Author: Kajoyan Gevork

EXHIBITION IN THE NA GREEN HALL

National Assembly

Sept 13 2011
Armenia

On September 13 in the NA Green Hall the selected exhibition of the
landscapes of the painter Slavik Paronyan opened. The NA Speaker Hovik
Abrahamyan, the NA deputies, artists, representatives of the NA Staff
and the journalists took part in the opening of the exhibition.

The NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan congratulated the painter on the
occasion of the exhibition and wished new success and achievements.

Considering as a great honour the exhibition of his works in the
Armenian Parliament, Slavik Paronyan thanked the NA Speaker and
the organizers.

CONCERT IN US DEVOTED TO ARMENIA’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE

news.am
Sept 13 2011
Armenia

Marking the 20th anniversary of Armenia’s independence, a concert
entitled “Greetings Armenia” was held in Providence, Rhode Island, in
the United States, on September 10. Among the 1,000-plus attendants
to the event, there were US senator Sheldon Whitehouse, as well as
the mayor of Providence and representatives of the city’s municipal
government and Armenian community.

The concert conducted by Konstantin Petrosyan was held under the
auspices of Armenian diplomatic representations at UN and US. The
keynote speaker at the event was Permanent Representative of Armenia
to UN, Ambassador Karen Nazaryan, who call attention to the Armenian
Diaspora’s contribution to strengthening Armenia’s independence.

Reflecting on Armenia’s foreign policy, Nazaryan noted that genocide
recognition and prevention, as well as preservation of regional peace
are key issues for Armenia, and multilateral cooperation with partner
states is essential toward resolving these issues.

Ambassador Nazaryan added that at the UN Armenia is actively involved
in the discussion of social, economic, and stable development matters,
and transnational crime-including fight against terrorism-and that
the international community underscores and appreciates Armenia’s
efforts and steps toward that domain.

During the concert, works by Komitas, Aram Khachatryan, Arno
Babajanyan, and other composers were presented.

AZERBAIJANI EMBASSY WORKING TO PREVENT KARABAKH SEPARATISTS’ CONCERT IN GERMANY

news.az
Sept 13 2011
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani Embassy in Germany is continuing its effort to prevent
conduct of a concert.

A concert dedicated to the separatist regime in Nagorno-Karabakh is
be held on 16 to 22 September as part of the days of Armenian culture.

The statement came from Foreign Ministry’s spokesman of Azerbaijan
Elman Abdullayev.

According to him, this work involved Azerbaijani organizations in
Germany, as well as the honorary consulate of Azerbaijan in the
federal state of Baden-Wurttemberg in Stuttgart.

There is a plan to hold a concert “20th anniversary of Artsakh”
dedicated to the so-called “20th anniversary” of independence of the
puppet regime in Nagorno Karabakh.

The event is organized by Friends of Artsakh. In order to prevent
provocations Azerbaijani embassy conducts a number of multi-vector
measures with the government of Germany.

Embassy of Azerbaijan has presented a protest note to the German
Foreign Office, which fixed Azerbaijan’s position on this issue and
requested that the Foreign Ministry of Germany does not allow the
Armenian provocation by the occupation regime propaganda and deception
of the German public.

In the reply of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Germany it was
noted that the position of Germany has not changed – this country
recognizes the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and does not
recognize Nagorno Karabakh regime or its representation.

EBRD FINANCES GLASS MANUFACTURER IN ARMENIA

The Financial
Sept 13 2011
Georgia

The FINANCIAL — The EBRD is lending US$ 3.5 million to Saranist,
an Armenian producer of glass bottles and jars, to help the company
increase its production capacity.

The proceeds of the loan will fund the construction of a new furnace
and glass manufacturing line. This will allow the company to increase
production volumes, thereby helping to satisfy rising demand in the
Armenian and Georgian markets and offering an alternative to more
expensive imported glass products.

The newly combined energy efficient furnace will also improve the
quality of the merchandise while reducing production waste.

“Supporting private businesses is one of the EBRD’s key priorities
in Armenia. It’s the Bank’s second cooperation with Saranist. We
are pleased to help the company in its drive to expand the range of
its high quality products by meeting the increased demand and largely
substituting the import markets for the region,” said Gilles Mettetal,
EBRD Director for Agribusiness.

Founded in 1989, Saranist has since become one of the leading domestic
flint and coloured glass manufacturers in Armenia. It produces a
variety of clear and coloured glass jars and bottles which are both
sold domestically and exported to Georgia.

The EBRD is one of the largest investors in Armenia. Since the
beginning of its operations there in 1992, the EBRD has invested over
~@400 million in 100 projects in the country’s financial, corporate,
energy and infrastructure sectors, with 92 per cent of projects being
investments in the development of the private sector.

AN AIR-DEFENSE COMMONWEALTH
by Sergey Konovalov

RusData Dialine – Russian Press Digest
September 12, 2011 Monday

The spread of new Russian ABM defense systems in post-Soviet space
is hampered by arms manufacturers

The active phase of training the Joint CIS Air Defense System members,
the Combat Commonwealth 2011 air defense exercises, conducted at the
Ashuluk air defense test site, comes to an end today. Despite the
fact that not all member states are taking part in the maneuvers,
the missile combat crews (of Armenia, Belarus, Russia, Kyrgyzstan,
and Tajikistan) will be monitored by defense ministry representatives
of all 11 states of the CIS.

Observers from Azerbaijan and Moldova, who are not members of the Joint
CIS Air Defense System, arrived at the training field. Their interest
is understandable. The Joint CIS Air Defense System is practically
a military-coalition alliance of the Commonwealth, which is showing
a certain level of efficiency.

As is shown by the military actions of the US and NATO in Iraq,
Afghanistan and Libya, unmanned aerial strikes are one of today’s main
methods of defeating the enemy. To repel such attacks, ABM defense
means are needed like never before. But because they are not cheap
and in post- Soviet states these means are still mainly of old Soviet
production, the dependence of CIS countries on Russia is evident.

Russia is the only country on post-Soviet territory that is modernizing
the entire spectrum of air defense and air defense missile systems
produced in the USSR. At the same time, Moscow is also developing
and manufacturing new systems.

Apparently, it’s no coincidence that last Saturday after a meeting of
the Coordination Committee on ABM Issues under the Council of Defense
Ministers of the CIS, Commander of the Belarusian Air Force and
ABM Maj.- Gen. Sergey Lemeshevsky, said that his country intends to
purchase the new S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems from Russia. As
is known, Belarusian representatives have expressed these intentions
more than once. As early as May, the secretary general of the Union
State of Russia and Belarus, Pavel Borodin, announced that the issue
concerning the supplies of the S- 400 Triumph air defense missile
systems (designed and produced by the ABM concern Almaz-Antei) to
Belarus had been almost settled. Diplomatic and military sources told
Nezavisimaya Gazeta (NG) that after this summer’s failed negotiations
between Moscow and NATO regarding the creation of a single Euro-ABM
system, Russia is, in practical terms, considering the possibility
of allocating S-400 divisions on the territory of Belarus.

An indirect confirmation of these intentions has been the statement
made by Defense Ministry spokesman Vladimir Drik that missile
combat crews equipped with the S-400 will take part in the joint
Russian-Belarusian “Union Shield 2011” exercises, which will start on
September 16. The head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of
Belarus, Petr Tikhonovsky, while revealing the intention of these
maneuvers, said: “We are working on the application of a single
regional ABM system, which is expected to be used not only to repel
air assault weapons, but also cover ground forces”. Meanwhile, Russia
has not yet made any official statements regarding the transfer of
S-400 divisions to Belarus. This is of course due to the fact that
Russian army regiments and divisions are being equipped with the S-
400 systems with delays. Russian defense minister Anatoly Serdyukov
has frequently reiterated the need to build several new factories for
the production of AMB systems. But it looks like the defense industry
sector is coming up short.

Meanwhile, Russia evidently has certain obligations to supply
air-defense means to not only Belarus. Russia’s closest allies,
Kazakhstan and Armenia, are also waiting for Russia to sign contracts
for the allocation of S-300 and S-400 systems on their territories.

However, as was recently stated by the co-chairman of the
Non-Departmental Advisory Council for Aerospace Defense, Igor
Ashurbeili, production of the S-300 systems in Russia has been stopped,
and the S-400 systems are not yet being offered for sale.

Another problem is the fact that last year two S-300 divisions were
sold by Russia to Azerbaijan, which is preparing to go to war with
Armenia, Russia’s ally. Negotiations about a possible purchase of 10
S-300 divisions by Kazakhstan have already been ongoing for more than
three years. But, argues Ashurbeili, because the production of S-300
systems in Russia has ceased, Kazakhstan will most likely get these
systems from the army reserve. In other words, it will be secondhand
equipment. The fact that this will be the case is confirmed by the
Kazakh army commanders’ acknowledgement that the transfer will occur
at no cost.

The director of the Global Arms Trade Analysis Center, Igor
Korotchenko, told NG that the Almaz-Antei concern has currently “begun
the construction of three new factories (one in St. Petersburg and two
in the Volga Region) for the production of an entire series of modern
ABM defense systems.” With their opening, Korotchenko said that “all
needs for new ABM systems in Russia as well as export obligations
will be met.” However, the question is when will these factories
begin to operate? According to government officials and Almaz-Antei
representatives the ABM production facilities are expected to open
in 2015. In other words – not any time soon.

SUBJECT OF 2008 RIOTS IN YEREVAN CLOSED – PACE

Interfax
Sept 12 2011
Russia

The Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe (PACE) has concluded, based on the results of the functioning
of democratic institutions in Armenia, that the chapter of the March 1,
2008 events in Yerevan “can finally be considered closed.”

“The Monitoring Committee considers that the outcome of the latest
general amnesty,

the renewed impetus to investigate the 10 deaths during the March 2008
events, and the resulting start of a constructive dialogue between
the opposition and ruling coalition mean that the chapter on the
March 2008 events can finally be considered closed,” the Monitoring
Committee said in a draft resolution.

The draft resolution will be discussed at a PACE session in Strasbourg
on October 3-7, Armenian media outlets said, citing the PACE’s
official website.

In February 2008, the opposition Armenian National Congress (ANK)
led by ex-president Levon Ter-Petrosian organized a massive protest
to challenge the results of the presidential election won by Serzh
Sargsian. On March 1 the protests turned into clashes, as a result of
which ten people were killed and more than 250 were injured. Dozens
of opposition activists were arrested.

In May 2011, Armenia announced an amnesty on the occasion of the 20th
independence anniversary, as a result of which the opposition activists
serving sentences for the March 1 protests have been released.

After that Armenian President Serzh Sargsian stated that the country’s
authorities are ready to make the first step to ease relations with
the opposition. On July 18, the ruling coalition parties and the ANK
held talks, which were suspended at the ANK’s initiative on August 26.

The ANK plans to hold its first rally since the failed talks in
central Yerevan on September 9.

MOSCOW’S LUZHNIKI TO HOLD CONCERT TO MARK ARMENIA’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE

Vestnik Kavkaza
Sept 12 2011

Moscow’s Luzhniki stadium will host a concert on September 16 to
markthe 20th anniversary of the independence of Armenia. Heads of
statesand high-ranking officials of economy, politics and culture
wereinvited to the concert.

A laser show will be organized in the colour of Armenian and
Russianflags. All profits will be spent on support for Armenian and
Russianchildren.

ARMENIAN NATIONALS CONTINUED TO FARE WELL IN THEIR RESPECTIVE CLUBS

ArmeniaDiaspora.com
Sept 12 2011

Epress.am — Those Armenian nationals who played on Armenia’s national
team in the Euro 2012 qualifier against Slovakia last week continued
to do well after they returned to their own football clubs.

On Friday, Henrikh Mkhitaryan was named best player in Shakhtar
Donetsk, which won 5-1 in its match against another Ukrainian
football club, FC Volyn Lutsk. On Saturday, Yura Movsisyan played
an extraordinarily good game on FC Krasnodar’s team against Russian
premier league FC Rubin Kazan. At the 5th minute, he scored a goal
from the 11-meter mark, while at the start of the second half, he
scored another goal that, however, the referee annulled. Until he was
replaced at the 78th minute he continued to constantly put pressure
on the opponent.

Armenian national team players Gevorg Ghazaryan and Marcos Pizzelli
played successful games on Sunday as part of Ukraine’s FC Metalurh
Donetsk. Ghazaryan was out on the field from the first minutes of the
game, while Pizzelli came out in the second half. It was this Armenian
pair that organized the only goal in the match against FC Obolon Kyiv.

Pizzelli struggled with the defender, who lost his grip on the ball
which went toward Ghazaryan who didn’t miss this opportunity to score
a goal.

Note, another Armenian national on Metlarh Donetsk’s team – Karlen
Lazarian – skipped this match due to injury.

Article source:

THE ‘LAST’ AMONG THE WORLD’S ‘FIRST’ CHRISTIANS
By David Judson

Hurriyet Daily News
Sept 12 2011
Turkey

NIJ, Azerbaijan – Newspapermen like myself often seek to understand
the history of Azeris in this country, the Armenians next door,
Turkey’s Kurds, Iran’s Ba’hai or Egypts Copts. But what do we know of
Iraq’s 60,000 Shaleks, Iran’s 5,000 remaining Mandeans or the 50,000
Mhallami of Turkey?

Not much. Which was the nature of the conversation I had here last
week in this village near Azerbajian’s ancient capital with Vidadi
Mahmadov, the local headman and caretaker of the informally named “St.

Eliseus” church. It is the last operating church in the world of the
“Udin,” or “Udis” as they call themselves, who entirely comprise
this and two nearby villages. Their numbers of 6,000 in Azerbaijan
and no more than 10,000 worldwide are, in Mahmadov’s words, “the last
of the world’s first Christians.”

Neither Mahmadov or his church get many visitors and it was only an
afterthought on the part of my traveling companian here that took me
off the main road to northern Gabala 40 kilometers from here to learn
what we could about this struggling community and its newly restored
church. We spoke in Azeri Turkish, but Mahmadov’s native tongue is
Udi, a language spoken by all here – a Caucasian language related to
the slightly better known Lezgic.

“But maybe its just as well,” the 68-year-old Mahmadov told me as we
sat in the shade of a giant plane tree older than the 17th Century
church itself. “We don’t need much or ask for much.”

His claim to be among the last of the world’s first Christians will
surely be disputed by some and it’s not my business to adjudicate. It
does, though, deserve listening.

The Udins were one of 26 tribes that made up the ancient state
of Albania (no relation to the current country of that name), the
predecessor of today’s Azerbaijan. In about 300 A.D., according to
Mahmadov, that tribal confederation became the first state to formally
embrace Christianity at the urging of St. Eliseus himself. In 301,
Christianity was also embraced by the nearby Armenian state, which
more conventionally is given the title of “first.”

Only the Udins remain of those original 26 tribes. After the region
was conquered by Russia, Czar Nicholas I formally abolished the Alban
Church and absorbed it into the Armenian Orthodox Church. Only “St.

Eliseus” survived as a nominally “Alban” church by virtue of its
isolation. When Azerbaijan’s brief independence from the Russians
ended in invasion by the Soviet Union in 1920, Nij’s church was made
a hazelnut warehouse.

Only after Azerbaijan regained its independence in 1991 were the Udin
allowed to again formally teach their language, developing with state
help a curriculum now used in the region’s three primary schools.

Seven years ago, the locals regained their church, restoring it with
funds from a Baku foundation. The altar vestments the villagers have
made themselves.

Mahmadov walked me to a crypt outside the entryway when I asked when
his congregation might get a priest.

“This is our priest,” he said, pointing downward. Of course, for there
is no Alban Church to reconscretate the building, no Alban Bishop to
assign a cleric.

“We come here to pray each Sunday,” he said. “That’s more than any
of us ever had before.”

AMBASSADOR: AZERBAIJAN DOES EVERYTHING NECESSARY TO BE ADEQUATELY REPRESENTED AT UN SECURITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS

Trend
Sept 12 2011
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan is doing everything necessary to be adequately represented
at the UN Security Council elections, Azerbaijani Permanent
Representative to the UN, Ambassador Agshin Mehdiyev told Trend.

“A month remains before the elections,” Mehdiyev said. “At present,
three countries – Azerbaijan, Slovenia, and Hungary – compete for
one seat given to the Eastern European group in the Security Council.

Competitors are strong. They rely on the EU to support and do
everything they can to win the upcoming elections.”

Mehdiyev said that Azerbaijan is actively working with its allies.

“The Permanent Mission and the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry work to
inform the international community about the current situation in
Azerbaijan, the country’s activity on the international scene, and
the economic and cultural development of our country,” Mehdiyev said.

“This is not a secret that Azerbaijan is gradually turning into one
of the regional leaders. We hope that this factor will play its role.”

However, Mehdiyev stressed that the situation is extremely complex. He
did not advise anyone to make predictions about the final election
results.

Mehdiyev stressed that work being done within the UN Security Council
elections campaign, regardless of election results, will have long-term
consequences.

However, the envoy stressed that the situation is extremely complex
and strongly advises considering the possibilities for the final
election’s outcome.

“Several groups of foreign countries’ permanent representatives at the
United Nations have recently visited our country,” Mehdiyev said. “The
Diplomatic Academy and the Azerbaijani Permanent Mission to the UN
have organized ten-year courses for diplomats from over 40 countries.”

These people could see and objectively assess the processes occurring
in our country and the region during their visit, Mehdiyev said.

The information will be helpful allowing them to assess the situation
in our country and region in the future, Mehdiyev said.

“In other words, Azerbaijan and our competitors are doing everything
necessary to be adequately represented at the elections,” Mehdiyev
said.

Commenting on the Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian’s
recent statement on Azerbaijan’s participation in the elections as a
non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, Mehdiyev said that
this was not the first time that Armenians have tried to speak on
this issue at varying levels.

“In negotiating on its association with the EU, Azerbaijan is
competing with two EU member states – Hungary and Slovenia – for
membership in the Security Council,” the Armenian media reported
Nalbandian as saying in Yerevan last week. “It assumes that it will
fulfill its responsibilities as a member of the organization better
than EU member-states.”

“Well, first of all, I would say to those who are unaware, that
until recently, Armenia was the fourth candidate from our group to the
position in the UN Security Council,” he said. “However, realizing that
they are unable to resist Azerbaijan during the upcoming elections,
the Armenians decided to withdraw their candidacy. Perhaps it was
the right decision – because they had zero chances.”

He regretted that while remaining true to themselves, the Armenians
began a campaign to counter Azerbaijan within the election campaign.

“Permanent representatives of several countries complained to me
that the Armenians were trying to influence them not to support the
candidacy of our country,” he said. “Moreover, we have information
that Armenian official bodies joined the attempts to blackmail some
countries in this regard.

“Regarding recent comments made by Armenia, great people said that
stupidity is a gift from God; one that should not be abused,” he
added. “But the Armenians tried too hard.”

Mehdiyev said that no one in Azerbaijan has claimed the country’s
election into the Security Council will represent EU interests,
or anything along such lines.

“If Azerbaijan is elected to the Security Council, our activity will
be based on the national interests of our country,” he said. “It is
the cornerstone of our foreign policy. Of course, we will consider the
interests organizations which include Azerbaijan. This includes the
Organization for Islamic Cooperation, the Non-Aligned Movement, etc.”

“Of course, if Azerbaijan is elected to the UN Security Council, it
will boost UN authority because for the first time the South Caucasus
country will become a member of the Security Council,” he said. “This
is a young country; it regained its state independence only recently,
conducts a truly independent foreign policy, and has never before
been represented in the UN Security Council.”

Azerbaijan’s election to the UN Security Council will also confirm the
democratic principles of the organization, as Azerbaijan will join
the organization for the first time, whereas other two candidates –
Hungary and Slovenia were members of the Council in different years,
he said.