitation was extended despite the fact the two countries do not
share diplomatic relations.

On meeting Sarkisian, Gul offered the Armenian leader the opportunity
to watch a return football match between the two countries in Turkey
next month.

"I hope that this visit will create the possiblity to improve
bilateral relations," said Gul at a joint press conference with
Sarkisian in Yerevan.

Sarkisian said the visit there is a "political will to decide the
questions between our countries, so that these problems are not passed
on to the next generation".

Armenians say that up to 1.5 million of their people were slaughtered
by Ottoman Turks as their empire fell apart at the height of the First
World War.

Yerevan’s claim has won support from several other countries.

Turkey rejects the accusation and says that 300,000-500,000 Armenians
and at least as many Turks died in civil strife after Armenians took
up arms for independence in eastern Anatolia.

Nadim Baba, Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Yerevan, said Armenians
appear to be holding out for improved relations with their country’s
westward neighbour.

"From the people that we have spoken to on the streets of Yerevan, I
would say that the majority are longing for better relations with
Turkey, while being very much concerned that their government do not
give away too many concessions to Ankara," he said.

"They do not want to let go of the hope that one day the world will
recognise what happened almost a hundred years ago as a genocide.

"They also want to see their economy improve through better relations
with Turkey and other countries in the region."

‘Lifting barriers’

Ali Babacan, Turkey’s foreign minister, said diplomatic ties between
Ankara and Yerevan would be discussed between during talks between Gul
and Sarkisian but he a major breakthrough was unlikely.

"I do not think we should raise expectations that high ¦ But on the
other hand, when we open the doors for dialogue, that means we are
ready to talk about the problems," Babacan said.

"It is my wish that this match will help lift the barriers dividing
two people who share a common history and will contribute to regional
friendship and peace," Gul said ahead of his visit.

Turkey has refused to establish diplomatic ties with Armenia since the
former Soviet republic gained independence.

Turkey also shut its border with Armenia in 1993 in a show of
solidarity with its close ally Azerbaijan, then at war with Armenia
over Nagorny Karabakh, a secessionist Armenian-majority region in
Azerbaijan.

asia/2008/09/200896135958322832.html

BRAND OF YEAR 2nd COMPETITION SUMMED UP

YER EVAN, SEPTEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. The Borodino Cannery of Armenia, the
Good Samaritan, Shen-Concern, and Arzni Breed TTK companies became
laureates of the general prize of Year’s Brand second national
competition. It was announced during the prize distribution solemn
ceremony held on September 4 by the Master Center of International
Integration Support. During the event, prizes were also given to
representatives of 23 companies recording maximum sale volumes on 41
kinds of foodstuffs and mass consumption goods within one year.

According to competition’s organizers, 60 companies with about 100
goods had submitted bids for taking part in the competition: the number
of submitted goods has increased by about 10% as compared with the
previous year. The competition has been summed up on the basis of
surveys held among more than 100 retail trade companies of Yerevan
within one year.

Arsen Ghazarian, the Chairman of the Republican Union of Employers
(Manufacturers and Businessmen) of Armenia, said during the ceremony
that as compared with the previous year, the number of companies
submitting bids has increased two-fold. According to him, the
achievements of the participants of Brand of the Year are evidence of
large consumption volumes of Armenia’s market, variety, purchasing
power, and exactingness, which also surprises foreign investors. It was
mentioned that many of competition participants are also brands fully
established on neighboring countries’ markets. "Our triumphal march is
still ahead if we overcome region’s communication problems and
geopolitical complexes," the Union Chairman said adding that "by
competing on the Armenian market we become tempered and stronger. And
competition on our market is one of the most heated ones in the CIS
territory."

Reuters UK
Sept 6 2008

EU urges Turkey to break cycle of political crisis

Sat Sep 6, 2008 1:29am BST
By Paul Taylor

AVIGNON, France (Reuters) – The European Union urged Turkey on Friday
to break out of a cycle of political crisis by enacting reforms to
prepare for EU membership, and praised its regional peacemaking role.

The 27-nation bloc’s Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn urged Turkish
Foreign Minister Ali Babacan to resume EU reforms at full speed after
the government survived an attempt by hardline secular prosecutors to
shut down the ruling AK party.

The Constitutional Court last month narrowly failed to reach the
necessary majority to ban the party, which has its roots in political
Islam, after months of uncertainty which shook Turkish markets and the
lira currency.

"We have urged Turkey to reform the law on political parties as a
matter of urgency to avoid this sort of severe political crisis in the
future," Rehn told Reuters after the two men met on the sidelines of
an EU foreign ministers’ meeting in France.

They also discussed the conflict in Georgia and Turkey’s proposals for
a platform to stabilise the Caucasus region, and its efforts to
mediate in Israeli-Syrian peace talks.

"Turkey’s active diplomacy towards Syria, the Middle East, Armenia and
the Caucasus show its paramount importance as our partner in advancing
regional stability in one of the most unstable parts of the world,"
Rehn said.

The EU accession process would further facilitate joint work by the EU
and Turkey to stabilise those regions, he said.

REFORM AGENDA

Babacan said he outlined Turkey’s plans to take forward its EU
accession process, which has been stymied by disputes over Cyprus and
resistance by France to the goal of eventual Turkish membership of the
bloc.

He said Turkey expected to open negotiations on two more policy areas
with the EU under the current French presidency of the bloc, which
lasts till the end of the year, taking the total number of subjects
under discussion to 10 out of the 35 chapters into which EU law is
divided.

Babacan said Turkey was fully prepared to start talks on a range of
other issues, including economic and monetary policy, energy,
education and culture, and foreign policy, but was being blocked by
political obstacles in the EU.

Despite the political crisis, the Turkish parliament passed 29
EU-related laws in the session that ended in July, and a national
programme for EU convergence would be submitted to parliament when it
returns from recess on October 7, he said.

"We know very well what is expected from us and what we need to do
anyway. We have every reason to push ahead with our reform agenda,"
the minister told Reuters in an interview.

Rehn said he encouraged the Turkish government to improve political
dialogue with opposition forces so that more reforms could be enacted
by consensus. He has urged Ankara to finally enact an EU-driven law
introducing an ombudsman, which could take some of the sting out of
religious-secular issues.

(Editing by Ingrid Melander and Mark Trevelyan)

PRE-ELECTION OFFICE SET ON FIRE

A1+
[01:56 pm] 05 September, 2008

The central pre-election office of Manuel Gasparian located at 3
Adonts was set on fire this morning. Manuel Gasparian runs in the
election of a district head of Yerevan’s Qanaqer-Zeitun commune.

Manuel Gasparian told A1+ that they had noticed nothing extraordinary
when leaving the office at 3 a.m. At 9 o’clock in the morning the
office-cleaner brought the terrifying news. The windows were broken to
pieces and bottles of petrol were thrown here and there. All posters
and signboards were burnt down. The walls were blackened.

"Manuel Gasparian thinks the intrusion was planned by some ill-bred
people who feel envy when seeing so many people at Gasparian’s
meetings."

Manuel Gasparian also added that the representative of the acting
district head Arayik Kotanjian had looked in his pre-election office
the other day and began threatening and railing at the women. Then
he threw away the pre-election booklets laid on the table and tore
off the signs posted on the walls.

Furthermore, attempts were made to bribe the head of another
pre-election office.

Manuel Gasparian adheres to the Armenian National Congress and says
he will not give up. "I am more than convinced that we shall celebrate
my victory in three days. We simply need to be armed with patience."

Note, elections to self-government bodies in Qanaqer-Zeitun are
scheduled for September 7.

ARMENIAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF AMERICA
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
Email: [email protected]
Website:

PRESS RELEASE
September 4, 2008
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Email: [email protected]

ANCA OUTLINES CONCERNS ABOUT GUL VISIT TO ARMENIA

"For this initiative to succeed, Turkey’s leaders need to view this
as a true opportunity for enduring peace, not simply as a photo
opportunity to help alleviate the growing international pressure it
is under to recognize the Armenian Genocide."
– ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian

WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA),
today, expressed hopes and reservations regarding Turkey’s
President Abdullah Gul’s impending visit to Armenia, at the
invitation by Armenian President Serzh Sarkisyan, to watch the
September 6th Turkey vs. Armenia soccer match in Armenia’s capital,
Yerevan.

"We are, as you can imagine, watching this matter with vigilance,
mindful of the risks that Armenia is taking for peace, hopeful that
Yerevan’s diplomatic initiative will bear fruit, yet cautious
regarding the realistic prospects for progress given Ankara’s
long-standing and deeply troubling track record of antagonism toward
Armenia," explained ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian, in a September 4th
letter to House and Senate Members.

Asserting that this visit cannot, by itself, substitute for real
progress in improved Armenia-Turkey relations, Hachikian remained
hopeful "that Armenia’s pro-active diplomacy, if matched with real
movement by Turkey, can serve as a first, cautious step toward a
true reconciliation based on truth and justice."

To that end, Hachikian outlined some immediate and long-term steps
President Gul could take to demonstrate his sincerity in accepting
President Sarkisyan’s invitation, including showing the
"willingness to walk the mile from Armenia’s national soccer
stadium to the "Dzidzernagapert" Armenian Genocide Memorial, a
tradition long honored by foreign dignitaries visiting Yerevan."
In the days and weeks following President Gul’s departure from
Armenia, Hachikian urged:

"* Lifting domestic restrictions on the study, discussion, and
recognition of the Armenian Genocide, and abandoning opposition to
international recognition and commemoration of this crime against
humanity – including by the White House and the U.S. Congress.

* Lifting its blockade of Armenia, allowing free Armenian access to
its traditional transportation routes, ending its opposition to the
incorporation of Armenia in regional and international initiatives
impacting the Southern Caucasus, and removing restrictions on
Armenian stewardship of cultural and religious heritage sites
within Turkey.

* Publicly and in practice adopting a truly neutral position as a
member of the OSCE Minsk Group charged with mediating a peaceful
resolution of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict, ending military
support for Azerbaijan’s armed forces, and openly calling on all
parties to reject any non-peaceful resolution to this conflict.

* Lifting all restrictions on the collective rights of the Armenian
community in Turkey.

* Accepting Armenia’s offer to negotiate the establishment of
normal diplomatic relations without any preconditions, and agreeing
to resolve all outstanding bilateral issues in a peaceful, non-
violent manner."

The complete text of the ANCA letter to Congress is provided below.

#####

TEXT OF ANCA CHAIRMAN KEN HACHIKIAN’S LETTER TO SENATE AND HOUSE
MEMBERS REGARDING TURKISH PRESIDENT ABDULLAH GUL’S IMPENDING VISIT
TO ARMENIA

Dear Senator/Representative _________________:

In light of the announcement this week by Turkish President
Abdullah Gul that he will accept Armenian President Serj
Sarkisyan’s invitation to watch the September 6th Armenia-Turkey
World Cup qualifying match in Yerevan, we wanted to share with you
the Armenian American community’s perspective on this new and
potentially significant development, and to reaffirm our
community’s fundamental commitment to universal recognition and a
just resolution of the Armenian Genocide.

We are, as you can imagine, watching this matter with vigilance,
mindful of the risks that Armenia is taking for peace, hopeful that
Yerevan’s diplomatic initiative will bear fruit, yet cautious
regarding the realistic prospects for progress given Ankara’s
long-standing and deeply troubling track record of antagonism toward
Armenia.

As you know, since Armenia’s independence in 1991, successive
Armenian governments and the worldwide Armenian Diaspora have –
despite the unresolved legacy of the Armenian Genocide and Ankara’s
ongoing and deeply painful denial of this crime – consistently
sought sincere and sustainable progress toward improved Armenia-
Turkey relations. President Sarkisyan’s invitation represents only
the most recent such outreach on Armenia’s part, although by no
means the only one. Both of his predecessors visited Turkey in
their official capacities as president, although, sadly, neither of
their visits resulted in any moderation of Turkey’s policies toward
Armenia.

Armenia’s invitation represents a pro-active gesture by Armenia – a
small country populated in large part by the descendents of
Armenian Genocide survivors – to reach out to a large and heavily
armed neighbor that, as heir to the Ottoman Empire, denies this
horrific crime, blockades Armenia, and pursues a broad array of
anti-Armenian policies – both at home and abroad. President Gul
has accepted the Armenian President’s invitation even as his
government has made it clear that they do not plan any changes in
these policies, which, it is worthwhile noting, include:

* Turkey’s continued denial of the Armenian Genocide, continued
threats against other nations that consider recognizing this crime
against humanity, and continued allocations of tens of millions of
dollars annually for lobbyists, academic mercenaries, and outright
fabricators to attempt to rewrite this profoundly important chapter
in world history.

* Turkey’s continued efforts to silence any recognition of the
Armenian Genocide within its own borders through Article 301 and
other provisions of its criminal code (e.g. Nobel Prize-winner
Orhan Pamuk), continued intimidation and unofficial acts of
violence (e.g. Hrant Dink), and the perpetuation of a deeply flawed
educational system that indoctrinates successive new generations of
Turkish students to believe that the Armenian Genocide is a lie and
that all Armenians are inherently enemies of Turkey.

* Turkey’s continued attempts to economically weaken and isolate
Armenia through its illegal 14-year blockade; its attempts to
exclude Armenia from regional and international initiatives that
provide economic benefit to the Southern Caucasus; its continued
attacks on Armenia within the United Nations, the OSCE, and other
international venues; and, its ongoing military, economic, and
political support for Azerbaijan over the Nagorno Karabagh
conflict.

* Turkey’s continued mistreatment of its remaining Armenian
population as second-class citizens, continued enforcement of
unfair and burdensome restrictions on the Armenian Church, and the
continuation of policies intended to drive out the remaining
Christian minorities within its borders.

We are, given this record and Turkey’s past efforts to manipulate
public opinion, profoundly concerned that President Gul’s visit
will be used by Ankara to advance its short-term "public relations"
interest in creating the image of movement, at the expense of the
broader and far more meaningful interest of the United States and
the international community in actual progress toward a durable
improvement in Armenia-Turkey ties. For this initiative to
succeed, Turkey’s leaders need to view this as a true opportunity
for enduring peace, not simply as a photo opportunity to help
alleviate the growing international pressure it is under to
recognize the Armenian Genocide.

Recognizing that this visit cannot, by itself, substitute for real
progress in improved Armenia-Turkey relations, we do, however,
remain hopeful that Armenia’s pro-active diplomacy, if matched with
real movement by Turkey, can serve as a first, cautious step toward
a true reconciliation based on truth and justice. At the same
time, we remain deeply concerned that if, as may very well be the
case, Turkey treats this visit as a superficial undertaking – yet
still garners undeserved credit internationally for an essentially
empty gesture – we may in fact witness a tragic setback to the
worthwhile cause of a real and enduring peace between Armenia and
Turkey.

In this spirit, we respectfully ask that you look beyond Ankara’s
rhetoric concerning this visit, and focus instead on the substance
of the Turkish government’s real-world policies toward Armenia.
The best – and most immediate – test of President Gul’s sincerity
will be his willingness to walk the mile from Armenia’s national
soccer stadium to the "Dzidzernagapert" Armenian Genocide Memorial,
a tradition long honored by foreign dignitaries visiting Yerevan.
In the days and weeks following his departure, we urge you to track
Turkey’s movement toward:

* Lifting domestic restrictions on the study, discussion, and
recognition of the Armenian Genocide, and abandoning opposition to
international recognition and commemoration of this crime against
humanity including by the White House and the U.S. Congress.

* Lifting its blockade of Armenia, allowing free Armenian access to
its traditional transportation routes, ending its opposition to the
incorporation of Armenia in regional and international initiatives
impacting the Southern Caucasus, and removing restrictions on
Armenian stewardship of cultural and religious heritage sites
within Turkey.

* Publicly and in practice adopting a truly neutral position as a
member of the OSCE Minsk Group charged with mediating a peaceful
resolution of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict, ending military
support for Azerbaijan’s armed forces, and openly calling on all
parties to reject any non-peaceful resolution to this conflict.

* Lifting all restrictions on the collective rights of the Armenian
community in Turkey.

* Accepting Armenia’s offer to negotiate the establishment of
normal diplomatic relations without any preconditions, and agreeing
to resolve all outstanding bilateral issues in a peaceful, non-
violent manner.

Progress in each of these vitally important areas – not the level
of skill of Turkey’s public relations firms in spinning this visit
– will represent the true benchmarks of progress toward improved
Armenia-Turkey relations.

Thank you for your consideration of the points we have raised in
this letter. We would, of course, welcome the opportunity to meet
with you to discuss this matter in greater detail.

Sincerely,

Kenneth V. Hachikian
Chairman

EUROPE’S INTERESTS SERVED WITH GEORGIAN SAUCE
By A. Haroutiunian

AZG Armenian Daily
04/09/2008

Europe-Russia-Caucasus

EU Resolution Focuses Rather on EU-Russia Relations, than Georgia
Itself

On September 1 the members of the EU gathered and discussed the
consequences of the conflict in South Ossetia, which burst on August
8. The EU adopted a resolution, consisting of a number of articles,
which, although relieved of sharp phrasings, are rather clear.

Thus, the EU shall henceforth have a permanent representative for
Georgia, and shall try to insure its energetic security by all
available means, including deeper diversification of energy sources
and routes of their import.

In the meanwhile the European union expresses its displeasure with
the armed conflict, which received an inadequate response from
Russia’s side. The EU condemns Russia for one-sided recognition of
the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and welcomes the
Russia-France-Georgia agreement.

The EU is willing to contribute the peace and final settlement of the
conflict as well as to assist Georgia in restoring its authority over
South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

The resolution has a plenty of beautiful phrasings on European
partnership, reducing the tension in the region, the so-called Eastern
partnership, and, of course, the EU-Ukraine summit, which is to take
place next week.

As the EU-Russia relations faced a stalemate as a result of the recent
events, Europe made a decision to intensify its collaboration with the
Russian Federation, also taking into account that the latter would
never suffer its full isolation from Europe. However, the EU-Russia
talks on a new strategic partnership agreement are to be suspended
until Russian troops return to positions they had held by August
7, 2008.

Russian representative to the EU Vladimir Tchizhov replied to this
that those who desire Russia to withdraw its forces from Georgia are
knocking at an open door, as Russian armed forces are left only in
the buffer areas and in the area of conflict.

Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin in his turn said with "typical
Russian boldness" declared that foreign warships in the Black Sea shall
have the proper answer and that other states are not following Russia
in recognizing South Ossetia and Abkhazia does not mean a crisis.

On the other hand, Georgia renounced a number of Russian-Georgian
agreements on South Ossetia. "Novosti Gruzii" agency informs that
the Joint Commission on the South Ossetia conflict was dissolved and
Russia’s peacekeeping mandate in South Ossetia suspended.

EX-MINISTER THREATENS RECOGNITION OF GARABAGH "INDEPENDENCE"

AzerNews Weekly
Sept 3 2008
Azerbaijan

Former Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian recently said that
if the Armenia-Azerbaijan talks on settling the more than 15-year
conflict ends in failure, Yerevan will have no choice but to recognize
the "independence" of Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh, an Azeri region under
Armenian occupation.

"Armenia`s position on the conflict remains unchanged. But Yerevan
should state, as soon as possible, that the fact that Upper Garabagh`s
independence has not been recognized and that such a request has
not been made to any other state so far, is because the principle of
self-determination of the Upper Garabagh people lies at the core of
peace talks," the ex-minister claimed.

Armenia, which is pursuing a policy of occupation and ethnic cleansing,
has occupied over 20% of Azerbaijan`s internationally recognized
territory for over the past decade.

Touching on the unrest in Georgia and the recent Russian invasion,
he said the Armenian government would be unable to take a proper
stance on Moscow`s August 26 recognition of the independence of
Georgia`s rebellious regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia since,
"we are talking not about Abkhazia and South Ossetia but relations
between Russia and the United States."

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree on August 26
recognizing the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The move
heightened tensions in the volatile Caucasus region and put a further
strain on Moscow`s relations with the West. Tbilisi denounced the
decision as being in violation of international law. The U.S. and
numerous European powers also condemned the move.

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:

PRESS RELEASE

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Philanthropist Vartkess M. Balian Leaves a Rich Legacy

A tireless supporter of Armenian causes, Vartkess M. Balian passed away
on Monday, August 3, 2008, in Arlington, Virginia, at the age of 76
after a courageous battle with cancer. A former president of the
Armenian General Benevolent Union’s (AGBU) Central Committee of America,
he was a co-founder, along with his wife, Rita, of the highly successful
AGBU New York Summer Intern Program, which offers Armenian students from
around the world opportunities to gain professional work experience that
will aid them in their future careers. The New York Intern Program has
over 600 alumni.

AGBU President Berge Setrakian offered his condolences to the Balian
family and cited his invaluable contributions to AGBU: "Vartkess was
always a most ardent and loyal supporter of our Armenian heritage. He
was a devoted leader within the AGBU community, having served as a Board
member and as co-founder and co-chair of the President’s Club of AGBU’s
New York Intern Program."

A Life Remembered

Vartkess Balian was an architect, home builder, developer, humanitarian
and art collector who was a giant in Washington, DC’s Armenian-American
community. He dedicated his life to public and community service and was
forever devoted to his Armenian heritage. Along with his wife, he
supported countless cultural and humanitarian efforts around the world,
particularly in Armenia and the United States.

Born in Beirut, Lebanon, he studied architecture and civil engineering
at the American University of Beirut and, soon afterwards, opened an
architectural and engineering firm that designed many institutions and
residential buildings in Lebanon, including numerous Armenian schools.
Along with Yenovk Balikian, he designed the modernist AGBU Alex
Manoogian Center in downtown Beirut.

He left Beirut during the onset of that country’s civil war and settled
in Washington, DC in 1976. He was a founder and partner of the
Hyattsville-based Quad Group of America, a land development and
construction company that has built several thousand residences across
the region. In the 1990s, he became a partner in Haverford Homes, a
Hyattsville home development business founded by his oldest son.

Vartkess Balian was also active in many other Armenian-American
organizations. He was a trustee of the Washington-based Armenian
Assembly of America. He established an endowment fund with the Tekeyan
Cultural Association to sponsor an annual international media award for
Armenian journalists. He served as president of the Tekeyan central
board and as a trustee of St. Mary Armenian Apostolic Church in
Washington, DC.

After the 1988 Armenian earthquake, the Balians initiated humanitarian
and cultural efforts to aid the people of Armenia. A school in Garbi,
Armenia, was named in their honor.

For the past 11 years, Vartkess Balian was a trustee of the Armenian
American Wellness Center in Yerevan, which has provided medical services
to underserved women in Armenia.

Vartkess Balian was also a patron of the arts and a noted collector of
modern Armenian art. His collection, which he lovingly built with his
wife, has been showcased in museums, galleries and U.S. embassies
throughout the world. In Washington, he was a benefactor of art museums,
orchestras, opera and other cultural institutions. He was also a member
of the Washington National Cathedral Association.

He and his wife have been honored by His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos
of All Armenians, for their efforts in promoting the international
Armenian Apostolic Church.

Vartkess Balian is survived by his wife of 47 years, Rita Balian; his
two sons, Sevag Balian of Chevy Chase and Raffi Balian of Arlington; two
sisters, Haikouhi Koudoussian of Rockville and Marie Balian of
Arlington; and four grandchildren.

Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest Armenian
non-profit organization. Headquartered in New York, AGBU preserves and
promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through educational,
cultural, and humanitarian programs, annually serving some 400,000
Armenians in 37 countries.