Author: Kajoyan Gevork

NEW MINSK CO-CHAIR: TIME FOR “SECOND WAY” ON KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

Karabakh | 12.09.13 | 16:31

Photolure

By Siranuysh Gevorgyan
ArmeniaNow reporter

The newly appointed U.S. co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, in Yerevan
since September 10, told the press on Thursday that during this
regional visit he has not made any new suggestions to the negotiating
parties on the Karabakh settlement issue.

“This time I’m here to listen to all the sides, to learn and understand
the situation better and have not brought any new proposals with
me. The United States, however, is ready to continue its efforts within
the Minsk Group format to reach settlement through negotiations,”
said James Warlick.

Prior to his visit to Yerevan, Warlick went to Baku and handed U.S.

President Barack Obama’s letter to Azeri president Ilham Aliyev. “Now
it is time when it is necessary to make new efforts to restore peace
in the region within a compromise determined in the negotiations,”
the U.S. president said in his letter.

On Wednesday, Warlick met Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan and passed
over Obama’s message to him as well, however the presidential service
has not yet made it public.

Warlick, once again, talked about the need for compromise.

“All the parties have to make concessions, if we want to succeed. I
am here without the other co-chairs chiefly because I want to hear
out the parties by myself, get to know their positions and then return
with my colleagues,” he said stressing that the Minsk Group continues
to be guided by the principles of the Helsinki Final Act: non-use of
force, right to self-determination and territorial integrity.

The American co-chair also stressed the need for the “second way”
in reaching peaceful settlement.

“I would like to stress the importance of trust and safety forming
means, or the so-called second way initiatives, projects carried
out among the peoples, which would help shape the trust required
for lasting peace. I believe we can take new efforts in terms of all
possible initiatives of the second way,” said Warlick.

The U.S. co-chair continued his regional visit to Nagorno Karabakh,
where he will hold more meetings and will see firsthand the situation
on the line of contact, as reported by the U.S. Embassy press service
in Armenia.

BARACK OBAMA’S MESSAGE TO PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA: “NOW IS THE TIME FOR A RENEWED EFFORT TO BRING PEACE TO THE REGION”

18:02 12/09/2013 ” POLITICS

The newly appointed U.S. Co-Chair of OSCE Minsk Group James Warlick
handed over a messaged by the U.S. President Barack Obama to the
President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan. The message reads:

“Dear Mr. President:

On the occasion of his first official visit to Yerevan, I would like
to convey to you my full support for Ambassador James Warlick as the
new U.S. co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group. His recent appointment
is a strong signal of the United States’ enduring and unequivocal
commitment to helping the sides reach a peaceful resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

It’s my hope that Ambassador Warlick’s wealth of diplomatic experience
and your government’s desire for progress will bring new energy to
the co-chairmanship, and to the peace process. I encourage you to
take advantage of opportunities for direct dialogue with Azerbaijan
in the months ahead and to avail yourself of the co-chairs’ time and
experience to move beyond the current impasse in negotiations. With the
outlines of the compromise already well established, now is the time
for a renewed effort to bring peace to the region,” the message reads.

Source: Panorama.am

ARMENIAN POLITICIAN ON SHANGHAI COOPERATION ORGANIZATION

13:40 12.09.13

Armenia’s possible decision to join the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization should not be based on statements or opinions of different
political leaders or organizations, according to Ashot Manucharyan,
a former member of the Karabakh Committee.

“No leader in the world ever says what he or she really thinks. If
we take any statement for granted, the United States can be said to
have undermined five countries by announcing democracy plans. So,
if we believe statements, we will have be skeptical about facts,” he
told Tert.am, when asked how and why Armenia should become a member
of an organization which treats the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in the
light of fight against separatism.

Founded on June 15, 2001 in the Chinese city of Shanghai, the SCO
is a permanently functioning intergovernmental body that unites the
interests of its five member states – China, Russia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Commenting on Armenia’s Eurasian or European integration trends,
Manucharyan had earlier said that an association, if necessary at all,
is better with China which has a huge economic growth.

Armenian News – Tert.am

“HRANT DINK AWARD” TO BE PRESENTED ON DINK’S BIRTHDAY

11:26, 12 September, 2013

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS. “Hrant Dink Foundation” will
presented international “Hrant Dink Award” for the fifth time
on September 15, the day the former Editor-in-Chief of “Agos”
periodical was born. “Armenpress” reports about this citing Turkish
Demokrathaber.net.

The Award will be presented to individuals, organizations or groups
that work for a free and just world free from discrimination, racism
and violence, who take personal risks for achieving those ideals, who
break the stereotypes and use the language of peace and by doing so
give inspiration and hope to others. By means of this Award, the Hrant
Dink Foundation aims to remind to all those who struggle for these
ideals that their voices are heard, their works are visible, they are
not alone, and also to encourage everyone to fight for their ideals.

Hrant Dink was born on September 15, 1954. He was a TurkishArmenian
editor, journalist and columnist. As editor-in-chief of the bilingual
Turkish-Armenian newspaper Agos (Ô±Õ¯O…Õ½), Dink was a prominent
member of the Armenian minority in Turkey. Dink was best known for
advocating Turkish-Armenian reconciliation and human and minority
rights in Turkey; he was often critical of Turkey’s denial of the
Armenian Genocide.

Hrant Dink was assassinated in Istanbul in January 2007, by Ogun
Samast, a 17-year old Turkish nationalist. This was shortly after
the premiere of the genocide documentary Screamers, in which he is
interviewed about Turkish denial of the Armenian Genocide of 1915 and
the case against him under Article 301. While Samast has since been
taken into custody, photographs of the assassin flanked by smiling
Turkish police and gendarmerie, posing with the killer side by side
in front of the Turkish flag, have since surfaced. The photos created
a scandal in Turkey, prompting a spate of investigations and the
removal from office of those involved.

At his funeral, two hundred thousand mourners marched in protest of
the assassination, chanting “We are all Armenians” and “We are all
Hrant Dink”. Criticism of Article 301 became increasingly vocal after
his death, leading to parliamentary proposals for repeal. The 2007-
2008 academic year at the College of Europe was named in his honour.

YEREVAN TO HOST THE MEETING OF EASTERN PARTNERSHIP FMS

13:25 12.09.2013

Eastern Partnership

On September 12-13 Yerevan will host the non-official meeting of the
Foreign Ministers of the Eastern Partnership Program.

The heads of delegation will be hosted by President Serzh Sargsyan.

The ministerial meeting of September 13 will be followed by a joint
press conference, featuring the heads of delegation.

UNE ANCIENNE BIBLE RETOURNE DANS L’EGLISE SAINT GUIRAGOS A DIYARBAKIR

TURQUIE

Un ecrivain qui s’est battu pour la renovation de l’eglise armenienne
Saint Giragos de Diyarbakir veut lui remettre une vieille bible
trouvee il y a plusieurs annees.

Mkrtish Markosyan dit la Bible a ete trouvee en 2001 dans une pile
de papiers quand l’eglise etait a moitie detruite ecrit le quotidien
Agos. L’ecrivain a dit que la bible a ete publie en 1690 a Venise.

” Quand j’ai appris que l’eglise sera transformee en un musee du
patrimoine armenien, j’ai decide de le transporter [la Bible] a
Diyarbakir ” a-t-il dit.

La municipalite de Diyarbakir va ouvrir un musee et tente d’obtenir
des objets qui appartenaient aux Armeniens, et de proteger cette zone
par ses propres moyens.

jeudi 12 septembre 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

LA COMPOSANTE ECONOMIQUE EST LE PRINCIPAL FACTEUR DETERMINANT AFIN DE REJOINDRE L’UNION DOUANIERE SELON LE VICE-PRESIDENT DE L’ASSEMBLEE NATIONALE ARMENIENNE

ARMENIE

Le volet economique a ete le premier facteur dans la prise de decision
sur l’adhesion a l’Union douanière a declare le vice-president du
parlement armenien et membre de l’organe executif du Parti republicain
au pouvoir d’Armenie (RPA) Eduard Sharmazanov.

” Politiquement, nous avons un traite bilateral d’amitie avec la
Russie, en termes militaires, nous sommes un pays membre de l’OTSC,
un pays fondateur de l’OTSC, nous sommes allies ” a declare Eduard
Sharmazanov.

Selon le vice-President, l’Union douanière est très importante et
attrayante pour l’Armenie en termes economiques. Non seulement les
entreprises, mais aussi l’Etat vont beneficier de cette adhesion a
l’Union douanière a dit le vice-president.

jeudi 12 septembre 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

BAKU SCRUTINIZES REPORTS ON DANISH MPS’ VISIT TO NAGORNO-KARABAKH

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Sept 11 2013

11 September 2013, 14:44 (GMT+05:00)

By Sara Rajabova

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry is scrutinizing the reports about
the visit by Danish parliament members and journalists to the
Armenian-occupied territories of Azerbaijan, spokesman Elman Abdullayev
has said.

The delegation was received by Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard
Nalbandyan, Armenian media reported.

The delegation was reportedly headed by Chairwoman of the Committee
on European Affairs of the Danish Parliament, Eva Kjer Hansen.

Earlier, the Armenian media circulated reports saying that the “foreign
minister” of the separatist regime in Nagorno-Karabakh Karen Mirzoyan
had hosted a delegation of Danish MPs and journalists.

Abdullayev said that the Azerbaijani embassy in the UK was issued
the necessary instructions, and a relevant decision will be made upon
completion of the scrutiny.

The ambassador of Azerbaijan to the UK is also accredited to Denmark.

As soon as the list of persons who have paid the illegal visit is
defined, Baku will state its clear position on the issue, Abdullayev
said.

He said “the list of persona non grata” may be reconsidered in case
any of them admits his or her mistake by making a relevant request
to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

Recently, Abdullayev said persons who visit the occupied territories
of Azerbaijan without having agreed upon this with relevant authorities
of the country will be considered persona non grata in the country.

Azerbaijan has repeatedly warned foreign officials and diplomats
over visits to the Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia,
saying this contradicts international law. The Foreign Ministry
has stated that such visits, paid without prior notification of the
relevant authorities of Azerbaijan, are illegal and damaging to the
settlement process on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Earlier, the Foreign Ministry released a list of those declared persona
non grata over illegal visits to the Armenian-occupied territories,
which included 335 people.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made
territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since a lengthy war in the early
1990s that displaced over one million Azerbaijanis, Armenian armed
forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s internationally
recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent
regions. The UN Security Council’s four resolutions on Armenian
withdrawal have not been enforced to this day.

Peace talks, mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. through the OSCE
Minsk Group, are underway on the basis of a peace outline proposed
by the Minsk Group co-chairs and dubbed the Madrid Principles. The
negotiations have been largely fruitless so far.

RELIGIOUS CEREMONY HELD AT ARMENIAN CHURCH IN SOUTHEAST TURKEY

Anadolu Agency (AA), Turkey
September 10, 2013 Tuesday

A “Church Name” ceremony was held at the Surp Giragos Armenian Church
in Turkey’s southeast Diyarbakir province DIYARBAKIR (AA) – A religious
ceremony was held on Tuesday at the historical Surp Giragos Armenian
Church in Turkey’s southeastern city of Diyarbakir. The religious
ceremony, which is annually held in the name of all Armenian churches,
was held under the title of “Church Name” at the Surp Giragos Armenian
Church which was constructed in 1377. The church was renovated through
the joint efforts of the Foundation for the Surp Giragos Armenian
Church and Diyarbakir Metropolitan Municipality.

Along with Armenian residents of Turkey, high-level officials from the
Turkish Armenian Patriarchate, Diyarbakir Metropolitan Mayor Osman
Baydemir, US Consul General in Adana James Michael Saxton Ruiz also
attended the ceremony led by Istanbul Armenian Patriarchate official
on inter-religions affairs Sahak Mashalyan. Officials attending the
ceremony prayed and extended wishes of hope and peace for the entire
region and its ethnic and religious diversity.

APPEAL FROM THE PATRIARCHS AND HEADS OF CHURCHES IN JERUSALEM

Eturbo News
September 10, 2013 Tuesday

U.S., Sept. 10 — We, the Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, have been
prayerfully following the ongoing violence, bloodshed, and conflict
in Syria, which started in March 2011. Everyday tens or sometimes
hundreds of people are killed because of the current conflict, and
thousands are left without homes or shelters as they keep moving
aimlessly in search of security, food and treatment.

A couple of weeks ago, two of our own Metropolitan bishops of Aleppo,
Mar Gregorios Ibrahim of the Syriac Orthodox Church and Paul Yazigi of
the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch were kidnapped, and their driver
was murdered, while they were delivering some humanitarian aid to some
displaced families in the region. This horrific act of kidnapping two
senior clergymen is yet another sign of the tragic situation in Syria,
and an extremely dangerous and new phenomenon in our region.

Our hearts and minds go out to all the people of Syria, particularly
our Christian communities and their spiritual leaders, who undergo
suffering and violence and ill-treatment. And we call upon all people
who are involved in the conflict to seek after peace and stability
for the sake of all Syrians, and to end this cycle of violence and
bloodshed. We also urge for the immediate release of Bishops Ibrahim
and Yazigi and their safe return to their Churches and their faithful
people.

We also join our voices with our sister Churches in Syria and call
upon our ancient Christian communities to remain steadfast in their
faith and hope, and we pray with them and for them at this time
of turmoil and chaos for their safety and continuous presence and
witness. As St. Paul writes to the Romans: “For I am convinced that
neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present,
nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything
else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of
God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)

The Heads of Churches of Jerusalem

+Patriarch Theophilos III, Greek Orthodox Patriarchate

+Patriarch Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarchate

+Patriarch Norhan Manougian, Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Patriarchate

+Fr. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, ofm, Custos of the Holy Land

+Archbishop Anba Abraham, Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate, Jerusalem

+Archbishop Swerios Malki Murad, Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate

+Aba Fissiha Tsion, Locum Tenens of the Ethiopian Orthodox Patriarchate

+Archbishop Joseph-Jules Zerey, Greek-Melkite-Catholic Patriarchate

+Archbishop Moussa El-Hage, Maronite Patriarchal Exarchate

+Bishop Suheil Dawani, Episcopal Church of Jerusalem and the Middle
East

+Bishop Munib Younan, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the
Holy Land

+Bishop Pierre Melki, Syrian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate

+Msgr. Joseph Antoine Kelekian, Armenian Catholic Patriarchal Exarchate