Author: Frangulian Shushan

EUROPEAN COMMISSION PUTS FORWARD NEW INITIATIVE RELATED TO EASTERN PARTNERSHIP

Noyan Tapan

Dec 3, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 3, NOYAN TAPAN. The European Commission has
put forward an initiative related to the Eastern Partnership. The
initiative envisages a change in the European Union’s relations with
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. According
to a press release of the EU Office in Armenia, the Partnership
presupposes raising considerably the level of political involvement,
including signing new agreements on cooperation, long-term integration
into economy of the EU, and the opportunity for citizens to travel
easily in the territory of the EU. Extended measures of energy security
for all the interested sides, and additional financial assistance
are envisaged as well.

The new partnership includes measures to support 6 countries with
their socioeconomic development, and 5 important initiatives.

The European Commissioner for External Relations and European
Neighborhood Policy Benita Ferrero-Waldner said that it is the time to
open a new page in EU’s relations with the Eastern neighbors. According
to her, the events taking place in Eastern Europe and the South
Caucasus have an impact on the security and stability of the EU. "Our
principle is that the progress should be in line with reform programs
of our partners, and this new package also offers more intensive
assistance to reach the envisaged goals," she said.

The Commission proposes establishing closer bilateral relations
with these countries and working out a new framework of multilateral
cooperation. The new major points of the initiative are the following:

– new agreements on cooperation, including comprehensive agreements
on free trade with all those who want and are ready to assume the
obligations proceeding from the agreements,

– EU-funded comprehensive programs to strengthen administrative
capacities of the partners,

– gradual integration with EU economy,

– encouraging the partners to develop a free trade network among each
other, which as a long-term goal may result in joining the economic
community of the Neighborhood,

– signing "pacts on movement and security", which will facilitate legal
trips to the EU, at the same time making the fight against corruption,
organized crime and illegal migration more efficient.

The above mentioned pacts will include the provisions on the
modernization of refugee shelters in line with EU standards and the
creation of integrated structures of border control, but the most
important goal is to ensure travels without an entry visa through
the territories of the partner states:

– the Commission should examine the opportunities of movement for work
purposes – with the prospect of opening the labor market of the EU,

– additional financial support, etc.

The Commission proposes launching the initative during the summit of
the Eastern Partnership in the spring of 2009.

SEFILYAN’S APPLICATION REJECTED

A1+
[04:53 pm] 03 December, 2008

Yesterday the coordinator of the National Political Initiative of
Armenian Volunteer Union, Jirair Sefilyan, received a letter signed
by the head of Passport and Visa Division of the Police. The letter
informs that under a Presidential decree of November 18, 2008, Jirair
Sefilyan’s application for Armenian citizenship was rejected.

DATE AND HOUR OF STARTING TRIAL ON "CASE OF SEVEN" TO BECOME CLEAR IN NEARLY 25-DAY PERIOD

Noyan Tapan

Dec 2, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The criminal case filed against 7
people on the fact of the March 1 events in Yerevan has been already
accepted for examination by Yerevan Criminal court judge Mnatsakan
Martirosian. Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed about it by the
RA Cassation Court’s Press Service.

According to the RA Code of Criminal Procedure, a decision on
fixing a trial is made in a 15-day term after accepting the case for
examination and on fixing the date and hour of the trial is made in
another 10-day period.

It should be mentioned that the seven people accused of organizing mass
disorders accompanied by murders are Sasun Mikayelian, Hakob Hakobian,
Myasnik Malkhasian, former Foreign Minister Alexander Arzumanian,
as well as Suren Sirunian, Shant Haroutiunian, and Grigor Voskerchian.

TURKEY WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT AZERBAIJAN IN KARABAKH ISSUE

PanARMENIAN.Net
01.12.2008 13:54 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey endorses the format of the OSCE Minsk Group
for resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the Turkish Foreign
Minister said.

"The Nagorno Karabakh conflict is a very complicated problem which
should be resolved via talks. Serious steps should be taken and Turkey
is ready to support Azerbaijan," Ali Babacan told a news conference
in Baku.

The Turkish-Armenian relations depend on relations between Turkey
and Azerbaijan, according to him.

"A positive outcome of the intense talks between the Foreign Ministers
of Armenia and Azerbaijan could contribute to the Armenian-Turkish
reconciliation as well. The Karabakh conflict is a problem of the
entire region. We will be always side by side with Azerbaijan, as we
have been since 1918," Babacan said, Trend Azeri news agency reports.

PRESS RELEASE
November 30, 2008
Support Committee for Armenia’s Cosmic Ray Division
Contact: Joseph Dagdigian <[email protected]>
Tel: 978-772-9417
Web:

CRD Hosts Astroparticle Symposium in Armenia

Symposium on Mt. Aragats – From September 29 to October 3 the Cosmic
Ray Division (CRD) of the Alikhanyan Physics Institute hosted The
International Astroparticle Physics Symposium: `Forecasting of the
Radiation and Geomagnetic Storms by networks of particle detectors
(FORGES-2008)’ symposium at CRD’s International Conference Center, Nor
Ambert, on Armenia’s Mt. Aragats.

The focus of the symposium was on establishing future networks of
particle detectors distributed at different latitudes, longitudes, and
altitudes in order to issue warnings of approaching radiation and
geomagnetic storms. Such storms are caused by energetic eruptions on
the sun’s surface which expel massive amounts of electrically charged
particles towards the earth, often interfering with electronic systems
on earth and damaging satellites in space. Thus the ability to
accurately forecast the occurrence and severity of such events is
extremely important.

With 40 conference participants from Italy, Germany, Great Britain,
Croatia, Greece, Ukraine, Russia, Costa Rica and Armenia – CRD’s
scientists and engineers presented over 20 scientific papers
describing their research. Many of the Armenian presenters were young
Armenian scientists, engineers, and students who were trained by CRD’s
head Prof. Ashot Chilingarian and his staff of senior scientists and
engineers. Among the Armenian presenters from the CRD were Prof Ashot
Chilingarian discussing "Surface Particle Detectors in Space Weather
Forecasting", and "Discrete Optimization Problems in Space Weather
Forecasting"; Gagik Hovsepyan presenting "Detection of Elementary
Particles by Plastic Scinillators"; Aram Yeghikyan who presented `DVIN
– Data Visualization Interactive Network for Data Interchange’; and
Karen Arakelian whose topic was `Assembling and Tuning of SEVAN
Measuring Units’. SEVAN (Space Environment Viewing and Analysis
Network) is a network of detectors designed by CRD scientists in
Armenia and being deployed in a number of countries.

Armenian presenters from outside Armenia included Dr. Suren
Chilingaryan from the Karlsruhe Research Center in Germany and
Dr. Vahe Perumian from University of California. Other presenters
included Dr. Nat Gopalswamy from N.A.S.A., the United States space
agency.

SEVAN Network – During the conference CRD’s talented young scientists
and engineers conducted a training session on the installation and
operation of CRD’s SEVAN network of Astroparticle detectors. The
United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs and the International
Heliophysical Year (IHY) has launched a small instrument program as
one of the United Nations Basic Space Science (UNBSS)
activities. SEVAN, a network of particle detectors located at the
middle to low latitudes, aims to improve the fundamental research on
particle acceleration in the vicinity of sun and space environment
conditions. The first SEVAN modules are undergoing operational tests
at Aragats Space Environmental Center in Armenia. The network will
grow with detectors deployed in Croatia and Bulgaria. In 2009 SEVAN
detectors are planned to be installed in Slovakia and Costa
Rica. Research groups from Croatia and Costa-Rica were introduced to
the SEVAN detector operation and data analysis at this conference.
The SEVAN network is funded by international scientific institutions.

Foreign attendees stayed at newly renovated guest facilities at CRD’s
Nor Ambert research center on Mt. Aragats. These essential renovations
were funded in part by the support of the Diaspora. Besides the
weighty scientific discussions, attendees took time off to visit the
Ambert Fortress on Mt. Aragats, Echmiadzin, art and history museums in
Yerevan, and the natural beauty of Mt. Aragats. Attendees continue to
send letters of appreciation to the CRD for the well run conference
and the hospitality exhibited by their Armenian hosts.

Space Research Conference in Montreal – Beside the conference hosted
on Armenia’s Mt. Aragats, the CRD exhibited a strong presence at the
37th Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) conference in Montreal,
Canada from July 13-23, 2008. COSPAR’s objectives are to promote
international scientific research in space and to provide an open
forum for the discussion of problems that may affect scientific space
research. The COSPAR Scientific Assembly provides the world’s largest
interdisciplinary forum for the exchange of recent results in space
research. CRD’s head, Professor Ashot Chilingarian, participated in
COSPAR conference as Armenia’s official representative to this
organization and a member of COSPAR’s Council. Professor Chilingarian
presented 3 reports based on ongoing research at the Cosmic Ray
Division.

International Heliophysical Year 2008 Workshop in Bulgaria – Cosmic
Ray Division scientists, engineers, and students participated in the
`2007 Heliophysical Year and Basic Space Science’conference, sponsored
by the U.N., N.A.S.A., and the European and Japanese space
agencies. The conference was hosted by the Solar-Terrestrial
Influences Laboratory of the Bulgarian Academy of Science in Sozopol,
Bulgaria on June 2-6 2008. The Outer Space Office of the United
Nations, in cooperation with other agencies, has organized
international workshops on basic space science every year since 1990
-particularly for the benefit of scientists and engineers from
developing nations. The Armenian delegation to the conference included
5 CRD staff members, together with 2 students from Yerevan State
University who worked on projects at the CRD under the direction of
CRD scientists. The students’ attendance was supported by the U.N.
and N.A.S.A. The Armenian delegation delivered 4 oral and 8 poster
presentations, based on data from CRD’s Aragats Space Environmental
Center and on initial results from CRD’s SEVAN cosmic ray particle
detector network.

During the conference a project meeting was held with research
partners from Germany, Switzerland, and Israel. It was decided to
install new electronics for the Aragats Multichannel Muon Monitor at
CRD’s Aragats research station and to send CRD physicist and recent
PhD recipient Artur Reymers to visit Bern University for 2 weeks in
August 2008. During meetings with Bulgarian and Croatian groups, SEVAN
detector construction was explained. Visits of Armenian experts to
Bulgaria and Croatia for final detector assembly were planned for late
2008. The current status of the newly established Neutron Monitor Data
Base project was discussed and clarified with Swiss representative
Rolf Bitgofer from Bern University. Attention was given to the CRD’s
DVIN-5 computer program, which allows scientists to visualize cosmic
ray data, and to neutron monitor electronics developed by the Armenian
group, now undergoing testing at the CRD.

More news on the Cosmic Ray Division’s impressive accomplishments is
available on the Support Committee for Armenia’s Cosmic Ray Division’s
web site at <;www.crdfriends.o rg . This
site has a link to CRD’s web site in Armenia where more technical
information is presented, as well as photographs of CRD’s facilities
on Mt. Aragats and conference photos.

CRD’s impressive accomplishments could not have been made without the
generous support of the Diaspora. CRD’s staff wishes to express it’s
gratitude for the trust and continued support of the Diaspora.

German Technical Cooperation Company to open Office in Armenia

armradio.am
28.11.2008 15:59

The Prime Minister of Armenia, Tigran Sargsyan, received the Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Germany to Armenia Andrea Victorin
and Director of the German Technical Cooperation Company Frank
Tibitantsel.

The Prime Minister appreciated the Armenian-German cooperation, noting
that the Federal Republic of Germany is the second large investor in
Armenia after the United States. The parties attached importance to the
programs the German Technical Cooperation Company implements in Armenia
within the framework of bilateral technical cooperation. The guests
informed the Prime Minister about the intention of opening an Office of
the German Technical Cooperation Company in Armenia in the near future,
which, according to them, will contribute to the development of
bilateral cooperation.

Frank Tibitantsel turned to the importance of new programs of
encouraging especially the private companies. One of them is a regional
program, which has already started and is called a `Program of
promoting the private economy in the South Caucasus. The German side
has had a number of meetings in Armenia with state and private
representatives to clarify the directions of cooperation.

The German Ambassador and the Director of the German Technical
Cooperation Company attached importance to working out and implementing
steps in the direction of promoting the
exports, improving the food
security, eliminating the obstacles in the sphere of trade.

Stressing the importance of the above-mentioned approaches, the Prime
Minister underlined that the Armenian Government prioritizes the
programs targeted at promoting the economic growth in the country.
According to Tigran Sargsyan, today this issue is urgent not only for
Armenia, but also for world economy, in general. Any investment program
in Armenia should be considered from that point of view, the Prime
minister said.

KARABAKH PARLIAMENT SPEAKER URGED CITIZENS TO ACTIVELY PARTICIPATE IN ANNUAL TELETHON

De Facto
Nov 27, 2008

YEREVAN, 27.11.08. DE FACTO. The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Chairman
Ashot Gulian urged the NKR citizens to actively participate in
Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s annual Telethon to start in the United
States today.

The Parliament Speaker made the statement at the current plenary
sitting of the NKR legislative organ.

Ashot Gulian noted the funds raised during the Telethon would be
targeted at the restoration of the Republic’s social infrastructure,
creation of normal living conditions. The Speaker said 1 million
200, 000 Euros had been gathered at a traditional phonethon that had
started in Europe. Over 1 million Euros have been gathered in France’s
Armenian community.

"Naturally, Artsakh people actively participate in the nation-wide
fund-raising. About 197 million drams have been gathered in our
Republic in the course of last year’s telethon. The deputies and
members of NKR National Assembly administration also took part
in a common case", Ashot Gulian said voicing confidence that the
representatives of legislative power would again contribute to the
fund-raising.

"Embracing an opportunity I appeal to all citizens of the Republic
on behalf of the National Assembly not to remain indifferent to a
nation-wide fund-raising. Actively participating in a telethon of
2008 we’ll more consolidate the unity of Armenians of the world around
the common idea of the homeland’s prosperity", Ashot Gulian noted.

ARMENIAN DEFENSE MINISTER: "KARABAKH CONFLICT IS A MILITARY THREAT FOR ARMENIA"

Today.Az
Nov 27 2008
Azerbaijan

The Karabakh conflict is the main military threat for Armenia, said
defense minister of the country Seyran Ohanyan, speaking at the 7th
Yerevan seminar on the program of Black Sea security of the Harward
university.

"The Karabakh conflict and absence of mutually coordinated political
and legal basis for the resolution of confrontation between the
conflict parties is a main military threat for Armenia", noted the
Minister.

He said that Azerbaijan’s policy, aimed at mobilization and arms race,
inclination towards the military supremacy over Armenia and resolution
of the Karabakh conflict in their interests with the use of military
powers creates the biggest concern.

Along with it, among other military threats Ohanyan called the policy
of isolation, conducted towards Armenia by two neighbor states,
destabilization of the atmosphere of security in the South Caucasus,
as well as the inciting of existing and new conflicts.

WONDERS OF IRAN: QARA KELISA
By Tamara Ebrahimpour

Press TV
Wed, 26 Nov 2008 17:38:02 GMT
Tehran

The St. Thaddeus Church best known as Qara Kelisa which literally
means Black church is an ancient monument perched on a mountain ridge
in the northern Iranian province of West Azarbaijan.

As one of the oldest and most notable surviving Christian monuments
of Iran, Qara Kelisa carries great significance for the country’s
Armenian Orthodox community.

Armenians hold that Qara Kelisa is the world’s first church and was
constructed in 68 CE by one of the apostles of Jesus, Saint Thaddeus,
who traveled to Armenia, then part of the Persian Empire, to preach
the teachings of Christ.

Located south of the city of Maku, the massive church can be seen
against the natural background of rolling hills; its cuspidate tambours
catches the eye of beauty-seekers.

An ancient chapel two kilometers northwest of Qara Kelisa is said
to have been the place where the first Christian woman, Sandokh,
was martyred. The chapel is believed to be as old as the Black Church.

Throughout the course of history Qara Kelisa sustained damage and
was repaired a number of times.

A large part of the monument was destroyed during the Mongol invasion
in the 13th century. The Persian scientist Khajeh Nasir ad-Din Tousi
oversaw its reconstruction during the reign of the Mongol ruler,
Hulagu Khan.

Much of the existing structure dates back to the 19th century when the
Qajar prince Abbas Mirza renovated the monument using carved sandstone.

Apart from the Armenian architectural elements visible in the structure
of Qara Kelisa, another remarkable feature of the historical church
is its spatial layout, which resembles that of the Echmiazin Cathedral
in Armenia.

Armenians, Assyrians and Catholics visit Qara Kelisa every year to
perform religious rituals.

Every year scores of Armenians, Assyrians and Catholics from Iran
and other countries visit the church to commemorate the martyrdom of
Saint Thaddeus and his faithful followers.

The cruciform building is surmounted by two pyramidal shaped cupolas,
the shorter of which has light and dark colored horizontal bands on
the drum.

The church is composed of two parts: a black structure, the original
building of the church and a white structure, the main church, which
was added to the original building’s western wing in 1810 CE.

The original church is a domed sanctuary built largely of dark-colored
stone, probably dating to the tenth or eleventh century, from which
its name Qara Kelisa is derived.

The main church, built in 1811-1820 is a massive structure, built
of light sandstone and adorned with blind arches and decorative and
geometric shapes.

Its twelve-sided tambour has been built in alternating light- and
dark-colored stones and has an equal number of windows.

The church has two large courtyards, the first of which seems to have
been used for agricultural purposes, while the second encircles the
white structure, the portico, and a number of rooms.

The first courtyard includes oil-extracting rooms, a miniature
windmill, an oven, and a fountain. It is decorated with ornamental
motifs and two intricately designed stone crucifixes.

A small door opens to the second courtyard where the refectory and
the kitchen along with rooms for resident monks and abbots are located.

The portico, which has been left unfinished, dates back to the mid
19th century.

The building’s exterior is adorned with five rows of alternating
dark and light stones as well as numerous round and blind arches,
decorated with rosettes, coats-of-arms, flowers and animal figures.

Statues of angels adorn the front facade of the church and its northern
and southern facades are decorated with dark-colored stone crucifixes.

Sculptured bas-reliefs bearing passages from the Old and New
Testaments, mythical animals and effigies of saints have added to
the beauty of the monument.

In the eastern part of the complex, there is a chapel and a sacristy
hall.

An Armenian inscription, carved on stone, gives an account of the
construction of the buildings.

Another stone inscription can be seen on the front of the old portal,
bearing the date when the monument was reconstructed by Abbas Mirza
Qajar.

Qara Kelisa has been registered as the ninth Iranian
historical-cultural heritage site on the United Nations Educational
Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) World Heritage List.

ARMENIAN FM ‘OPTIMISTIC’ ON NORMALIZING TIES WITH TURKEY

Agence France Presse — English
November 24, 2008 Monday 4:04 PM GMT

Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian said Monday that he was
optimistic that recent dialogue with Turkey would help normalize
troubled relations between the two neighbours.

"I think this is a very good moment and we have a chance to do it
now, to turn the page together, to open the border, to normalize
relations," Nalbandian told a press conference here ahead of talks
with this Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan.

Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic ties and their border has been
closed for more than a decade. Their relationship has been hostage
to the deep differences over the World War I massacres of Armenians
under the Ottoman Empire, the predecessor of Turkey.

In September, Turkish President Abdullah Gul became the first Turkish
head of state to visit Armenia, boosting a tentative dialogue process
between the two countries to overcome their history of enmity.

"We are continuing until now in a positive way. I am optimistic
because I don’t see that we have any serious obstacle to normalize
our relations," Nalbandian said.

He reiterated that Armenia was ready to establish diplomatic relations
and open its border with Turkey "without any preconditions."

"We await the same approach from Turkey," he added, saying that a
quick reconciliation with Ankara was not impossible.

Even though Turkey was one of the first countries to recognise
Armenia when it gained independence in 1991, Ankara has refused to
establish diplomatic ties because of Yerevan’s campaign to have the
mass killings of Armenians under the Ottoman Empire during World War
I classified as a genocide.

Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their people were systematically
killed by Ottoman Turks between 1915 and 1917 as their empire fell
apart — a claim supported by several other countries.

Turkey rejects the genocide label and argues that between 300,000
and 500,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks died in civil strife
when Armenians took up arms for independence in eastern Anatolia and
sided with invading Russian troops.

In 1993, Turkey also shut its border with Armenia in a show of
solidarity with its close ally Azerbaijan over Nagorny-Karabakh — an
Armenian-majority enclave in Azerbaijan which declared independence —
dealing a heavy blow to the impoverished nation.

Nalbandian arrived in Turkey early Monday to visit the headquartes
of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation — whose rotating six-month
presidency Armenia took over on November 1 — and for talks with
Babacan before leaving later in the day.

The two men are not expected to make a statement after their talks.