Author: Hovhannisian John

TURKISH NATIONALIST MOVEMENT PARTY NOMINATES ARMENIAN CANDIDATE FOR ELECTIONS FOR THE FIRST TIME

APA
March 3 2009
Azerbaijan

Istanbul-APA. Turkish Nationalist Movement Party has nominated an
Armenian candidate for elections for the first time, APA reports
quoting Turkish news agencies.

MHP nominated Haco Kelesh for membership of Bakirkoy municipality
in Istanbul. Kelesh said that they considered themselves as Turkish
citizen, not national minorities.

"I received the proposal of MHP assessing that it will be a positive
step to play a role in cross-cultural dialogue and express ourselves,"
he said. Esra Bijik, candidate for the post of chairmanship in
Bakirkoy municipality said that everybody knew her position on
national minorities.

"Irrespective of religion, language, race, everybody has an equal
right in Turkey. We should move forward to establish Turkey, where
we can share our happiness not grief," she said.

Municipal elections will be held no March 29.

US CONGRESS SHOULD END THE RECOGNITION DEBATE

Hurriyet
March 2 2009
Turkey

ISTANBUL – With a fresh resolution calling on the United States to
formally recognize the Armenians’ claims of "genocide"looming on the
horizon, the US Congress should not repeat the same cycle of events
if an Armenian-Turkish rapprochement is desired, according to a
Newsweek article

While Washington gears up for another debate on the Armenian claims of
"genocide", the U.S. Congress should pay attention to rising optimistic
voices from Ankara and Yerevan toward rapprochement, according to a
Newsweek article.

The article "How to End a Genocide Debate" noted that that since 1984,
the U.S. Armenian lobby pursue the same course of action in what the
author called the "Armenian Genocide Resolution Spectacular." According
to this "historical plotline," first the U.S. Armenian lobby convinces
a few U.S. congressmen to sponsor a resolution recognizing the Armenian
claims of "genocide". Next the Turkish government steps in saying
that Turkey is too important to be insulted in this way, followed by
the U.S. administration "recognizing that Turkey is indeed a critical
NATO ally whose Incirlik Air Base is vital to the Iraq mission," and
then "twisting congressional arms to abandon the resolution." In the
meantime, the Israeli lobby keen to boost Turkish-Israeli relations
–although not so much this year — noted the author, works against
the resolution. Finally Congress "reluctantly shelves the whole thing
and the curtain falls."

Progress possible

The article said this year, however, there was a new twist in the
plot: diplomatic efforts between Turkey and Armenia. "Progress has
been possible because the Armenians have focused on the concrete
issue of opening the Armenian-Turkish border and both sides have
wisely avoided the genocide dispute surely recognizing it will have
to be dealt with eventually but that developing economic ties will
make it easier to do so," the article argued.

The Armenian diaspora, however, has been insistently lingering in
the background. As no Turkish government will be able to consider
opening the Armenian border with the "genocide" claims front and
center, Congress should realize that such a resolution would block
any attempt of normalization between the two countries, Newsweek wrote.

Common ground

"To those aiming for reconciliation, two questions outrank it: what
common facts can Turks and Armenians be brought to accept, and is
the common ground sufficient for both sides to start binding up the
wounds," said the article, noting that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan’s proposal to establish a joint historical commission should
be pursued.

The U.S. Congress could help reconciliation "if it is willing to
deny the Armenian-American lobby the instant gratification of a
genocide resolution. Doing so would be far better than repeating the
exercises of the last 25 years over and over again until a resolution
finally passes and all the House’s leverage over Turkey evaporates,
along with most of the goodwill in the Turkish-American alliance,
and maybe even the alliance itself," said the article.

Good relations between Turkey and Armenia would further U.S. objectives
in the Caucasus, noted Newsweek. "The proposed hydrocarbon corridor
through the Caucasus looks much more secure in the context of
Turkish-Armenian friendship and it might give Armenia the confidence
to break with the status quo in the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute."

Panorama.am
16:14 28/02/2009

Ararat. «¦one cannot imagine a more impressive center of Universe»

The frozen top of the mountain proudly towers over Araks river
valley. The location is veiled with mysteries and is the cradle of
biblical stories. According to the Bible it was Ararat that first
appeared from the subsiding waters of the Flood, becoming the first
landing place of the dwellers of Noah’s Ark.

For centuries Mt. Ararat has been considered an unconquerable
summit. Mystery intertwined with real perils here: frequent
avalanches, thick fog, rock slides, and temperature perturbations. In
1829 the 37-year-old German professor Johann Jacob von Parrot reached
the impregnable summit from the third attempt. In memory of this he
put a wooden cross there. When he looked around from the top of the
mountain, he said: «If this is really the place where man first set
his foot¦.then one cannot imagine a more impressive/dramatic center of
Universe».

Ararat arouses admiration in everybody who is lucky enough to behold
this mountain in all its beauty and magnificence. And despite the fact
that today this mountain is in Turkey, Armenians still consider it as
their sacred mountain.

Ararat view is a musical video-film with original music. The film
features various views of Mt. Ararat. The DVD also includes a bonus `
a short film about the conquest of the peak by a group of Armenians.

ARARAT (Arm. ` Masis) is the highest volcanic massif on the Armenian
Highland situated in the East of Turkey, near the border of Armenia
and Iran. It consists of two, merging at the bases, cones of extinct
volcanoes of the Great Ararat (alt. 5165m) and Little Ararat
(alt. 3925m).

Source: Panorama.am

WORLD BANK APPROVED TO GRANT ARMENIA CREDIT WORTH $ 85 MILLION

Regnum

Feb 25 2009
Russia

On February, 25, the World Bank approved a package of four operations,
for a total amount of $ 85 million, to help Armenia mitigate the
impacts of the global economic crisis. The credit was granted for 20
years, with 10 years of tax concession period.

Three of the operations — the Lifeline Roads Improvement Project ($
25 million), the Additional Financing for the Social Investment Fund ($
8 million), and the Additional Financing for the Rural Enterprise and
Small Scale Commercial Agriculture Development Project ($2 million)
— were processed under the International Development Association
(IDA) financial crisis response Fast Track Facility, which will help
Armenia mitigate the impacts of global economic crisis on the country’s
economy and the well-being of its population, a REGNUM correspondent
was informed at the press service of the World Bank.

The fourth operation — Access to Finance for Small and Medium
Enterprises Project ($ 50 million) – is provided through the
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) to support
local businesses in the current environment, and is the first IBRD
loan to Armenia.

"These projects will support urgent local works that can be implemented
largely over this year, to provide immediate employment opportunities,"
said Asad Alam, Regional Director for the World Bank’s South Caucasus
Country Department. "They will also help strengthen infrastructure
connectivity particularly in rural areas, meet business needs, and
upgrade social infrastructure that will foster medium-term growth
and improvement in living standards.

ARMENIA, LEBANON ENJOY EXEMPLARY RELATIONS

PanARMENIAN.Net
26.02.2009 13:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian met
in Beirut with his Lebanese counterpart Fawzi Salloukh to discuss
bilateral relations and development of cooperation between the two
countries.

Minister Nalbandian voiced hope that his visit will give renewed
impetus to the Armenian-Lebanese relations.

"Armenia and Lebanon enjoy exemplary relationship," he said.

In discussing regional problems, the Ministers stressed inadmissibility
of resolution of conflicts by use of force.

In the framework of the visit, Minister Nalbandian also met with
Catholicos of Cilicia, His Holiness Aram I and representatives of
the Armenian community of Lebanon, the RA MFA press office reported.

BJNI NEW OWNER RUBEN HAYRAPETYAN WARNS AGAINST "PLAYING GAMES" WITH GOVERNMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.02.2009 14:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The new owner of Bjni Mineral Water Factory, Armenian
Football Federation President, member of parliament Ruben Hayrapetyan
warned the public against "playing games" with the government.

"I purchased Bjni Factory from the government at quite a decent sum,"
he commented on the stir raised around his purchase.

Hayrapetyan said he considers Bjni Mineral Water Factory to be a
lucrative business. He informed that upon receiving the acceptance
report on Monday, he’ll start a real work on factory launch. The
first production output is expected in the beginning of next month.

Hayrapetyan informed that he’s planning no serious changes in
personnel. "People wishing to work with me are welcome to stay, the
factory will only benefit from professionals with many years of work
experience," he said.

"Staff reduction became an everyday occurrence under the financial
crisis. I purchased the factory to prevent the further job loss,"
he added.

Bjni Mineral Water Factory, had been the property of Sil Concern, owned
by the Family of Sukiassyans. Bjni was closed down for tax evasion,
with a total debt of over AMD 4 billion to the state budget. Bjni had
been repeatedly put up for auction, yet got no bids were received. The
last auction was held on Feb 5-16, 2009 with a single bid made. Lot
price: AMD 4 441 500.

"SCIENCE IS NOT USED IN ECONOMY ANYMORE"

Panorama.am
16:42 20/02/2009

"Armenia concedes other countries in its abilities to use the results
of the science in different aspects of economy. What is invented by
our scientists is not invested into economy, but once we used to,"
said in a press conference the President of the National Academy of
Sciences, Academician Radik Martirosyan.

The Academician says that separate institutes should develop the
usage of those products into the economy. According to him Armenia
concedes other countries in using science in the economy, because
those institutes have been closed down.

But still, Radik Martirosyan mentions that Armenia does not concede
in science; he says that within 2000 and 2008 Armenia occupies the
third horizontal in physics after Russia and Ukraine.

PETER SEMNEBY: EUROPEAN UNION WILL ASSIST NORMALIZATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

Noyan Tapan
Feb 19, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, NOYAN TAPAN. On February 19, RA Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsian met with EU Special Representative for the South
Caucasus Peter Semneby. During the meeting they touched upon the
consequences of the world financial and economic crisis, its impact
on the RA economy and government’s coming programs, as well as
on country’s home political situation in consideration that social
tension usually considerably increases as a result of the crisis. The
interlocutors also spoke about the process aimed at normalization
of relations between Turkey and RA, about relations with the other
regional neighbors.

T. Sargsian presented RA government’s anticrisis strategy under the
formed situation, the results of the negotiations with international
financial organizations, including WB and IMF. He expressed the hope
that cooperation with European structures will help to overcome the
negative impacts of the world financial-economic crisis.

P. Semneby emphasized that RA like other countries involved in the
European Neighborhood Policy remains in the focus of EU attention. As
to the home political situation in RA, he said that EU is interested
in Armenia’s having a stable situation, in overcoming of the March
1 events’ consequences, in the steps taken in that direction being
open and transparent. In connection with the relations with Turkey
P. Semneby said that for EU both Turkey and Armenia are important
partners, and today and in the future EU will assist normalization
of those relations.

According to the RA government Information and Public Relations
Department, Raul de Luzenberger, the head of the European Commission
delegation in Armenia, Tomasz Knothe, the Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of Poland to RA, Serge Smessow, the Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to RA, advisors of the EU
Special Representative for the South Caucasus took part in the meeting.

RA PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARGSYAN RECEIVED EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE IN SOUTH CAUCASUS PETER SZEMNEBY

Thu rsday, 19 February 2009

RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan received EU Special Representative
in South Caucasus Peter Szemneby. In attendance were Head of EU
Delegation in Armenia, Ambassador Raul Lutzenberger, Polish Ambassador
to Armenia Tomas Knothe, French Ambassador to Armenia Serge Smessoff,
as well as advisers to EU Special Representative in South Caucasus.

The meeting agenda comprised a broad range of issues, including
the influence exercised by the global financial and economic crisis
on Armenia’s economics and government programs, as well as on the
internal political situation considering that social tensions usually
prove exacerbated as a result of emergencies. The parties have also
referred to the process of settling Armenia-Turkey ties and the status
of bilateral relations with other neighboring countries. At the request
of Mr. Szemneby, the Prime Minister stated the government’s readiness
to cooperate with all parliamentary and extra-parliamentary political
forces in Armenia and communicated their response to the authorities’
invitation for joint endeavors under a number of programs. Tigran
Sargsyan noted that similar invitations have been sent off on several
occasions, including from the floor the National Assembly.

Then, the Prime Minister briefed the guests on his government s
anti-crisis strategy by stressing that successful talks have been
held with various international financial institutions, inclusive of
the World Bank and the IMF: "We are getting ready to withstand a new
tide of challenges and, of course, we will need the support of our
partners from the European Union throughout the difficult period of
2009-2010. Our programs have to be reconsidered with a special focus
placed on social and investment-related projects," Tigran Sargsyan
said. He expressed hope that through collaboration with the European
structures Armenia will manage to overcome the adverse effect of
the global crisis. The head of the Armenian government advised that
a prime minister-headed commission and a national council have been
established with the view of coordinating the implementation of the
2009-2010 priority action plan.

The EU Special Representative underscored that like other European
Neighborhood Policy-involved countries, Armenia remains a focus for
the European Union and that the EU High Commissioner for Foreign
Policy and Security Javier Solana follows closely the developments in
both Armenia and the region, as a whole. Mr. Szemneby further noted
that the recent visit to our country of EU External Relations and
European Neighborhood Policy Commissioner, Dr Benita Ferrero-Waldner
evidenced the willingness of the European Union to raise to a new
qualitative level its relationship with Armenia. Concerning Armenia
‘s internal situation, Mr. Szemneby conveyed the Union’s keen interest
in our country’s political stability, as well as in Armenia’s taking
open and transparent steps to overcome the aftermath of the March
1 events. Regarding the settlement of Armenia-Turkey relations, the
Special Representative indicated that both of these States are key
partners for the European Union and, therefore, the EU will continue
backing this process.

PUBLIC PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE TO BLAME POLICE

Panorama.am
Feb 18, 2009

More people are being attacked in public places in Yerevan, is
written in the report of the Office of the Public Prosecutor of
Armenia. According to the survey results, people are more attacked
in the Center and Nork Marash communities of Yerevan.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, police officers do not make
practical measures to protect public places and to prevent the
crimes. "Serious shortcomings are notified in the activities of police
station, and the evidence to it is the insufficient efforts to prevent
the crimes and failing to use all the measures to reveal those crimes."

Note that in 2008 the rate of crimes rose by 10%.