Author: Dabaghian Diana

NATO MUST EXPRESS STRICT POSITION ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT: FIRST VICE-SPEAKER OF AZERBAIJANI PARLIAMENT

Trend
June 25, 2009 Thursday 1:06 PM GMT +4
Azerbaijan

If NATO is willing to cooperate with Azerbaijan, the alliance must
assist in releasing territories occupied by Armenia, the first vice
speaker of the Azerbaijani Milli Mejlis Ziyafet Askerov said.

"NATO remains aloof. We are told that OSCE Minsk Group deals with
this issue. But unfortunately Minsk Group gives no results. My point
of view is the following, NATO must express its strict position
regarding Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," Askerov told Trend News in
Astana on June 25.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and 7 districts surrounding
Nagorno-Karabakh. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia,
France, and the U.S. – are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Basis of cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO was laid by
signing frame document -Partnership for Peace program on May 4,
1994. Azerbaijna was one of 27 members-states of OSCE. Azerbaijan
became one of participants of this program.

Official document was signed within Partnership for Peace
program determining concrete directions of interaction in April
1996. Presently, Azerbaijan fulfills over 50 partner tasks in
accordance with this program.

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed the decree Approval of
plan of actions on individual partnership of the Azerbaijani Republic
with NATO on August 3, 2005.

Presently, cooperation is conducted within the second stage of Plan
of actions on individual partnership of the Azerbaijani Republic
with NATO.

ONE HUNDRED AND THREE CONVICTS AMNESTIED AS OF JUNE 23 IN ARMENIA

ArmInfo
2009-06-24 11:24:00

ArmInfo. As of June 23, 103 convicts were amnestied in Armenia. In
compliance with point 7 of the Decision On Amnesty Announcement
adopted by the Parliament of Armenia, the sentences of 4 convicts
were commuted, Press Secretary of the Criminal Execution Department
Arsen Babayan said.

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS RECEIVES KALININGRAD GOVERNOR

Noyan Tapan
22.06.2009

Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II receiving a delegation led by
RF Kaliningrad Governor Georgy Boos, that had arrived in Armenia on
an official visit, expressed satisfaction with further development
and strengthening of bilateral relations, cooperation and keeping
and development of good traditions between the two peoples attaching
importance to mutual visits of various spheres’ figures. The Patriarch
also thanked the Governor for the considerate and careful attitude
of the regional authorities to the Armenian community.

According to the report of the Information Services of the Mother
See of Holy Echmiadzin, G. Boos presented visit’s details and results
to His Holiness, as well as spoke about Armenian community’s active
communal life in Kaliningrad region and its important contribution
in various spheres of regional life.

ARMENIA RELEASES FOUR OPPOSITION LEADERS UNDER AMNESTY

NASDAQ
arket-news-story.aspx?storyid=200906220807dowjones djonline000194&title=armenia-releases-four-opp osition-leaders-under-amnesty
June 22 2009

YEREVAN, Armenia (AFP)–Armenia Monday released four senior opposition
figures, including a former foreign minister, convicted of organizing
mass protests last year that sparked deadly unrest.

Former foreign minister Alexander Arzumanian, two former lawmakers
and another opposition leader were released under a general amnesty
after being found guilty of organizing "mass disturbances."

The four were among seven senior opposition figures charged with
organizing the protests. One was released earlier this year and two
more are still in custody.

Dozens of opposition activists jailed after the unrest are to be
released under the amnesty, which was approved by parliament Friday.

President Serzh Sarkisian’s government has been under international
pressure to release jailed opposition supporters, including from
the Council of Europe, which has repeatedly raised concerns about
what it calls "artificial or politically motivated charges" against
opposition activists.

"Of course I am happy that my husband is being released, but I wish
that he had been acquitted rather than freed under an amnesty,"
Arzumanian’s U.S. wife, Melissa Brown, told AFP.

"We are continuing our struggle for the liberation and acquittal of
other political prisoners," she said.

The criminal charges stemmed from street battles that broke out
when riot police moved in to disperse thousands of supporters of
former Armenian president Levon Ter-Petrosian rallying to denounce
Sarkisian’s victory in a February 2008 election.

Two police officers and eight civilians were killed in the clashes and
dozens more were injured, many from gunshot wounds. Ter-Petrosian had
finished second in the vote and his supporters denounced the result
as rigged.

Armenia – a mountainous country of about 3 million people wedged
between Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran and Turkey – has seen repeated
political violence and post-election protests since gaining
independence with the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991.

DEFENSE SYSTEM REVISION PACKAGE TO BE SUBMITTED TO RA PRESIDENT

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
22.06.2009 22:42 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A meeting of interdepartmental coordinating committee
on strategic revision of Armenia’s defense system took place in
Yerevan today under chairmanship of RA National Security Council
Secretary Arthur Baghdasaryan and Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan.

The council decided to submit the package of relevant documents to
the President of Armenia till July 1.

AMNESTY WON’T HELP OVERCOME POLITICAL CRISIS IN ARMENIA

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
23.06.2009 13:07 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The decision taken by the Armenian National Assembly
can’t be described as amnesty, said David Shahnazaryan , member of
Armenian National Movement.

"I can’t think positive of the amnesty if there are still 20 political
prisoners kept in jails. This amnesty won’t help overcome political
crisis in Armenia but will aggravate it, on the contrary," he told
reporters in Yerevan today.

There are two reasons why the authorities declared amnesty, according
to Shahnazaryan.

"First, it’s the intense popular movement and, second, it’s a show
the leadership performed fro the PACE monitoring group," he said,
adding that the other political prisoners will also be released soon,
under the popular pressure.

Asked by a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter whether the ANC will reconsider its
position if all political prisoners are released, Shahnazaryan said,
"Yes."

‘ADORATION’: ATOM EGOYAN CRAFTS HAUNTING MEDITATION ON FEAR AND LOVE
By Jeff Simon

Buffalo News
June 19 2009
NY

There’s an absolutely amazing moment in Atom Egoyan’s new film
"Adoration." It’s nighttime in the Toronto suburbs. A young man and
the orphaned teen nephew he has been a virtual father to are setting
up their annual Christmas creche on the front lawn.

Out of nowhere, a Muslim woman appears in full black mufti. There is
nothing even remotely modest and unassuming about the woman’s hijab
(the veil covering her entire face except her eyes). It’s an ornately
patterned veil of silver inlaid over a black background. It is not the
hijab of a woman who wants to be in the background of anything. Rather,
it is the mark of a woman who wants to be seen and to provoke the
Toronto suburban night with her foreignness.

NO NEED TO PANIC, NSSP DEPUTY CHIEF SAYS
Nvard Davtyan

"Radiolur"
19.06.2009 15:22

Deputy Chief of the Armenian National Survey for Seismic Protection
(NSSP) Hrachya Petrosyan told a press conference today that there is
no need to worry or panic. After yesterday’s earthquake the seismic
stations registered 11 aftershocks in the same area, which were much
weaker. The last one was registered today, at 8:44 a.m. According to
specialists, this is normal, since it means that the seismic energy
is gradually fading.

"Making predictions is very hard. Scholars of the world are working
in that direction, and so do the Armenian scientists. There is no
need to worry at this point," Hrachya Petrosyan said.

Speaking about yesterday’s panic, Adviser to the Chief of the Rescue
Service of Armenia Nikolay Grigoryan said: "We have witnessed the
earthquake in Spitak. We have seen victims and all this remains in
our memory. Scaremongers make use of this. It’s very easy to frighten
a frightened person. But I’d like to repeat once again that it’s
impossible to predict the concrete time and place. It’s impossible
even if 100 seismic services work side by side."

ARMENIAN MEN CHESS CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP HELD IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
June 17, 2009

YEREVAN, JUNE 17, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenian Men Chess Club Championship
was held on June 13-15 in Yerevan. Mika, Chess Academy, and Bank King
took the first three places. They received the right to take part in
the European Club Championship.

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
[email protected]
Internet

PRESS RELEASE

June 17, 2009
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

HOUSE PANEL MAINTAINS AID LEVEL TO ARMENIA; REVERSES
ADMINISTRATION PUSH TO TILT MILITARY AID BALANCE TOWARD BAKU

— Allocates $48 Million for Armenia and $10 Million for Karabagh

WASHINGTON, DC ? The House Appropriations Subcommittee responsible
for U.S. foreign aid policy, this morning, voted to maintain U.S.
economic assistance to Armenia at last year’s level of $48 million
and to increase humanitarian assistance to Nagorno Karabagh to an
unprecedented annual allocation of $10 million, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The Subcommittee voted to maintain military assistance parity to
Armenia and Azerbaijan, keeping foreign military financing to both
countries at $3 million. The panel chose not to accept President
Obama’s proposals, included in the FY10 budget that he released
earlier this year, to reduce economic aid to Armenia by 38%, from
$48 million $30 million, and to tilt the military aid balance in
favor of Azerbaijan.

The Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related
Programs, which is chaired by Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY), also
strengthened language governing the President’s authority to waive
Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act, a provision of law that
restricts aid to Azerbaijan due to its blockades and other
offensive actions against Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh. The new
language, according those close to the work of the subcommittee,
will require closer Congressional consultation prior to any future
waivers of this law.

"We value Chairwoman Lowey’s leadership and the efforts of Rep.
Adam Schiff, Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Mark Kirk, Representatives
Steve Rothman, Jesse Jackson Jr, Betty McCollum, Barbara Lee, Steve
Israel, and our many friends on the Subcommittee for constructively
working to address our community’s foreign aid priorities," said
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We are gratified that the
panel restored military aid parity, met the Armenian Caucus request
of $10 million for Nagorno Karabagh, and strengthened the waiver
language for Section 907. We will, in the coming days, seek to
build on this progress by working with our friends on the Senate
side to bring the economic aid figure to Armenia up to the $70
million level requested by the Armenian Caucus."

In an April 3, 2009 letter sent to the panel earlier this year,
members of the Armenian Caucus, co-chaired by Representatives Frank
Pallone (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), called for strengthening
Section 907, allocating $70 million in economic aid to Armenia, $5
million in assistance to Armenia’s military, $10 million in
development aid to Nagorno Karabagh, and the removal of official
barriers to U.S.-Nagorno Karabagh contacts and communications.

A copy of the letter can be viewed at:
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