Author: Harutyunian Christine

SANA – Syrian Arab News Agency, Syria
Dec 1 2007

Aleppo and Yerevan Chambers of Commerce Discuss Cooperation

Saturday, December 01, 2007 – 05:30 PM

Aleppo, (SANA) – Chairman of Aleppo Chamber of Commerce Mohammad
Saleh al-Mallah discussed on Saturday with Chairman of Yerevan
Chamber of Commerce Martin Sarkisian means to develop economic
relations between the two sides through increasing trade exchange,
organizing joint meetings for delegations and businessmen and holding
economic exhibitions.

Al-Mallah stressed the importance of taking advantage of the
facilitation provided to dealers and industrialists for establishing
investment projects, underlining the need to increase cooperation and
coordination with the Armenian side in order to establish commercial
agencies in Aleppo and Yerevan.

For his part, Sarkisian pointed out to the Armenian experience in the
field of manufacturing textile machinery, agricultural technology and
computer systems and the possibility of cooperation with the Syrian
side in these fields.

H. Sabbagh, Ghossoun

51102.htm

20TH ANNIVERSARY OF MOVEMENT WILL BE MARKED THE DAY AFTER THE ARMENIAN ELECTION

KarabakhOpen
03-12-2007 10:33:23

The government set up a state committee to prepare the celebration
of the 20th anniversary of the Karabakh movement. The starting
day is February 20 when in 1988 the Soviet of People’s Deputies of
Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region and Shahumyan extended a request
to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR for the unification with Armenia.

By the way, the Armenian presidential election will be held on February
19, and the outcome may influence the celebration. Especially that
most controversies among the candidates of the Karabakh issue. What
will the stance of the new Armenian government on the settlement of
the Karabakh issue be?

Will the stance of the Armenian government on the Karabakh issue change
20 years after the movement? What new can the Armenian government
offer Karabakh in the current situation? The options are quite few.

JUNIOR EUROVISION SONG CONTEST: GEORGIA, BELGIUM, ARMENIA, CYPRUS

Belgovision.com
/en/index_f.php?id=3449
Dec 3 2007
Belgium

Rotterdam 2007: Georgia (01) to Cyprus (04)

Who are the candidates taking part in this year’s Junior Eurovision
Song Contest? Starting today, Belgovision.com gives you an overview
of the seventeen participants. To start with, we have a look at the
songs from the four countries to perform at the beginning of the show:
Georgia, Belgium, Armenia and Cyprus.

On Saturday 8th December Georgia will open the Junior Eurovision Song
Contest 2007. Georgia takes part in the contest for the first time
and selected Mari Romelashvili for Rotterdam. Mari defeated eleven
other participants in the Georgian national final on 6th October with
the song Odelia Ranuni.

Eva, Mirek, Laurens and Matthieu represent Belgium in Rotterdam. In
the official preview video of the Belgian entry for the Junior
Eurovision Song Contest 2007, you can see Trust’s performance in the
final of Junior Eurosong 2007, mixed with other images from the show
in slow motion.

The group Arevik was internally selected to represent Armenia at the
Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Rotterdam. The group Arevik
is composed of Christine, Anahit, Mariam, Rosa, Marianna, Lilit,
Sargis and Seda. It was Marianna who wrote the Armenian entry Erazanq.

GEORGIA STATE OF EMERGENCY ENDING FRIDAY
By Misha Dzhindzhikhashvili

Associated Press Writer
Thursday November 15, 2007 10:01 PM

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) – A nationwide state of emergency imposed last
week amid a police crackdown on opposition protests will end Friday
under a measure approved overwhelmingly by Georgia’s parliament.

The United States and other Western nations had pressured President
Mikhail Saakashvili to end the state of emergency imposed Nov. 7
after police violently dispersed opposition protests in the capital,
Tbilisi. Independent newscasts and demonstrations were also banned
as a result.

The West had warned the action harmed the U.S.-allied president’s
efforts to integrate the small Caucasus nation into the European
Union and NATO.

Lawmakers voted 142-2 on Thursday to end the state of emergency at
7 p.m. Friday.

"The nation is no longer in danger, so there is no need to extend
the state of emergency," parliament speaker Nino Burdzhanadze said.

In Washington, the State Department welcomed the step but stressed
it had to be followed by other moves to restore accountable democracy.

"It’s a positive development and it’s an important development that
will put Georgia back on the democratic pathway after a brief detour,"
spokesman Sean McCormack said.

McCormack said the next steps should include "good, clean, free and
fair elections as well as open and transparent consultations about
future steps for Georgia’s democracy."

In a bid to defuse the political crisis, the worst Saakashvili has
faced in nearly four years in power, he called early presidential
elections on Jan. 5.

The Russian Foreign Ministry on Thursday denounced the early vote as a
"farce" to "keep the current government in power."

Saakashvili’s efforts to break with Moscow, integrate into the
West and join NATO has put him on a collision course with a newly
confident Russia.

Last fall, the Kremlin responded to Georgia’s detention of Russian
military officers on spying charges with a massive transport blockade
and expulsion of Georgians living in Russia.

On Thursday, Russia completed a withdrawal of troops based in Georgia
since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, although several thousand
remain as peacekeepers in two breakaway provinces despite protests
from the Georgian government.

The railroad convoy carrying 150 troops and equipment, which had been
based in Batumi in far southwestern Georgia, crossed the border into
Armenia near midnight, Col. Igor Konashenkov, Russia’s Ground Forces
spokesman, told the ITAR-Tass news agency.

Russia had stationed several thousand regular troops at former Soviet
bases in Georgia since the 1991 Soviet collapse. Moscow had pledged
to withdraw them by the end of 2008, but accelerated the withdrawal
as tensions increased between the two neighbors.

Konashenkov said about 1,500 peacekeepers remain in Abkhazia
and another 500 are deployed in South Ossetia – the two breakaway
provinces. Georgia claims Russia has more soldiers in Abkhazia than
it is officially reporting and has estimated there are about 2,500
Russian troops there.

Saakashvili’s government has accused the Russian peacekeepers
of backing separatists and pushed for their replacement with
a U.N. force. Russia says its peacekeepers were deployed as part
of peace agreements in the early 1990s that ended wars between the
rebels and the government in Tbilisi.

—

Associated Press Writer Vladimir Isachenkov contributed to this story
from Moscow.

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
November 15, 2007
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY URGES CONTINUED COMMUNITY ADVOCACY FOR GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

Beverly Hills, CA – In a briefing to members of the Armenian community
on November 3rd, Executive Director Bryan Ardouny said the Armenian
Assembly will continue its efforts to secure passage of the Armenian
Genocide Resolution (H. Res. 106), and encouraged community members to
rally congressional support for this human rights legislation.
Ardouny noted that opponents no longer argue the facts of the
Genocide, or the facts of the U.S. record. He stated however that
they "will always have an excuse," and urged community members not to
be deterred.

"This legislation is about making sure that America stands for the
truth that America doesn’t let any foreign government dictate what it
can and cannot do," Ardouny explained. "Allowing Turkey to export
Article 301 of its Penal Code to the Unites States so we can not even
talk about the Armenian Genocide is unconscionable."

Before opening the floor to questions, Ardouny also provided an update
on the Assembly’s efforts to increase economic funding to Armenia and
Karabakh, advocating for legislation condemning the murder of Hrant
Dink, and initiating and mobilizing support for legislation
prohibiting U.S. funding for a rail bypass of Armenia.

The briefing, held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, was part of the
Assembly’s National Gala weekend which celebrated the organization’s
35th anniversary and paid tribute to slain editor and human rights
leader, the late Hrant Dink. Assembly Board of Trustees Member and
Western Office Chairman Richard Mushegain, who led the briefing,
thanked the Gala Committee and its Co-Chairs, Albert and Diane
Cabraloff and Paul and Sandra Kalemkiarian, for organizing the two-day
event.

Board of Trustees Public Affairs Chair Anthony Barsamian introduced
Massachusetts State Representative Rachel Kaprielian (D-Watertown),
who provided a regional update.

Kaprielian discussed the recent firestorm that erupted when
Armenian-Americans in Massachusetts discovered that the
Anti-Defamation League refused to qualify the events of 1915 as
genocide. The Armenian community responded by calling on the ADL to
change its longstanding policy, which it did in August. Kapreilian
added that the groundswell of support from members of the Jewish
community was also instrumental in the organization’s reversal.

"It was their grassroots that were rising up, that’s the most
extraordinary part of this whole thing," she explained.

Armenia Tree Project Executive Director Jeff Masarjian congratulated
the Assembly on 35 years of promoting Armenian-American interests and
for launching the Tree Project 13 years ago.

Masarjian reported that ATP has planted or restored over 2 million
trees in Armenia and has completed the planting of the Hrant Dink
Memorial Forest, which includes 53,000 trees – 1,000 trees for each of
Dink’s 53 years of life.

"We envision this forest as becoming not just a relic forest in memory
of Hrant Dink, but a teaching forest," Masarjian said.

According to him, ATP received a $100,000 grant from Conservation
International and is partnering with Yale University to teach people
in Armenia and around the globe how to sustain a forest.

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public
understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. It is a 501 (c) (3)
tax-exempt membership organization.

NR#2007-133

Photographs are available on the Assembly’s Web site at the following
links:

aaainc/images/PRESS_RELEASES_2007/PR_2007_November /2007-133_2.jpg

Caption: Assembly Board of Trustees Member and Western Office Chairman
Richard Mushegain led an Assembly briefing at the Beverly Hilton Hotel
on November 3rd.

s/PRESS_RELEASES_2007/PR_2007_November/2007-133_1. jpg

Caption: Massachusetts State Rep. Rachel Kaprielian (D-Watertown)
discussed efforts that led the Anti-Defamation’s League to publicly
recognize the Armenian Genocide.

ARMENIANS OF NETHERLANDS ARE PREPARING FOR ANNUAL TELETHON IN ASSISTANCE TO KARABAKH

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.11.2007 18:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenians of Netherlands are preparing for an annual
telethon in assistance to Nagorno Karabakh.

Inge Drost, spokesperson for the Federation of Armenian Organizations
of Netherlands said that the FAON, Gladzor and Dashnaktsutyun student
clubs and are cooperating with Hayastan All-Armenian Fund. "The
community sends a letter to all organizations, with explanation of
the project details. The money we collect will be doubled by the
Dutch government. This time goal is total renovation of a medical
center in Khashatagh," Ms. Drost said.

Hayastan All-Armenian Fund holds annual telethons in Europe and U.S. to
collect means for reconstruction and development of Nagorno Karabakh.

RUSSIA HANDS OVER SOVIET-ERA BASE TO GEORGIA

RIA Novosti, Russia
Nov 13 2007

TBILISI, November 13 (RIA Novosti) – A Soviet-era Russian military base
in Batumi was formally handed over to the Georgian Defense Ministry
on Tuesday, with Russia pledging to complete the pullout of military
equipment by the end of November.

Georgian Deputy Defense Minister Batu Kutelia and the commander of
Russia’s contingent in the South Caucasus, Andrei Popov, signed a
document on the transfer of the base in southern Georgia, the Defense
Ministry said.

"This is a historic day. The signing of the document marks the end
of the withdrawal of Russian bases from Georgia, putting an end to
Russian military presence in Georgia," Kutelia said.

Russia completed the pullout of its military garrison from Tbilisi,
handing over control of its headquarters to Georgia’s Defense
Ministry, last December, and formally handed over its military base
at Akhalkalaki in southern Georgia to Tbilisi in June, ahead of the
October 2007 deadline.

Under an agreement between the former Soviet allies, Russia was to
complete the closure of its base in Batumi by the end of 2008.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Popov said, "The last military train
leaves for Russia today. Another train carrying military equipment
will depart for Armenia on November 15. Some personnel will stay at
the base until November 30".

The tiny Caucasus nation has sought to join NATO and other European
organizations since U.S.-educated President Mikheil Saakashvili came
to power on the back of street protests in 2003.

Similar opposition demonstrations against Saakashvili last week led to
the announcement last week of early presidential elections, set for
January 5. Saakashvili has blamed Russia for tension in the country,
expelling three Russian diplomats on November 8.

ARMENIA MAY REVALUATE "EXCHANGE RATE" OF CONFLICTS

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 13 2007

If Armenia becomes a regional financial center, it may help resolve
the regional conflicts, stated the president of the Central Bank of
Armenia Tigran Sargsyan in a news conference with the president of
the Bank of Netherlands Nout Wellink.

According to Tigran Sargsyan, in the early 1960s Singapore launched
financial programs having a lot of problems with Malaysia. Fast
development and the services which the country started providing to
the region essentially changed the situation, including politically.

For his part, Nout Wellink gave the example of Hong Kong which used
to have major disagreement with China until it started developing its
financial sector. He says he thinks the unsettled conflicts will not
prevent Armenian from becoming a financial center in the region.

ARMENIA NEEDS FREE ECONOMIC COMPETITION: PRIME MINISTER

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Nov 12 2007

YEREVAN, November 12. /ARKA/. Armenia’s president should create an
atmosphere of free economic competition in the country, said newly
appointed RPA (Republican Party of Armenia) Chairman, RA Prime Minister
Serge Sargsian during the party’s sitting on November 10.

"Intellectual property is a guarantee for the country’s competitive
activities in the modern world. We should have an educational system
based on international standards. This is a key which will open all
the doors for the country’s development," he said.

Sargsian believes the Armenian government should secure social welfare
in order to shape a strong society, where dwellers of the remotest
districts can live a better life. "The president’s task is to help RPA
achieve the goals of its pre-election program and assist the government
in the implementation of the action program," the Premier said.

The country is at the second stage of reforms, the priorities of
which are national security and sustainable development, educational
development and social security of Armenia’s citizens, according to
Sargsian.

BLUNDER OF GENOCIDE

Sabah, Turkey
Nov 11 2007

The national assembly makes Ataturk say the word ‘genocide’ in the
book it published.

Grand National Assembly of Turkey translated Ataturk’s speeches into
today’s Turkish language by simplification and reduction in 1987.

Ataturk’s words that "Armenian massacre did not happen" were included
in the book as "Armenian genocide did not happen".

Ataturk says ‘massacre’ the national assembly interprets as ‘genocide’

In 1987, the national assembly made a book of Ataturk’s speeches while
establishing the national assembly. The book simplifies Ataturk’s
speech and uses ‘genocide’ instead of ‘massacre’ by mistake.

Grand National Assembly of Turkey translated Ataturk’s speeches
into today’s Turkish language by simplification and reduction and
compiled them in a book. It has turned out that the word "massacre"
was translated as "genocide". While the preparations for issuing a
communiquagainst "Armenian Genocide" at the national assembly are
going on, the blunder came out during the examination of book. The
book was issued twice during the period when Necmettin Karaduman was
assigned as the parliament speaker in 1987.