Author: Mamian George

STAR AND EBRD TO SIGN A CREDIT AGREEMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.11.2009 17:03 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Credit agreements between the STAR trading network
and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will
be signed November 25, 2009 in Yerevan, press office of STAR reports.

Under the contract, STAR will receive from EBRD a credit. As STAR’s
Executive Director Vahan Kerobyan said, funds will be directed to
fulfill financial obligations with suppliers, open new branches of
supermarkets and reconstruct existing ones, as well as to strengthen
the working capital.

IRAN, ARMENIA DISCUSS SIMPLIFYING VISA REGIME

Trend
Nov 24 2009
Azerbaijan

The Iranian and Armenian Foreign Ministries Consular Affairs
administrations are holding their sixth joint meeting in Tehran. The
sides are discussing simplifying the visa regime between the two
countries, the Iranian television Web site iribnews reported.

During the meeting, discussions have covered simplifying the visa
regime, reducing visa duties, developing economic relations,
facilitating student exchange programs, improving juridical
cooperation, exchanging prisoners, combating drug use and enhancing
border police cooperation.

"Similar meetings are very useful for solving problems between the
two countries," Iranian Foreign Ministry Consul Affairs Administration
Chief Huseyn Mirfahhar said.

At the end of the meeting the Iranian and Armenian administration
heads will sign a memorandum.

GEORGIAN AMBASSADOR TO RA PROMISES TO REBUILD RUINED ARMENIAN CHURCH IN TBILISI

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.11.2009 17:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Georgian Ambassador to Armenia Georgy Targamadze
promised that the Armenian churches in Tbilisi will be restored and
that they will have legal status. After that, the Armenian churches in
Georgia will be passed under jurisdiction of the Armenian Apostolic
Church, Narek Mantashyan, chairman of the Student Council at the
Yerevan State Economic University said after a meeting with George
Targamadze.

According to him, Georgia’s Ambassador Georgy Targamadze informed
that churches are destructed due to earthquakes, often occurring in
Tbilisi within last months.

Surb Gevorg (Saint Gevorg) Armenian church, built in the Georgian
capital in 1356 collapsed last Friday. Armenian Apostolic Church
accused Georgian authorities of indifference to preservation of
Armenian shrines, resulted in the destruction of the church.

TIGRAN MARTIROSYAN BRINGS ANOTHER SILVER MEDAL TO ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.11.2009 16:17 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Tigran Martirosyan , two-time European champion,
Olympic games bronze medalist won a silver medal at the weightlifting
world championships in Goyang, South Korea. Bringing the second silver
medal to the treasury of Armenia, Tigran scored total of 370 kilograms.

The first silver medal was won Arakel Mirzoyan (w/c 69). In the team
event, Armenia ranks 6th.

Besides Martirosyan, following Armenian weightlifters will perform
in Goyang:

Women’s Team of Armenia:

Meline Daluzyan (w /c 63 (November 25) Nazik Avdalyan w/c 69 (November
27) Hripsime Khurshudyan w/c 75 (November 28)

Men’s team:

Tigran V. Martirosyan w/c 85 (November 26) Gevorg Pogosyan w/c 85
(November 26).

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Director
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

MEMBERS OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE
ARMENIAN HUNCHAG PARTY VISIT HIS HOLINESS ARAM I

On Thursday 19 November 2009 in the evening, the members of the Central
Committee of the Armenian Social Democrat Hunchag Party visited His Holiness
Aram I in his office.

The Hunchag leaders and the Catholicos discussed the recently signed
Armenia-Turkey Protocol and related reactions from the diaspora. His
Holiness Aram I stressed the importance of strengthening Armenia-Diaspora
relations, while, at the same time, continuing to discuss the just cause of
the Armenian diaspora with the international community.

##
View the photo here:
tos/Photos417.htm#4
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
Nov 20 2009

Baku urges change in Yerevan’s stance at presidents’ meeting

20-11-2009 06:34:30
Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov has said Baku expects
a change in Yerevan’s non-constructive stance at the next round of
talks on the Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict between Presidents
Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sarkisian due in Germany in the coming days.
Azimov told reporters on Thursday that, though Armenia says it is
ready for a peaceful solution of the long-standing dispute, its
position `shows its moving in the opposite direction.’
`If Armenia gives preference to violating Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity and separating a part of its land after the co-chairs’ [the
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs brokering the peace process] many-year-long
efforts, so many meetings and steps taken toward progress that hopes
are bound with, while ignoring again the principles and the options
offered, then Armenia adheres to an opposite position. So, a change
must occur in Armenia’s stance.’
According to Azimov, without this change any advances in the conflict
settlement are ruled out.
`Azerbaijan’s position is crystal clear. We want the problem to be
solved within territorial integrity. And this
stance of Azerbaijan is entirely supported by the international
community. It is based upon the norms and principles of international
law.’
Azimov noted that Azerbaijan `leaves room for compromise’ in its
position, adding that Baku `is standing in the middle of the bridge
and awaiting the opposing side to come there.’
`If the Armenian side is ready to discuss compromises within
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, we are ready for that too,’ Azimov
said.
The deputy minister pointed out that Yerevan has made a point of
returning the agreed issues to the negotiating table, but he did not
elaborate which issues have been agreed upon so far. He emphasized,
though, that, in any case, liberation of the Armenia-occupied
territories of Azerbaijan is one of the components of the conflict
resolution. `If occupation does not end, nothing will be possible.’
Azimov reiterated that Upper Garabagh and seven other Azerbaijani
districts under occupation are integral parts of Azerbaijan and this
is not a subject of discussion.
`Vacating the seven districts and returning Azerbaijanis [displaced
during the armed conflict in the early 1990s] to Upper Garabagh has
been a core in Azerbaijan’s position of principle since the very
beginning. Armenia has two choices: the conflict is not settled or,
following Azerbaijanis’ return to Upper Garabagh, the region’s status
is determined. There is no other choice.’
Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the
signing of a cease-fire in 1994, but Armenia continues to occupy Upper
Garabagh and seven other Azerbaijani districts in defiance of
international law. Despite numerous rounds of OSCE-brokered
negotiations, peace talks have been fruitless so far and refugees
remain stranded. Baku says the occupied districts must be freed and
Azerbaijani refugees returned home, and only after that could the
status of Upper Garabagh be determined within the territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan.*

Interfax, Russia
Nov 21 2009

Baku wants to stop progress at presidential meeting – Armenian foreign
ministry

YEREVAN Nov 20

The latest statement by Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Araz
Azimov is aimed at suppressing possible progress at the forthcoming
meeting between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Armenian
Foreign Ministry said.

"It has become a norm for Azerbaijan to issue statements, in the
run-up to a presidential meeting, aimed at preventing possible
progress expected from such meeting," Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister
Shavarsh Kocharian was quoted as saying by the Armenian Foreign
Ministry’s press office.

"In Mr. Azimov’s approximate view, Azerbaijan acts in line with
international law by carrying out ethnic cleansing against the self-
determined people of Nagorno-Karabakh, launching a massive aggression
against the republic, involving militants from terrorist
organizations, which leads to multiple human losses and colossal
material damage, as well as unsuccessful attempts to shift its
responsibility for all this as an aggressor state to Armenia,"
Kocharian added.

"Unless Azeri officials renounce their belligerent statements,
propaganda sowing ethnic animosity, and their destructive statements
misrepresenting international law, unless they realize that it is the
people of Artsakh who are entitled to decide the status of Nagorno-
Karabakh, it will be obvious that they conduct these negotiations not
for progress but to cover their unjustified propaganda," Kocharian
said.

NKR PRESIDENT PARTICIPATES IN HANDING OVER KEYS OF NEWLY BUILT DWELLING HOUSE

ARMENPRESS
NOVEMBER 20, 2009
STEPANAKERT

STEPANAKERT, NOVEMBER 20, ARMENPRESS: President of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic Bako Sahakyan took part today at the solemn ceremony of
handing over keys from a newly built dwelling house in Stepanakert
to families of servicemen of the NKR Defense army, NKR President’s
office press service reported.

TER-PETROSYAN MET AGO MONITORING GROUP MEMBERS

news.am
Nov 20 2009
Armenia

16:18 / 11/20/2009First RA President and Armenian National Congress
(ANC) leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan received AGO monitoring delegation
headed by Stelian Stoian, Permanent Representative to the Council
of Europe.

The officials discussed the current stage of Armenia-Turkey
reconciliation and recent developments in Karabakh peace process,
ANC press service informed NEWS.am.

Ter-Petrosyan drew guests’ attention to the state of democracy in
Armenia, the fulfillment of commitments to the Council of Europe,
particularly issues related to release of political prisoners,
freedom of speech and implementation of PACE resolution.

In the course of the meeting, the issues on corruption combat in
Armenia and economic situation under global crisis were discussed.

ANC Coordiantor Levon Zurabyan and central bureau representative
Avetis Avagyan also participated.

SCR TO LAUNCH YEREVAN-TBILISI-YEREVAN PASSENGER TRAIN

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
20.11.2009 15:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On November 20, SCR will launch
Yerevan-Tbilisi-Yerevan passenger train, South Caucasian Railways
CJSC press service reported.

In July 2009, a presentation of 12 carriages, which had undergone
major reconstruction at Voronezh rail car building plant, took place.

"Armenia" train, complete with new carriages, will allow for passengers
comfortable journey, with transportation prices unchanged.

South Caucasian Railways CJSC is a 100% subsidiary of Russian Railways
CJSC. Under a concessionary agreement dated February 13, 2008,
Armenian Railways CJSC was handed over to company’s concessionary
management. Agreement was signed for the period of 30 years, with
possible extension of additional 10 years.