Author: Kalantarian Kevo

ARMENIAN FROM KARABAKH WINS SOMBO WORLD CUP

news.am
July 6, 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – Venezuelan capital Karakas held another World Cup stage,
the International Sombo Tournament in commemoration of Albert
Astakhov. Sportsmen competed in sombo among men, women as well as
combat sombo. Martin Mirzoyan and Ashot Danielyan from Nagorno-Karabakh
represented Armenia.

Ashot Danielyan got first place and won the gold medal in combat
sombo in weight category of 82 kg and Martin Mirzoyan won a bronze
medal in sport sombo (62 kg), reports Sombo Federation of Armenia.

CANADIAN BRANCH OF ALL-ARMENIAN FUND RAISES $430 THOUSAND FOR SHUSHI AND YEREVAN

news.am
July 6, 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – Toronto branch of All-Armenian fund held a fundraising
dinner on the occasion of 20th anniversary of Armenia’s and Artsakh
independence. The honorary guest-speaker of the event was famous
Armenian director Atom Egoyan.

More than 400 benefactors were present on the fundraising dinner. By
the end of the event the fund raised $130 thousand, which will be
allocated for renovation works of Shushi city Cultural Center. Another
$300 thousand donated by a beneficiary, who did not want to reveal the
name, will be directed for renovation of a hospital and retirement
house in Yerevan, a source from All-Armenian Fund informs Armenian
News-NEWS.am.

RUSSIAN MILITARY BASE LEASE IN ARMENIA EXTENDED UNTIL 2044

Interfax
July 6 2011
Russia

A protocol extending the presence of a Russian military base in
Armenia until 2044 took effect on Wednesday.

This happened after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Armenian
Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian exchanged the relevant instruments
of ratification in Moscow.

Earlier, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed into law a bill
ratifying the protocol to extend the 1995 lease of the military base
in Armenia.

The protocol was signed in Yerevan in August 2010 and extends the
validity of the 25-year agreement to 49 years (starting from 1995).

Now the agreement will be extended automatically for five-year
periods, unless either party provides a six-month written notice of
its intention to terminate the agreement.

The 102nd Russian military base has been deployed in Gyumri, north
Armenia, since 1995, as part of the CIS united air defense system. The
base is subordinate to the Russian North Caucasus Military District’s
Group of Russian Troops in the Caucasus.

The base is equipped with S-300 surface-to-air missile systems and
Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter aircraft. The personnel consists of around
5,000 service people.

TEACHER’S FREE UNIVERSITY IDEA WINS 100K GRANT

Simon Fraser University

July 7 2011
CA

Health sciences senior lecturer Kate Tairyan’s pitch to develop
the world’s first free university has won her a $100,000 grant and
recognition as a “Rising Star” in Canada.

Tairyan is one of 19 Canadian innovators chosen in late June by the
new health-research organization Grand Challenges Canada in the first
phase of its Canadian Rising Stars in Global Health initiative.

The non-profit group, which is funded by Canada’s foreign aid budget,
has given each of the innovators $100,000 to take their ideas to
the next level. The ideas that are “robust, effective and proven”
may also be eligible for a scale-up grant of as much as $1 million.

Innovators from across the country submitted video proposals of
their initiatives.

In her proposal, viewable at , Tairyan and
colleagues in Vancouver, Kenya and Columbia describe the pilot
programs they will launch this year to combat a global shortage of
trained health workers-a million too few in Africa alone.

“The idea behind the world’s first free university is to use existing
web-based and mentoring resources and make them more broadly available
to revolutionize health-sciences education,” explains Tairyan.

When Tairyan says free, she means it: no charges at all for students.

Many degree-granting universities claiming to be free don’t charge
tuition but do charge administrative or exam fees, while other “free”
universities offer courses but not degrees.

Tairyan has taught undergraduate and graduate students at SFU since
2008. She also works on research projects focusing on ethics issues
in neuroscience.

She has a medical degree in preventive medicine from the State Medical
University in Armenia, a health management diploma from Armenia’s
National Institute of Health, and a Master of Public Health from
Emory University.

With a free university, says Tairyan “We can educate thousands
of trainees at a time, particularly in developing countries, with
students remaining in their home environments.”

PATRIARCH: LEGISLATIVE AMENDMENT ON RELIGIOUS GROUPS’ STATUS ‘DANGEROUS’

Civil Georgia

July 7 2011
Georgia

Head of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Ilia II, expressed regret over
hasty approval of legislative amendments on religious minorities’
legal status, saying that the law “is dangerous” and it required
thorough consideration.

“This law is so important and so dangerous that lawmakers should
have thought about what its consequences might be in ten, hundred
years… We lack analytical thinking. Analysis should be made before
doing something and not afterwards,” Ilia II said.

“You all know my [July 4] statement… We are not saying that religious
[minorities] should not be granted with [legal] status. We are saying
that we should sit down, invite academicians, clerics and specialists
and discuss it.”

“It is regrettable that lawmakers were so in hurry that they passed
[the legislative amendments] in one day,” the Georgian Patriarch said.

He also said that the Georgian Church’s position should not be
interpreted as being against the Armenian Church or Armenians.

A senior cleric from the Georgian Orthodox Church, Archbishop Zenon,
linked hasty approval of the legislative amendments by the Georgian
Parliament to Armenia, suggesting that after a failure to agree with
the Georgian Orthodox Church, the Armenian Apostolic Church managed
to achieve its goal of gaining legal status through the consent of
the Georgian authorities. Georgian Church officials also say, that the
legal status would now pave the way for some religious minority groups,
particularly the Armenian Apostolic Church, to formally claim ownership
over several disputed churches in Georgia. The Georgian Patriarchate
was insisting that the Georgian Church too should have been granted a
legal status in Armenia in parallel to the similar decision by Georgia.

“My statement in no way contains any opinion against Armenians.

Despite of all conversations, Georgians and Armenians have always been
and will be brothers; this is necessary. When Armenians are in trouble,
we provide our help and when we are in trouble they provide us help,”
the head of the Georgian Orthodox Church said on July 7.

“What I said was that this is so complicated and important law and
this law may be misused,” Ilia II said.

“For that reason everything should have been taken into consideration
and the [Georgian Orthodox] Church should have also been involved
in discussion, because in many cases it also concerns the Church,”
he said.

“Some say why the Church is touching upon the issue which is a matter
of the state. That’s not the issue only related to the state; that’s
the issue which concerns the entire nation – the Church and especially
the state. And the process, which was being discussed yesterday have
strained relations between the religions. That should not happen. The
Georgian people have always been protector of other small nations and
national minorities; the Georgian people have always been protecting
Armenians, Russians, Azerbaijanis, Jews.”

“I want to request the President to veto this law unless discussions
take place. The main responsibility lies on the President and I want
him to be in calmness – he and our country. I hope everything will
be all right,” the Georgian Patriarch said.

At the time when the Patriarch requested President Saakashvili to
veto the bill on July 7, the document was already signed into law
and published, meaning that all formal procedures are now completed
and the bill is already the law.

GEORGIAN PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN PROTECTORS OF MINOR NATIONS

news.az
July 7 2011
Azerbaijan

Main responsibility lies with the President and I want our president
and the country to be calm, Patriarch said.

Patriarch of Georgia Ilia the Second calls on the President of Georgia
to use his power to veto regarding status of religious unities,
though president signed the bill into law on 5 July.

As Ilia the second said after delivering service on the birth of
John the Baptist today, it will be better if the President cancels
the law until everything is checked and specified.

“The main responsibility lies with the President and I want our
president and the country to be calm. I hope everything will be well”,
Patriarch said.

Ilia the Second says that the law adopted by parliament regarding
religious status is so important and dangerous that law makers had
to think about the results it will have after 10 or even 100 years.

“It’s not our position that denominations must not be given a status
of religion. Our position is that we must discuss it with scientists,
spirituals and specialists. Unfortunately, the law makers hastily
adopted the law in just one day”, Patriarch stated.

Ilia the Second said that there were nothing against Armenians in
his words and despite various discussions, Georgians and Armenians
have always been brothers and will remain so.

“When Armenians were in hardship, we always helped and they also helped
us when we were in need. This law is so difficult and responsible
that it may be misused. They had to consider everything.

When they question why the church interfered in the state’s business,
I want to tell you that this doesn’t concern only the state, this
issue touches the whole nation, church and especially the state”,
Ilia the Second declared.

Patriarch said that various opinions in the society regarding the issue
will strain relations between the religions, what is unacceptable.

“Georgian people have always been protectors of minor nations, has
always defended Armenian, Russian, Azerbaijani and Israeli people.

Israeli people themselves say that Georgia is the only country where
anti Semitism has never taken place”, Ilia the Second said.

Patriarch remembered period of Soviet Union, when Russian Jews arrived
to meet him. Patriarch says that they complained about anti-Semitism
demonstrations in Moscow.

“I told them then that if they were to be threatened, they could
arrive in Georgia. Thank God they will never be threatened in Georgia
regarding this issue”, Ilia the Second said.

Patriarch wished Georgia unification and necessity to search for
truth and rightness.

Source: InterPressNews, Georgia

CENTER FOR STRATEGIC STUDIES DEPUTY DIRECTOR INTERVIEWED BY TURKISH PAPER

news.az
July 7 2011
Azerbaijan

Deputy Director of Azerbaijan`s Center for Strategic Studies gives
interview to Turkish Today`s Zaman newspaper.

‘The situation between Azerbaijan and Armenia could be resolved if
all of the parties involved realized the fact that the paradigm of the
21st century promotes multi-ethnicity and unity in diversity,’ deputy
director of the Center for Strategic Studies under the President of
the Republic of Azerbaijan, Gulshan Pashayeva told in her interview
to Turkey-based Today`s Zaman.

Pashayeva noted Turkey and Azerbaijan are cooperating on a variety of
issues pertaining to the South Caucasus region and adds that currently
more should be done in order to solve the knotty issue that exists
between Azerbaijan and Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh. Pashayeva says
that Armenia should realize that today`s realities are much different
from those of 1994.

‘Azerbaijan has greatly developed politically, economically and
militarily since then. Balance of power between Azerbaijan and Armenia
has dramatically changed.’

According to Pashayeva, should there be any kind of progress on
Armenian Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh then it will be
possible to open the borders to Armenia from both sides, the Turkish
and Azerbaijani sides, which in turn will benefit all parties in
helping them further prosper.

Regarding the Turkey-Azerbaijan relationship Pashayeva agrees that
there is room for further cooperation in all levels. For example she
mentioned that two Centers for Strategic Studies (SAM) from Azerbaijan
and Turkey signed Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in March
2011 in Baku and it provides an excellent opportunity for further
fruitful cooperation.

The strategic cooperation in the energy field is another important
one for both Azerbaijan and Turkey, according to Pashayeva, and
the relationship in this field is also developing. She mentions the
pipelines of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum where Turkey,
Azerbaijan and Georgia are in full cooperation in the energy field.

EU HOPES TO SEE PROGRESS IN KARABAKH PEACE PROCESS BY SEPTEMBER

news.am
July 7 2011
Armenia

EU hopes to see progress in the Karabakh peace process by the time
of the planned Eastern Partnership Summit in September in Warsaw,
said EU Foreign Affairs High Representative Catherine Ashton.

Addressing European Parliament MPs, Ashton recalled the Union is
ready to step up its efforts in support of the work of the Minsk
Group Co-Chairs.

The official considers that EU needs to work closely with those who
play significant role in the South Caucasus region, with regional
actors like Turkey.

“Perhaps our most important contribution, however, will be to continue
strengthen our bilateral relations with both Armenia and Azerbaijan,”
she added.

U.S. PHILANTHROPISTS ARRIVE IN KARABAKH

news.am
July 7 2011
Armenia

STEPANAKERT.- President of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan
received on Thursday a group of philanthropists from U.S. headed by
Andreas Roubian.

The sides discussed issues related to implementation of different
programs in Artsakh drawing special attention to arts, especially
painting.

President Sahakyan stressed that assistance of philanthropists in
this sphere in demand and is considered among pivotal components of
comprehensive development of younger generation.

NKR Culture Minister Narine Aghabalyan, MP Karine Achemyan and other
officials were present at the meeting.

BAKO SAHAKIAN: NO PEACE AGREEMENTS WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF KARABAKH

Tuesday, July 5th, 2011

STEPANAKERT – Nagorno-Karabakh’s President Bako Sahakian heaped
praise on international mediators on Tuesday, saying that they are
committed to brokering a just solution to the Karabakh conflict and
will do more to prevent another Armenian-Azerbaijani war.

In an interview with RFE/RL’s Armenian service, Sahakian said at
the same time that the Karabakh Armenian military is ready to face a
possible Azerbaijani attempt to forcibly win back the territory. He
also reiterated that no peace agreements signed by Armenia and
Azerbaijan can be put into practice without being approved by the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

“We are deeply convinced that the mediating countries – France, the
United States and Russia – are sincere in their intentions,” he said.

“During all these years we have grown convinced that the international
community and especially the Minsk Group co-chairs strive to maintain
this relative peace and achieve a final peaceful solution.”

“This relative peace is much more preferable than any military
hostilities, and I think that the co-chairs will continue their efforts
and will carry out some additional work to maintain this situation,”
added Sahakian.

Speaking in his office in Stepanakert, Sahakian would not be drawn
on whether he thinks an Armenian-Azerbaijani peace accord can be
reached anytime soon. He said only that the peace process will remain
deadlocked as long as Azerbaijan demonstrates a “non-constructive
position” and threatens to end the dispute by force.

“We are concerned and the international community should also be
concerned,” he said, referring to bellicose statements regularly made
by Aliyev and other Azerbaijani officials.

“Given that [Azerbaijani] policy, we are obliged to take into account
and not rule out the possibility that Azerbaijan will one day switch
from words to action,” continued the Karabakh leader. “Therefore,
we are organizing our work on the basis of that reality.”

Asked whether the NKR’s leadership and armed forces are prepared
for renewed fighting, he said, “Of course. And there is nothing
extraordinary about that. While being deeply convinced that this
problem must be solved peacefully, we are obliged, given our neighbor’s
behavior and statements, to ensure the security of our country, to
make sure that our people get on with their lives in these relatively
peaceful conditions.”

The blueprint for peace favored by the three mediating powers
represented in Minsk Group, calls for a gradual Armenian withdrawal
from formerly Azerbaijani-populated districts around Karabakh. In
return, Karabakh’s predominantly Armenian population would be able
to determine the region’s internationally recognized status in a
future referendum.

Many Karabakh Armenians are unhappy with this formula, saying that it
requires disproportionate concessions to Azerbaijan. Some officials
in Stepanakert have also voiced reservations about it.

Sahakian declined to pass judgment on the mediators’ current peace
proposals. “Right now we are far from the decision-making phase,”
he told RFE/RL.

“Armenia’s leadership has repeatedly stated that those basic principles
can serve as a basis for negotiations,” he added.

“Therefore, we too welcome that. Any proposal that can serve
as a basis for negotiations cannot be unacceptable for Artsakh
(Nagorno-Karabakh).”

Sahakian stressed that the NKR must be directly involved and have a
final say in those negotiations. “While welcoming Azerbaijan’s and
Armenia’s participation in negotiations and expressing our gratitude
to Armenia, we always add that within that [existing] framework it’s
impossible to reach an agreement because the Artsakh Republic must
also be involved in those discussions,” he said.

Sahakian claimed that the mediators agree with that. “At the moment
we have a certain satisfaction with the fact that the Minsk Group
co-chairs point out in their statements that a final solution is
impossible without the participation of the Artsakh Republic,” he said.