Author: Kanayan Tamar

IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE RUNNING YEAR 16 APPLICATIONS FOR RECEIVING A RIGHT OF ASYLUM IN ARMENIA REGISTERED

ARMENPRESS
MAY 3, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 3, ARMENPRESS: In the first semester of the running
year 16 people have applied to the Migration State Agency of the
Armenian Ministry of Territorial Administration for receiving a
right of asylum in Armenia. Ruzanna Petrosyan, chief specialist
of the Asylum Issues Department of the Migration State Agency told
Armenpress that the 6 of the applicants are from Iraq, the others –
from Iran and African states.

Vahan Hovhannisyan: Armenian-Turkish process awakened Armenian mentality

May 1, 2010 – 14:02 AMT 09:02 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

The ARF Dashnaktsutyun never opposed normalization of Armenian-Turkish
relations, an ARFD Bureau member said.

`It’s a long process consisting of three stages. First, it should be
establishment of diplomatic relations and opening of the border.
Second stage could imply discussion of urgent problems. Then, the
sides would be able to sign some agreements,’ Vahan Hovhannisyan said
during a meeting with Villeurbanne Mayor Jean-Paul Bret.

`Turkey managed to combine all these stages in one and it was
Armenia’s diplomatic failure. We are hopeful that our diplomats will
correct this mistake,’ he said.

At the same time, Mr. Hovhannisyan noted that the Armenian-Turkish
process awakened Armenian mentality. `Political forces speak not only
of the necessity of recognition of the Armenian Genocide but also of
compensation for its consequences,’ he said.

Mr. Bret said for his part that dragging out the process of
ratification of Protocols on normalization of relations, Turkey has
badly damaged its international image. `Turkey seems to screen its
secret policy by these Protocols,’ he said.

He also informed that a delegation led by him will be visiting Nagorno
Karabakh on May 2 and 3, while a meeting with Armenian Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian is scheduled for May 4.

Caruso eyes Galleria

Developer says he’d like to buy that mall and others, then improve them.

By Zain Shauk

April 27, 2010

Americana at Brand developer Rick Caruso on Tuesday said he would be
interested in using a new joint $750-million investment fund to buy the
rival Glendale Galleria.

Caruso, a billionaire who also developed the Grove in Los Angeles, announced
the joint venture with global investment firm TPG Capital on Tuesday, saying
it would be tapped to buy and transform distressed properties into retail
and mixed-use destinations.

Although Caruso plans to spread his new investments along the West Coast, he
said he was specifically interested in adding to his 475,000 square feet of
commercial and retail property in Glendale and to his other developments in
the Los Angeles region.

Caruso planned to direct the new fund’s investments around major population
centers throughout the West Coast, including Los Angeles, Northern
California, Seattle, and San Diego and Orange counties, he said.

The Glendale Galleria, a 1.5-million-square-foot mall and office tower
adjacent to the Americana, could be a possibility, Caruso said.

"I think that there would be some very interesting synergies with owning the
Galleria along with the Americana," he said. "It certainly needs help."

The Galleria is owned and operated by Chicago-based General Growth
Properties Inc., which filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last year and
is formulating a restructuring plan in court.

Real estate experts and city officials say the Galleria needs structural
improvements to stay competitive because other malls in the region, like
Westfield properties in the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles, have made
substantial upgrades.

A spokesman for General Growth said the company was not familiar with Caruso’s
interest and said the Galleria was not for sale.

"Glendale Galleria is a great property and one we’re very proud of," David
Keating, a spokesman for General Growth, said in a statement.

The Galleria has 250 stores, including a three-story Target, a Macy’s,
Nordstrom and J.C. Penney.

A fifth major tenant space, formerly occupied by Mervyn’s, has been vacant
for more than a year.

Caruso said his firm would provide the investment needed to improve the mall’s
infrastructure and make it more attractive.

"I think the mall, I think everybody would agree that it needs to be
upgraded, remodeled," Caruso said of the Galleria.

"I know the initial plans for Glendale for General Growth was to do that . .. That’sa very tired mall. I would love to see, whether it’s us or somebody else,
improve it."

ZAIN SHAUK covers business and politics. He may be reached at (818)
637-3238 or by e-mail at [email protected].

EU WILL AIM TO SUPPORT PEACE EFFORTS SETTLING NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

Bernama Malaysian News Agency
.php?id=494401
April 29 2010
Malaysia

BAKU, April 29 (Bernama) — The European Union (EU) will aim to
step up its support to ongoing peace efforts towards settling the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Commissioner for Enlargement and European
Neighbourhood Police Stefan Fule, Azerbaijan news agency AzerTaC
reported Thursday.

The Nagorno-Karabakh War was an armed conflict that took place
from February 1988 to May 1994, in the small ethnic enclave of
Nagorno-Karabakh in southwestern Azerbaijan, between the mostly
ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh backed by the Republic of Armenia
against the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Addressing the European Parliament on the results of his recent trips
to South Caucasus countries and Ukraine, Fule said: "Throughout my
trip to the South Caucasus, I felt the presence of regional tension
and the effects of armed conflict which have so dramatically impacted
on people’s lives.

"I appreciated in particular the possibilities to speak to internally
displaced persons in Georgia and in Azerbaijan".

He added that the conflicts have haunted the South Caucasus for a
long time, and some actions needed to be taken urgently to stop it,
so that South Caucasus can stable, secure and prosperous again.

Touching upon the Association Agreements with the South Caucasus
countries FUle said the negotiating directives for them will be
"presented for formal adoption at the Foreign Affairs Council on
May 10.

This will pave the way for the EU side to prepare for the launch
of negotiations.

"These agreements will allow for close political association between
each of the partners in the South Caucasus and the EU, building on
common values and shared principles".

He said closely linked to the Association Agreements, the EU`s offer to
establish deep and comprehensive free trade areas is also an immensely
important opportunity for those South Caucasus countries that have
fulfilled the preconditions.

Such agreements of economic integration will provide access to the
EU market of 500 million consumers and will help increasing trade
flows and investments, Fule added.

COUNTY’S OLDEST BOY SCOUT SPENT 4 DECADES IN ORGANIZATION
Anne Kallas

Ventura County Star
dest-boy-scout-spent-4-decades-in/
April 28 2010
CA

Ventura County’s oldest Scout, as far as anyone knows, is 100-year-old
Rex Mugar, whose life has mirrored the organization he has been
so closely tied to, and whose Camarillo Springs home is full of
memorabilia from a lifetime of Scouting.

Mugar was born Sept. 19, 1909, in Boston to Virginia and Charles Mugar.

"My father and mother took us children on a vacation to California
in February. It was pretty cold in Massachusetts. I was 8 years old
and we took a long train ride in a Pullman car west to Los Angeles,
where there was short-sleeve weather and orange blossoms. The vacation
bug blew away my dad and he was very much interested in moving to
California," Mugar said.

His parents had immigrated to the United States from Armenia. Mugar
was one of five children. He has two sisters still living.

The family moved west, and after about a year of searching, Mugar’s
father found a place in the San Joaquin Valley.

Growing up outside Modesto, Mugar took an interest in the Boy Scouts,
which was relatively new.

"There was a troop in town and I joined it. I enjoyed the relationship
with other young men and the leaders," Mugar said. He was an avid
Scout, earning his Eagle rank in 1925. After graduating from Modesto
High School, Mugar first went to Modesto Junior College and then to
UCLA, where he studied business administration, sociology and English.

He stayed in touch with friends from Boy Scouts, and at age 24 was
named Scout executive in charge of the Yosemite Area Council.

After eight years, be became a deputy regional Scout executive,
overseeing all of the Western United States.

Mugar served 40 years as a Boy Scouts executive and continued as a
volunteer after his retirement.

He married Margaret Mary Wells on Jan. 19, 1935, in Sacramento. The
couple remained happily married until her death Sept. 11, 2007. The
Mugars had four children; all enjoyed scouting.

Mugar said he was pleased he had been able to contribute to the growth
of the organization over the years.

"I believe in Boy Scout values. As everything else in life evolves,
so does the Boy Scouts movement, and it has kept pace with the present
day," he said. "I want to think it’s done that only in the best way.

It’s kept pace with the good things in life: family, friends, education
and service.

"Scouting is only part of the story. One part is to be reverent to
God and country. We don’t tell them to choose a religious preference,
but it just must be under God."

Mugar moved to Ventura County 34 years ago after visiting friends and
finding a place near Camarillo Springs that suited him, his wife and
son. Mugar credits Scouting with keeping him sharp mentally even as
age-related issues have made walking almost impossible.

"My Scouting experience is part of the reason I have my marbles. If I
had not had this experience I don’t think I could be as well mentally,"
he said.

He still misses his wife, who had Alzheimer’s.

"Without that girl I never could have achieved what I did. Not because
she pushed me, but that she sustained me as a professional," he said.

DISTANCE BETWEEN ARMENIA AND TURKEY TOO FAR TO BE TRAVELLED IN ONE GO

EurAsia Review
ce-between-armenia-and-turkey-too.html
April 28 2010

The President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, last Thursday addressed
the nation in a sombre but calm tone, to announce that the process
of normalisation of relations with Turkey that he had initiated
soon after taking office in 2008 was being suspended. Sargsyan was
accepting a reality that has been obvious for a number of months,
namely that despite the political will in the leadership in both
Armenia and Turkey to normalise relations, the distance separating the
two countries was too long for the journey to be travelled in one go.

Neither Turkey nor Armenia are yet ready to take the last historic
step that would see the two countries establish diplomatic relations,
and the border opened. Admittedly, Sargsyan went further to stick
his neck out in this process than did Turkish Prime Minister Tayib
Erdogan, and so for the moment Armenia feels it has occupied the
"moral" high ground in this affair, at least with the international
community. Washington, Moscow, Brussels and other capitals rushed to
heap praise on Sargsyan for stopping short of declaring the process
dead. In his speech Sargsyan was even able to find words to praise
Turkish President Abdulla Gul, who many see as being the main Turkish
architect of the reconciliation process.

Today, Armenia, and Armenians in the diaspora, mark the 95th
anniversary of the 1915 events in Anatolia, described by Armenians
and many others as the "Armenian Genocide". It is an anniversary that
raises emotions on both sides. Its significance and implications have
become deeply embroiled not only in the politics of modern day Armenia
and Turkey, but also in the internal politics of the United States
and a number of European countries, where diaspora organisations,
lobbyists and interest groups are engaged in acrimonious exchanges.

Many people died in Anatolia in 1915 and the quicker their memory can
be remembered by everybody in a dignified way that unites rather than
divides the better for all Armenians and all Turks. One hopes that
by the time of the 100th anniversary in 2015 this would be possible.

Much will depend on when the Armenia-Turkey dialogue process can be
resumed. Both sides can build on the distance that they have already
travelled. Domestic political factors in the two countries create
serious obstacles for both sides. However the biggest obstacle that
emerged over the last year was the opposition of Azerbaijan to the
process moving separately from negotiations on the resolution of
the Karabakh conflict. Armenia rejects the linkage, whilst Turkey
now accepts that that is the case. Those who reject the connection
argue that Armenia-Turkish relations are complex enough without adding
Karabakh as a further complication on top of them. However there is
a case to argue that introducing such a connection may not in the
end be such a bad thing. It has introduced a sense of urgency in the
Karabakh negotiations that some say is long overdue.

The international community needs to remain fully engaged in supporting
both Armenia and Turkey and Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the
problems between them. The journey is long, but it does not need to
be endless.

LINKS is a British non governmental organisation working for the
peaceful resolution of conflicts and in support of democracy and
sustainable development in societies in transition, through dialogue
and innovative initiatives.

RA PRESIDENT RECEIVED CHAIRMAN OF NUCLEAR SAFETY COUNCIL

news.am
April 27 2010
Armenia

RA President Serzh Sargsyan received Chairman of the Presidential
Council on Nuclear Energy Safety Adolf Birkhoffer (Germany).

Sargsyan appreciated high his efforts into ensuring secure operation
of Armenian nuclear power plant, RA Presidential press service informed
NEWS.am. RA President stressed nuclear security is in the limelight of
the world community’s attention. The April 12 Global Nuclear Security
Summit proved that, Sargsyan said.

Birkhoffer hailed positive RA Government’s activities headed by
President Serzh Sargsyan within last years towards the security
upgrade of nuclear power plant functioning.

The officials discussed issues related to the further activities of
NPP exploitation and construction of a new power unit.

CHAVUSHOGLU WILL ‘LEAD THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON NAGORNO KARABAKH PERSONALLY’

Tert.am
13:22 27.04.10

A Turkish national and President of the Parliamentary of Assembly of
the Council of Europe Mevlut Chavushoglu said at a press conference
in relation to the spring session of the organization that he would
personally lead the Subcommittee on the Nagorno Karabakh issue.

"As soon as the members of the Subcommittee are known, I will
personally lead it as PACE President," said Chavushoglu, adding he
would discuss the issue with both heads of delegations of the two
countries.

TURKISH PM, FOREIGN MINISTRY AT ODDS OVER OBAMA STATEMENT

armradio.am
26.04.2010 13:50

Despite avoiding the word "genocide" in describing the events of 1915
during his Saturday commemoration statement, U.S. President Barack
Obama’s wording still riled the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

"We deeply regret this statement which reflects an incorrect and
one-sided political perception.

The toughest enemy of the historical facts are subjective memory
records. No nation has the right to impose its memory records on
another nation.

Third counties neither have a right nor authority to judge the history
of Turkish-Armenian relations with political motives," the Ministry
said in a statement

However, while the Foreign Ministry was upset at Obama’s terming of
the World War I events as "one of the worst atrocities" in history,
Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a positive
statement afterward, displaying a slight rift between the Foreign
Ministry and the Prime Ministry, the Hurriyet Daily News reports.

Foster’s Daily Democrat
April 24 2010

Barrington Peace Corps volunteer heading to Armenia

By JOEY CRESTA
Saturday, April 24, 2010

Cresta/Democrat photo Mary Ann Harty, of Barrington, is bringing a
jump rope with her on a Peace Corps mission to Armenia.

BARRINGTON ‘ Only about 6 percent of the Peace Corps’ volunteers are
over 50 years old, and one of them, a 60-year-old local woman, is
heading for Armenia in May.

Mary Ann Harty said now is the time to pursue an adventure she has
dreamed of since childhood. She has no financial or personal
obligations and is ready to immerse herself in a new culture thousands
of miles away.

"It’s the perfect time in my life to do it," she said. "I’m about as
free as someone who’s just graduated college."

Harty knows she might be in for a bit of culture shock. The Peace
Corps sent her a packet with information she is to review before she
leaves on May 27 to begin her pre-service training as an NGO
(nongovernmental organization) development volunteer.

She has also started to learn the Armenian alphabet and pronouns,
adjectives, verbs and some common phrases.

Harty is also preparing for some harsh weather by stocking up on
socks, tights and winter gear. She is also packing a jump rope to keep
her heart rate up ‘ she has been told Armenia has brutally cold
winters, when the temperature will not climb above zero degrees for
weeks at a time.

At least for her, cold is better than hot: she said during the Peace
Corps interview process, they determine which places might suit the
individual by asking detailed questions about preferences. Harty said
she cannot stand intense heat and declined an invitation to travel to
Africa because of her aversion.

According to the CIA’s World Factbook, Armenia gained independence
from the Soviet Union in 1991. The Middle Eastern country located east
of Turkey is slightly smaller than Maryland and features mountainous
highlands and fast flowing rivers.

Harty is heading to the country to help develop businesses. She has
experience in the manufacturing, service and software development
industries, as well as the financial, housing, nonprofit and retail
sectors.

Throughout the years, she said she has also been involved in community
service, including with church and her daughter’s school.

Harty is a Dover High School graduate and earned a degree in German
language and literature, with a minor in French, from the University
of New Hampshire in 1974. She spent her junior year in Austria, so
this is not her first extensive stretch abroad.

It is, however, her longest trip abroad. Her mission is for 24 months,
not including the three months of training. Since she spent a good
portion of her life in Oregon, her local family, including her
parents, Marty and Arlene, of Barrington, were slightly incredulous
when she said she was again leaving the local area.

"Initially my family said, ‘You can’t be thinking of leaving again,’"
she said. But over time, they realized, "It’s very much in keeping
with who I am."

Harty said her major concerns are with the language barrier,
communicating with the outside world and the hardships associated with
living in Armenia.

"Truthfully, it’s going to be an uphill climb," she said. "If I do my
homework now, I don’t think it will be quite as intimidating."

Harty hopes the experience will help her enter into a career in
community development, either through the Peace Corps or a NGO.

"I am concerned, because I am 60. But right now there’s someone who’s
85 (serving in the Peace Corps)," she said. "I will certainly do my
best to make it work."

According to the Peace Corps, Harty joins 46 New Hampshire residents
currently serving with the organization. More than 1,512 state
residents have served since 1961.

The Peace Corps approaches 50 years of promoting peace and friendship
around the world with 7,671 volunteers serving in 76 host countries.

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