Author: Kalashian Nyrie

CSTO SEES NO PROBLEM IN ARMENIA-NATO COOPERATION

ARKA
Dec 8, 2008

YEREVAN, December 8. /ARKA/. Collective Security Treaty Organization
sees no problem in Armenia-NATO cooperation, Toktasin Buzubaev,
deputy secretary general of CSTO, said at a press conference on Monday.

"Any CSTO member country can cooperate with any international regional
organizations and nobody is prohibited from doing it. It also applies
to Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan", Buzubaev said.

"The commitments assumed in our organization must not contradict
those assumed in cooperation with other organizations – that is the
key principle".

K. CYRUS MELIKIAN, AN INVENTOR WITH A COFFEE FOCUS
By Sally A. Downey

Philadelphia Inquirer
Dec 5 2008
PA

K. Cyrus Melikian, 88, an innovative entrepreneur who made coffee
drinking a convenient pastime, died of heart failure Nov. 27 at home
in Haverford.

Mr. Melikian conceived the concept for a coffee vending machine while
serving in the Army Air Force at Wright Field in Ohio during World
War II. He and an officer, Lloyd K. Rudd, were annoyed that the PX
was not serving coffee.

After their discharge in 1946, the men went to work in
Mr. Melikian’s parents’ garage in Mayfair to devise an automatic
coffee dispenser. They tested the machine at an Eagles football game,
selling coffee for 10 cents a cup. "We couldn’t make it fast enough,"
Mr. Melikian told an Inquirer reporter.

In the late 1950s, to improve on the instant coffee that Rudd Melikian
Inc. used, Mr. Melikian developed a frozen liquid coffee concentrate.

In 1967, he and Rudd sold their company. Mr. Melikian and his sons then
established Automatic Brewers & Coffee Devices. At ABCD, Mr. Melikian
developed pods for single or double orders of espresso, coffee-pod
packaging machines and brewers, and coffee-bean grinders integrated
into brewers. His other inventions included a commercial microwave
oven and an ice dispenser for soda cups in vending machines. He was
responsible for numerous patents, his son Robert said.

Mr. Melikian’s parents escaped the 1919 Armenian massacre and
immigrated to Philadelphia shortly before he was born. After graduating
from Northeast High School, he attended the University of Pennsylvania
before serving in the military. Last year, he was interviewed for a
PBS special on World War II veterans.

An award-winning marksman, Mr. Melikian helped found the trapshooting
program at Aronimink Golf Club. He was a member of several gourmet
societies, and was the founder and chairman of the Philadelphia
chapter of the International Bacchus Society. In 1961, he and Rudd
coauthored The Wonder of Food. In the 1970s, Mr. Melikian wrote a
syndicated newspaper feature about the history of famous dishes,
and in the 1990s he established and taught at a chef’s training school.

He consulted for the Economic Community of West African States and
for the Bank of Liberia, and was a partner in a wine importing and
distributing company.

In addition to his son, he is survived by his wife of 63 years, Roxie
Bozoian Melikian; daughters Karen Harrison and Michele Lockwood;
and six grandchildren. A son, K. Cyrus Jr., died in 1979.

Friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Chadwick & McKinney Funeral
Home, 30 E. Athens Ave., Ardmore, and after 10 a.m. tomorrow, followed
by a funeral at 11 at St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Apostolic
Church, 8701 Ridge Ave. Burial will be in George Washington Memorial
Park, Plymouth Meeting.

Memorial donations may be made to the Armenian Students Association
to benefit the K. Cyrus Melikian Memorial Scholarship, 333 Atlantic
Ave., Warwick, R.I. 02888.

PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA SERZH SARGSYAN LEAVING FOR MOSCOW

armradio.am
08.12.2008 18:14

The President of the Republic of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, will leave
for Moscow today to participate in the funeral of the Patriarch Alexi
II of Moscow and All Russia, President’s Press Office reported.

MILLI MEDJLIS DEPUTY: "IT IS NECESSARY TO LIFT RESTRICTIONS ON THE PRESIDENTIAL TERM IN AZERBAIJAN"

Today.Az
s/politics/49463.html
Dec 6 2008
Azerbaijan

"A new era -the era of Ilham Aliyev has started in the country".

Through the past five years, the President of Azerbaijan managed to
inform the whole world about its occupied lands, said Milli Medjlis
deputy Fattah Heydarov in his interview to the official website of
the Yeni Azerbaijan party.

He said the president of Azerbaijan chose a political line, under
which he wants to restore the territorial integrity of the country
peacefully.

"Ilham Aliyev has raised the issue of the Karabakh problem before
all leaders. I study the historical events in details, therefore,
I know that historical moments appeared at the time, when the powers
were strong. If it changed rapidly, it led to disaster.

Democracy is a wonderful concept. Yet, it does not mean that it can be
used artificially, creating chaos and disorder in the country. Facts
prove that such cases damage the state construction.

It should be noted that the powers, who are trusted by people, promote
the state development. I think for preservation of independence and the
political and economic consolidation the government must be long-term
and people want it.

Currently, charity works are held in the country, new establishments
are created and area for development of democratic processes is
established, which, in turn, strengthens the state. In order to
continue the execution of the events, which are currently developed,
long-term government is needed. Only Ilham Aliyev can be a guarantor
of Azerbaijani stability and independence.

Today, there are restrictions in the presidential term. I think it is
necessary to introduce changes to the Constitution and remove these
restrictions once and forever", Heydarov said in his interview.

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 3 2008

Final Resolution to Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Hardly be Found in
Helsinki – OSCE Chairman-in-Office
04.12.08 02:51

Finland, Helsinki, 4 December/ corr TrendNews E.Gusatinskaya / `Good
job was done and progress was achieved this year. I believe the
[Armenian `Azerbaijani] Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be settled
soon. However, it will hardly possible to find final solution to the
dispute tomorrow [4 December] in Helsinki,’ OSCE Chairman-in-Office
Alexander Stubb said at a news conference on 3 December.

The 16th meeting of the OSCE Council of foreign ministers begins in
Finland on 4 December incorporating 50 foreign ministers, 1,200
delegates and over 2500 journalists.

Stubb appreciated work of the Minsk Group calling it `most appropriate
format for settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh problem’.

According to Stubb, one of main themes of the summit to open in
Helsinki will be lingering conflicts in former Soviet Union, first –
situation in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, as well as Nagorno-Karabakh
and Transdniestria. `Resolution of lingering conflicts in South
Ossetia, Nagorno-Karabakh and Transdniestria should not be outsourced,
although OSCE was not able to prevent war in Georgia this summer,’
OSCE chairman-in-office said. `Now chances to reach consensus is
better than they were lately,’ he said.

On 3 December Helsinki hosted first meetings, including meeting
between the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia – Elman
Mamedyarov and Edward Nalbandyan, as well as Mamedyarov’s meeting with
co-chairmen of OSCE Minsk Group – Yuri Merzliakov, Russia, Matthew
Bryza, the United States, Bernard Fassier, France, and personal
representative of OSCE chairman-in-office , Andrzej Kasprzyk.

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 3 2008

Alexander Stubb: `I hope for a regional declaration on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict in Helsinki summit’`

[ 03 Dec 2008 20:09 ]

Baku. Tamara Grigorieva ` APA. `In early period of my presidency in
the OSCE I thought that it will be an ordinary presidency like an
ordinary diplomatic job.

But now I think that our presidency was very important’, said Finnish
Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairman-In-Office Alexander Stubb at the
press conference dedicated to the results of Finland’s presidency in
the OSCE, APA correspondent reports from Helsinki. Stubb said foreign
ministers of 50 countries would join the OSCE Foreign Ministers
Council meeting in Helsinki on Thursday. `For the first time such
number of foreign ministers join the OSCE summit. 67 delegation were
accredited at the event and 1200 delegates expected to attend the
summit. There are two main issues on the summit’s agenda. First we
will hold discussion over the situation in the South Caucasus,
particularly in Georgia. We saw in early period of our presidency that
Georgian-Abkhazian and Georgian-Ossetian conflicts are not frozen and
Transdniestrian and Nagorno Karabakh conflicts are also developing. I
think it is good idea to discuss this issue within the OSCE. I believe
that the OSCE will focus on its priorities ` economy, security and
democracy for a long time’.

Alexander Stubb said the OSCE foreign ministers would adopt the
political declaration. `For the first over the past 60 years The OSCE
Foreign Ministers Council will adopt the political declaration. On the
other hand we will adopt two regional declarations on the
Transdniestrian and Nagorno karabakh conflicts. 10-15 documents more
expected to be adopted at the summit’.

The OSCE Chairman told APA correspondent that Azerbaijan and Armenia
have made progress in resolving the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. `The
OSCE hopes for a regional declaration on the issue at the Helsinki
summit. Things are looking quite good on Nagorno-Karabakh. I think
that we are moving away from a frozen conflict towards a permanent
solution, but of course we are not there yet, and it is very important
that the Minsk Group works on this’, said Stubb.

Responding the question about situation in Georgia Alexander Stubb
said results of discussions over this issue would be described in the
political declaration. `We had four targets during the conflict, first
to achieve ceasefire and we reached this goal. The second was sending
of military observers to Georgia, third withdrawal of troops from
Georgia and last target was start of long-term negotiations. This
dialogue is continued within the framework of Geneva Group and I hope
that the talks will be finished successfully’.

ANCA

Azat Artsakh Daily
03 Dec 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

President-elect Barack Obama’s choice of Senator Hillary Clinton
(D-NY) to serve as his Secretary of State was welcomed by the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA), Elizabeth Chouljian, ANCA
Communications Director, told PanARMENIAN.Net. "We extend our thanks
to President-elect Obama for this choice and our congratulations to
Senator Clinton on her appointment to our nation’s top diplomatic
post," said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. "We are
certainly pleased to see that, for the first time in recent memory,
an individual with a strong record in support of Armenian Genocide
recognition will serve as America’s Secretary of State." During
her tenure in the U.S. Senate, Hillary Clinton has both called upon
President Bush to honor his campaign pledge to recognize the Armenian
Genocide, and also cosponsored every Armenian Genocide Resolution
since coming into office in 2001. "I believe the horrible events
perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire against Armenians constitute a
clear case of genocide," Mrs. Clinton said on January 24, 2008.

BRYZA: NO MILITARY SOLUTION TO KARABAKH CONFLICT

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.12.2008 13:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In Helsinki, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs hope
to develop confidence-building measures that will help stabilize
cooperation and reduce the risk of armed conflict, the OSCE Minsk
Group’s U.S. Co-chair said.

"The focus of Helsinki discussions will be the efforts of the OSCE
Minsk Group Co-chairs, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to finalize the Basic
Principles, which define a framework for a comprehensive settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict," Matthew Bryza said.

The meeting will take place prior to the OSCE Ministerial Council
that will take place in Helsinki on December4-5.

"The President of Armenia insists on the concept of
self-determination. The President of Azerbaijan insists on the concept
of territorial integrity. Our job as mediators is to help both sides
negotiate an agreement that takes all of these principles into account
in a mutually agreed way," he said.

"It is a difficult task, but I am confident we can keep up this
balance, provided the leaders and citizens of both societies are
willing to reach a deal. We believe there is no military solution
to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict," Bryza said, Trend Azeri news
agency reports.

ANCA: FOR THE FIRST TIME IN RECENT MEMORY, AN INDIVIDUAL WITH A STRONG RECORD IN SUPPORT OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION WILL SERVE AS AMERICA’S SECRETARY OF STATE

ArmInfo
2008-12-02 16:41:00

ArmInfo. President-elect Barack Obama’s choice of Senator Hillary
Clinton (D-NY) to serve as his Secretary of State was welcomed today
by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

"We extend our thanks to President-elect Obama for this choice
and our congratulations to Senator Clinton on her appointment to
our nation’s top diplomatic post," said Aram Hamparian, Executive
Director of the ANCA. "We are certainly pleased to see that, for
the first time in recent memory, an individual with a strong record
in support of Armenian Genocide recognition will serve as America’s
Secretary of State."

During her tenure in the U.S. Senate, Hillary Clinton has both
called upon President Bush to honor his campaign pledge to recognize
the Armenian Genocide, and also cosponsored every Armenian Genocide
Resolution since coming into office in 2001. On January 24th of this
year Senator Clinton issued a campaign statement outlining her views
on U.S.-Armenia relations. The full text is provided below.

KHAZAR IBRAHIM: "AZERBAIJAN HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY OFFICIAL PROPOSAL ON THE EASTERN PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE"

Azeri Press Agency
Dec 1 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku. Lachin Sultanova-APA. Azerbaijan has not received any official
proposal on the Eastern Partnership initiative, said Spokesman for
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Khazar Ibrahim while responding the
question about possible negotiations with Azerbaijan on the Eastern
Partnership initiative.

The diplomat said there was some unofficial information about this
initiative, but Azerbaijan had not received any document about it.

The Eastern Partnership initiative will officially be announced on
December 3. It considers establishment of special ties with Azerbaijan,
Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova and Armenia.

The European Union is looking forward to include Belarus in this list
as well.