Author: Chatinian Lara

ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS: IT IS HIGH TIME FOR ARMENIA TO DISPLAY INDEPENDENCE AND STOP TRAILING DEVELOPMENTS

ArmInfo
2009-10-16 15:14:00

ArmInfo. It is high time for Armenia to display independence and
stop trailing developments, David Shakhnazaryan, Representative of
the Armenian National Congress, told media on Friday.

"I am presenting the proposals that I promised to present when it
is time to ratify the Armenian-Turkish protocols. I think it will
be difficult for the parliament to reject these proposals because I
suggest the parliament to pass a law prohibiting discussion of the
Armenian Genocide-related issues by the Armenian- Turkish historical
subcommission," Shakhnazaryan said. He is sure the authorities have
no reason to reject the given proposal otherwise it will mean that
they are going to discuss Genocide issue with Turkey. In addition,
Shakhnazaryan suggests the Armenian parliament to ratify the protocols
the first not waiting for the Turkish party to do that. Armenia must
set a condition that its ratification will become null if Turkey fails
to ratify the protocols within 2 months. "If the Armenian authorities
reject these proposals, it will mean that the Armenian-Turkish
relations depend on Karabakh conflict settlement. I propose this not
as a ANC representative but as a citizen of Armenia," he said.

As regards the Armenia vs. Turkey football match in Bursa,
Shakhnazaryan said: "Journalists were a real Armenian factor in the
stadium and not the authorities that were exultant over each goal of
the Turkish team."

Presidents of Armenia and Turkey Serzh Sargsyan and Abdullah Gul
watched the Armenia vs. Turkey qualifying match in the Turkish town
of Bursa on October 14. The game ended 2:0 in favor of Turkey.

Armenia and Turkey signed the "Protocol on the establishment
of diplomatic relations" and the "Protocol on the development of
bilateral relations" in Zurich on October 10. To come into effect
the protocols must be submitted to the respective Parliaments for
the ratification on each side. Armenia and Turkey have no diplomatic
relations and their border was closed in 1993 by Ankara.

UAR HELPS ARMENIANS OF RUSSIA TO HAVE A FREE MEDICAL EXAMINATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.10.2009 20:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Union of Armenians of Russia plays an important
role in providing medical assistance to the Armenians living in
Russia, Professor Arnold Adamian said during a round table in Yerevan
today. According to him, around 2000 Armenians have been examined
for free by the best specialists in Russia. There are many doctors
who go to villages to help those who need medical assistance.

As the academician of the Department of Natural Sciences of the RA NAS
Vilen Hakobyan said, "Turkey is trying to drive a wedge in relations
between Armenia and Diaspora. We must do everything to prevent it".

He also touched upon cooperation between Armenia and Russia in
education sphere. "We have to do a lot to preserve the Armenian
language of in the Armenian schools in Russia, as well as to return
the Russian language to our schools," the academician said.

40-YEAR-OLD FOUNDATION WINS A CARNEGIE FOR KOC FAMILY

Today’s Zaman
17 October 2009, Saturday

The Vehbi Koc Foundation’s 40 years of philanthropic work have won
the Koc family a prestigious Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy.

Carnegie Medals of Philanthropy are awarded every two years to one
or more individuals who "have dedicated their private wealth to the
public good and who have sustained their philanthropic activities."

The awards are named for Scottish-American businessman Andrew
Carnegie. The Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy is a prize that is
conferred jointly by the over 20 institutions Carnegie founded around
the world and is known as the "Nobel Prize of philanthropy." The
medals are awarded in a different city every year.

Koc Holding Honorary Chairman Rahmi Koc, the son of Vehbi Koc,
accepted the award on behalf of his family at an award ceremony
held at the New York Public Library on Thursday. Speaking there, he
summarized his feelings with the following words: "This is without
a doubt one of the most important moments of my life." Saying that
it was of great symbolic importance for the Vehbi Koc Foundation
to be recognized with such an award in its 40th year, he said:
"Andrew Carnegie’s words on how it’s more difficult to spend money
wisely than to earn it were frequently repeated by our father, and
they became our guide in philanthropy. As his children, we continued
his legacy and his philosophy."

His older sister, Semahat Arsel, who administrates the foundation,
called the award "a blessing from God to us." Other recipients
of the award this year included New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg;
former Citigroup CEO Sanford Weill and his wife, Joan Weill; and
Intel cofounder Gordon Moore.

The fact that Armenian-American Vartan Gregoryan, a member of the award
coordination committee, wrote a letter of congratulations to Koc ahead
of the Carnegie ceremony, which took place after major protocols were
signed between Turkey and Armenia last week, is being viewed by some
pundits as a show of support from the Armenian diaspora in the United
States for dialogue between Turkey and Armenia.

Accompanying Koc in New York were Arsel and Koc’s sons Mustafa,
Omer and Ali Koc. He said in his speech that he was greatly honored
to accept the award on behalf of his family and country.

The honorary chairman of Koc Holding explained how his father was
affected by philanthropic foundations during a 1946 trip to the US.

"My father would say: ‘In this country, you have to give back a segment
of what you make to the community. These structures can be in the form
of equipment or scholarships.’ … Immediately after the Second World
War, he saw that there were large foundations behind major hospitals,
universities and museums in the US. The love of humanity had been
institutionalized; he was greatly affected by this," he said.

When Vehbi Koc returned to Turkey, his son explained, he tried to
establish a foundation, but the nation lacked the necessary legal
framework. "For 23 years, he worked without tiring with different prime
ministers, governments and parliamentarians to create such a law. In
the end, he was successful and established the first foundation in
Turkey, which carried his own name."

The Vehbi Koc Foundation is headed by Rahmi Koc’s older sister, Arsel,
and is known for its support of education, health and culture.

EU proposes macroeconomic help for Armenia, Georgia

Reuters
Fri Oct 16, 2009 6:48am EDT

BRUSSELS, Oct 16 (Reuters) – The European Commission has proposed providing
100 million euros ($149.2 million) of macroeconomic assistance to Armenia
and 46 million euros to Georgia, the EU’s executive arm said on Friday.

The aid to Armenia — a loan of up to 65 million euros and a grant of up to
35 million euros — would support an adjustment programme agreed with the
International Monetary Fund to help the country through the global crisis,
the Commission said.

The assistance to Georgia is part of a European Union package of up to 500
million euros to help the economy after the country’s conflict with Russia
last year. It will also support an IMF adjustment programme, a Commission
statement said.

The proposals must be formally approved by the 27 EU states. (Reporting by
David Brunnstrom; Editing by Dale Hudson)

SARDARAPAT: ARMENIAN RESPONSE TO ARMENIAN QUESTION

Aysor.am
Wednesday, October 14

The newly created Sardarapat Movement intends to raise a new
democratic wave aimed at current threat resistance, announced at
today’s press-conference the initiative group’s representatives:
hero of the Artsakh War Zhirayr Sefilian, National Assembly deputy
Vardan Khachatryan, and producer Tigran Khzmalyan.

"Today the relations with Armenia’s chief ally – Diaspora – are
threatened. We believe that only a single and well-knit Armenians
can resist world pressure," said Vardan Khachatryan.

According to Tigran Khzmalyan the processes threaten national security.

"Current political recourses and a very weak society are not enough to
provide Armenian Response to Armenian Question," he said, mentioning
that signed in Zurich protocols also mean a new stage of Armenian
Question in world policy, so a new risk of continuing Genocide appears.

"This is similar to the situation during Sardarapat, so this requires
same response."

Zhirayr Sefilian said that Sardarapat Movement is aimed not at
aftermath but at eliminating the causes and forming a moral authority’s
body. The establishment of Sardarapat Movement is underway.

"Our chief goal is to create and to see Armenia land where morality and
justice rule, to create a spiritual-orientated Armenia," said war hero.

THE STORKS HAVE LEFT WITH THE PROMISE TO RETURN
Lena Nazaryan

2009 /10/12 | 18:00

The white storks that have made the village of Apaga their summer
home are now preparing for the arduous flight to warmer climes in
anticipation of the coming winter. When a pair of storks leaves
their massive nest, village residents will find their missing odds
and ends, a missing shoe, a child’s toy or even a garden tool, in the
maze of branches above. During the ensuing winter months, villagers
will forget all about the inconveniences that the storks create and
long for their return, a good omen for the year to come.

Arayik Afrikyan, a resident of Apaga in the Armavir Marz, proudly
points to a thirty year-old stork nest atop his house. The home owner
has given up repairing the cracks in the walls due to the sheer weight
of the nest but hasn’t decided to remove it. "What can I do? The
birds have wrecked the roof. They’ve built their nest right atop the
water pipe and refashion it every year," complains Mr. Afrikyan. He
ten smiles and says that four baby storks were born this year. When
his wife also began to voice her litany of complaints, I asked why
they didn’t remove the nest. "Those are our storks up there. We’ve
practically grown up together," Arayik replied. "Next year I’ll repair
the roof. I’ll build a platform to raise the nest on," he explains,
seeking to console himself that in this fashion his roof will be out
of harm’s way.

Village residents are loathe to destroy a stork’s nest even when it
gets so heavy that it threatens their homes and property. They complain
and curse the birds but will never remove a nest themselves. If a
nest has to be removed they get others to do the dirty work.

"White Stork" project protects existing nests

Starting in 2005, the American University of Armenia’s "Hakobyan
Ecological Center" has been conducting its "White Stork" research
project. The nests are protected by staff members and village residents
whose homes or trees have been chosen by the birds as nesting sites.

Considered to be the closest neighbor to a nesting pair of storks,
Arayik Afrikyan fills out a questionnaire supplied by the Center
regarding the birds’ migratory patterns, brood size, etc. At the end
of the year he hands over the completed form to the researchers for
tabulation. In this fashion, local residents have kept tabs on some
996 stork nests in Armenia over the past few years. Each of the nests
is affixed with a plaque that reads "Protected". According to last
year’s survey, 680 nests had roosting pairs, 21 were inhabited by a
single stork and the rest went empty. Such statistics are necessary
not only to maintain healthy stocks of white storks in Armenia but
also serve as an indicator of regional pollution.

Storks have no natural predators. Pairs with broods will literally
throw out those chicks that are weak or ill from the nest in order to
maintain a healthy next generation. In areas where large numbers of
chicks are "pushed out" in this natural selection process, there is
a high probability that the young birds have succumbed to increasing
levels of pollution or industrial exhausts. Observations along these
lines require long-term scientific study.

Villagers keep tabs on stork behavior

"At first it was hard to convince people to follow-up and take notes
of the information we required. People in the villages are out working
in the fields all day and had other things on their mind. Sometimes
they forgot and sometimes they got angry that we were asking to do
all this for free. But we cajoled and coaxed them and spent time
with them in the fields, etc. In the end, the villagers cam around
and promised to help out," says Maro Kochinyan, a project staffer.

Storks usually build nests atop trees, house, electric pylons, and
even statues. There are some nests in Armenia that tip the scales at
one ton. With each passing year, the nests grow larger and heavier
since the birds constantly make repairs and additions. This is an
instinctual process because if the nest isn’t repaired the need to
lay eggs doesn’t arise.

Sometimes, nests perched atop electric pylons catch aflame. The larger
birds can fly to safety but the fate of the chicks is different. In
such cases, local resident call the Center for assistance.

The Center has also started to band young birds with identity rings
on their feet. So far some 200 young birds carry the "RoA Citizen"
band. The different numbers on the band allow researchers to track
the movements of individual storks.

It is a little known fact that storks usually change their nests every
year. Rarely do they return to the same nest site. Storks start to
migrate in groups to warmer climes by September and October. Many
rural areas in Armenia have already witnessed the migration of the
white stork. Longtime residents however are certain that they will
return next spring as they have done for time immemorial.

MG OSCE SEEKS TO USE RA-TURKISH RAPPROCHEMENT FOR NKR CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.10.2009 17:46 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "RA-Turkish rapprochement Protocols’ signing process
was interesting and unpredictable," Director of Armenian Center for
National and International Studies, Richard Giragosian told a news
conference in Yerevan. According to him, Turkey was trying its best
to provide OSCE Co-Chairs’ presence at protocol signing ceremony
in an attempt to link RA-Turkish rapprochement with NKR conflict
settlement. Yet, Armenia and Switzerland prevented this from happening,
expressing their categorical protest. "Both Turkey and OSCE Co-Chairs
seek to use RA-Turkish rapprochement for NKR conflict settlement,"
Giragosian noted.

He also commented upon Russia’s passive attitude during Protocol
signing ceremony, noting that it might be explained by improvement
in Russia-Azerbaijan relations.

Addressing NKR conflict settlement issue, Giragosian stressed that
Azerbaijan has no sense of reality and does not understand Karabakh
will never be a part of it.

Commenting on RA President’s visit to Moscow, Giragosian said,
"The President himself is unaware as to the purpose of his visit".

Turkey’s PM: Armenia deal approval linked to Karabakh pullout
Erdogan says Turkey would not look favourably on the accords, signed in
Zurich on Saturday, unless Armenia withdraws from Azerbaijani land.

p?id=48301
Sunday, 11 October 2009 14:55

Turkey’s Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that Armenia’s
withdrawal from Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan would help gain his
parliament’s approval for a peace accord signed between Turkey and
Armenia.

"We as a government paved the way for this co-operation, but whether or
not it will be applied is up to parliament to decide," he told a party
congress in Ankara.

Turkey would not look favourably on the accords, signed in Zurich on
Saturday, unless Armenia withdraws from Azerbaijani land, he said.

"If that issue is solved our people and our parliament will have a more
positive attitude towards this protocol and this process."

Erdogan said earlier this year he would not open the border until
Yerevan ended its occupation of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan on Sunday criticised Turkey-Armenia deal to normalise ties,
warned against unilateral opening of the Turkish-Armenian border
without any progress on Armenia-occupied Karabakh region.

Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic ties or economic relations since
Armenia declared its independence in 1991 and Turkey closed its border
with Armenia in 1993 after this country invaded the Upper-Karabakh
region of Azerbaijan.

In July 2008, the then Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan expressed
Turkey’s willingness to normalize relations with Yerevan.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul travelled to Armenia in September 2008
to watch the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier match between the two
countries upon an invitation by President Serzh Sargsyan of Armenia.

After months-long Swiss mediated talks, Turkey and Armenia agreed about
a month ago on a protocol to establish relations and open the border.

Azerbaijani and Armenian officials are also holding talks for over a
year to find a settlement to the Upper Karabakh dispute.

Gul invited Sargsyan to watch the return match in Turkey on October 14.
However, It is still unclear whether Sargsyah will travel to Turkey.

FINNISH PM HAILS TURKEY FOR INITIATIVES
Reeta Paakkinen

Hurriyet Daily News
Thursday, October 8, 2009

The European Union is likely to welcome Turkey’s normalization talks
with Armenia and its recent democratic initiative, says the Finnish
prime minister, hailing these steps as positive signs. I believe this
will be positively received at the EU, Matti Vanhanen says Finnish
PM hails Turkey for initiatives

Turkey’s democratic initiative and its ongoing normalization talks
with neighboring Armenia are particularly positive signals, Finland’s
Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen said.

Speaking to Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Review on Tuesday,
Vanhanen said the initiatives were likely to be welcomed by the
European Union. Turkey has three main problems with an international
dimension, Vanhanen said. "One of these is the Kurdish question,
another is the relations with Armenia and the third one, the Cyprus
issue. Out of these three, there has been notable progress in two
within a short period of time.

"I believe this will be positively received at the European
Union. Hopefully the agreement with Armenia will be signed," Vanhanen
told the Daily News in an exclusive interview.

Turkey and Armenia are expected to sign a protocol establishing
diplomatic ties between the two countries this weekend. Vanhanen was
in Turkey on Tuesday on a one-day visit with a delegation of eight
Finnish companies. During the visit, he signed a double taxation
agreement between Finland and Turkey and met with President Abdullah
Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Faster EU talks

Vanhanen said negotiations on Turkey’s membership in the EU could be
faster. "So far, the practice has been to open one negotiation chapter
per EU presidency, but the pace could be speeded up," Vanhanen said,
and reminded that although some parts of the European public and
decision-makers are opposing Turkey’s full membership in the EU, the
union has unilaterally decided to negotiate on a full membership. "
t even some leaders have made pretty skeptical statements about
Turkey’s future in the EU. But it is important to remember that
no official decisions on this have been made. The union has made a
unilateral agreement that Turkey is a candidate for full membership
and not any semi-status. The EU will keep its word," Vanhanen said.

On the other hand, Turkey also needs to keep its promises and
continue with the reform process. The first step Turkey should now
take, said Vanhanen, is to ratify the Ankara Protocol and open its
harbors to Greek Cypriot vessels. So far Turkey has not implemented
the protocol, preferring to see the issue of free movement as a part
of a comprehensive settlement on the divided island.

"Traffic is an important part of the EU entity, there cannot be
an exception in the case of Cyprus. Turkey should ratify the Ankara
Protocol and thus prepare the grounds for a comprehensive settlement on
the island because that needs to be resolved as well," Vanhanen said.

On the question of what Finland, as an EU member state, is doing to end
the political and economic isolation of Turkish Cypriots as promised
by the EU in 2004, Vanhanen, could not give concrete or practical
examples. "Finland is prepared to help [Turkish Cypriots] in the
negotiation process in all ways, and also the Turkish [side] knows
this," Vanhanen said. "When Finland held the EU presidency in 2006,
I worked a lot on this issue and learned how difficult the [Cyprus]
question is. Hopefully the United Nations-sponsored negotiations that
are now going on succeed," Vanhanen said.

Boosting trade relations

One of the purposes of Vanhanen’s one-day visit to Turkey was also to
promote closer trade relations between Finland and Turkey, and sign
a tax treaty between the two countries. Trade volume between Turkey
and Finland currently stands at 1 billion euros. "The tax treaty
now signed prevents [all forms of] double taxation, representing an
important step in bilateral relations. I hope that we will also soon
sign an investme s naturally affecting the investment appetite of
Finnish firms in Turkey," Vanhanen said.

Finnish firms are particularly interested in Turkey, not only because
of the country’s growth potential but also because of its growing role
in the region, Vanhanen said. "Whenever we inquire local businesses
where they would like to have a prime ministerial visit combined
with the presence of a business delegation, Turkey is always on the
top of the list. There is notable interest in Turkey among Finnish
business circles."

EDWARD NALBANDIAN PARTOOK IN THE SITTING OF THE CIS FOREIGN MINISTER’S COUNCIL

armradio.am
09.10.2009 11:53

The recurrent sitting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers took
place in Chisnau (Moldova) on September 8. The Armenian delegation
was headed by Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.

Issues on the agenda included promotion of cooperation in the
humanitarian field, intensification of collaboration in the fields
of security and migration policy, etc.

The Ministers approved of and presented to the affirmation of the
CIS heads the project of the call for the 65th anniversary of the
victory of The Great Patriotic War.

The participants of the summit affirmed the agenda of the CIS Council
of Foreign Ministers.