Author: Kajoyan Gevork

GERMANY’S AMBASSADOR: ISSUE OF NAGORNO KARABAKH RECOGNITION IS NOT URGENT AT THE MOMENT

Mediamax
Sept 20 2011
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. The issue of recognition on Nagorno Karabakh
independence is not urgent at the moment, stated Germany’s Ambassador
to Armenia Hans-Johan Schmidt.

The Ambassador noted that official Berlin supports the process going
on within the OSCE Minsk Group, Mediamax reports.

Touching on the examples of Kosovo, Southern Ossetia and Abkhazia,
the Ambassador said that though Russia insists that Northern Ossetia
and Abkhazia should declare the independence through self-determination
as Kosovo, Germany thinks the Kosovo case to be different.

The Ambassador also added that giving advantage to one of
the principles – either territorial integrity or right of
self-determination in the process of settling the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict will break the neutrality and will only aggravate the
settlement of the issue.

ARMENIA IS DETERMINED TO CONTINUE THE REFORMS WITH EU ASSISTANCE, THE PRESIDENT STATES

Mediamax
Sept 20 2011
Armenia

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said today
that Armenia is determined to continue the reforms with the European
Union assistance.

Receiving the Vice President of the European Parliament Libor
Roucek in Yerevan, the President said that the process of European
integration in Armenia bore a steady character over the recent years,
Mediamax reports.

Serzh Sargsyan stressed that not only is the EU an important partner
for Armenia in the spheres of foreign policy, trade and economy
but also within the cooperation aimed at implementation of internal
reforms.

INDEPENDENCE DAY OF ARMENIA WEDNESDAY

Manila Bulletin
Sept 20 2011
The Philippines

MANILA, Philippines – Wednesday is the Independence Day of Armenia
which commemorates its freedom from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Landlocked in South Caucasus and located between the Black and
Caspian Seas, Armenia borders Turkey to the west, Georgia to the
north, Azerbaijan to the east, and Iran and the Nakhchivan exclave of
Azerbaijan to the south. Yerevan is the country’s capital and largest
city. Population is around 3.2 million people.

Armenia is a member of numerous international organizations, including
the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the Asian Development Bank,
the Commonwealth of Independent States, the World Trade Organization
and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation.

The economy of Armenia is heavily dependent on remittances by Armenians
working abroad. Its oil and gas supplies come from Iran and Georgia,
the two important countries with which Armenia maintains cordial
relations.

We congratulate the people and government of Armenia led by Their
Excellencies, President Serzh Azati Sargsyan, Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan and National Assembly Speaker Hovik A. Abrahamyan, and
its Consulate in the Philippines led by Consul Jose Periquet Jr.,
on the occasion of its Independence Day. We wish them all the best
and success in all their endeavors. MABUHAY!

COMMISSION PROPOSAL: A STEP TO EASING VISA RULES WITH ARMENIA

ENPI Info Centre
Sept 20 2011

The European Commission yesterday proposed to open negotiations on
Visa Facilitation and Readmission Agreements with Armenia. A press
release said the agreements on easing visa procedures for short-stay
visas and on the readmission of irregular migrants between the EU
and Armenia would be based on reciprocity benefiting the Armenian
and the European citizens.

“Easier access to visas will improve cooperation and exchanges between
the EU and Armenia. Visa facilitation and readmission agreements are
very tangible results of the Eastern Partnership and I know how much
this means to the citizens of these countries,” said Commissioner
for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström.

“The human dimension of the Eastern Partnership is one of its
most important ones,” underlined Commissioner for Enlargement and
Neighbourhood Policy tefan Fule, adding: “Fostering mobility and
people-to-people contacts through visa facilitation is fundamental
in order to promote social and economic development and mutual
understanding between the people.”

Suggested visa facilitations include the introduction of long-term
multiple-entry visas, simpler requirements concerning documentary
evidence in support of the visa applications, lower or no
administrative fees for some categories of travelers etc.

The agreements on visa facilitation and readmission can only enter
into force simultaneously, the press release said.

The visa facilitation and readmission negotiations with Armenia follow
the political commitment to foster people – to – people contacts taken
at the Prague Eastern Partnership Summit in May 2009 and reaffirmed
more recently by the Eastern Partnership Foreign Ministers’ conclusions
in December 2010. (ENPI Info Centre)

NAGORNO-KARABAKH NEEDS MAJOR MEDIATORS

Vestnik Kavkaza
Sept 20 2011

The Nagorno-Karabakh peace process could be more fruitful if there
were more authoritative politicians involved. The US could play that
role to demonstrate that it is more concerned about the problem,
Doctor Svante Cornell, Director of research at the Institute for
Central Asia and the Caucasus.

The presence of middle-rankng diplomats is fine, but discussions of
such complicated geopolitical conflicts need higher-level diplomatic
missions. Such diplomats need direct contact with heads of state and
Foreign Ministries.

Another important aspect of the negotiation process is planning. The
better picture negotiators have on prospects of signing a treaty,
the higher chance there is for them to put maximum efforts into a
settlement of the conflict, Cornell said.

INAUGURAL ‘ANC GRASSROOTS’ SLATED FOR THANKSGIVING WEEKEND

ASBAREZ
Monday, September 19th, 2011

“ANC Grassroots” conference will take place Thanksgiving weekend

Dynamic workshops designed to educate and activate community

GLENDALE-The Armenian National Committee-Western Region will host its
inaugural ANC Grassroots weekend from Friday, November 25 to Sunday,
November 27, 2011, at the Sheraton Universal Hotel.

The dynamic, three-day program is the first in a groundbreaking
series of workshops, conferences and seminars that will educate the
community about civic leadership arising from grassroots efforts. For
many years, the ANC-WR has worked at the community level to heighten
Armenian American awareness and increase involvement in local,
state and federal politics. As such, the ANC-WR created a series
that emphasized the importance of the individuals working at the
grassroots level – registering people to vote; calling constituents
and elected officials about important Armenian American issues;
canvassing neighborhoods during elections – to promote Hai Tahd.

ANC Grassroots promises to be an informative and inspirational weekend
of presentations and discussion that educates about and celebrates
the results of civic engagement.

Highlights of ANC Grassroots are the panel presentations on Genocide
Reparations; Self-Determination in Artsakh (Karabakh) and Javakhk;
and the Return of Armenian Church Properties.

These presentations will be punctuated by educational workshops on
grassroots activism through five essential avenues: social media and
public relations; politics and campaigns; financial contributions
and estate planning; school and university curricula; and film and
the arts.

The ANC-WR chose the Thanksgiving holiday weekend to launch ANC
Grassroots because it is an ideal opportunity for a significant number
of residents of the Western Region to participate in the social and
educational components of the conference. Through these activities,
presentations and workshops, participants will receive key information,
tools and resources that they can then take back to their communities
to promote further grassroots efforts.

The ANC Grassroots conference will bookend the Armenian National
Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) Annual Banquet,
which will take place on Saturday, November 26 at 7 p.m.

The Annual Banquet, the ANCA-WR’s premier event, highlights the work
of the organization over the previous year and honors individuals
whose work has been integral to the advancement of issues of concern
to the Armenian American community. Past honorees at this hallmark
event have included former attorney general, and current California
governor, Jerry Brown; rock band System of a Down; UCLA Armenian
Studies Professor and Chair, Richard Hovannissian, among many other
notable personalities.

The conference and Annual Banquet are open to interested individuals
throughout the entire United States. As previous Annual Banquets
have sold out and with the recent success of the ANCA’s Advocacy 2.0
Conference in Washington, DC, those interested in participating are
encouraged to register early.

Tickets for ANC Grassroots, which includes the Friday night cocktail
in the Starview Room; as well as conference sessions on Friday,
Saturday and Sunday, which include breakfast, post-banquet dance,
and a keynote luncheon on Sunday, are $150.

Tickets for the Annual Banquet are $200. Those interested in attending
the Annual Banquet and ANC Grassroots can purchase a package for $300.

Students with valid ID can purchase discounted tickets to the Annual
Banquet and Conference.

The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the
largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy
organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination
with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the
Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country,
the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community
on a broad range of issues.

SARKOZY: FRANCE IS AT ARMENIA’S SIDE TO HELP RESIST OUTWARD CHALLENGES

PanARMENIAN.Net
September 20, 2011 – 21:24 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – French President Nicolas Sarkozy congratulated
his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan on 20th anniversary of the
Republic of Armenia.

“On September 21, 1991, Armenia re-connected with its history to once
again become the master of its destiny. Armenian people must be proud
of whatever they have achieved over the 20 years of independence,
regardless of challenges faced. France will be at Armenia’s side
to help the friendly republic resist the outward challenges,” the
President stressed in his congratulatory address.

VALERY GERGIEV RECALLS YEARS SPENT IN ARMENIA WITH GREAT PLEASURE AND IS ALWAYS GLAD TO VISIT ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
20.09.2011 | 11:46

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan on September 19 received Artistic
Director and Principal Conductor of Mariinsky Theatre (Saint
Petersburg) Valery Gergiev.

According to the presidential press service, S. Sargsyan said that
residents of Armenia love and admire Valery Gergiyev, considering him
a friend of the Armenian people. “You led Armenia’s symphony orchestra
for five years. It means that you dedicated five years of your life
to our music and culture. I am very glad to see you in Armenia on
the 20th anniversary of the Republic of Armenia’s independence,”
the President said.

The world-famous conductor said that Armenia has always played an
important role in his life and that he is happy to be able to become
a particle of the wonderful holiday and mix with the Armenian audience.

In his words, he recalls the years spent in Armenia with great pleasure
and is always glad to visit Armenia.

MARCHERS TO PROTEST FOREIGN TROOPS’ PRESENCE AT INDEPENDENCE PARADE

Tert.am
18:15 20.09.11

A procession to protest foreign regiments’ attendance at Armenia’s
independence parade will be held in capital Yerevan on Wednesday
morning.

The protesters will head towards Republican Square with slogan’s
reading “No Foreign Regiments and Flags on Armenia’s Independence Day”.

In a statement posted on their Facebook profile, the organizers of the
campaign call on everybody who is against foreign troops and flags’
presence at the independence parade to join the procession.

The exact route will be announced later.

It is noteworthy that Russian troops are scheduled to attend the
September 21 independence parade on Yerevan’s Republican square.

EU TO KEEP CLOSE EYE ON ARMENIAN ELECTIONS – AMBASSADOR

Tert.am
13:36 20.09.11

Having in mind the 2008 post-electoral developments in Armenia, the
European Union will closely monitor the upcoming electoral processes
in the country, the German Ambassador has said.

Hans-Jochen Schmidt told reporters on Tuesday that the EU will dispatch
big observation missions to Armenia [in 2012 and 2013] to follow the
coming presidential and parliamentary elections.

When asked about the democracy level in Armenia, the diplomat refrained
from making any comment, noting in the meantime that the country
perfectly realizes Germany’s attitude to freedom of press. He said the
OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) will
keep a close eye on the public access to the media at election time.

Stressing the importance of investigative journalism, he noted
further that this aspect of news reporting requires proper knowledge,
an ethic-based approach, and ability to make quotations in a precise
manner.

Speaking of legal collaboration, the Ambassador referred to Armenia’s
Constitution. He said everybody takes pride in the document, with
the President of the Constitutional Court enjoying a great respect
in Germany and abroad. Considering the legalization of freedom of
assembly the result of Armenian-German joint collaboration, the
ambassador hailed the authorities’ move to sanction the opposition’s
rallies on Yerevan’s Liberty Square.

The diplomat estimated the efficiency of Armenia’s legal-administrative
reforms at 62%, the rate being 50% higher compared to Germany.