Author: Kanayan Tamar

AMBASSADOR: ARMENIAN COMPANIES ARE WILLING TO PARTICIPATE IN REHABILITATION OF IRAQ

/ARKA/
DECEMBER 19, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN. December 19. /ARKA/. Armenian companies are willing to
participate in rehabilitation of Iraq, said Ambassador of Armenia
in Iraq Murad Muradyan in the meeting with administration of Iraq’s
al-Anbar province.

Press-service of Armenian Foreign Ministry informs that during his
visit to al-Anbar, Muradyan met with the governor of the province Hasim
Mohammed Abid and Chairman of Investment Commission Ahmed Abdul Nasir.

The meeting discussed ways and possible areas of development of
relations with Iraq’s largest province by its territory.

Iraqui side introduced the tasks related to rehabilitation of the
region, investment programs, particularly in the spheres of housing,
industry, agriculture, energy where participation of Armenian companies
is possible. Muradyan assured that the submitted programs will be
studied in detail.

Sunni province al-Anbar (population of about 1.3 million) borders
with Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and is of great strategic importance.

The province is rich with natural resources, particularly 11% of
world supplies of phosphate.

BAKU FOLLOWS ANKARA’S SUIT, THREATENS FRANCE OVER GENOCIDE BILL

PanARMENIAN.Net
December 20, 2011 – 17:12 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The bill penalizing Armenian Genocide denial
currently debated at French Parliament is an insult to French
democracy, first deputy chairman of Milli Mejlis (Parliament) of
Azerbaijan stated.

As Ziyafet Askerov told reporters on Tuesday, Dec 20, everyone has
a right to their own opinion and freedom of expression. “Discussion
of this issue at French parliament is absurd,” Askerov said.

“The step doesn’t bode well for Turkey-France relations and can be
construed as pressure on Ankara, running counter to international
norms,” Askerov said. As he noted, the step may negatively affect
Azeri-French relations, according to APA. The draft law envisaging a
one-year prison sentence and 45,000 euro fine for denying the Armenian
Genocide is due to go before the French parliament on December 22.

SER-MANUKYAN FAMILY HOLDINGS ASSIGNED PATENT

Targeted News Service
December 19, 2011 Monday 8:38 AM EST

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 19 — Ser-Manukyan Family Holdings, Glendale,
Calif., has been assigned a patent (8,075,652) developed by Zohrab
Melikyan, Yerevan, Armenia, for an “apparatus and method for a split
type water extractor and water dispenser.”

The abstract of the patent published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office states: “A split type potable water extractor from ambient
air and water dispenser is invented, comprising separate water
generating block located outside a water use area and water dispensing
block located inside a water use area. The water generator block
cycles refrigerant through a condenser and an evaporator to create
condensation by heat exchange with ambient air circulated by an intake
airflow system. The condensate water is collected and purified in a
cascade of bactericidal loop to remove impurities. The purified water
is pumped to a dispensing apparatus which can be installed in the home
or other area of water use separate from the water generating block.

If any one of the functional parts or units of water generator is
disabled the water generator immediately stops operating to deliver
water to the tank of the dispensing apparatus.”

The patent application was filed on April 30, 2009
(12/433,811). The full-text of the patent can be found at
,75,652.PN.&OS=PN/80,75,652&RS=PN/80,75,652

TURKEY WARNS FRANCE ON RESOLUTION OVER 1915 INCIDENT OF ARMENIA

Xinhua General News Service
December 19, 2011 Monday 11:40 AM EST
China

Turkey will not attend the Joint Economic Committee meeting to be held
in France earlier next year if French legislature makes it crime to
deny Armenians died in 1915 were victims of genocide, Turkish Economy
Minister Zafer Caglayan said on Monday.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is not acting reasonably, Caglayan
was quoted by the semi-official Anatolian news agency as saying.

The minister said Sarkozy should stop wasting his time over this matter
and warned that French businessmen’s interests would be affected if
the two countries’ economic relations were harmed.

Meanwhile, a Turkish parliamentary delegation is holding talks with
French officials in the French capital of Paris to convince them
not to adopt the resolution criminalizing any denial to Armenia’s
allegation over the matter.

The general assembly of the French parliament is expected to vote on
the resolution the coming Thursday.

In January 2001, the French parliament adopted a bill recognizing
the so-called Armenian genocide in 1915.

Turkey and Armenia have had no diplomatic or economic ties since
Armenia declared independence in 1991. The two countries have been
bogged down in a dispute over the World War I-era deaths of Armenians
under the Ottoman rule. Armenia says the deaths occurred in “genocide,”
while Turkey denies the charge and insists that the Armenians were
victims of widespread chaos and governmental breakdown as the Ottoman
Empire collapsed before modern Turkey was created.

Turkey and Armenia signed protocols to normalize their relations and
open borders last year, but the pacts need to be approved by both
countries’ parliaments before taking effect.

TURKISH PARLIAMENT SPEAKER WARNS FRANCE ABOUT RESOLUTION ON ARMENIAN ALLEGATIONS ON 1915 INCIDENTS

Anadolu Agency
Dec 19 2011
Turkey

Ankara: Turkish Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek said regarding a French
resolution which criminalizes the rejection of Armenian allegations
on 1915 incidents that if the resolution was adopted, France would
pay its cost high.

Cicek told reporters on Monday that he sent a letter to his French
counterpart last week which conveyed Turkey’s concerns about the
issue and also condemned the stance of France.

He added that a Turkish Parliamentary delegation had been in France
since yesterday regarding this issue.

Noting that Turkey had comprehensive relations which were rooted in
the past with France, Cicek said that attempts to adopt resolutions on
parliamentary level regarding historical matters were only exploitation
by domestic politics.

It is necessary to avoid such attempts only to gain a few more votes
in the elections, he added.

Turkey’s European Union Minister and chief negotiator Egemen Bagis
on Monday met with Danish Ambassador in Ankara Ruben Madsen.

Bagis expressed hope during the meeting that Danish courts would
give ruling which would halt Denmark-based broadcast of Roj TV,
which Turkey says is a mouthpiece of the terrorist organization of PKK.

“Roj TV casts a shadow on our bilateral relations with Denmark. We
are looking forward to hearing a ruling that would end this negative
aspect,” Bagis said.

Responding to a question over a French bill that makes denying of
Ottoman-era incidents of 1915 punishable with a one year prison term
and a fine of 45,000 euros, Bagis said the bill was problematic in
the sense that it limited freedom of expression.

“The French Revolution was made to secure freedom of expression and
now they are set to debate a bill that bans expressing one’s opinions.

There is no sense in this,” Bagis said.

Turkish Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan said regarding French
resolution criminalizing the rejection of Armenian allegations on
1915 incidents that if the resolution was adopted, Joint Economic
Committee meeting in France on January 24 would not be held.

A Turkish Parliamentary delegation is holding talks in Paris to
convince French officials not to adopt a resolution criminalizing
the rejection of Armenian allegations on 1915 incidents.

Turkish parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Volkan Bozkir
told reporters on Monday that the resolution was against basic rights
and freedoms.

We are here to tell French officials the harms of the resolution on
Turkish-French relations, said Bozkir.

Noting that trade volume between the two countries was nearly 13.5bn
euros, Bozkir said that investments of France in Turkey reached
6.5bn euros, and nearly 2,000 French companies were making business
with Turkey. He added that one million French tourists were visiting
Turkey every year.

Bozkir said that if the resolution was adopted, an uneasy period
would begin in Turkish-French relations.

The cooperation between Turkey and France, which made important
contributions in peace and stability in the region and the world, will
be harmed significantly, if the resolution is adopted, said Bozkir.

He noted that history was written by historians, not parliaments.

Also, deputy Osman Koruturk of Republican Poeple’s Party (CHP) in
the delegation said that the resolution was an attempt to have some
political gain.

Koruturk said that the resolution was also against French constitution.

The delegations will continue talks in France today and Tuesday.

The resolution will be voted on 22 December at general assembly in
French Parliament.

In January 2001, French Parliament adopted a law recognizing so-called
Armenian genocide in 1915.

The resolution punishes people who reject 1915 incidents with one-year
imprisonment and 45,000-euro fine.

OSCE MG CO-CHAIR BERNARD FASSIER ARRIVES IN BAKU

Vestnik Kavkaza
Dec 19 2011
Russia

A co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Bernard Fassier (France), arrived
in Baku last night, APA reports.

Fassier~Rs mission as a co-chair for a settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict ends in late 2011. French Ambassador to
Ukraine Jacques Faure will be the new co-chair.

Fassier said that he arrived in Azerbaijan to say final farewells to
the president and state officials. He will then head to Tbilisi and
return to Azerbaijan on December 20.

The co-chair noted improvements in the South Caucasus, adding that
there is a need to speed up the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process. He
reminded about conflicts in the Middle East.

The diplomat underlined that it is time for Armenia and Azerbaijan
to resolve the conflict. He said that a press conference will be held
on December 19.

HRANT DINK’S DAUGHTER MARRIES CHIEF EDITOR OF HER FATHER’S WEEKLY

news.am, Armenia
Dec 19 2011

ISTANBUL. – Delal Dink, the daughter of Hrant Dink-founder and former
chief editor of Istanbul’s Agos Armenian weekly who was murdered in
2007-wed with Rober Koptash, current chief editor of Agos.

The couple walked down the aisle at Mary Mother of God Armenian
Church in Istanbul’s Kumkapi district, and the 275-guest wedding
banquet was held at Ponte Restaurant in Beyoglu district.

Leading Turkish journalists also attended the wedding. And at the
participants’ request, the late Hrant Dink’s favorite song “Blonde
Bride” was sung numerous times.

Dink’s widower, Rakel Dink, wore black during the event and did not
dance, Aksam daily of Turkey writes.

LAUREATE OF INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS ZHORA SARGSYAN’S CONCERT AT CAFESJIAN CENTER FOR THE ARTS

Panorama
Dec 19 2011
Armenia

The Armenian Guitar Players’ Association has organized a concert by
laureate of international competitions Zhora Sargsyan at the Special
Events Hall of the Cafesjian Center for the Arts on December 21.

The concert features two world premieres, works by famous Dutch
composer, Prof. Rolf Straver written for Zhora Sargsyan – Three
Armenian Sketches, consisting of three parts (for guitar, flute and
viola) and Guitar Quintet No.3 F minor, consisting of four parts
(for guitar and string quartet).

Rolf Straver is the special guest at the concert.

THE ARMENIAN DELEGATION PARTICIPATED IN THE MEETINGS OF THE CSTO’S STATUTORY BODIES

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Armenia
Dec 19 2011

On December 19, the Armenian Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense
Edward Nalbandian and Seyran Ohanian and the Secretary of the Armenian
National Security Council (NSC) Arthur Baghdasaryan took part in
the joint meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs,
the Council of Ministers of Defense and the Committee of Secretaries
of Security Councils of the Collective Security Treaty Organization
(CSTO).

In the course of the meeting the agenda of the upcoming meeting of
the Collective Security Council, to be held on December 20, and the
issues to be discussed were approved, which are directed to the further
strengthening of the Organization and the cooperation in its frames.

The Ministers touched upon the decisions made by the Collective
Security Council held on December 20 and the implementation of the
agreements reached during the informal meeting of the Heads of the
CSTO’s member countries.

During the joint meeting the statement to be adopted by the Heads
of the Organization’s member countries on the occasion of the 20th
anniversary of signing of the Collective Security Treaty and 10th
anniversary of the establishment of the Collective Security Treaty
Organization was discussed.

The agenda of the meeting included issues related to the improvement of
the collective security system, the optimization of military-economic
and military-technical cooperation, the fight against terror and
illegal turnover of drugs and emergency response, as well.

The CSTO’s Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defense and the
Secretaries of the Security Councils discussed the annual report
of the Organization’s Secretary-General, and the issues relating to
cooperation in information, organization and financial spheres. The
participants agreed on the place and timeframe of the next meeting
of the CSTO’s statutory bodies, as well.

As a result of the meeting, over two dozen documents which were
presented to the approval of the Collective Security Council were
signed.

At the end of the meeting, Belarus handed over the chairmanship of
the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, the Council of Ministers
of Defense and the Committee of Secretaries of Security Councils of
the CSTO to Kazakhstan.

On the same day separate meetings of the Council of Ministers of
Foreign Affairs, the Council of Ministers of Defense and the Committee
of Secretaries of Security Councils of the CSTO took place.

BRITISH AMBASSADOR’S FAREWELL VISIT TO THE PARLIAMENT

National Assembly

Armenia
Dec 19 2011

On December 19 the RA NA Speaker Samvel Nikoyan received Charles
Lonsdale, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on the occasion of the
end of his diplomatic mission.

Welcoming the Ambassador the RA NA Speaker stated with satisfaction
that during his tenure cooperation between Armenia and the United
Kingdom experienced a rise. In Samvel Nikoyan’s words, there is a
great, not yet used potential for expanding the lines of interaction
and activation of contacts in various formats in the future. The NA
Speaker emphasized the development of interaction in both the bilateral
and multilateral formats. Samvel Nikoyan expressed willingness to
put his efforts aimed at further deepening of the Armenian-British
cooperation.

The Ambassador Lonsdale congratulated Samvel Nikoyan on the occasion
of being elected Speaker of the RA National Assembly and wished him
success for his presidency. In his words, this period is important
in terms of being 6 months left for the elections. In this context in
Armenia the conduct of free elections, which comply with international
standards, were mutually emphasized. Mr. Nikoyan stressed that
the Armenian authorities would do their best to fulfill fair and
transparent elections.

The further development, regional issues and the draft law “On ensuring
men’s and women’s equal rights and equal opportunities” were touched
upon; other issues of bilateral interest were also discussed at
the meeting.

In the end Samvel Nikoyan wished the Ambassador success in his further
activity, expressing confidence that he would remain a friend of
Armenia . The NA Speaker has expressed hope that the shaped tradition
of cooperation will continue with newly appointed joint ambassadors:
with the married couple, who in the rotation principle will take
their office from January.