Author: Khondkarian Raffi

ILIA II PROMISES TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM OF ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH STATUS IN GEORGIA

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
04.12.2009 19:01 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Catholicos Patriarch of All Georgia Ilia II
has received Armenian Ambassador to Georgia Hrach Silvanyan and
AAC Georgian Eparchy Primate, bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan. During
the meeting, parties dwelled on AAC status in Georgia, ownership
over Armenian churches and monuments, as well as preservation and
maintenance of Armenian historical-cultural heritage.

Georgian religious leader promised to provide adequate solution to the
problems above, stressing the role of century-old Armenian-Georgian
relations. He also expressed willingness to visit Armenia in the
near future and meet with Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness
Karekin II.

ANTI-XENOPHOBIA PROJECT IMPLEMENTED IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.12.2009 18:44 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A project involving creation of documentaries
on genocide, mass violence, pogroms and banishment, Armenians were
subjected in Azerbaijan and Karabakh during 1988-1992, is implemented
in Armenia.

As PanARMENIAN.Net reporter was informed at presidential center for
information and public relations, the project aims to promote the
struggle against xenophobia.

The films will draw on documents, archive and video materials,
eye-witness accounts and press publications. Documentaries, portraying
Sumgait, Kirovabad, Baku pogroms, Operation Ring, Khojalu events
and the fate of war prisoners and hostages in Karabakh war, will be
translated into English and Russian, screened on TV, distributed via
internet and CDs.

The premier is scheduled for the next year, on 20th anniversary of
Azerbaijan Armenian’s tragedy.

ARMENIAN AND BELARUSIAN FMS DISCUSSED BILATERAL RELATIONS

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.12.2009 18:53 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During his visit to Athens, Armenian FM Edward
Nalbandyanmet with his Belarusian counterpart Sergey Martynov. Parties
discussed the agreement between Armenian and Belarusian Presidents,
as well as several regional and international issues.

Armenian top diplomat also had meeting with ARFD Committee Leaders
of Greece. Karabakh settlement process and Armenian-Turkish dialogue
were in the focus of discussions, RA MFA press service reports.

VISIT OF RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER HOVIK ABRAHAMIAN TO REPUBLIC OF KOREA BEGINS

Noyan Tapan
Dec 2, 2009

SEOUL, DECEMBER 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The official visit of the delegation
headed by Speaker of the RA National Assembly Hovik Abrahamian to the
Republic of Korea began on December 2. The delegation is composed
of Head of the National Assembly Staff Gegham Gharibjanian, NA
deputies Hovhannes Margarian (Orinats Yerkir party), Armen Abrahamian
(Prosperous Armenia party), and Ara Nranian (ARF).

At the meeting with Prime Minister of the Republic of Korea Chung
Un-chan, H. Abrahamian stated that Armenia attaches great importance
to the development of bilateral relations with leading countries in
the Asian region, in this context considering it necessary to expand
cooperation with the Republic of Korea. He underlined the importance
of more active contacts between the parliaments of the two countries
in terms of further deepening and expansion of bilateral interstate
cooperation, expressing confidence that there is much potential
for promotion of relations between Armenia and Korea. H. Abrahamian
stressed the necessity of collaboration in trade, economy, science,
education, culture, agriculture and other sectors. He stated with
satisfaction that some progress has been observed in bilateral trade
and economic links in recent years, but most of the commodity turnover
between Armenia and South Korea is still done through third countries.

In this connection the significant role of direct contacts was
pointed out.

H. Abrahamian said Armenia is interested in developing its IT industry,
and given Korea’s achievements in this sector, he proposed establishing
cooperation in this direction as well. The cooperation with GT Group,
one of the biggest private companies in South Korea, was mentioned
as an example of successful partnership.

Chung Un-chan in his turn said that since 1992 when diplomatic
relations were established between the Republic of Armenia and the
Republic of Korea, the speaker of the RA National Assembly is the
first high-ranking Armenian official to pay an official visit to
Korea. The Korean prime minister gave priority to the development of
cooperation in such fields as education, culture and science.

The sides also discussed the ways of overcoming the global crisis, the
implementation of joint projects, and other issues of mutual interest.

According to the RA National Assembly Public Relations Department,
on the same day the delegation headed by Hovik Abrahamian went to
Samsung Electronics whose director general informed the members of
Armenia’s parliamentary delegation about the latest achievements of
their company.

ARMENIA TO RECEIVE 19 MILLION EUR TO FIGHT AIDS

PanARMENIAN.Net
01.12.2009 17:33 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on
HIV/AIDS, has secured 19 million EUR for Armenia over the course of
six years for its fight against the virus, said UNAIDS South Caucasus
Representative Manoela Grozdanova told a press conference on the World
AIDS Day. Starting from 2010 Armenia will receive funds allocated by
the Global Fund to fight HIV and AIDS.

According to Manoela Grozdanova, the funds will support work state
agencies have committed to carry out. UN Member States, including
Armenia, adopted the 2001 UNGASS Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS,
which became the first global program on activities related to HIV
response.

Armenian Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Mkhitar Mnatsakanyan in
his speech noted the huge damage HIV virus causes and the importance
of measures to combat it.

The conference was attended by representatives of organizations
concerned with protecting the rights of people living with HIV.

"On the Day to fight AIDS let’s protect rights of people living
with HIV and those who are at risk of disease, as well as children
living in families with HIV. And most importantly, let’s act now,"
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stressed in his message.

OSCE MINSK GROUP ISSUES STATEMENT

Noyan Tapan
Dec 1, 2009

ATHENS, 1 DECEMBER, NOYAN TAPAN. The Heads of Delegation of the OSCE
Minsk Group, Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergei Lavrov,
Foreign Minister of France Bernard Kouchner, and Deputy Secretary of
State of the United States James Steinberg, released the following
statement today:

"The Heads of Delegation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries,
Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergei Lavrov, Foreign
Minister of France Bernard Kouchner, and Deputy Secretary of State of
the United States James Steinberg met in Athens on December 1 with
the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov and Foreign
Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian.

The five Heads of Delegation recalled the commitments in the November
2008 Moscow Declaration and the December 2008 Helsinki OSCE Ministerial
Statement. They noted the positive dynamic in the talks, demonstrated
through six meetings this year between the Presidents of Armenia
and Azerbaijan. They agreed that the increasing frequency of these
meetings has significantly contributed to an enhanced dialogue between
the parties and forward movement toward finalizing the Basic Principles
for the Peaceful Settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, proposed
in Madrid on November 29, 2007.

Foreign Ministers Lavrov and Kouchner and Deputy Secretary Steinberg
reiterated the commitment of their countries, as expressed in the Joint
Statement on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict at the L’Aquila Summit of
the Eight on July 10, issued by their three Presidents, to support the
leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan as they complete work on the Basic
Principles and urged that the parties complete this work as soon as
possible. They stressed that agreement on the Basic Principles would
provide the framework for a comprehensive settlement to promote a
future of peace, stability, and prosperity for the entire region.

The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan reported on progress
during the course of this year in achieving common understandings on
points of the Basic Principles. They stated the willingness of their
countries to complete work on the Basic Principles, as stipulated by
the Presidents of the Co-Chair countries at L’Aquila. The Ministers
reaffirmed their commitment to work intensively to resolve the
remaining issues, to reach an agreement based, in particular, upon
the principles of the Helsinki Final Act of Non-Use of Force or
Threat of Force, Territorial Integrity, and the Equal Rights and
Self-Determination of Peoples."

POSSIBILITY OF ACCEPTING KARABAKH STATEMENT DISCUSSED IN ATHENS

Tert.am
11:13 ~U 01.12.09

RA Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian left for Athens
yesterday with the aim of participating in the 17th OSCE Ministerial
Council meeting taking place in the Greek capital from December 1-2,
reports the Republic of Armenia Foreign Ministry press and information
department.

Nalbandian first met with OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs Yuri Merzlyakov,
Bernard Fassier, and Robert Bradtke, as well as Personal Representative
of Chair-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk.

Afterwards, the meeting between Nalbandian and Azerbaijan’s Minister
of Foreign Affairs Elmar Mammadyarov organized by the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs took place over a business lunch.

Discussed during the meeting was the possibility of approving the
statement of the OSCE foreign ministers’ 17th council related to the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

On the same day, Nalbandian had a meeting with Goran Lenmarker,
OSCE Parliamentary Assembly special rapporteur on the issue of
Nagorno-Karabakh, with whom he discussed the latest developments in
the negotiations on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE "INTERNATIONAL ELECTRO-COMMUNICATION UNION" TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
NOVEMBER 30, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS: According to initial agreement,
Secretary General of the "International Electro-Communication Union"
will arrive in Armenia, Armenian Transport and Communication Minister
Gurgen Sargsyan said after the meeting of heads of the "International
Electro-Communication Union" member states in Minsk, noting that the
visit will have a positive impact on the further development of the
communication sphere and in Armenia’s integration into international
communication system.

In Minsk the session of the general council of cooperation of
the CIS countries in communication sphere took place with the
participation of ministers. G. Sargsyan said that issues on spreading
and re-distribution of radio frequencies, as well as a number of
issues on digitalization of television have been discussed.

"These issues are very close in CIS countries and are almost in the
same round. During the meeting a number of proposals and ways of
solution have been forwarded," Sargsyan said.

As to Armenia’s participation in the works of would-be created "High
Technology Center" within the framework of EurAsEC, the minister
said that it is also very important for exchange of experience,
integration of our relevant establishments into the center.

ARMENIAN WEIGHT-LIFTING TEAM IS IN THE 4TH PLACE

Aysor
Nov 30 2009
Armenia

Armenia team took the fourth place in the weight-lifting championship.

Our team received 3 golden, 4 silver and 5 bronze (all together 12)
medals. Only 7 sportsmen were presenting the male and female teams
of Armenia in the Southern Korea in Goyang city.

Better results were recorded by the teams of China, Kazakhstan and
Korea. The Chinese had 39 medals and were out of competition, the
Kazakh sportsmen received equal amount of medals with Armenians,
but had more gold medals than us. And the Koreans have 6 golden,
3 silver and 5 bronze medals.

The Armenian team left out such teams as the Russian, Polish,
Byelorussian, Ukrainian, Turkish teams. The Azerbaijani team was only
the 12th receiving 1 silver medal.

Aysor, Armenia
Nov 28 2009

Vladimir Putin hails the 12th Congress of Republican Party

For about 2000 delegates have gathered today at the Yerevan Sport and
Concert Hall to participate in the 12th Congress of Republican Party
of Armenia. The Congress opened traditionally by Archbishop Navasard
Kchoyan’s prayer.

Congress’s agenda and schedule have been approved, 11 people were
elected as members of the Returning Board, and 5 more as secretaries.
The Congress will focus on some changes in rules, and will vote for
executive body and chairman as well as will vote for Control
Commission members.

The Republican Party’s chairman, Serge Sargsyan, spoke to Congress and
welcomed representatives of the United Russia Party and
representatives of the European Democrat Party.

Member of the Political Council of the United Russia Party, Artur
Chilingarov, welcomed the participants on behalf of party’s leader
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, and praised Armenian-Russian
close friendship in years. Artur Chilingarov said close cooperation
between the two countries is very important especially those in
economy and social sphere.