Author: Khondkarian Raffi

Press and Information Department
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of the Republic of Armenia
Tel. + 37410 544041. ext. 202
Fax. + 37410 565601
e-mail: [email protected]
web:

Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Turkey expressed their determination on
comprehensive normalisation of bilateral relations
At midnight from September 6 to September 7 the meeting between Foreign
Ministers of Armenia and Turkey Edward Nalbandian and Ali Babajan started
off, which lasted two hours and a half.
Welcoming the guest, Minister Nalbandian mentioned that Armenia attaches
great importance the visit of high-ranking delegation, headed by the
President of Turkey, which creates good possibility for a dialogue between
the leadership of two countries. As Minister Nalbandian defined, it’s a good
beginning, which will have positive continuation.
Armenian Foreign Minister reaffirmed the principal position of the Armenian
side on to establish relations without preconditions. He also stressed, that
Armenia considers President Gul’s visit as a serious stimulus in that
direction.
Armenian and Turkish Foreign Ministers expressed their determination on
comprehensive normalization of bilateral relations. The two mentioned, that
consistent steps in that direction will be taken.
Ministers Nalbandian and Babajan agreed to meet later this month on the
sidelines UN General Assembly session in New-York.
Edward Nalbandian and Ali Babajan discussed in details Turkey’s initiative
to establish a Caucasus stability and cooperation platform. In this context
Minister Nalbandian welcomed that idea, which is aimed at establishment of
confidence, stability, security and cooperation in the region.
The two also touched upon recent developments in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace
process.
In the course of the meeting several international and regional issues were
also discussed.

Voice of America
Sept 6 2008

Turkish President in Armenia on Historic Trip

By Dorian Jones
Istanbul
06 September 2008

The Turkish President Abdullah Gul arrived in the Armenian capital
Yerevan, the first time a Turkish head of state has visited the
country. Mr. Gul was there to attend a soccer match he said could help
end almost a century of mutual hostility and aid security in the
broader Caucasus region. For VOA, Dorian Jones has this report from
Istanbul.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul (L) and Armenian President Serzh
Sarkisyan shake hands during their meeting in Yerevan, 06 Sep 2008

Turkish President Abdullah Gul’s jet arrived in Armenia on this
historical visit escorted by attack helicopters. Police and
demonstrators lined the traffic-free streets as his motorcade sped
through downtown Yerevan.

Ankara and Yerevan have no diplomatic ties but a relationship haunted
by the question of whether ethnic Armenians killed by Ottoman Turks
during World War One were victims of systematic genocide.

The director of Armenia’s National Genocide Museum, Hayk Demoyan,
hailed Mr. Gul’s visit, saying this could be a positive step in
talking about the issue of genocide.

"Armenians fighting for genocide recognition and for restoring the
rights of the survivors and descendants of the survivors is just part
of the global movement of prevention. So this is not anti-Turkish or
something against Turkish people," said Demoyan. "We also realize that
there a lot of problems in public memory and national memory of Turkey
and Turkish people. That’s why this is a matter of two people. We have
to talk, we have to agree, we have to negotiate."

But the controversy continues to fuel nationalist anger in both
countries.

President Gul was strongly criticized for agreeing to visit Armenia by
both the main Turkish opposition parties, who accused him of betraying
Turkey and its close ally Azerbaijan. Armenia is occupying a region of
Azerbaijani territory, which has resulted in Turkey enforcing a trade
embargo against Armenia since 1993, crippling the Armenian economy.

In Yerevan, reaction to Mr. Gul’s visit is mixed.

This man says Mr. Gul’s visit is of no importance. He says his team
will win in any case. He says he would like Mr. Gul to leave Armenia
in a bad mood, but only because his team has lost the game.

Another man has a more positive view.

He says he thinks that the meeting of the two presidents will discuss
problems which may help to normalize the Armenian-Turkish
relationship.

Turkish diplomatic sources have played down any expectations of a
breakthrough in bilateral relations. But experts say if Mr. Gul’s
visit passes off smoothly, it’s real success can be that it will open
the door to future dialogue.

L’Express, France
4 Septembre 2008

Le président turc à Erevan: l’opposition critique, la presse salue une
visite "historique"

AFP

La décision du président turc Abdullah Gül de se rendre samedi en
Arménie pour assister à un match de football a été saluée jeudi comme
une visite "historique" par les médias turcs tandis que l’opposition
parlementaire l’a critiquée avec force.

M. Gül se rendra à Erevan à l’invitation de son homologue arménien
Serge Sarkissian pour assister au match Arménie-Turquie de
qualification pour le Mondial 2010 de football, a annoncé mercredi
soir la présidence turque.

M. Gül sera le premier chef d’Etat turc à se rendre en Arménie, depuis
l’indépendance de ce pays en 1991, alors qu’un profond différend
oppose les deux nations sur la question du génocide arménien et
qu’elles n’ont pas de relations diplomatiques.

"Une visite effectuée dans le cadre de ce match est considérée comme
susceptible de créer un nouveau climat d’amitié dans la région. C’est
dans cette optique que notre président a accepté l’invitation", a
souligné la présidence.

Des diplomates turcs se sont rendus sur place mercredi pour préparer
la visite qui devrait éviter les questions litigieuses et se
concentrer surtout sur l’initiative turque de "plateforme de stabilité
et de coopération pour le Caucase" qui est censé réunir au vu du
conflit géorgien la Turquie, la Russie, la Géorgie, l’Arménie et
l’Azerbaïdjan, précise-t-on de source diplomatique.

Le Premier ministre turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a qualifié la visite de
"positive", affirmant qu’un rejet de l’invitation arménienne aurait eu
pour effet de sacrifier le sport à la politique.

"La Turquie n’a rien à craindre de telles rencontres" car elle est
convaincue que sa position sur la question arménienne est solide, a
souligné M. Erdogan depuis Damas où il était en visite.

M. Erdogan a en outre rejeté les spéculations selon lesquelles le
voyage de Gül vexerait l’Azerbaïdjan turcophone et musulman avec
lequel la Turquie a d’étroites relations. Ankara a fermé sa frontière
avec l’Arménie en 1993 après le conflit entre Bakou et Erevan sur le
Haut-Karabagh.

La présidence française de l’Union européenne a salué jeudi la visite,
en espérant qu’elle "créera un climat favorable à la normalisation des
relations" des deux pays.

"Ce déplacement historique constitue un geste fort et encourageant
pour les relations entre l’Arménie et la Turquie", a déclaré le
porte-parole du ministère français des Affaires étrangères, Eric
Chevallier.

Alors que la presse turque a salué le caractère "historique" du voyage
qui ne devrait durer que quelques heures avec un tête-à-tête
Gül-Sarkissian, l’opposition turque a multiplié les critiques.

"Cette visite est totalement injustifiée alors que le peuple turc est
injustement accusé de manière mensongère d’avoir commis un génocide et
que l’Arménie ne montre aucun signe de renoncer à sa politique à cet
égard", a estimé le vice-président du parti nationaliste MHP, Tunca
Toskay.

"C’est un déplacement qui n’a pas lieu d’être. L’Arménie ne reconnaît
pas les frontières turques et accuse la Turquie d’avoir perpétré un
génocide", a souligné un responsable du CHP, la principale force
d’opposition au Parlement, Mustafa Özyürek.

Mais des commentateurs de presse ont vu dans cette "diplomatie du
football" l’occasion d’une certaine normalisation des liens
bilatéraux.

"La diplomatie du foot rappelle la +diplomatie du ping-pong+ en 1972
entre les Etats-Unis et la Chine", a souligné Cengiz Candar dans le
quotidien Radikal.

Erevan estime que les massacres d’Arméniens commis sous l’empire
Ottoman de 1915 à 1917 ont fait jusqu’à 1,5 million de morts et sont
un génocide, une position adoptée par plusieurs pays.

La Turquie rejette catégoriquement ce qualificatif tout en
reconnaissant des massacres après que les Arméniens eurent pris les
armes pour créer leur Etat indépendant.

Diena newspaper website, Latvia
Sept 1 2008

European Union’s 9/11: Is Latvia Overcoming Short-Sightedness of
‘Trojan Horse’?

Commentary by Andris Spruds

The 21st century really began on 11 September 2001, when the
self-satisfaction and sense of inviolability of the United States –
victor of the Cold War – came to an end. Russia experienced its 9/11
late in 2004. The Ukrainian Orange Revolution drew a sufficient thick
and humiliating line across Russia’s ambitions of power and
restoration of empire. The United States reacted by intervening in
Afghanistan and Iraq. Russia responded to its humiliation, which
largely began with the Rose Revolution in Georgia, with an excessive,
not to say senseless demonstration of military force before the eyes
of the entire international community, and with a recognition of the
"independence" of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. And that is exactly what
makes it clear that the European Union has now experienced its own
9/11. The identity of the EU has largely been based on getting rid of
the uncompromising specter of nationalism which existed between the
two world Wars, and one can partly agree with the Russian political
technologist Gleb Pavlovskiy, who has written that the EU project is
an institute of anesthesia. But only partly, because Europe very well
remembers Chamberlain’s return from Munich with the belief that he had
achieved peace for future generations. When [French President Nicolas]
Sarkozy, representing Europe, returned from Moscow with a peace plan,
the leaders of Russia obviously had nothing but contempt for the
agreement which they themselves had signed. This recalled Lenin’s
words – that agreements exist so that they can be violated. Far more
importantly, it recalls the fact that the policies which the West
practiced between the two world wars – trying to make peace with
aggressors – led, in the end, to the exact catastrophe which the
policy had been designed to prevent. Russia has brought back to life
the specter of Chamberlain’s umbrella, which is so deep and traumatic
in European consciousness.

European Response

The last time that European leaders held an emergency summit was after
the events of 11 September 2001. There is no question that over the
next hours and days, the European Union will continue to express
support for Georgia’s territorial integrity. It will continue to
denounce harshly Russia’s "disproportionate" demonstration of force,
and it will freeze negotiations on the EU-Russian partnership. If
those negotiations were suspended when Russia placed an embargo on
Polish meat, after all, Russia’s behaviour in Georgia has clearly
earned any humbler reaction. True, there may be no actual sanctions. I
have been critical about the European Union’s foreign policy positions
and their effectiveness, but I have to say that the aforementioned
reaction would be quite sufficient at this time. First of all that is
because Russia, as a weak country, is seeking any evidence in support
of its desire to present itself as a superpower. It would also give
additional legitimacy to the fragile system of Putin and Medvedev in
which each person in the "collective Medvedev" tries to be as great a
defender of the national interest as possible.

Preferred European Actions

Secondly, and more importantly, the fact is that the European Union’s
effective response to its own 9/11 will be a matter not for the next
few days, but rather for upcoming months and even years. First of all
this should be manifested through effective energy policies,
transforming post-Soviet countries into the EU’s own "near abroad" in
real terms. Quietly and peacefully, the European Union must introduce
the so-called "Gazprom clause," thus bringing to an end the systematic
attempt by Gazprom to take over Europe. Individual EU countries can
politely announce that for ecological reasons, they will not be able
to agree to the Nord Stream or the South Stream pipeline. Europe may
potentially establish the office of a special representative on
external energy policy, and that person, and especially the financial
resources associated with same, are eagerly being awaited in countries
such as Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan, to say nothing of Georgia,
Azerbaijan and Ukraine. The EU’s new Eastern Partnership policy must
make it clear that Ukraine and Moldova can join the EU. After Georgia
and Ukraine, NATO must offer a membership action plan to Azerbaijan,
too. That will make it possible next to turn to Armenia and Belarus,
which have accepted their status as Russia’s "inner courtyard" just
because they lack any alternative. Russia’s behaviour has become a
matter which will determine whether the European Union will maintain
its self-respect. Paradoxically enough, Russia’s actions have in fact
provided an impulse and an opportunity for the European Union to show
that its slow and thorough approach may be the most adequate response
to 9/11.

Latvia’s Situation

A few words about Latvia. Unnoticed, but in my view very important
were statements made by Prime Minister [Ivars] Godmanis last week –
that the construction of the Nord Stream gas pipeline and its branches
will be possible only if all EU member states support the idea and the
project is given priority status in the EU. That was a response to the
supposed proposal that Latvia develop underground gas storage
facilities. The fact is that Latvia is once again starting to think
about an energy strategy which first of all takes into account the
state’s long term interests, not those of certain project organizers
and their related political circles. Deep respect for Godmanis if his
statement ends up being full of long term content and implementation.
It would mean that Latvia would overcome the potential Russian "Trojan
horse" in the Baltic region and instead of short-sightedness, would
help to pursue the common EU policy positions which are in our own
interest.

ECOTOURISM TO BE DEVELOPED IN ARMENIAN "DILIJAN" NATIONAL PARK

ARKA
Sep 5, 2008

YEREVAN, September 5. /ARKA/. The required basis for development
of ecotourism is being created in Dilijan national park in Armenia,
Director of the park Ashot Davtyan reported.

Together with the USAID the park is planning to lay two routes for
ecotourists, provide special areas for picnics, build recreation
sites and bridges, Davtyan told journalists.

The staff of the park ahs already developed eight routes for
ecotourists; total length of two of them is 8-9 kilometers, Davtyan
said adding that special information bulletins have also been issued.

Back in 2005 a special recreational department was set in the
national park to study where in the national park ecotourist routs
could be developed.

Davtyan said that serious training of personnel has been carried out,
particularly 25 guides were selected and eight of them received
appropriate licenses. Guides have been trained to ensure maximum
safety of ecotourists in the park, Davtyan aid.

Dilijan national park is situated in north-east of Armenian Plateau,
110 kilometers from Yerevan. The area is famous for its thick forests,
mineral waters and ancient monasteries. The territory of the national
park is 33,700 hectares.

September 5, 2008
PRESS RELEASE
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

PRELATE TO PRESIDE OVER DIVINE LITURGY AT THE CRESCENTA VALLEY PARISH

On Sunday, September 14th, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy
Cross will be celebrated by the Armenian Apostolic Church. As with all
major feasts, a weeklong fast precedes the Feast of the Exaltation of the
Holy Cross, the eve of which is on Sunday, September 7th.
On this occasion H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate,
will preside over Divine Liturgy and deliver the sermon at the Armenian
Apostolic Church of Crescenta Valley. The service will begin at 1:00 p.m.

THE LINCY FOUNDATION MAKES AN UNPRECEDENTED CONTRIBUTION OF $1,025,000 TO
PRELACY SCHOOLS

It is with great gratitude that H.E. Archbishop Moushegh
Mardirossian, Prelate, the Executive Council, and the Board of Regents of
Prelacy Schools announce that The Lincy Foundation has made an unprecedented
contribution in the amount of $1,025,000 to Prelacy Schools for the
2008-2009 academic year.
The contributions were made to the following schools:

Rose & Alex Pilibos Armenian School
Holy Martyrs Ferrahian Armenian School
Mesrobian Armenian School
Vahan & Anoush Chamlian Armenian School
Ari Guiragos Minassian Armenian School
Krouzian-Zekarian-Vasbouragan Armenian School
Richard Tufenkian Armenian Pre-School
Levon & Hasmig Tavlian Armenian Pre-School

Alongside their annual donations to Prelacy Schools, The Lincy
Foundation has this year allocated an additional sum based on the individual
needs and circumstances of each of our schools. These disbursements will
enable our schools to continue to provide the highest standard of education
to generations of Armenian youth. "We are grateful for this extraordinary
contribution and wish to express our genuine appreciation to The Lincy
Foundation for their encouragement and enduring support of our endeavors and
mission", stated Archbishop Mardirossian.
The Western Prelacy and affiliated bodies once again convey their
heartfelt thanks to The Lincy Foundation for their generous endowments and
invaluable contribution to the progress and prosperity of our communities in
Armenia and the Diaspora.

PRELATE CONVEYS HIS BLESSINGS ON THE START OF THE
NEW SCHOOL YEAR

On Wednesday, September 3rd, Prelacy Schools commenced the 2008-2009
academic year. H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, visited
Prelacy Schools and offered his blessings to the faculty and students for a
successful school year. The Prelate visited Rose and Alex Pilibos School and
Vahan and Anoush Chamlian School on Wednesday, and was in telephone contact
with the principals of the schools he could not visit personally.
Upon his arrival at Pilibos School, the Prelate was greeted by the
principal, faculty, and students. In his message addressed to the students,
the Prelate emphasized the special role of the Armenian School in that
alongside the academic curriculum, our schools have an additional mission to
instill in our students our spiritual and national values.
During his visits to the schools, the Prelate also presented the
principals with the recent donation made by The Lincy Foundation to Prelacy
Schools, which this year was in the unprecedented amount of $1,025,000. The
rest of the checks were presented to each of the schools by the chairman of
the Executive Council and pastors.
Prelacy pastors also attended the ceremonies of their local schools
to convey their blessings and to read the Prelate’s back to school message
to the students.

INTRODUCING THE ARTIST JOHN GUEVHERIAN

Gibrahayer

Sep 08, 2008

John Guevherian was born in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia in 1948. He is the
grandson of Rev. Hovhannes Guevherian, the first Pastor of Armenians
in Ethiopia (1877-1957). After finishing his elementary education in
his hometown, he came to Cyprus to study at the renowned educational
establishment, the Melkonian Educational Institute from 1962-1967. He
then continued his education at the American University of Beirut,
Lebanon (A.U.B.) from where he has obtained his degree in Architecture
in 1973, with honors.

John Guevherian is an architect by profession. He has distinguished
himself in his professional domain of architecture by participating
successfully in numerous Pan-Cyprian architectural competitions
and winning several first prizes, including the Headquarters of the
Cyprus Sports Organisation (KOA) in Nicosia, the "Kition" covered
athletics Centre in Larnaca, including the Olympic swimming pool and
a Housing Project in the Nicosia suburb of Kaimakli of the Cyprus
Land Development Organisation. His other prizes include the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs and the Sports Centre in Agros and Limassol.

Guevherian is actively involved in the Armenian community life
in Cyprus. He has designed and supervised the construction of the
monument for the victims of the Armenian Genocide which was erected
at =0 Athe Armenian churchyard in Nicosia in 1990.

Equally significant is his artwork. His exhibitions have always been
very successful and well appreciated by the art-loving public. Some
constructional and cubist elements hint at the dual role of Guevherian,
tha t of the Architect and the Artist.

Guevherian’s deeply rooted love and nostalgia for his homeland Armenia
is apparent from his many paintings of ancient Armenian churches and
monasteries as well as his use of the different Armenian motifs and
symbols in his works. Likewise, the artist’s connection with Cyprus and
his love for Greek Culture is equally strong and remains the subject
for many of his creations which are inspired from the unique Cyprus
landscape and the Greek mythology.

John Guevherian is married and has two daughters. He lives and works
in Cyprus and he maintains a serious and steady presence in the art
world with his solo exhibitions as well as participation in various
group exhibitions.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT TO HEAD FOR MOSCOW ON SEPT 5 TO PARTICIPATE IN SUMMIT OF HEADS OF CSTO-MEMBER STATES

ARKA
Sep 4, 2008

YEREVAN, September 4. /ARKA/. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan is to
head for Moscow on September 5 to participate in the summit of heads
of Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states. There,
Armenia is to take over the chairmanship of the organization.

Armenian delegation to participate in the summit consists of the
country’s National Security Council Secretary Artur Baghdasaryan,
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan, Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan,
Armenian Ambassador to Russia Armen Smbatyan and other officials.

At the summit, the heads of CSTO-member states are to exchange views
on further developments of the geopolitical situation and means to
neutralize existing threats to collective security.

Among the issues to be discussed during the summit are priorities in
CSTO activities. A number of documents expanding the legal framework of
political and military cooperation between the countries are expected
to be signed at the summit.

The CSTO was founded by former Soviet republics based on Collective
Security Treaty signed on May 15 1992. The Treaty is automatically
extended every sixth year. The CSTO members are Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

TURKISH OPPOSITION UNHAPPY WITH GUL’S VISIT TO YEREVAN

armradio.am
05.09.2008 13:46

Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul’s decision to attend the football
match between the national teams of Armenia and Turkey in Yerevan met
the severe criticism of Turkey’s opposition Republican People’s Party
(CHP).

"In that case let him lay a wreath at the memorial to the Armenian
Genocide victims. He will thus make very happy all those who
persuaded him to make that step," Turkish opposition leader Deniz
Baykal declared.

CHANGE IN THE RATIO OF FORCES

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
04 Sep 2008
Armenia

"When the NATO and the Treaty of Warsaw were conflicting with each
other, there were minimum two poles in the world. The USSR collapsed,
the Treaty of Warsaw was dissolved, and the world began to be governed
by a single pole. In such situation, the United States was actually
imposing its conditions on everyone.

Now, however, even Europe expresses a certain disagreement to
the United States although there is no unanimous attitude there
either. Following the recent events, Russia declared of its being a
political pole.

In this situation, I believe, China and India will assume a new,
weighty geopolitical role. The ratio of forces in the world has
changed," Nikolay Patrushev, the RF Secretary of Security has said.