Author: Hovhannisian John

PRESS RELEASE
LSE events
Contact: Gwen Sasse
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 020 7955 6043

The Armenians: from kings and priests to merchants and commissars
Dr. Razmik Panossian

You are invited to a lecture to be be delivered by Dr. Razmik Panossian
at LSE on Tuesday 28 November

European Institute Schapiro Lecture Series
The Armenians: from kings and priests to merchants and commissars
Date: Tuesday 28 November 2006
Time: 6.30pm
Venue: Hong Kong Theatre, ground floor, Clement House
Speaker: Dr. Razmik Panossian
Chair: Dr. James Hughes
This lecture traces the evolution of Armenia and Armenian collective
identity, including its diaspora, from its beginnings to the eve of the
Armenian nationalist movement in 1988. The emphasis is on the modern
era, including the Soviet period. Dr. Panossian’s overall approach is
that of interpretive political and cultural history, centred around
theories of national identity formation and nationalism.

Dr. Razmik Panossian is the director of programmes at Rights and
Democracy <; and author of The Armenians: from
kings and priests to merchants and commissars (Columbia University
Press, 2006).

This event is part of the Schapiro Lecture Series, hosted by the LSE
European Institute.

This event is free and open to all with no ticket required. Entry is on
a first come, first served basis.

For further information email [email protected] or phone 020 7955 6043

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 25 2006

French Ambassador not to participate in the exhibition excerpted from
Turkish archives
25.11.2006 14:37

Among the Ambassadors of 40 countries accredited in Turkey only the
representatives of New Zealand, Morocco, Georgia, Japan, Poland,
Israel, Sweden, Sudan and Australia agreed to participate in the
exhibition against the assertions of the Armenian Genocide titled
`Live together under the sky’ organized by the Chairmanship of the
Turkish Parliament.
Turkish `Aqsham’ writes that the French Ambassador in Turkey refused
to participate in the opening ceremony.

AZG Armenian Daily #225, 24/11/2006

Turkey

TURKISH NATIONALISTS PROTEST AGAINST VISIT OF POPE OF ROME TO TURKEY

On November 23, 39 members of "Big Union"
nationalistic party were arrested by the Turkish
police for carrying out a protest rally against the
visit of Pope of Rome Benedict 16th to Istanbul. After
praying in the temple, the nationalists made a
statement for the press and began chanting slogans
against the Pope. The nationalists didn’t yield even
after the Police applied tear-gas. The policemen had
to lock the nationalists for almost an hour in the
temple and only after that arrest them. It is
envisaged that the Pope of Rome will visit the Hagia
Sophia Church and this very decision aroused the
indignation of the nationalists, Turkish "Cihan"
agency informed.

ITAR-TASS informed that Namik Tan, speaker of the
Foreign Ministry of Turkey, assured that they took all
relevant security measures for the coming visit of the
Pope of Rome. The first visit of Benedict 16th to a
Muslim country will take place on December 1, 2006.

By Nana Petrosian

Xinhua News Agency, China
Nov 24 2006

Cyprus, Armenia pledge to boost cooperation

Cyprus and Armenia pledged on Thursday to further enhance their
friendly ties and strengthen overall cooperation.

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan, who arrived in Cyprus on
Wednesday for a three-day official visit, the first by an Armenian
president, voiced full support to Cyprus concerning the settlement of
Cyprus issue, the semi-official Cyprus News Agency reported.

During his visit, Kocharyan held talks with his Cypriot counterpart
Tassos Papadopoulos over a wide range of issues, aiming at developing
bilateral cooperation, especially in the fields of education,
tourism, banking and culture, according to Cyprus News Agency.

The presidents also attended a signing ceremony of a bilateral
agreement on cooperation in combating organized and other forms of
crime, which was signed by the justice ministers of the two
countries.

As for the Cyprus issue, Kocharyan said after the signing ceremony
that "Armenia wants a speedy solution to the Cyprus problem,
according to the wishes of the people of Cyprus and its leadership."

Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey militarily intervened
and occupied the north of Cyprus following a coup by a group of Greek
officers.

Commenting on relations with Turkey and Turkey’s EU accession course,
Kocharyan said that Turkey’s wish to enter the EU implies that Ankara
would settle its relations with its neighboring countries, including
Armenia.

The internationally-recognized Republic of Cyprus entered the
European Union on behalf of the whole island in May 2004, but Turkey
has been refusing to open its ports to it unless the EU makes good on
promises to ease the economic isolation of Cyprus’ breakaway north
supported by Turkey alone.

Armenia does not have diplomatic ties with neighboring Turkey either,
amid a row over the alleged mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman
Turks in 1915-1917.

PLENARY SESSION OF BSEC PA GENERAL ASSEMBLY COMMENCED IN BAKU
Author: S.Agayeva
TREND, Azerbaijan
Nov 22 2006
“The Black Sea Economic Co-operation Parliamentary Assembly (BSEC
PA) may play a significant role in the restoration of peace and
stability in the region,” the letter from the Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev read and was forwarded to the participants of the 28th
Plenary Meeting of the BSEC PA General Assembly which opened in the
capital of Azerbaijan on 22 November.
The letter stated that the role of regional co-operation in ensuring
peace and stability is gradually increasing in the contemporary
world. From this point of view, the President of Azerbaijan
attaches great importance to the strengthening of the bilateral
and multilateral co-operation within the framework of BSEC PA. The
transnational projects have assisted in developing the organization,
Ilham Aliyev wrote.
The letter mentioned that the conflicts which exist in the region,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh problem, are preventing the region to
prosper. The State Head voiced his confidence in the letter that the
political dialogues held within BSEC PA may assist in developing and
strengthening the peace and stability in the region.
The meeting of the BSEC PA General Assembly is presided by the Speaker
of the Azerbaijani Parliament, Oktay Asadov. On the first day of the
General Assembly, the working organizations of the Assembly, the Bureau
and the Permanent Committee, met to discuss the organizational issues
and consider the activities of the BSEC in the second half of 2006.
Opening the meeting, Oktay Asadov highlighted the great importance
of the organization in strengthening the co-operation amongst the
countries of the region. However, he regretfully emphasized the
negative role of the conflict situation existing in the region, and
voiced his confidence that they would be settled within international
principles.
The key topic of the discussions will be “Ways of increasing the
efficiency of the activities of the BSEC”. The Assembly will organize
debates on the report and recommendations prepared by the Special
Committee of the BSEC PA at the time of the autumn meeting. The report
“Alternative energy sources and their possible application in the Black
Sea region” will be delivered by Bulent Tanl (Turkey), on behalf of
the BSEC Committee for Economy, Trade, Technology & Ecology. Mircha
Chopraga (Romania) will deliver the report “Strengthening legislative
base on protection of the intellectual property” on behalf of the
Committee for Law and Policy. The report of the BSEC Committee
for Culture, Education & Social Affairs “Globalization process and
potential threats for the cultural diversity” will be delivered by
Olga Seliverstova (Russia).
Thereafter, the Assembly will confirm the recommendations on these
issues. In addition, the members of the Assembly will witness the
report regarding the activities of the Parliamentary Assembly and
will elect the Deputy Chairman of the BSEC PA.
At the conclusion of the Baku session, the Chairman of the Bulgarian
Popular Assembly, Georgi Pirinski, will accept the Chairmanship to
the BSEC PA until June 2007. The Next Assembly General will take
place in Sofia in June 2007.
The Baku session brings together the parliamentary delegations from
BSEC member-countries, Secretary General of the BSEC Permanent
International Secretariat and other BSEC organizations such as
International Center for Black Sea Researches and Network of
the Black Sea Universities. The observers and guests will be the
representatives of the National Assembly and Senate of France, Knesset
of Israel, European Commission, European Parliament, Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe, Belarusian National Assembly, CIS
Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, Parliamentary Assembly of Bulgaria and
Russia, Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of Eurasian Economic Committee
and Parliamentary Union of the Organization of the Islamic Conference
member-countries.
Armenia is not represented in the meeting.
Created in 1993, the Assembly brings together the representatives of
the parliaments from 12 BSEC member-countries – Albania, Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldavia, Romania, Russia,
Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine. The Popular Assembly of Egypt, French
Parliament, German Bundestag, Israeli Knesset, National Council of
Slovakia and National Assembly of Belarus have the status of observer
in the BSEC PA.

OSCE MG: YEREVAN AGREED ON PRESIDENTIAL MEETING IN MINSK
PanARMENIAN.Net
22.11.2006 13:02 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ OSCE Minsk Group Russian Co-chair Yuri Merzlyakov
said today in Yerevan that the meetings of the mediators with the RA
President and Foreign Minister were efficient. Before departing for
Baku Yuri Merzlyakov told reporters in Zvartnots airport that the
Armenian side agreed on the meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani
Presidents November 28 within the CIS summit in Minsk. According to
the Russian Co-chair, “we should receive the essential confirmation
from the Azeri President as well, though the Azeri FM has already
made an appropriate statement.”
When commenting on the absence of U.S. mediator Matthew Bryza Yuri
Merzlyakov said, “The Co-chairs divided responsibilities and our
American counterpart will meet with Arkady Ghukasian in the U.S. On the
whole the year is coming to an end with an optimistic estimation and
if we manage to maintain the mood of the sides we will meet the year
of 2007 with good outlook. Although elections restrain the negotiation
process in a way we think that the achievement of the current year
will alleviate the election period,” reports Mediamax.

OSKANIAN AND OSCE MG DISCUSSED POSSIBILITY OF KOCHARIAN-ALIYEV MEETING IN MINSK
PanARMENIAN.Net
21.11.2006 17:47 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ November 21 Yuri Merzlyakov and Bernard Fassier,
the Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement met with Armenian Foreign Minister to proceed with the
discussion of the principles of the Karabakh settlement launched in
Brussels November 14. The parties also discussed the possibility of
the meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents November 28-29
within the CIS summit in Minsk. In the afternoon the mediators were
received by Armenian President Robert Kocharian, reported the RA MFA
press office.

COMMANDERS’ CONTEST AND REVIEW HELD IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Nov 20 2006
A few days ago a contest and review of the Motor Rifle and Tank
brigades’ Commanders was held in a training military unit within the
frames of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Armed Forces’ training plan.
For five days the Commanders showed their skills of using fighting
equipment and improved field training.
The measures of the kind are systematically held in the Armed Forces
with the participation of various group’s Commanders.
The Army command noted skillful combination of theoretical and
practical knowledge. The best commanders were awarded with the Defense
Minister’s gratitude and certificates of merit, the NKR MFA Press
Center reports.

GORAN LENNMARKER TO VISIT AZERBAIJAN SOON
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 20 2006
Parliament deputy chairman Bahar Muradova has met with the chairman
of the OSCE PA Goran Lennmarker, APA reports.
The meeting took place during Bahar Muradova’s participation in the
autumn session. During the talks Goran Lennmarker said he pays great
attention to Nagorno Garabagh conflict. The chairman of the OSCE PA
said he is going to visit Azerbaijan soon. He stressed that he will
be the rapporteur on Nagorno Garabagh conflict. Bahar Muradova said
she believed that the OSCE will actively participate in the settlement
of Nagorno Garabagh conflict.

TURKEY DOESN’T PURSUE OWN POLICY IN NATO
PanARMENIAN.Net
16.11.2006 16:41 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia is not concerned over the fact that Turkey
coordinates the NATO Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP), ARF
Bureau’s Hay Dat and Political Office Director Kiro Manoian told a
news conference in Yerevan today. In his words, Armenia should not have
concerns about the state that coordinates its activities. “Turkey here
represents the NATO but not itself. We should either participate in
the NATO’s game or not. We have no right to lay down terms. Turkey
doesn’t pursue its own policy and its actions are guided by the
interests of the Alliance,” Manoian said.
As for Armenia’s relations with NATO and CSTO, he remarked that in
both cases Armenia should be a reliable partner. “If this rule is
observed the republic will have no problem with these organizations,”
Manoian said adding that it’s included in the complimentary policy
of the Armenian state.