Author: Kanayan Tamar

Ratifying Armenia-Turkey Protocols Might be Included in Turkey
Parliament Agenda: MP

06.18.2011 19:20
epress.am

Newly elected member of Turkey’s parliament Sinan OÄ?an doesn’t rule
out the possibility that the ruling Justice and Development Party
(AKP), led by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an, might include the
issue of ratifying the Armenia-Turkey Protocols on the parliament
agenda.

`If that happens, I, as a member of parliament, will be opposed to
discussing this issue without resolving Armenian-Azerbaijani relations
and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the liberation of Azerbaijan’s
occupied territories,’ he said, reports 1news.az.

Asked what, in his opinion, is Prime Minister ErdoÄ?an’s position on
this issue, who during the election campaign repeatedly made statement
defending Azerbaijan’s `territorial integrity’ and even ordered the
demolition of the Armenia-Turkey friendship monument in Kars (the
Monument to Humanity), OÄ?an said that was one part of the AKP’s
election strategy, with the aim of winning over a certain segment of
the electorate.

`But the elections are over and the government’s hands aren’t tied
now. I think, in a certain period, the issue of ratifying the
Armenia-Turkey Protocols will again become actual,’ he said.

Davit Babayan Says NKR Armed Forces Ready for Strain of Situation in
Contact Line by Azerbaijani Party before and after Kazan Meeting

22:03, 17 June, 2011

YEREVAN, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS:

Before any meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents the
Azerbaijani party strains the situation in the border contact line,
and this cannot be excluded before and after the presidents’ upcoming
meeting in Kazan, according to Davit Babayan, chief of the NKR
President’s staff. He said in an interview with Armenpress that the
NKR Armed Forces “are ready for such a development”.

Wikileaks has declassified a new document on NATO-Armenia relations

17.06.2011 | 18:31 | | Noyan Tapan | Politics

(Noyan Tapan – 17.06.2011) Wikileaks has declassified a new document
on the NATO-Armenia relations with the North Atlantic Alliance. As
azatutyun.am reports, then Antony Godfrey, the temporary attorney of
the United States Embassy to Yerevan touched upon the existing mood in
the Armenian government on the threshold of military exercises by NATO
in Baku.

Let’s remind that the participation of the Armenian military officers
in those military exercises titled `The best effort 2004′ was put into
doubt by Azerbaijan authorities.

`The best effort 2004′ military exercises within the frameworks of the
`For Peace’ program of `The leading representatives of the Armenian
government’ Partnership are considered as an indicator: whether NATO
and particularly the United States are actually willing to work with
Armenia. Till the five Armenian military officials have not received
the permission by the Azerbaijan Embassy to Tbilisi to participate in
the military exercises, the Armenian officials, from the president to
the Minister of Foreign Affairs, will continue to consider the
situation as a test for the NATO,’ Godfrey writes noting that the
Armenian authorities want to see whether the Alliance’s leadership is
able to show a political will if the Azerbaijan leadership doesn’t
allow the Armenian officials to enter the country.

The American diplomat also notes that in the summer of 2004, the
Armenian authorities actively pointed out the positive approach the
official Yerevan displayed in the NATO’s implemented projects in the
Southern Caucasus.

`The members of Armenian government especially stress that they
allowed Turkey to participate in `The best effort 2003′ military
exercises held in Yerevan. Besides, the Armenian authorities remind
that they also officially invited the representatives of Azerbaijan.
The Armenian authorities expect that the United States and NATO allies
will put pressure on Azerbaijan forcing Baku to allow the Armenian
officers to take part in the military exercises,’ U.S. diplomat
writes.

Let’s remind, that the pressure made by the Armenian side in the end
led to certain results. Azerbaijan authorities didn’t allow the
Armenian officers to enter the territory of their country, but in
response to which several hours before the start of the military
exercises James Jounce, the chief supreme commander of the joint armed
forces of the NATO to Europe, announced the cancellation of the
holding.

In general, assessing the Armenia-NATO relations the temporary
attorney Godfrey wrote in August, 2004: `Serious signs appeared during
the recent months according to which Armenian trends to make
cooperation closer with NATO in the field of Defense. The Armenian
side develops the `Individual Partnership project’ as well as has
agreed to accept the assessment mission of official field. The
Armenian authorities, however, assure that if `The best effort 2004′
military exercises are carried out without Armenia, it will lead to
serious disappointment to both the `Partnership for Peace’ and the
North Atlantic Alliance in general.

Tour expert: Tourism development requires attracting resources of
Turkey, Azerbaijan

11:22 – 18.06.11

To develop tourism, Armenia needs to attract the resources of Turkey
and Azerbaijan, says an Armenian tour expert.

Speaking to Tert.am, Robert Minasyan, the president of the Armenian
Union of Incoming Tour Operators, said that despite the absence of
diplomatic relations, both neighbors would be willing to collaborate
with Armenia in the tourism sector in case the country demonstrates a
sensible approach to the development of regional tourism.

“If someone visits a region, he or she will certainly be willing to
see the neighboring countries,” he said. “And then that person will
start making comparison to see how he was received in different
places. We have to develop regional tourism, preparing serious
specialists and studying the history and cultural heritage of the
neighboring states because a tourist coming here can also visit
Turkey, Iran, Georgia and vice versa. So if someone wants to visit
Turkey, he or she may first come to Armenia Armenia before leaving for
there. In that way will become a transit country. That’s how we can
develop regional tourism. ”

Tert.am

TIR
Noraïr Pakhdamian cherche le visa Olympique pour Londres (2012)

Le tireur arménien Noraïr Pakhdamian tentera de décrocher un visa pour
les J.O. de Londres (2012) lors de la Coupe du monde de tir qui se
déroulent du 16 au 23 juin à Munich (Allemagne). 884 sportifs venus de
85 pays participent à ces compétitions de tir. Selon l’entraîneur
national Seyran Nighogossian, l’Arménie présente avec Noraïr
Pakhdamian un sportif de qualité qui détient nombre de prix et de
coupes lors des championnats européens. En 2004 aux Jeux Olympiques
d’Athènes, Noraïr Pakhdamian était tout près de décrocher une médaille
pour l’Arménie. Malheureusement, il se classait quatrième…En 2008 à
Pékin, quelques erreurs l’avaient classé très loin du podium. Noraïr
Pakhdamian ira-t-il sur les traces de l’Arménien Hratchia Bedikian qui
était devenu Champion Olympique de tir (carabine) en 1992 à
Barcelone…sous les couleurs de la Communauté des Etats Indépendants
?

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 18 juin 2011,
Krikor [email protected]

FRANCS-MACONS
Rassemblement maçonnique à Erévan du 1er au 11 juillet

Le journal arménien « Jamanag » annonce que du 1er au 11 juillet se
tiendra à l’hôtel « Armenia Marriot » à Erévan, un rassemblement
international des francs-maçons d’origine arménienne. « Selon nos
informations on recense à ce jour 80 francs-maçons en Arménie reconnus
par les organisations maçonniques internationales » écrit le journal
avant d’ajouter « la loge maçonnique d’Arménie se nomme « la Grande
Loge d’Arménie » reconnue par les organisations s`urs de France, des
Etats Unis et de la Russie ». « Jamanag » poursuit « les maçons
d’Arménie ont demandé au président Serge Sarkissian de mettre à
disposition un terrain à Erévan afin de construire un temple, sans
recevoir de réponse. Aussi les maçons d’Arménie ont acquis un terrain
au quartier Vakahn d’Erévan afin d’entreprendre la construction d’un
temple ».

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 18 juin 2011,
Krikor [email protected]

Tendersinfo News
June 16, 2011 Thursday 6:30 AM EST

ARMENIA : Armenia needs $1 billion investments to improve drinking
water supply system

Patrick Lorin, Director General of Armenian Water and Sewerage Company
(AWSC), said that $1 billion investments is required to improve the
drinking water supply system in Armenia.

Approximately $100 million was invested to modernization of the system
by 2011, and the government is expected to take a loan worth $100
million for the coming 5 years. This will allow to gain goals on
providing 17-hour water supply in the country by 2017.

The company is now implementing a large investment project in Hrazdan.
This project will be completed by the end of the year.

According to the official, so far, the AWSC serves 37 cities and 300
communities, except for Yerevan, Gyumri, Vanadzor and Armavir, where
average index of water supply duration makes 14 hrs. against 6 hrs. in
2004.

Earlier in 2004, the French SAUR S.A. became the manager of AWSC
through a tender. The contract was extended from 2004 to 2008, then
from 2008 to 2010. The last date of extension will expire in this
year. He added, We negotiate on extending the contract term till 2013.

Trend Daily News (Azerbaijan)
June 15, 2011 Wednesday 8:19 PM GMT +4

Appointment of new Special Representative of the EU in the South
Caucasus will help solve Nagorno-Karabakh conflict – Peter Semneby

Azerbaijan, Baku, June 15 /Trend, A.Gasimova/

Appointment of new Special Representative of the European Union in the
South Caucasus in early September, will help solve Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, says former EU Special Representative for South Caucasus
Peter Semneby.

Semneby served as special representative for five years. There is no
information about exactly who will take his post. The appointment is
expected in early September.
“Every conflict is unique, and the Nagorno-Karabakh as well.

The conflict must be resolved through peaceful means based on the
principles of international law and the appointment of a new EU
Special Representative will assist the settlement “- Semneby said at
hearings on Nagorno-Karabakh on Wednesday in the European Parliament.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994.

The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding
regions.

news.am, Armenia
June 17 2011

Russian Orthodox Church arranges `historical event’

June 17, 2011 | 22:17

Russian Orthodox Church arranges CIS session of interreligious council
presidium on November 28 in Yerevan.

`It will be a historical visit of the leader of Caucasus Muslims
Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshükür Pashazade in Armenia. The same was when
Armenian Catholicos had visited Baku,’ told representative of Russian
Orthodox Church Roman Silantyev.

Silantyev believes that Armenian Catholicos Karekin II’s visit to Baku
in 2010 and Pashazade’s visit to Yerevan in November this year are
indeed `historical events,’ reports Interfax.

Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran
June 17 2011

Lebanese religious leader praises Iran’s foreign policy

Beirut, June 17, IRNA — Lebanese Armenian Orthodox Church Leader Aram
I said that Iran’s foreign policy is transparent, clear and
appraisable.

Iran’s Ambassador to Beirut Ghazanfar Roknabadi on Friday attended
Patriarch Church here and talked with his holiness Aram I about
developments in Lebanon as well as regional and international issues.

In the meeting, the two sides applauded wide and deep cultural and
historical relations between Armenians and Iranians, especially after
victory of Islamic revolution. They also praised the respect shown by
Islamic Republic of Iran for its Armenian citizens.

The ambassador said that Iran’s foreign policy is based on human and
moral principles and added that Iran’s ties with Armenians and
Armenian religious scholars are strong and Iran is honored with such
relations.

He expressed pleasure with formation of Lebanon government and said
that we hope that all Lebanese can protect their own unity and
concentrate their full attention on common enemy of the nation which
is the Zionist regime.
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