Author: Chalian Meline

SETTLEMENT OF FROZEN-CONFLICTS IN TERRITORY OF GUAM COUNTRIES WILL CONTRIBUTE TO STABILITY AND REGIONAL SECURITY

ArmInfo
2008-09-29 13:53:00

ArmInfo. "The recent developments in the territory of GUAM countries
show that the resolution of conflicts outsteps the GUAM format. The
situation in Georgia and Nagorny Karabakh conflict is serious threat
to international and regional security", stated Elmar Mammadyarov,
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister in his address to UN 63rd Session,
APA reports.

According to Mr. Mammadyarov, the recent developments in Georgia
require the enlargement of all efforts in international security
system in order to restore the stability in the region. "Evidently,
the situation in the region concerns us directly and Azerbaijan wants
to help to solve the problem. We firmly reiterate that all problems
in the region should be solved peacefully and through dialogues within
the frame of international law. The minister believes that settlement
of frozen conflicts in the territory of GUAM will bring direct benefit
not only the conflicting states but will also contribute to stability
and regional security.

Mr. Mammadyarov emphasized the importance of "Security and Cooperation
Platform in Caucasus" put forward by Turkey in establishing the
security system in the region. Azeri Foreign minister firmly stated
that any kind of cooperation with Armenia might be possible only
after Armenia draws back from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan

Europe Takes Azerbaijan as Real Reliable Strategic Partner: Azerbaijan
Strategic Studies Centre

28.09.08 12:05

Azerbaijan, Baku, 27 September /Trend News corr. R.Novruzov/ Trend
News interview with Elkhan Nuriyev, the Director of the Azerbaijani
Presidential Administration Centre for Strategic Studies.

Question: What is your appraisal of the success of the conferences
that have been lately held in Berlin and Moscow in terms of
positioning of Azerbaijan and informing the international community of
the realias about the country? Which issues were mostly debated?

Answer: The Berlin conference was organized by the Azerbaijani
Presidential Administration Centre for Strategic Studies and the
German Council for Foreign Policy (DGAP). That was a part of a range
of international conferences held by prestigious brain centres in the
run-up to the presidential elections in Azerbaijan.

The Moscow conference was organized by the Unity for Russia Foundation
and RussiaÑ – s Strategy magazine. The key goal of the Berlin and
Moscow meetings was to comprehensively analyze the domestic political
situation in Azerbaijan and the prospects of its further development.

German experts, diplomats and parliamentarians and Russian political
scientists, sociologists and economists are deeply interested in the
social and political situation in Azerbaijan in the run-up to the
presidential elections.

All people unanimously said that AzerbaijanÑ – s current President
Ilham Aliyev will be definitely elected to the second term and that he
is a non-alternative candidate. The European political elite say
Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev is drawing up a new political paradigm
Ñ – from stable economy to strong and flourishing state based on
democracy, market principles and free civil society.

The conferences may be considered to be a large success of the
national expert community of Azerbaijan at the international
scene. Our main credo is that to enable the international experts to
get more acquainted with current domestic political processes in
Azerbaijan, foreign political strategy and its priorities. The
greatest aspiration of European experts was to forecast the situation
which will occur in Azerbaijan after the elections and to determine
the guiding lines, to put it more precisely the replies, to the
question `which new trends may appear in Azerbaijan-Europe and
Azerbaijan-Russian relationsÑ – .

In fact, both conferences were held at a rather high level. During the
discussions, the European experts stated the importance of Azerbaijan,
dynamically developing and following an independent course, as a
factor of regional stabilization, as well as the importance of further
enhancement of mutually beneficial strategic relations between
Azerbaijan and the European Union, Azerbaijan and Russia. Both Russia
and Germany learnt more new facts from Azerbaijani experts about the
political and economic reforms carried out by the administration of
the country, the current problems of Azerbaijan related to settling of
the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Question: What must be the strategic guiding lines in cooperation with
European Union?

Answer: The question of energy security is one of the strategic
orientations in the co-operation of Azerbaijan with the European
Union. Europe uses the support of Azerbaijan, which carries out
balanced, multi-vector, diversified foreign policy, and Europe is
interested in obtaining energy resources from Azerbaijan.

Europe considers Azerbaijan as a real reliable strategic partner, but
the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the most
important strategic orientation in the co-operation with the European
Union for Azerbaijan. The EU must more actively participate in the
process of regulating Ñ – not only to observe the process, but also
strengthen its foreign policy actions in this direction in order to
actively participate in it.

Majority of experts at the conferences in Berlin and Moscow indicated
the need to form a new architecture of regional security, emphasizing
that the big powers of the world and international organizations
recognize territorial integrity and sovereignty of Azerbaijan, and
speak about liberation of Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia.

Answer: Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was one of the
issues discussed at conferences in Berlin and Moscow. What assistance
can Europe and Russia render in settling this protracted conflict?

Answer: – Europe and Russia can do much in the solution of conflict
because the EU is represented in the OSCE Minsk Group, and Russia is
the key player on the South Caucasus territory. Therefore, Russia and
EU must activate their efforts to regulate this conflict. It is
necessary that Russia and EU would more actively contribute to the
solution of problem in order to establish durable stability and
long-term security in the region.

Unfortunately, still the destructive position of the neighboring side
prevents the solution of conflict. Therefore, in Berlin and Moscow
thoughts were sounded that Armenia should seriously think of its
position if it is interested in stability and security the entire
region, in which Azerbaijan and all other countries of region are very
interested.

Question: Over recent period, activation is recorded in
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. How do you consider real the solution
of conflict in near future?

– Much in this question depend on Armenia. Despite the declarative
character of the last statements, Armenia must seriously think of a
change in its position and approach the question of regulating
conflict from a pragmatic point of view because the country is in a
very difficult situation, isolation. Armenia itself is guilty of the
fact that it does not participate in any of the transnational projects
of geopolitical importance, in which Azerbaijan and Georgia operate.

In the case of regulating conflict, Armenian economy will obtain great
possibilities for the development and it can become connecting link in
South Caucasus. Here much depends also on the Armenian-Turkish
relations, but still there are no real advances from the Armenian
side, yet all these take only declarative character. In the solution
of conflict, much depends on the real and pragmatic proposals of the
co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group, on the active position of big
powers – Russia, European Union and the USA.

I must say that the European political elite contains a clear opinion
that even in spite of million refugees, unsettledness of conflict,
Azerbaijan develops, continues to remain dynamic, stable country, and
is the leading state in the region.

It was especially noted during both conferences that Azerbaijan is
already regional power and serious geopolitical player in South
Caucasus, which allows many European politicians and experts to make
appropriate conclusions regarding the future of Azerbaijan.

SHE SINGS IN BEAUTY
Richard Todd

Ottawa Citizen
September 27, 2008
Canada

Songs from Armenia? You don’t run across them every day and that’s
a pity if this CD is any indication. Soprano superstar Isabel
Bayrakdarian was born in Lebanon and moved to Canada in her teens. But
her ancestry is Armenian.

In her latest CD, she presents music of Gomidas, a priest and
ethnomusicologist active in the years before the First World War. He
was not so much a composer as a distiller of Armenia’s musical
heritage.

There are 18 songs and two dances in the collection. Only one item,
the song Call to the Sea, displays any influence of the musical
currents of the time. The rest seem to have inferred their entire
spirit from the folk material from which they are derived. They are
clear of texture, melodic and subtly exotic.

Bayrakdarian’s voice is a marvel. Songs for children, songs of nature,
of love, of humour, of yearning, she finds exactly the right mode of
expression for each one. You have to wonder if there’s another singer
anywhere in the world who could do them equal justice.

Two dances for piano are played with spirit by Serouj Kradjian,
who also did the orchestral arrangements for the songs.

Bayrakdarian brings a manifest love to the material on this CD. So
does everyone else involved, from arranger Kradjian to conductor
Eduard Topchjan and the Chamber Players of the Armenian Philharmonic
Orchestra. Nothing is overstated or hammed up. The focus is on the
beauty and dignity of the music.

There is almost a sense of sacredness to the enterprise and that sense
is perhaps the strongest in the achingly beautiful love song Chinar
es (Tall as the Poplar Tree). It ends with words that must resonate
with everyone of Armenian background "My love, for the love of God,
don’t forget me, even though you are far away."

POP & ROCK

Only by the Night Rating 3 1/2

Kings of Leon (RCA)

The Kings of Leon have another go at the epic sweep that showed up
on their third disc, Because of the Times, in place of the Southern
stomp-and-yelp of their great second disc, Aha Shake Heartbreak. The
new disc won’t define their sound as did the earlier two, but it’s
a solid outing from the best band in America that America largely
ignores (the Tennessee band of brothers sell millions in Britain,
far less at home).

The strongest tracks come first in a blast of spacey guitar (Closer),
raw, distorted bass (Crawl, like Death from Above 1979 reborn),
and Sex on Fire (No. 1 in Britain for two weeks running.) The
preternaturally ragged voice of Caleb Followill wails throughout,
at times indecipherable, but always compelling.

Peter Simpson

Versus Rating 3

The Haunted (Century Media)

Melodic death metal was spawned in Sweden’s vast wilderness, a tuneful
genre spiked with intense vocal outbursts and tasteful twin guitar
fireworks. The Haunted define the oeuvre and, though they stumble on
this disc, the overall tone is effective.

Crusher is an exercise in rampaging death, where Peter Dolving’s
tortured utterances shine through the mix. He can yell with the best
without resorting to trendy pig squeals or Cookie Monster guttural
posturing. Pieces drips venom, Dolving’s rage balanced by an axe attack
that gives Lamb Of God reason to quake in their Converses. Skuld,
a dark ambient passage, should have been dropped, but Iron Mask may
be the best tune Tool never wrote.

What the Haunted may lack in innovation they recoup in history. Welcome
to the old school. Class dismissed.

Shawn Jam Hill

Delivered Rating 3 1/2

Mark Erelli (Signature Sounds)

Faced with the costs of making his newest album a quality venture,
American singer/songwriter Mark Erelli e-mailed his fans asking
for financial support. He got $10,0000; his fans got early,
autographed copies of a CD that, no doubt, confirmed their investment
know-how. Erelli — sometimes reminiscent of Dylan, sometimes of
Springsteen, but mostly just his own man — delivers a solid mix of
public and private stories. The war in Iraq, a blue collar life, love
and death: Erelli treats them all with appropriate degrees of fury,
compassion and directness. Accompaniment ranges from stark acoustic
guitar to full orchestration.

Despite his detailing of his country’s horrific missteps, he is
ultimately a hopeful man and his music affirming.

Patrick Langston

JAZZ

Runaway Rating 3 1/2

George Colligan (Sunnyside)

There’s more to George Colligan than what the New York pianist
presented at his Ottawa concert last April.

Apart from making fine contemporary piano-trio jazz as he did at
the National Arts Centre’s Fourth Stage, AC, Colligan has a taste for
getting funky, with the best 1970s fusion as his point of departure. He
plays more than a bit of trumpet too, and dabbles in lyric-writing.

Runaway presents all of Colligan’s interests in one package. End of
a Dynasty, the opener, and Ghostland are heavy-hitting acoustic trio
tunes that bring McCoy Tyner to mind. The Righteous is an electrified
groover, like a more modest Return to Forever offering. When I Go
is a dreamy waltz featuring Kerry Politzer’s airy singing. Innocent
Truth shows off Colligan’s straight-ahead trumpet chops.

>From this diverse set, the funkier tunes seem strongest. But all of
them do Colligan proud.

Peter Hum

RATINGS

Rating 5 A classic of the genre

Rating 4 Excellent

Rating 3 Good

Rating 2 Fair

Rating 1 If your host puts this on, leave.

Your CD here

Send your CD to culture editor Peter Simpson at:

Ottawa Citizen, 1101 Baxter Rd.,

Ottawa, K2C 3M4

E-mail exciting info to: [email protected]

NOR NORK AND ITS DISTRICT HEAD ARE THE SAME AGE

A1+
[08:15 pm] 25 September, 2008

Current Nor Nork district head and running candidate David Petrosyan
is campaigning on his own by simply going around the communities and
talking with the residents. "I have no problems with the residents,"
told "A1+" today David Petrosyan whose runner-up for the elections to
be held on September 28 is Melik Gasparyan. So, the two candidates
are Republican, but the Republican Party has officially announced
that it endorses Davit Petrosyan.

Petrosyan refused to talk about his opponent and mentioned that he had
agreed to refrain from personal insults upon his nomination. Whereas
Gasparyan has already insulted Petrosyan in the presses, Petrosyan
has kept his word. Let us add that Gasparyan has worked in the trade
department of the Nor Nork quarter municipality before his nomination,
yet David Petrosyan said that he will not work with his colleague
regardless of the September 28 election results and did not go into
details.

Petrosyan’s slogan is "Let’s move on together". According to him, the
community head elections are not political and the main precondition
is the mutual confidence between the candidate and the voters. "I
have been living in Nor Nork since 1972," said Davit Petrosyan. So,
the Nor Nork district and the current district head are the same age,
which means that they are well acquainted. In his political platform,
Petrosyan promises to continue the work he has already begun which,
according to him, is transparent.

"Today, people are not talking about the lack of playgrounds,
greeneries and other issues, but rather why this area is not
reconstructed or why there is no greenery in a certain area and I
consider that progress," said Petrosyan. David Petrosyan underlined the
social programs underway and mentioned that the quarter municipality
is also keeping an eye on the 280 veterans of the Great Patriotic War.

Petrosyan is sure that he will get a large voter turnout not for his
political affiliation, but rather for the work he has done. In fact,
before his nomination, the Nor Nork district head elections used to
end with beatings, falsifications and bribes. "I know for a fact that
there will not be any violations, disputes and violence during these
upcoming elections. The people will choose based on their conscience",
said Petrosyan.

ARE THE SCENES OF BRUTALITY MOUNTED?

A1+
[07:03 pm] 24 September, 2008

On September 24, on the 100th day of his tenure of office, Chief
of the RoA Police Alik Sargsyan held a press conference. Naturally,
most questions addressed to the Chief of Police referred to the March
1 occurrences.

Reporters of "Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty," "A1+," "Haykakan
Zhamanak" and "Chorrord Ishkhanutiun" posed a lot of questions which
were left unanswered.

They wondered whether the policemen who cruelly beat the citizens in
the footage recently revealed by the opposition have been exposed. The
chief of the police said he had watched the footage and added it had
deliberately been mounted by the authors. The Chief of Police thinks
some images are fake and mounted; others are being scrutinized closely
by relevant bodies.

"There are images of policemen carrying weapons, which is not
strange. The police were carrying weapons as shooting was heard on
that day. Carrying a weapon is one thing, whereas shooting from it
is quite another thing," said the Chief of Police.

To remind, a high-ranking policeman had carried a weapon earlier in
the day when no shots were heard on the scene.

However, the reporters repeated that they meant the beating of an
unarmed man clearly seen in the footage. Alik Sargsyan said a realistic
approach is needed. "When there is a crowd, when emotions are on
the peak, when the problem of self-defense occurs, it is difficult
to expect a policeman to stay calm." Alik Sargsyan said there were
fights for which he was not going to try any policeman.

He also said an investigation had been launched on the basis of the
footage to define the punishment for the wrongdoers

The reporters also tried to find out what has happened to the footages
of A1+, ALM and Yerkir Media channels, which were confiscated by the
police on March 1 and have not been returned so far. Alik Sargsyan
said the police have no footages in their possession, and advised to
turn to the office of Prosecutor General.

We had better wait until the NA ad hoc Committee investigating the
March 1 events completes its work. Much will be clear afterwards.

GUL: CAUCASUS STABILITY PLATFORM CAN FACILITATE KARABAKH RESOLUTION

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.09.2008 13:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform will
facilitate resolution of frozen conflicts in the region, including
Nagorno Karabakh, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said in his address
to UN General Assembly.

"Turkey’s initiative was welcomed by Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia
and Russia," he said, Turkish media reports.

Following hostilities in South Ossetia, Ankara offered formation of a
Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform, which could unite Turkey,
Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia. RA President Serzh Sarsgyan welcomed
the initiative as an attempt to create a favorable atmosphere in
the region.

Touching upon the Cypriot problem, Mr Gul said it’s time to end the
isolation of the Turkish population of Cyprus.

Armenian National Committee of Massachusetts
47 Nichols Avenue
Watertown MA 02472
617-926-1918
[email protected]

PRESS RELEASE
September 24=2C 2008

Contact: 617-347-2833

WATERTOWN TOWN COUNCIL CALLS ON BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD TO
DISSASSOCIATE WITH CONTROVERSIAL ADL PROGRAM
Unanimously votes to call on the National ADL to End its Opposition to
Armenian Genocide Reaffirmation

WATERTOWN, MA – The Watertown Town Council unanimously voted last
night in support of a resolution calling on Blue Cross Blue Shield
(BCBS) of Massachusetts to ends its endorsement of the Anti Defamation
League’s (ADL) controversial No Place for Hate (NPFH) program, citing
the ADL’s opposition to Armenian Genocide affirmation efforts,
reported the Armenian National Committee of Massachusetts (ANCM).The
resolution, introduced by Councilors Marilyn Petitto Devaney, Stephen
Corbett, and Mark Sideris, was taken up during a regular Town Council
session, which was moved in advance to the Watertown Middle School to
accommodate the growing interest in this scandal.

The vote on the resolution was prefaced by the reading of a brief
statement by Jay Curley, BCBS’s Senior Vice President for Public,
Government and Regulatory Affairs, who was present at the Council’s
request. Following Mr. Curley’s statement, all nine Town Council
members asked detailed questions regarding the BCBS position.

BCBS’s Curley said that Blue Cross `firmly believes there can be no
ambiguity about the genocide’ and that it should not be hidden under
confusing language. Curley, however, announced that BCBS intended to
continue its partnership with the ADL `based on assurances’ [that the
ADL has recognized the Armenian genocide.] He followed that by stating
that if BCBS finds out that is not the case, `we will withdraw
support."

When asked by Councilor Corbett if this assurance was written or
verbal, Curley said that they were verbal, noting that the assurances
came from the New England ADL and that they were followed up by a
letter from Foxman, which was "perfectly clear and unambiguous to us."
Curley noted, however that BCBS was `disappointed’ with the tone and
tenor of the communication from Foxman.

The communication in question is the August 22, 2008, ADL letter that
was buried on its web page and signed solely by its national director,
Abraham Foxman, stating, `ADL has never denied the tragic and painful
events perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire against the Armenians, and we
have referred to those massacres and atrocities as genocide.’ This
letter goes on to falsely accuse those who are working to end genocide
denial of `demonizing’ opponents of Armenian Genocide reaffirmation.

Councilor Devaney noted that BCBS’s `continued affiliation with ADL
means not only complicity in genocide denial but also is clear
discrimination.’

In addition, Councilor Vincent Piccirilli told Curley that citizens
`of Watertown are somewhat dismayed with the talking around the issue
and the failure to come clean.’

When asked by Councilor Sideris if BCBS would help get an unequivocal
statement from the ADL on the Armenian Genocide, Curly responded, that
getting involved in national politics `is not something we do.’

Councilor Jonathan Hecht answered by stating that by continuing to
play these games, BCBS was undermining the effort to prevent future
genocides.’

`The Watertown Town Council has taken a principled stand in calling
for corporations to adhere to basic human rights principles,’ stated
ANCM chairperson Sharistan Melkonian. `It is unfortunate that Blue
Cross Blue Shield finds the ADL’s disingenuous August 2008 statement
as satisfactory when in fact it clearly indicates that the ADL is
unwilling to come out with a simple, clear, unambiguous statement
acknowledging the Armenian Genocide. We thank the Council and in
particular Councilors Corbett, Sideris, and Devaney for their
leadership and for sending a strong message to Blue Cross that human
rights are absolute.’

Yesterday, twenty-five Armenian organizations and churches sent an
open letter to BCBS Chairman Cleve Killingsworth calling on BCBS to
end its endorsement of the ADL’s NPFH program.

`The ADL simply cannot portray itself as a universal human rights
organization while it engages in genocide denial,’ the letter
read. `The ADL has an existential contradiction between its two
missions as a human rights organization and as an ethnic advocacy
group. Whenever these two purposes conflict, the ADL prioritizes its
advocacy interests – not human rights. Acknowledging this
contradiction, Mr. Foxman admitted, `there are two moral issues, but
one trumps the other.”

The Watertown Town Council passed a second resolution last night
calling for a representative of the National ADL to appear before the
Council at a future date.

Background

The ADL has for many years refused to acknowledge that the systematic
massacre of 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1923 was
genocide. To make matters worse, the ADL has actively engaged in
efforts to oppose Congressional affirmation of the Armenian Genocide.

Only after intense pressure which started in Watertown, Massachusetts
during the summer of 2007, did the national ADL issue its `Statement
on the Armenian Genocide’ referred to above. In addition, the ADL
remains on the record opposing Armenian Genocide legislation
(including the pending H.Res.106 / S.Res.106), arguing that short term
geopolitical considerations related to Turkey-Israel-US relations
should take precedence over the moral imperative of condemning
genocide whenever and wherever it occurs.

The ADL convened its national meeting in New York City in early
November 2007 at which time the issue of the Armenian Genocide was
discussed. Upon conclusion, a one sentence press statement was issued
that `The National Commission of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL)
today, at its annual meeting, decided to take no further action on the
issue of the Armenian genocide.’

The controversy first came to light on July 6 when the Watertown Tab
published a letter that spotlighted ADL national director Abe Foxman’s
statements opposing Congressional Armenian Genocide legislation. The
letter asked the local "No Place For Hate" chapter to disassociate
itself from the ADL. NPFH is a national trademark of the national ADL.

The situation intensified in an explosive August 1 front page Boston
Globe article in which the Armenian National Committee condemned
Foxman’s genocide denial and stated that the ANC would "call for the
Watertown ‘No Place for Hate’ program to sever its ties with the ADL
unless it denounces Foxman’s position and acknowledges the genocide."

Later a community petition called on the Watertown No Place for Hate
committee "in keeping with its principles" to urge the ADL to
unambiguously acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and support
Congressional affirmation.

Watertown then became the first town to end its relationship with the
No Place for Hate Program by a unanimous vote of the Town Council,
which set the stage for numerous other public meetings in communities
throughout Massachusetts, where this issue was brought to the
attention of human rights commissions and town and city councils.

Watertown was followed by twelve other Massachusetts municipalities
including Belmont, Newton, Arlington, Northampton, Bedford, Lexington,
Westwood, Medford, Needham, Newburyport, Somerville, and Peabody.

For complete information about the ADL controversy surrounding the
Armenian Genocide visit

####

GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER COMMEMORATES ARMENIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY

armradio.am
23.09.2008 11:33

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger joined with Armenian
Americans in marking the 17th anniversary of the independence of the
Republic of Armenia.

Schwarzenegger congratulated all Armenians in California on September
21, 2008 which marks Armenia’s independence in 1991 from decades of
soviet rule.

"Greetings to all who have gathered to celebrate Armenian Independence
Day. California is home to a fantastic mix of customs and cultures,
and today, I thank our Armenian-American residents for the wonderful
influence you have on our state. Your many contributions enrich
our communities, strengthen our economy and touch the lives of your
fellow Californians.

It’s a distinct honor to join you in commemorating this special
occasion. As an immigrant, I know firsthand the joy that comes in
celebrating your ancestral roots. Days like this not only remind us
of time-honored traditions, but also of the great diversity that we
enjoy here in our Golden State.

On behalf of all Californians, I wish you a memorable observance and
every future success," Arnold Schwarzenegger said.

YOUTH IN ACTION

The FINANCIAL
22/09/2008 15:05 (01:36 minutes ago)
Georgia

The FINANCIAL — The Economic Forum of Young Leaders 2008 has
officially finished an agreement supporting the citizenship education
of young people in Georgia. The agreement between the organizers of
the Forum and Caucasus University (CU) was signed in the presence of
Deputy Prime Minister Giorgi Baramidze.

"This agreement will enable us to send a minimum of 3 students annually
to the Economic Forum of Young Leaders. On 5 October an international
press conference on media issues will be held in Tbilisi . There will
be delegations from Germany, Ukraine and Eastern European countries,"
Kakha Shengelia, President of CU, said to The FINANCIAL. "We are
going to put more effort into working with our European and North
American partners. More students will be sent to study in Europe,
the USA, Asia and Africa. One of our missions is to make sure that
each of our students spends at least one semester studying abroad."

The situation in the aftermath of the conflict in Georgia was one
of the main topics of the Economic Forum of Young Leaders. Over 300
young leaders of political, economic, social, and non-governmental
organizations from 42 countries from the European Union, Eastern Europe
and the Caucasus took part in the four-day Forum in Nowy SÄ…cz.

"We met about 300 people from different countries of the European
Union at the forum. We’ve made contacts with young leaders from
Poland, Ukraine , Latvia, Lithuania, Turkey, Bulgaria, Hungary and
many other countries. Currently we are working on new projects with
our new partners. We will actively take part in the "Youth in Action"
program. This program connects different country representatives and
gives young people the opportunity to get funding for the projects,"
Helen Ghelaghutashvilli, participant of the Economic Forum of Young
Leaders 2008, told The FINANCIAL

The President of Caucasus University (CU), Kakha Shengelia and students
of CU, George Avaliani (sophomore, CSB), Helen Ghelaghutashvilli
(sophomore, CSB), Sophie Sarishvili (senior, CSL) visited Nowy SÄ…cz
(Poland) and attended the "Economic Forum for Young Leaders 2008",
which took place at the beginning of September 2008. Dr. Shengelia
took part in a discussion panel with the following topics "Values
and politics: challenges of XXI century" & "Cultural Heritage and
Business".

There was no participation fee for the students. The travel costs of up
to EUR 350 were covered by the organizational office of the Forum. The
office also provided and covered all expenses of accommodation and
meals during the event.

The Forum is a place of discussion and reflection about important
problems and challenges for Europe. It has a special impact on the
role of the young generation in the process of social and economic
changes on the continent. The subjects of the Forum were as follow:
identity and European values and most of all the meaning of solidarity
in the contemporary world. There were discussions on the issues of
the vision of the European Union, development based on knowledge and
youth workers mobility.

The participants of the Economic Forum were Reinhard Selten (Nobel
Prize laureate in Economics), Giorgi Baramidze (Deputy Prime-Minister
of Georgia), Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz (Prime Minister of Poland),
Viviane Reding (European Commissioner for Information Society and
Media), Robert Sutor (Vice-President of IBM), Leopold Unger (Publisher
of Le Soir) and many others.

Very significant aspects of the Forum were workshops organized by
coaches of the European Union program "Youth in Action". "Informal
education is a useful tool thanks to which young people learn how to
talk. This technique can be successfully applied to politics or in
studying the mechanisms of economy," said Dorota Prymek, a workshop
coach of the "Youth in Action" Programme.

"We are going to actively work with our neighbour Turkish and Armenian
partners. This partnership will entail participating in the process
as a mediator between two parties," said George Avaliani, sophomore
at the Caucasus School of Business.

The coaches of the Programme organized three workshops for
the participants of the Forum: the active role of the youth in
socio-political life; the variability of cultures and fighting against
social exclusion. Divided into small groups, the young leaders prepared
presentations about the most important challenges and problems that
are interwoven in our social lives.

The participants of the workshops also noticed that fighting global
problems is often connected with acting for one’s own local society

"The Forum was on issues that are currently important for the
European Union, such as Europe challenging the 21st century,
Georgia’s integration in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO),
increasing the role of young leaders in solving the political issues in
Europe. Despite the fact there was a Russian delegation present at the
Forum all of the countries supported Georgia," noted Sophie Sarishvili,
senior at the Caucasus School of Law, and participant of the Forum.

According to the participants, the Forum establishes the role of the
young generation within the social and economic changes taking place
on the Eurasian Continent.

The parties agreed to exchange information and invitations to
projects and events organized by them; search the participants in
their countries and among partner institutions, elaborate joined
project of political education in future; develop the idea of the
Economic Forum of Young Leaders.

This agreement establishes closer cooperation between the parties in
the process of elaborating political education programmes in Europe
and strategic partnership in organizing the Economic Forum of Young
Leaders.

The Caucasus University is recognized as a strategic partner of the
Economic Forum of Young Leaders. This strategic partnership means
commitment to promotion of the Forum among Georgian organizations,
nomination of the two best young leaders from Georgia as candidates
for participation in the Forum each year; support of the Forum by
inviting guest speakers and outstanding politicians, economists from
Georgia and other European countries. "Common multinational projects,
internships and trainings, as well as support for NGOs are the specific
measurement of the Forum in Nowy SÄ…cz," Giorgi Baramidze summed
up the agreement.

–Boundary_(ID_kk3wIO2ale3IwkIE7B6ugQ) —

Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom

Table Tennis: England caught napping

By John Woodford in Osaka

Last Updated: 4:04AM BST 20 Sep 2008

THE World Championship match between Wales and England had to be
rescheduled yesterday when the Welsh women’s team arrived at the table
at 8am to discover that their opponents had not yet got out of bed.

Organisers had switched the match from evening to early morning after
the Turkmenistan team arrived late, but they failed to ensure that all
the players knew of the change. Wales wanted to claim the match but a
settlement was reached and it will now be played at midday
today. England will also meet Turkmenistan today and the men’s team,
3-2 winners against Armenia in their opening match, face Turkey.

England’s Louise Durrant is still struggling with a wrist injury,
leaving the line-up as Helen Lower, Katy Parker – daughter of the
former European champion Jill Parker – and Natalie Bawden.

Favourites for the Swayth- ling Cup, the men’s world team trophy, are
China, who are fielding one of the strongest teams ever seen,
spearheaded by world No 1 Wang Liqin, holder of the English Open
title.

Sweden, holders of the cup after beating China 3-2 in the final in
Kuala Lumpur last year, are the second seeds. They are at full
strength, led by the former Olympic and world champion Jan Waldmer and
supported by Jorgen Persson and European champion Peter Karlsson.

England’s men were forced to battle hard in their late-night opening
match, winning 3-2 against lowly Armenia. Terry Young and Gareth
Herbert were beaten by the Armenian No 1, Samuel Vardanyan, but both
redeemed themselves with victories over David Sargsyan. The decisive
result came when Andrew Baggaley beat Murad Asatryan.

England will need to lift themselves today if they are to make further
progress.