ARMENIA’S SPORTSMEN TAKE 5th PLACE IN FREE-STYLE WRESTLING TOURNAMENT OF WORLD DEAF CHAMPIONSHIP
Noyan Tapan
Se p 22, 2008
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 22, NOYAN TAPAN. Free-Style Wrestling Tournament of
World Deaf Championship finished on September 21 in Yerevan. Vazgen
Petrosian (60 kg) and Sevada Saribekian (66 kg) representing Armenia
took the 5th place.
TURKEY’S JOINING CAUCASUS TALKS ADVISABLE, LENNMARKER SAYS
PanARMENIAN.Net
20.09.2008 13:20 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Goran Lennmarker, OSCE PA special representative
for Georgia, called on Azerbaijan and Armenia to join Georgia in
talks for peaceful resolution of conflicts in the Caucasus.
"As interested parties, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia should
negotiate to settle the conflicts tearing the region," he said during
an OSCE hearing in Toronto.
It would be advisable if Turkey joined the process, including the
talks on Nagorno Karabakh, according to him.
"Furthermore, neutral observers should be sent to the Caucasus to
promote a peaceful resolution of conflicts in the region. Their main
task will be to find out whether the Georgian-South Ossetian conflict
was an ethnic cleansing," Lennmarker said, Interfax reports.
LA GUERRE EN GEORGIE ET SES CONSEQUENCES
Le Reporter
Samedi, 20 Septembre 2008 09:14 Patrice Zehr
Morocco
Il est évident que l’intervention militaire russe en Géorgie est un
tournant dans les relations internationales comme nous avons tenté de
l’analyser ici. Les conséquences restent difficiles a évaluer. Mais
certaines sont déja évidentes.
Guerre en Géorgie L’Ukraine est en crise politique latente mais
permanente. Les pro-occidentaux tentent de renforcer au plus vite
leurs liens avec l’UE. Les pro-russes reprennent confiance et les
Russes de Crimée encore plus. Kiev par prudence se contente d’un
rapprochement sans faire allusion a une future union. L’Union et
l’Ukraine signeront un accord dit d’association dans le courant de
l’année prochaine. A l’issue du sommet qui réunissait le mardi 9
septembre l’UE et l’ancienne république soviétique, le Président
francais Nicolas Sarkozy, qui tient actuellement les rênes de l’Union,
a insisté sur la volonté de rapprochement, sans toutefois préjuger
d’une future adhésion, aussi lointaine puisse-t-elle être. Le coup
d’arrêt de Moscou a été pris en compte, même si ce n’est pas avoué
bien sÃ"r. Le président Viktor Iouchtchenko a, lui, brièvement
évoqué la crise russo-géorgienne et insisté sur l’intégrité
territoriale de son pays. Avec la Crimée (qui pourrait menacer de
suivre l’exemple du Kosovo et de l’Ossétie) et son poids politique,
Moscou a de quoi peser, sans parler de la pression énergétique sur
les orientations ukrainiennes.
La tentative de rapprochement a l’occasion d’un match aller de
qualification de la coupe du monde de football entre la Turquie et
l’Arménie a pris une toute autre dimension. Au dela de l’affaire du
Â" génocide Â" et de l’affrontement de deux mémoires, le dossier
du haut Karabakh a été évoqué par les deux présidents. Le
conflit gelé entre Azerbaïdjan et l’Arménie depuis 1994 pourrait
reprendre. Le président turc, Abdullah Gul, est revenu de sa visite
historique en Arménie avec des espoirs de normalisation des relations
tumultueuses entre les deux nations. M. Gul est le premier président
turc a s’être rendu en Arménie depuis l’indépendance en 1991 de
cette ex-république soviétique. Dans cette optique, les chefs de la
diplomatie arménienne et turque, Edouard Nalbandian et Ali Babacan,
se rencontreront fin septembre a New York, a l’occasion de l’Assemblée
génér ale des Nations Unies.
Mais les deux pays ont de lourds contentieux. L’Arménie estime que
les massacres commis sous l’empire ottoman ont fait jusqu’a 1,5 million
de morts et constituent un Â" génocide Â", une position adoptée par
plusieurs pays, dont la France, mais catégoriquement rejetée par la
Turquie. La Turquie a fermé sa frontière avec l’Arménie en 1993 pour
soutenir l’Azerbaïdjan turcophone dans son conflit avec l’Arménie
sur la région du Nagorny-Karabakh, enclave peuplée d’Arméniens
en territoire azerbaïdjanais, dont la sécession a conduit a une
guerre entre les deux pays. Les turcs sont les protecteurs naturels
des azéris et la Russie de l’Arménie. Moscou soupconne une pression
américaine derrière la visite du président turc. Â" Gul ne s’est
certainement pas rendu a Erevan pour résoudre la question du génocide
arménien Â", affirme un diplomate russe. D’un point de vue historique,
l’Arménie est le pays le plus pro-russe du Caucase.
L’armée russe ne dispose pas seulement de bases militaires en
Arménie, mais également sur les frontières entre l’Arménie
et la Turquie. L’enclave du Haut-Karabakh, contrôlée de facto
par l’Arménie, vit depuis plus de dix ans dans un contexte de ni
guerre, ni paix. Les pourparlers entre Bakou et Erevan se font par
intermittence, sous la m̩diation du Groupe de Minsk Рco-pr̩sid̩
par la France, les Etats-Unis et la Russie et opérant sous le
mandat de l’OSCE. Mais les négociations butent toujours sur la
définition du statut de l’enclave. Le cessez-le-feu signé en mai
1994 a mis un terme officiel aux hostilités ayant fait 30.000 morts
des deux côtés et près d’un million de réfugiés/déplac&# xC3;©s
côté azerbaïdjanais. Latent, le conflit continue a déstabiliser
la région, l’Arménie et l’Azerbaïdjan refusant mutuellement des
concessions mettant en cause leur intégrité territoriale. En
Arménie, l’offensive géorgienne contre l’Ossétie du Sud
séparatiste a ravivé les craintes d’une récupération manu
militari par Bakou. Le président Mikhaïl Saakachvili a fait ce que
le président azerbaïdjanais Ilham Aliev menace d’entreprendre depuis
longtemps. L’intervention russe devrait cependant le faire réfléchir.
Pour L’Iran, le retour militaire russe est une excellente nouvelle, une
très mauvaise pour IsraÃ"l impliqué en Géorgie comme nous l’avons
déja expliqué. L’intervention russe rend le dossier iranien bien
plus compliqué et finalement moins prioritaire. L’option militaire
s’éloigne même si certains hommes politiques israéliens y restent
attachés. Pour eux, Ehud Barak comme Benjamin Netanyahu pensent
qu’IsraÃ"l va être lâché sur ce dossier par la communauté
internationale. Il faudra donc fatalement frapper seul comme en 81
lors de l’opération aérienne contre une centrale irakienne.
Crise politique en IsraÃ"l, crise en Géorgie, élections américaines
pour l’Iran – allié de la Russie -, l’horizon s’est un peu dégagé
même si tout reste envisageable, même parfois l’incroyable. Dans
une lettre adressée au secrétaire général de l’ONU, Ban Ki-moon,
l’ambassadeur iranien Mohammed Khazaee a écrit que les commentaires
formulés par un ministre israélien représentent, a ses yeux,
une Â" menace violente Â" ainsi qu’Â" une violation flagrante des
principes les plus fondamentaux du droit international Â". Mohammed
Khazaee faisait référence aux propos attribués en début de
semaine par le magazine allemand Der Spiegel au ministre israélien
chargé des retraites, Rafi Eitan. Ce dernier avait en effet laissé
entendre que Jérusalem pourrait chercher, après avoir enlevé et
séquestré le président iranien, a le faire comparaître devant la
justice internationale. Une déclaration qui révèle une nervosité
extrême provoquée par une menace jugée sérieuse et aggravée par
le changement de situation internationale.
Nous sommes entrés dans une période dangereuse.
–Boundary_(ID_Q4bKIfkwQvUJF2gUwm2Zxg )–
BALKANS MODEL TO UNDERPIN EU’S ‘EASTERN PARTNERSHIP’
EUobserver.com
18.09.2008 @ 09:37 CET
Belgium
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS – EU policies applied to the Western Balkans
– such as a regional free trade area – are inspiring the "Eastern
Partnership" with Georgia, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan and
"hopefully" Belarus, participants at a conference organized Wednesday
(17 September) by the German Konrad Adenauer think-tank learned.
Initially a Polish-Swedish proposal endorsed in June by all member
states, the Eastern Partnership is designed to deepen ties with the
"European neighbours" to the east, balancing the ‘Mediterranean
Union’ with the southern "neighbours of Europe," as Polish MEP Jacek
Saryusz-Wolski put it.
The Georgian conflict sped up the process of drafting the eastern
policy by the European Commission, with president Jose Manuel Barroso
scheduled to sketch out the main features already at the EU summit
on 15 October.
"We might be inspired by the experience with the Western Balkans that
countries which perhaps didn’t work so well together in the past,
will do so in specific areas like energy or transport. We should put
forward the idea of creating a free trade area between these countries
– something which worked quite well in the Balkans," Gunnar Wiegand,
director for Eastern Europe, Southern Caucasus and Central Asia within
the European Commission, explained.
The new policy will consist of a bilateral dimension and a multilateral
one, the latter being "really new," in addition to existing cooperation
mechanisms, he said.
"There would be something fundamentally new if we would create some
form of regular political dialogue at the highest level between the 27
and the five, hopefully the six countries in a not too distant future,"
Mr Wiegand said, referring to Belarus as the potential sixth country.
Speeding up or initiating visa facilitation agreements was an idea
championed by the Polish and Swedish speakers, who stressed that it
is easier for South Ossetians and Abkhazians with a Russian passport
to travel to Europe than it is for someone with a Georgian passport.
But the commission official mentioned the "substantial political
resistance from some member countries" on a future visa liberalisation
agreement with Ukraine, while underlining that EU-Ukraine negotiations
on an "Association Agreement" was an important "example" to follow
for the other countries of the Eastern Partnership.
Regarding the other EU co-operation platform in the region, the Black
Sea Synergy, which includes Turkey and Russia, Mr Wiegand said that
"there will have to be a choice whether one wants to establish a
good form of this multilateral process or whether one wants to use
existing mechanisms where also other players continue to have a role."
Mr Saryusz-Wolski, the chairman of the European Parliament’s foreign
affairs committee, warned that "the problem is not what to put
in the Eastern Partnership, but how to implement the available
instruments." He stressed the need for benchmarks, individual
evaluation of each country and called for appropriate funding, the
current envelope of â~B¬2 billion for the entire EU neighbourhood
policy – which also includes the southern Mediterranean rim – being
"insufficient."
Speaking of other frozen conflicts such as Transnistria and Nagorno
Karabakh in the light of the events in South Ossetia and Abkhazia,
Mr Wolski underlined the need for the EU to "anticipate," not just to
"react," for instance by helping Ukraine’s majority-Russian region
of Crimea with better infrastructure and other "pragamatic" solutions.
Accession after 2020
With the perspective of EU membership for the partnership countries
set out in "10-15 years," the focus should be on "doing something now"
and helping the countries to establish strong institutions, rule of
law and a functioning market economy, German MEP Elmar Brok said.
Mr Brok, who used to be Mr Wolski’s predecessor as the chairman of
the foreign affairs committee, was presented as a "forefather" of the
Eastern Partnership, as he championed a similar idea three years ago,
called the "Neighbourhood Policy Plus" for the same group of countries.
"We need to have a step by step approach. Visa facilitation is
important, WTO, gradually passing from an association agreement to a
free trade area. It means to go further as far as possible in terms
of these countries adopting the aquis communautaire, rather than
focusing on the membership perspective, which is too distant," he said.
–Boundary_(ID_DniU2W0cJW+WCx9n3eJ+GQ)–
DMITRY MEDVEDEV CONGRATULATES SERZH SARGSYAN ON INDEPENDENCE DAY
armradio.am
19.09.2008 17:02
President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev congratulated the
President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan on the occasion
of Armenia’s Independence Day. The message states:
"Dear Serzh Azatovich,
I sincerely congratulate you and all the citizens of Armenia on the
occasion of your National Holiday – the Independence Day.
Over the past years Armenia has achieved serious successes in the
reinforcement of statehood and economic development, has considerably
reinforced its reputation on the international arena.
Those in Russia highly appreciate the traditionally friendly nature
of relations between the two countries. I’m sure that the trust, the
dynamic political dialogue and the productive business cooperation
will further contribute to the deepening of the Armenian-Russian
allied relations. It fully corresponds to the interests of the two
countries and contributes to ensuring peace, stability and security
in Transcaucasia.
Dear Serzh Azatovich, I wish robust health to you, as well as wellbeing
and prosperity to the people of Armenia."
Armenian Genocide Museum of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-383-9009, Web:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 19, 2008
CONTACT: Carole Karabashian
Phone: (202) 383-9009
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MUSEUM OF AMERICA HOSTS DC PRESERVATION LEAGUE
ANNUAL MEETING
Washington, DC-The District of Columbia Preservation League (DCPL)
convened its annual membership meeting September 18, at the site of
the Armenian Genocide Museum of America (AGMA), formerly the National
Bank of Washington. DCPL strongly supported the proposals prepared by
the architects of the AGMA project for the renovation of the landmark
building at the corner of 14th and G Streets, two blocks from the
White House. The plans for AGMA were approved earlier this year by the
DC Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) and the DC Board of
Zoning Adjustment.
Addressing an audience of over 150 guests were Rebecca Miller, DCPL
Executive Director, John D. Billingham, DCPL Board of Trustees
President, Dr. Rouben Adalian, Armenian National Institute Director,
and Gary Martinez, project architect with the firm of Martinez &
Johnson Architecture.
Thanking the AGMA for hosting its annual meeting, DCPL President
Billingham said: "It’s a wonderful building and it is really good to
see that the Armenian Genocide Museum is going to put it back into a
use that we can all benefit from." At the regulatory hearing of the
HBRB held in March 2008, DCPL representative Patrick Burkhardt
characterized the complementary efforts to construct the AGMA as well
as restore the historic building a "textbook marriage" of purpose and
use.
Following President Bellingham, Dr. Adalian responded by saying: "I
want to thank the League for its support and encouragement of this
ground-breaking project, a project dedicated to the importance and
values of human rights and the universal message of our common
humanity and collective responsibility."
Martinez explained to the audience how the historic building will be
renovated and expanded, and added that Dr. Adalian and all those who
are actively building this museum "are very sensitive, and I have to
say this from an architect’s point of view, they are very sensitive to
the issues of restoration and preservation for the existing building."
The National Bank of Washington, previously the Federal-American
National Bank, was built in 1925-26. The building was designed by
nationally prominent bank and skyscraper architect Alfred C. Bossom in
association with distinguished Washington architect Jules Henri De
Sibour, the city’s leading practitioner of the Beaux-Arts style. The
building’s design incorporates a number of innovative interior and
exterior features, most notably the elevated two-story banking hall,
which is one of only twelve landmarked interiors in the city of
Washington.
The mission of the DCPL is to preserve, protect, and enhance the
historic built environment of Washington, DC, through advocacy and
education.
The Armenian Genocide Museum of America is an outgrowth of the
Armenian Assembly of America and the Armenian National Institute
(ANI), catalyzed by the initial pledge of Anoush Mathevosian toward
building such a museum in Washington, DC.
#####
NR#2008-08
THE CAUCASUS PLATFORM LEAVES OUT IRAN AND IS SPONSORED BY THE USA
PanARMENIAN.Net
13.09.2008 GMT+04:00
Especially interested in the non-admission of Iran into the Caucasus
platform is Israel, since in that case, the activity of the European
lobby in Washington would be hindered.
Turkish Prime-Minister Recep Erdogan’s initiative on forming "Peace and
Stability Caucasus Platform" almost coincided with the regular rumors
on the possible attack of the USA on Iran. As such, the struggle for
becoming a regional power-holder passed on to the next, and, quite
possibly, to the concluding phase. Naturally, the USA openly backs
up Turkey in this struggle, while Russia holds a neutral position,
giving preference to neither of the sides.
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ However, no one displays interest in the position of
the South Caucasian states, which have caused all this mess. According
to Kamal Zareh, Representative of the Iranian Embassy to Armenia on
political issues, "The South Caucasian states come to the conclusion
that they should not set hopes on non-regional countries for the
solution of their own problems."
However, it is exactly what the USA, Israel and Turkey beware
of. Especially interested in the non-admission of Iran into the
Caucasus platform is Israel, since in that case, the activity of
the European lobby in Washington would be hindered. It should be
admitted that more probably Turkey would bend towards Iran rather
than towards Israel for the good reason that it is easier for two
Muslim countries to get along. Besides, the Government of Erdogan
would not like to look a rara avis in the eyes of his Muslim brothers,
since only Turkey and Egypt in the region have diplomatic ties with
Israel. All this complicates the unstable situation in the Middle
East even further. If we take a look at the theoretical map of the
Great Middle East, it’ll be clear that one day the tiny point called
Israel will simply disappear from it. This would be a great reason
for another regional war, which, unlike Saakashvili’s Â"five-dayÂ"
war, may seriously reshape the regional map.
Meanwhile, Alaska Governor and Republican vice presidential nominee
Sarah Palin declares: "The USA must fight against Tehran’s nuclear
capability and allow Israel to strike Iranian nuclear stations. I
believe that nuclear weapons under the control of Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are extremely dangerous to everyone on this globe."
According to media notifications, preparations for the attack on Iran
are getting into the concluding phase. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert summoned Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi
Livni for an urgent consultation on the Iranian problem. Meanwhile
the USS Â"Theodore RooseveltÂ" headed out to the Mediterranean Sea
"in support of marine security." Thus, the number of US aircraft
carriers reached 4 around Iran; they are located in the Mediterranean
and Arabian Sea, as well as in the Persian Gulf.
The bombing of Pakistan (Iran’s neighbouring state) by the US air
force, which began at the end of August, is part of the US campaign
on destabilization of the region and overthrow of the troubling
regime. Additional naval forces began drawing to the Persian Gulf
about a month ago. Sources report that besides the USS Â"Theodore
RooseveltÂ" many other ships are involved in the campaign, among
them US aircraft-carrier Â"Ronald ReaganÂ", US helicopter-carrier
Â"Iwo JimaÂ", Great Britain and France aircraft-carrier Â"Ark
RoyalÂ", several French naval ships, as well as atomic submarine
Â"AmetistÂ". Thus, the total number of naval blocks of NATO member
states around Iran exceeds 40, including a number of submarines with
nuclear weapons on board.
However, Armenian expert on Iran Tadevos Charchyan believes
that statements about U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran are
groundless. "Information about 40 naval blocks of NATO member states
around Iran, including submarines with nuclear weapons on board is
misinformation. Such statements are made to test the reaction of Iran
or to provoke it to tough anti-Israeli declarations. Neglecting the
show, Iran and its President Ahmadinejad can avoid pressure. What we
have now is simply specification of suppositions. But the USA will
not attack Iran, since it has Iraq stuck in its throat," the Armenian
expert noted.
As for the notorious Â"Caucasus platformÂ", Turkey has already
received affirmation from the EU. "The Presidency of the Council of the
European Union takes an opportunity to express its serious interest
in the Turkish initiative, the Caucasus Stability and Cooperation
Platform. It will be a significant contribution on the part of Turkey
to regional stability, security and development, which is taking on
a new dimension in the context of the conflict in Georgia," French
Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs.
The position of Iran consists in the following: its nonparticipation
in the Turkish initiative makes it imperfect. "The idea of Turkey,
besides being too unexpected was also insincere, because for solving
regional problems it is necessary to stir up regional cooperation,
and it is impossible to overlook Iran in the process of ensuring
balance in the region," underlined Kamal Zareh, adding that the best
variant would be 3+3, i.e. the three republics of the South Caucasus
plus Russia, Iran and Turkey.
–Boundary_(ID_1s217SC3ce2l1agtPbvvmA)–
ARMENIAN OPPOSITION IS HOLDING RALLY IN YEREVAN
ArmInfo
2008-09-15 18:17:00
ArmInfo. Today, Sept 15, at 7:00 PM the supporters of the first
president of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrossyan started a rally in the
center of Yerevan, near Matenadaran. It is the first rally sanctioned
by the municipality of Yerevan since the Mar 1 events. The rally
is being held by member of the Political Council of Hanrapetoutyun
(Republic) party Suren Surenyants. While opening the rally he said
that the municipality’s permission was the results of the consistent
struggle of the freedom-loving Armenian people.
"Of course, we can hold unsanctioned rallies as well – we did
it this summer – but today’s action is of special significance,"
Surenyants said.
During the rally the Union of Armenian Volunteers and the Union of
Armenian Women announced that they were joining the Armenian National
Congress led by Levon Ter-Petrossyan.
YEREVAN SUBWAY TO TRANSPORT 19 MLN PASSENGERS IN 2008
ARKA
Sep 12, 2008
YEREVAN, September 12. /ARKA/. Yerevan subway plans to transport
19mln passengers by the end of this year, said Paylak Yayloyan,
director of the subway.
About 70,000 passengers travel by metro every day – 20% increase
compared to last year.
According to Yayloyan, the number of passengers traveling by Yerevan
underground has increased by 40% for the past two years.
"Undergrounds in different countries usually work at a loss, and
Yerevan underground is not an exception," the director of the metro
said.
The underground receives additional 180mln drams from the sales
volume growth, but this is not enough to cover all the expenses,
Yayloyan added.
Karen Demirtchyan Metro in Yerevan opened in 1981. The underground
has 10 stations. The total stretch of the metro is 13.4km.
FOREIGN MINISTER OF TURKEY: ARMENIAN SIDE DEMONSTRATES STRONG POLITICAL WILL FOR THE SOLUTION OF TURKISH-ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI-ARMENIAN PROBLEMS
ArmInfo
2008-09-10 18:38:00
ArmInfo. Foreign Minister of Turkey, Ali Babacan, stated that the
Armenian side demonstrates strong political will for the solution of
Turkish-Armenian and Azerbaijani-Armenian problems.
In his interview for the Turkish television channel NTV, the Foreign
Minister of Turkey, Ali Babacan, stated that the bases of new period
and high-speed dialogue were laid in the relations between Turkey
and Armenia.
Remembering many problems, which exist between his country and Armenia,
the Turkish Minister stated that in response to the occupation of
Nagorno-Karabakh, Turkey shut borders with Armenia in 1993. Babacan
said that the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict will positively affect the Turkish-Armenian relations.
The Foreign Minister of Turkey said that the Armenian side accepted
the suggestion on joint meeting of the foreign ministers of the
three countries to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He added
that discussing the problems within the trilateral platform in such
a small region as Caucasus will simplify their solution.
Saying that the meeting of the three Presidents is not on agenda
currently, Babacan mentioned the possibility of holding such meeting
in available time on the base of agreement of the three sides.
Answering the question on possibility of settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem in the near future, Babacan said that Turkey
does all the best to settle the conflict.
Babacan said that the talks on the settlement of the Turkish-Armenian
and Azerbaijani-Armenian problems will be accelerated. He said that
the leadership of Armenia possesses political will – important factor
for the solution of these problems, reports Trend news agency.