Author: Madatian Greg

TURKEY CONFESSES THAT IT ARTIFICIALLY DELAYS RATIFICATION OF PROTOCOLS

Noyan Tapan
March 4, 2010

YEREVAN, MARCH 4, NOYAN TAPAN. "The protocols were sent to Turkish
parliament in October of last year. Not three days, but three days
multiplied by 33 have passed. That is, Turkey confesses that it
artificially delays the ratification process. This is an obvious
violation of the reached agreements, which was clearly indicated
in the joint statement issued by the foreign ministries of Armenia,
Turkey and Switzerland as long aho as 31 August 2009". This is how
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian commented on the Turkish
side’s statement that the Armenia-Turkey protocols can be ratified
in the Turkish parliament within three days, but this is not done
for certain reasons.

Responding to a question of Armenpress news agency, E. Nalbandian
said that without starting the implementation of the agreements,
Turkey already voices threats to stop them. "A language of threats
has been added to the language of preconditions. I don’t think that
it is possible to make progress in the normalization process without
reviewing this mode of action," E. Nalbandian said.

ARMENIA, POLAND INTERESTED IN EXPANDING BILATERAL COOPERATION

armradio.am
03.03.2010 16:16

The newly appointed Ambassador of Poland to Armenia Zdislav Rachinski
presented his credentials to President Serzh Sargsyan.

President Sargsyan congratulated the diplomat on appointment and noted
that Armenia was interested in developing the cooperation with Poland
in bilateral format and within international organizations.

Noting that the cooperation with the European Union is one of our
foreign policy priorities, Serzh Sargsyan said he anticipates active
work in that direction. Ambassador Rachinski assured that throughout
his tenure in office he would do his best to deepen the cooperation
in different spheres.

The Ambassador stressed that Poland was the initiator of the Eastern
Partnership Program, and this could serve as a good basis for active
cooperation.

The interlocutors exchanged views on the possible directions of
the Armenian-Polish cooperation and economic projects. President
Sargsyan attached special importance to the expansion of ties in the
humanitarian spheres. The parties agreed that the Polish Armenian
community was a natural bridge tying the two countries.

ARMENIA SUBMITS KARABAKH PROPOSALS

news.az
March 2 2010
Azerbaijan

Edward Nalbandian Armenia has submitted its proposals on contentious
points in a settlement to the Karabakh conflict.

Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian told a news conference today that
Armenia had submitted to the OSCE Minsk Group mediators its proposals
on the uncoordinated points in the Madrid principles for a conflict
settlement, ARMENIA Today reported.

The minister urged journalists not to make a fuss about it. He said
the submission of the proposals was a simple work procedure.

"This is an ordinary process that will continue until the positions
of the sides are reconciled as far as possible," Nalbandian said.

At a trilateral meeting of the Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian
presidents in Sochi on 25 January, it was agreed that Baku and
Yerevan should submit proposals on uncoordinated points of the Madrid
principles for a settlement within two weeks.

Baku has not reported submitting its proposals, but Foreign Minister
Elmar Mammadyarov said on 15 February that Azerbaijan accepted "in
general" the updated basic principles of a Karabakh settlement.

TURKISH PARLIAMENTARIANS VISIT US TO LOBBY AGAINST THE "ARMENIAN GENOCIDE" BILL

APA
March 2 2010
Azerbaijan

Baku – APA. Two groups of Turkish parliamentarians will visit
Washington, DC, to lobby against the "Armenian genocide" bill that will
be voted on by the US House Committee on Foreign Affairs on March 4,
APA reports.

Members of the Turkish Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee and
the Turkey-US Parliamentary Friendship Group are expected to lobby
in the US capital starting March 1.

Suat Kınıklıoglu, the ruling Justice and Development Party, or
AKP’s, vice president for foreign relations, described the upcoming
vote as "a misfortune" showing "lack of foresight" while the
normalization processes between Turkey and Armenia is still underway.

"The Armenian diaspora in the US attempted [to pass this bill] in
2007, but failed. The bill was passed through the US House Committee
on Foreign Affairs, but failed to pass in Congress," Kınıklıoglu
told reporters. "We are planning to prevent the bill’s ratification
by the committee. In case of failure, we will attempt [to lobby]
Congress to not vote for this bill."

The AKP official called the timing of the vote "absurd and
inappropriate" in regard to existing Turkey-U.S. relations. "We hope
our efforts will prevent this risky attempt, which may damage bilateral
relations," he said. "We act in unity as government, opposition and
NGOs in the US."

ERDOGAN: IF U.S. MAKES WRONG MOVE, ARMENIA-TURKEY RECONCILIATION WILL STOP

Yerkir
01.03.2010 15:10

Yerevan (Yerkir) – Commenting on the upcoming hearings at the
U.S. Congress in relation to the Resolution on Genocide, Turkey’s Prime
Minister Recep Erdogan has said that the process of Armenia-Turkey
reconciliation will be brought to a stop if the U.S. Congress passes
the Resolution on March 4, according to Hurriyet.

"Turkish delegation is on a visit to the U.S. We here as well continue
the process and contact with all the interested parties. The process,
started in Switzerland, goes on, and if the opposite part shows
constructivism, we’ll succeed, I think. However, if the White House
takes a wrong step on March 1 and April 24, then the process of
Armenia-Turkey reconciliation will certainly be brought to a stop,"
Erdogan said.

"I think, U.S. congressmen will take this into account ahead of making
a decision," he added.

SAHAKASHVILI: "WE ARE A SMALL COUNTRY AND WE NEED EACH OTHER"

Aysor
March 1 2010
Armenia

On the second day of his two-day private visit to Georgia, President
Serzh Sargsyan in Batumi’s Armenian "Surb Prkich" (St. Saver) was
present on the Sunday Liturgy, switched a candle, put flowers at
the cross stone monument at the yard of the church. He spoke with
the representatives of the Armenian community of Ajaria, President’s
Press Office reported.

At the end of the meeting the counterparts summed up the results of
the meeting. The Georgian president Mikhail Sahakashvili expressed
his gratitude to the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan for the non
formal meeting and mentioned that, "We have agreed to integrate our
economies, to communicate more often and to put every effort in making
our nations closer, though those relations are close by themselves. In
the future this kind of meetings will have more intensive nature for
the sake of everything that is being done for our nations. We are
small countries and we need each other. We depend on each other and
we have to use this dependence on realizing good things."

The President of Armenian Republic on his turn expressed gratitude for
the held discussions mentioned that "We should work closely and think
seriously about the integration processes. I am sure that this year
will be watershed for our relations, though those relations have always
been good and are good now too. But we are used to going forward."

As of today, 271 accountants in Armenia posess qualification certificates

d/592019/lang/en
2010-02-26

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 26, ARMENPRESS: The results of the seventh
accounting qualification exams conducted this year in the Armenian
Finance Minsitry were published. Finance Ministry press service told
Armenpress that 14 out of the 17 applicants particiapted in the exam,
accounting qualification certificates were given to 7 of them.

GOVERNANCE SYSTEM EFFICIENCY TO BE ENHANCED

gov.am
Feb 25 2010
Armenia

Chaired by Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, the Cabinet met in a
planned session at the Office of Government.

To begin with, the Prime Minister addressed the key issue of improving
the system of governance which was central in the President’s
electoral program.

"We are set to improve the system of governance, the mechanisms of
which are described in all detail in the electoral program of the
President of the Republic of Armenia. We are making great efforts
which perhaps may not be visible as yet: we are defining the functions
of ministries, including the duties of all units, departments and
positions. Besides, we are clarifying the functions of individual
ministries, agencies and inspectorates."

Then the Prime Minister highlighted the role of the chiefs of staff
and stressed the need for being more exacting toward them. He cited
the example of the chief of staff of the Minister of Labor and Social
Affairs who was said to have fallen short of his responsibilities with
a service probe due to be started so as to relieve him of his post.

The head of government spoke about the protests staged by wholesale
market traders. He noticed that it was initially decided to put the
bulk of the fiscal burden on market supervisors so as to bring small
and medium-size entities under tax control while preventing them
from incurring extra losses. Market traders would not have protested,
if the authorities had kept by this principle.

During the meeting, the government approved the Shirak marz social
and economic development program for 2010-2013. The central bodies
of executive authority and the governor of Shirak marz undertook to
submit proposals on program amendments, if necessary, considering
the trends of macroeconomic developments.

The government endorsed the concept of electronic society which is
based on developed countries’ best experience and know-how.

The Cabinet decided to allocate AMD 60000.0 thousand to the Ministry of
Finance for a 2- percentage-point refund of interest due on mortgage
loans available under the "Affordable housing for young families"
program.

Next, the government approved the national awareness raising program
concerning the State symbols and civic education. The program seeks
to foster patriotic feelings and a sense of civic duty among the
population and implies the raising of nation-wise thinking citizenship
ready to serve their homeland.

The government accepted the proposal of the management of Moscow Cinema
House Ltd on the free transfer to the Holy See of St Echmiadzin of
the ownership of the site housing the summer lounge of Moscow Cinema
House at Abovian-18 in Yerevan. The proposal aims the building of a
new church at the venue of the former Saint Paul-Peter Church which
was pulled down during the Soviet era.

To support this year’s 11th edition of the 21st Century Prospects
international music festival, the government decided to allocate AMD
40000.0 thousand to the Ministry of Culture for transfer to Modern
Armenian Music Center NGO. Tigran Sargsyan noted that the festival
is held under the high patronage of the President of Armenia offering
the public an exclusive opportunity to enjoy premium-quality classical
music.

The government adopted a number of other decisions on international
cooperation, legislative amendments, changes in land ratings etc.

TURKISH STATE CHOIR TO PERFORM ARMENIAN WORK FOR FIRST TIME

Hurriyet
Feb 25 2010
Turkey

In a historic event, the Ankara Radio Polyphonic Choir, which is
affiliated with the state-owned Turkish Radio and Television, or TRT,
has performed a work in Armenian under the direction of Istanbul-based
Armenian conductor Hagop Mamigonyan. The choir will perform the work
again at an Armenian church in Istanbul

For the first time in Turkey’s history, the Ankara Radio Polyphonic
Choir, which is affiliated with the state-owned Turkish Radio and
Television Corporation, or TRT, has performed a work by a leading
Armenian composer.

Led by Istanbul-based conductor Hagop Mamigonyan, the choir performed
"Gali Yerk" (Harvest Wind), a work by Armenian polyphonic music expert
and ethnomusicologist Gomidas Vartabed.

Founded in 1970, the TRT decided last year to celebrate its 40th
anniversary with 40 different conductors, both Turkish and foreign.

One of those it invited was the young Hagop Mamigonyan of the Surp
Lusavoric Armenian Choir, which has been performing in Istanbul for
80 years. Each conductor was free to select the music that would be
performed. Mamigonyan told the TRT that he wanted to lead the choir
in an Armenian piece.

"When I told them on the phone that I wanted to perform an Armenian
work, there was silence for a few seconds on the other end of the line,
but my request was accepted," Mamigonyan told the Hurriyet Daily News &
Economic Review.

Still, Mamigonyan said, he had doubts until he started working with
the choir and was worried that the TRT administration would retreat at
the last minute, but this did not happen. Recordings of the concert
will be available in the coming months. In another historic first,
the Ankara Radio Polyphonic Choir will also perform "Gali Yerk"
in the Surp Yerortutyun Armenian Church in Istanbul’s Beyoglu district.

Full speed ahead for dialogue

In previous years, performing Armenian songs was banned on TRT
television channels and radio stations. By making his proposal,
Mamigonyan achieved a first in Turkey, a historic responsibility for
someone of his young age.

"I express my gratitude to the TRT administration that supported
my idea," he said. "Turkish and Armenian composers created common
works during the Ottoman era. Why don’t we do it today? Yes, it may
be difficult, but it is time to say ‘full speed ahead’ for dialogue
and a peaceful future."

The TRT project gave each conductor five days to work with the choir.

Mamigonyan, the 13th youngest out of 40 conductors, said he was very
stressed before going to Ankara: "The reason for my stress was musical
concerns, because I was among many conductors who were older than me."

Mamigonyan was given the first five days in February. The young
conductor met with the 28-person choir on the first day and explained
why he had chosen an Armenian song from ethnomusicologist Vartabed.

Time was very limited for both conductor and choir. Mamigonyan
translated the Armenian lyrics into Latin script and gave them to
the members of the choir.

"They were very excited to perform the work. Although they did not
understand the language, it was very easy for them to become adapted
to the work," he said. "The result was magnificent. We really enjoyed
it. We had deep sorrow upon leaving each other at the end of the
five days."

During that period, Mamigonyan said, the group exchanged ideas over
dinner. "We were generally talking about Turkish-Armenian relations,"
he said, describing a humorous event during the rehearsals. "There was
a retired colonel among the choir members. When he asked me something,
I unwittingly told him, ‘Yes, sir!’" he said. "All the choir members
began laughing at me. Later on we became friends with this colonel."

Mamigonyan is the chief conductor of the 40-person polyphonic Surp
Lusavoric Armenian Choir in Istanbul. The choir will give a concert
April 10 at Hagia Irene Museum. Kalan Music also recently released
an album by the choir.

About Gomidas Vartabed

Born in the Aegean city of Kutahya during the Ottoman era, Gomidas
Vartabed received theology education at Ecmiyazin, which is the
Armenian Apostolic Church’s papacy center in Armenia. After he
graduated, he went to Berlin to study music. He later compiled Armenian
and Ottoman folk songs from Anatolia to Armenia. An ethnomusicologist,
Vartabed became a leading figure in Armenian polyphonic music.

POLICE SEARCHING FOR BOMB IN TAX SERVICE BUILDING

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.02.2010 14:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Police officers are searching for a bomb allegedly
planted in the RA Tax Service building. The press office of the state
revenue committee said all employees have left the premises.

As a PanARMENIAN.Net correspondent reported from the scene, a fire
brigade and ambulance have already arrived.