Author: Karapetian Hovik

Northern District Times (Australia)
January 28, 2009 Wednesday
1 – MB Edition

Giving Armenians a voice `Our kids will integrate so why not the
parents’

CHARIS CHANG

`Our kids will integrate so why not the parents’

AS a Ryde councillor Sarkis Yedelian has had many opportunities to
attend citizenship ceremonies and every time he does he renews his
allegiance to this country.

But this year’s Australia Day held special significance for Cr
Yedelian, who is of Armenian ancestry, as he was awarded a Medal of
the Order of Australia in the General Division (OAM).

Since immigrating to Sydney in 1979 from Beirut, Lebanon, Cr Yedelian
has been an active member of the Armenian community in Australia as
well as involving himself in the Australian community at every level.

For the last four years he has been a volunteer in the SES and when he
was elected to Ryde Council in 2004 he was the first, and is still the
only councillor, of Armenian ancestry in Australia.

He was awarded the OAM for his service to the Armenian community
through the promotion and development of multicultural integration
initiatives, and to local government.

“I’m very privileged to receive this award,” said Cr Yedelian.

“My father was active in the community and he always told me I should
be,” said Cr Yedelian.

“My wife also helps me a lot, my family supports me, it’s a team
effort.”

Fluent in five languages Armenian, Turkish, French, Arabic and English
Cr Yedelian believes in multiculturalism.

“I want harmony and I believe in integration,” he said.

“I don’t think different cultures in Australia should distance
themselves from each other.

“I love multiculturalism at the end of the day our kids will
integrate so why not the parents as well?”

Cr Yedelian helped to form the Ryde Multicultural Centre in West Ryde
where people from different cultures can mix and access advice about
government services.

He also helped start the Armenia Weekly magazine, the Armenian
community radio hour on 2NSB FM and community television station
Channel 31.

Next month he will celebrate the 30th anniversary of his own
citizenship.

“People come to Australia because they want to be Australian.

“You look all around the rest of the world there are problems even if
I had my choice again, I would still choose this place to be my
country.”

Interfax, Russia
Jan 29 2009

BAKU NOTES CERTAIN DYNAMICS IN KARABAKH ISSUE

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov spoke of the
atmosphere of mutual understanding at the Karabakh talks held between
the Azeri and Armenia presidents and foreign ministers in Switzerland
the day earlier.

"Both new and current principles have been discussed," Mammadyarov
told journalists.

There were certain outstanding issues in the basic principles of the
settlement process, which were discussed at the presidents’ level, he
said.

"Each president expressed his opinion in the atmosphere of mutual
understanding. Certainly, it is a complicated process, but one has to
move forward. There is no alternative to it," the Azeri minister said.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said: "Both presidents
noted certain dynamics towards resolving the conflict in a sense that
with every meeting the parties seem to understand better one another
and are trying to resolve the existing problems."

"I would like to note that currently the parties are working on the
conflict resolution principles. Once the basic principles are agreed
upon, the parties will start drawing up the basic documents," he said.

Mathew Bryza, U.S. co-chairman of the OSCE (Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe) Minsk Group also said the meeting was
productive.

We hear that there is some progress, higher dynamics, I can say that
it is a positive element, he said.

DAVOS VENUE FOR HOPEFUL MEETING OF ARMENIAN, TURKISH LEADERS

Today’s Zaman
Jan 30 2009
Turkey

In January 1988 the tiny ski resort town of Davos, Switzerland, was the
venue of a landmark meeting between Turgut Ozal and Andreas Papandreou,
the late leaders of uneasy Aegean neighbors Greece and Turkey.

The meeting had paved the way of rapprochement between the two
countries, which had one year prior almost engaged in a military
clash over oil-drilling rights in the Aegean.

Twenty-one years later, Davos yesterday evening was preparing for
another landmark meeting between leaders of estranged neighbors Armenia
and Turkey, with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan voicing
hope ahead of his meeting with Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan.

"We have a basic principle. That is, if states never hold talks, it is
impossible to have a peace process. At the moment, you know we have
around 40,000 Armenian citizens. They all have an expectation. In
addition to the citizens, there are around 40,000 undocumented
Armenians. Furthermore, Armenia is a neighboring country," Erdogan
told reporters in Davos yesterday, the Anatolia news agency reported.

Both Erdogan and Sarksyan participated in an annual meeting of the
World Economic Forum (WEF) held in the Swiss town. The two were
scheduled to hold talks in the evening after Today’s Zaman went
to press.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Armenian President
Serzh Sarksyan hope 2009 will be a turning point in Turkey-Armenia
relations.

"Of course, the time for making an assessment on these issues has come
and even passed. There are also efforts by the Armenian diaspora in
the world," Erdogan added, in an apparent reference to the Armenian
diaspora’s constant lobbying efforts for global official recognition
of an alleged Armenian genocide.

"We can resolve [this issue] by taking certain steps. While resolving
this, Turkey won’t be the party ‘giving unilaterally and losing.’ We
will also be happy if there can be an agreement which will provide
mutual advantages for both sides," he said, while stressing that
Turkey’s rapprochement with Armenia did not at all mean harming its
friendly relations with Azerbaijan.

On Wednesday evening Erdogan had talks with Azerbaijani President
Ä°lham Aliyev, who earlier in the day held talks with Sarksyan
concerning the two-decade-long Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that has
uprooted hundreds of thousands of people from both Armenia and
Azerbaijan.

"We will never leave Azerbaijan alone concerning Nagorno-Karabakh. That
is to say that our issues are in a way connected with
Azerbaijan. Despite all these facts, if Armenia is sincere … then
today’s meeting may outline a roadmap following our talks yesterday
evening," Erdogan said.

Late on Wednesday evening, while announcing that he would meet with
Sarksyan, Erdogan said, "We are hopeful but I cannot know how hopeful
Armenia is."Also on Wednesday evening, when asked by reporters whether
he considered his planned meeting with the Turkish prime minister as
"a positive step," Sarksyan briefly said, "I believe it will be so."

Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, who is also in Davos, told reporters on
Wednesday that he held talks with his Armenian counterpart, Edward
Nalbandian, earlier in the day. The two ministers were expected to
hold another bilateral meeting in Davos ahead of the Erdogan-Sarksyan
meeting.

"I won’t be surprised if a resolution happens this year," Babacan said.

–Boundary_(ID_7xueh0XX+NHjMQ0us4nRaQ)–

GEORGIA AVOIDS FULFILLMENT OF INTERNATIONAL COMMITMENTS ON PROTECTION OF ETHNIC MINORITIES’ RIGHTS

Noyan Tapan

Jan 26, 2009

YEREVAN, JANUARY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The Yerkir Union of Repatriation and
Settling Down NGOs estimates the events occured lately in Javakhk as
a provocation, through which the Georgian authorities deliberately
aggravate the situation in the region and the Armenian-Georgian
relations. Robert Tatoyan, the Coordinator of Union’s programs, stated
at the January 26 press conference. It should be mentioned that on
January 22 employees of the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs
arrested Grigor Minasian, the Director of Akhaltskha Youth Center,
and Sargis Hakobjanian, the Chairman of the Charles Aznavour charity
organization. They were arrested with accusations of preparing a crime,
creation of an illegal armed grouping, and espionage.

According to Union Chairman Sevak Artsruni, the Georgian authorities
by raffling the "Armenian separatism" card try to avoid fulfillment of
international commitments on protection of rights of ethnic minorities,
including Armenians. Besides, according to S. Artsruni, thus they make
an attempt to induce the Armenian authorities to new concessions in
the issue of solving the problems faced by the Armenians of Javakhk
and Georgia. He affirmed that the Armenian side should not submit to
those provocations, but should try to solve that problem by applying
to international organizations.

The Yerkir Union addresses to the international community calling
for undertaking immediate steps to prevent further deepening of
the crisis and solving the socio-economic, language, educational,
and religious problems of Georgia’s national minorities. According to
Union’s statement, international community’s indifference in practice
privileges the Georgian authorities to further strengthen pressure
upon the Armenian political activists in Javakhk, which results
in situation’s further aggravation and uncontrollable development
of processes.

RA FOREIGN MINISTER AND OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS DISCUSS NAGORNO KARABAKH SETTLEMENT NEGOTIATIONS PROCESS

Noyan Tapan

Jan 20, 2008

YEREVAN, JANUARY 20, NOYAN TAPAN. The Nagorno Karabakh settlement
negotiations process was discussed at the January 20 meeting of RA
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian with OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs
Yuri Merzliakov (Russia), Bernard Fassier (France), Matthew Bryza
(U.S.), and Personal Representative of OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej
Kasprzyk. NT was informed about it by the RA Foreign Ministry Press
and Information Department.

The interlocutors attached importance to the declaration signed on
November 2 2008 by the Presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Russia
in Moscow, the statement of the Minsk Group co-chairing countries’
Foreign Ministers of December 4 2008 and the statement of OSCE
Foreign Ministers’ Council of December 5. It was mentioned that the
negotiations process should proceed according to the above mentioned
documents’ spirit.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Corus Chess: Levon Aronyan vs. Wang Yu
17.01.2009 16:26 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian grandmaster Levon Aronyan will meet with
Chinese chess player Wang Yu in the 1st round of Corus Chess
Tournament in Wijk aan Zee.

Sergei Movsisyan, member of Slovak team, will play against Dutch
grandmaster Daniel Stellwagen.

The Corus Chess Tournament has three main tournaments. They are played
according to the ’round robin’ system, whereby each competitor plays
in turn against every other during the tournament. All three
Grandmaster groups have 14 players and start on January 17.

Aronyan is included in Group A along with Teymur Rajabov (Azerbaijan),
Vasily Ivanchuk, Sergei Karyakin (Ukraine), Michael Adams (UK),
Alexadner Morozevich (Russia), Magnus Carlsen (Norway), Leinier
Dominguez (Cuba), Sergei Movsisyan (Slovakia), Loek van Wely
(Netherlands).

ARMENIA FAVORS NEIGHBORLY RELATIONS WITH TURKEY, AZERBAIJAN – ARMENIAN PM

Interfax
Jan 14 2009
Russia

Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan hails the possibility of
establishing diplomatic relations with neighboring Turkey.

"There are considerable advances in Armenian-Turkish relations. I
think that the establishment of diplomatic relations with Turkey is
rather realistic," Sargsyan told Interfax.

"As of today the negotiating process with our Turkish colleagues is
very smooth. The Foreign Ministry also makes a lot of effort in this
area," the prime minister said.

"It is in Armenia’s interests that there are normal relations with
neighbors, including Turkey and Azerbaijan. This is in the interests
of our country. We should continue talks and we should be able to
establish good relations with both Azerbaijan and Turkey," he said.

There are still no diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey.

The 1915 events in the Ottoman Empire remain a stumbling block in the
relations between the two countries. A number of nations recognized
the Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Turkey in 1915, which claimed
more than 1.5 million lives. Armenia wants Turkey to recognize the
genocide, but Turkey refuses to do so.

For its part, Ankara demands that the Karabakh conflict be resolved
on the basis of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

PACE CO-RAPPORTEURS TO VISIT ARMENIA

Trend News Agency
Jan 12 2009
Azerbaijan

Co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe John Prescott and Georges Colombier
will arrive in Armenia in the evening of January 14, reported Public
Radio.

Before the winter session of PACE they will familiarize with the
process of accomplishment of Resolutions 1609 and 1620 by Armenia.

The co-rapporteurs are expected to have a number of meetings on
January 15. The issue of Armenia’s accomplishment of the requirements
of the resolutions will be discussed during the Assembly’s sitting
on January 29.

During the sitting Prescott and Colombier will present the steps in
the direction of accomplishing the provisions of the resolutions

No heating problems in schools in Yerevan

YEREVAN, January 10. /ARKA/. Schools of Yerevan do not have any heating
problems; all the schools opened in time, Deputy Head of Education
Department of Yerevan Municipality Armine Vardanyan reported.

Of 202 municipal educational institutions, 106 have individual boiler
houses, another 46 schools are equipped with extra heaters, she said.

She also said that electric cables, switch plugs and protection devices
were replaced during summer to ensure uninterrupted heating in
wintertime.

Continuous control is maintained over schools with additional heaters,
Vardanyan said. Starting from 6 o’clock in the morning the heating
status is checked and measures are taken so that it is warm in the
schools at 9 o’clock when the lessons start, she said.

Earlier the Mayor of Yerevan Yervand Zakharyan reported that measures
are to be taken to provide local heating system to the remaining
schools and all kindergartens in 2009 and 2010.

According to the country’s Ministry of Education and Science, 1,472
secondary schools function currently in Armenia, including 260 schools
in Yerevan. `0–

GREECE ASSUMES OSCE CHAIR

Athens News Agency
Jan 9 2009
Greece

The unique opportunity offered to Greece to take over the chairmanship
of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)
for 2009 was underlined by the head of Greece’s permanent mission to
the OSCE headquarters in Vienna, Amb. Mara Marinaki.

Marinaki referred to current OSCE issues and missions and the imminent
address Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis will deliver on Jan. 15
to outline the chairmanship’s programme and priorities.

The Greek envoy underlined that Greece supports consensus
in decision-making, the respect of international law and the
non-negotiable principle of territorial integrity, pointing out that
OSCE is the second largest international organization after the United
Nations, with 56 members.

She also referred to Greece’s lengthy experience, as a NATO and EU
member, over the last 60 and 30 years, respectively, and pointed
out that it can contribute greatly to the settlement of ongoing
disputes, stressing that the country has been participating in the
process that led to the creation of the OSCE since its inception,
roughly 34 years ago.

Amb. Marinaki considers that progress can be made in the issues of
Nagorno-Karabakh and Transdniestria. Regarding Georgia, she stated
that the OSCE is involved in efforts to reach a settlement for the
benefit of all. On the OSCE mission to Georgia, she stated that it
is in a closing phase after its mandate was not renewed by Dec. 31,
2008, but that it had not closed up shot yet.

Its role has been valuable and forms are explored to further an OSCE
presence in Georgia.

Concerning other OSCE missions, Marinaki added that "Greece also
intends to strengthen the organisation’s presence in the western
Balkans and to upgrade its role in the region."

Greece took over the 2009 OSCE chairmanship on Jan. 1 from Finland and
at the end of the year it will be passed on to Kazakhstan, the first
country east of Vienna to chair the organization’s rotating presidency.

Caption: The new chairperson of the OSCE, Greek Foreign Minister
Dora Bakoyannis (R), and Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb,
address the media during a joint press conference at the closing
session of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s
(OSCE) ministerial council in Helsinki on 05 December 2008, as
Finland’s year-long tenure at the helm of the OSCE ended.