Author: Tamamian Anna

ArmSwissBank completely places bonds of VALLETTA company’s third issue
worth 500 mln AMD

2008-09-18 16:26:00

ArmInfo. ArmSwissBank has completely placed the bonds of VALLETTA
company’s third issue worth 500 mln AMD, ArmSwissBank told ArmInfo. To
note, ArmSwissBank is the underwriter and market maker of these
securities. During the first day of placement, on September 2, 46.5% of
the bonds were sold, particularly, four agreements worth a total of
232.6 mln AMD, including a package of bonds worth 100 mln AMD bought by
ArmSwussBank for their efficient placement in the secondary market.
Bonds worth a total of 267.4 mln AMD were placed on September 3-13.

To recall, VALLETTA’s prospectus of the third issue of name
undocumentary coupon bonds worth 500 mln AMD was registered by the
Central Bank of Armenia on Auhgust 26.

ArmSwissBank told ArmInfo that the agreement signed between VALLETTA
and ArmSwissBank on August 5 stipulated the third issue and placement
of 10000 bonds, the nominal price of each being 50000 AMD, annual
profitability – 11%, and circulation period – 3 years. The coupon
payments will be carried out twice a year. The redemption of bonds will
be implemented be stage by stage, particularly, at 50% of the nominal
value: the first redemption will be in 2 years, the second one – at the
end of the circulation period (in 3 years). ArmSwissBank is going to
pay award fees to the investors who have acquired a package of bonds
worth 50 mln AMD and more, the award fee will make up 0.2% of the
volume bought.

ARMENIAN CHURCH TO CELEBRATE 50TH
By C.J. Lin

The Post-Standard – Syracuse.com
Saturday, September 20, 2008
NY

Archbishop’s visit, golden anniversary put St. Paul "family" in
joyful mood.

For St. Paul Armenian Apostolic Church, this weekend is one of
encouragement, triumph and inspiration.

It’s the 50th anniversary of the consecration of the church, at 310
N. Geddes St., in Syracuse, and Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, the
primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, is going
to celebrate it with them.

"It’s a very big occasion to have him visit the church because he is
the representative for the total Armenian Church community for us in
the United States," said Stephen Kimatian, a St. Paul parish member for
10 years. "It’s a little bit analogous to the Vatican and the pope."

Barsamian presides over St. Vartan Cathedral in Manhattan and has
jurisdiction in all states except California, Washington, Nevada
and Arizona. He’s similar to a high-ranking cardinal in the Catholic
Church who reports to the pope, Kimatian said.

"It’s an important milestone for the Armenian community in Syracuse
and also for the entire diocese, celebrating the 50th anniversary
of St. Paul’s," Barsamian said. "It’s a big family. So if there’s
any joy for any member of the family, it’s the joy of the entire
family. There’s opportunity to be grateful for the achievements,
but also to be inspired and look forward to the coming years."

The celebration starts tonight with a sold-out dinner reception
with Barsamian at Justin’s Grill, near Carrier Circle, in DeWitt. He
will officiate the Divine Liturgy at St. Paul at 10:30 a.m. Sunday,
followed by a reception and banquet at Liverpool Golf & Country Club,
on Morgan Road, north of the village.

St. Paul’s history dates back to 1908, when the first parish council
was established in Syracuse. It was during the time when many Armenians
emigrated to the U.S. from 1895 to 1915 to escape genocide of the
Armenian population in the Ottoman Empire, now known as Turkey. Many
scholars regard the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians during World War
I as the first genocide of the 20th century. Turkey’s leaders maintain
the deaths occurred during interethnic conflict.

"Because of these pressures of survival, the religious history of the
church has always been central to the Armenian community no matter
where they settled," said Kimatian, whose grandparents immigrated
from Armenia.

For the first 50 years, the parish did not have its own church and
services were held at Grace Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Church
of Our Savior. The church on North Geddes Street was bought in 1956
and consecrated in 1958.

There are currently 35 dues-paying members of the church and about
45 people who attend Sunday services, according to Richard Roomian,
a member of 50 years and parish council chairman. The church is packed
during Easter and Christmas, and he estimates that there are about
400 Armenian families in the area.

For Barsamian, visiting parishes such as Syracuse, especially to
celebrate an anniversary, are events that inspire him.

"There is a diocese because of the parishes. Without Syracuse, without
the parishes, there is no diocese," he said. "That kind of remembrance
is special for me, too, as a clergyman, as a primate archbishop, to
be inspired so we continue with the same spirit making the Armenian
Church significant for every Armenian and their families."

TIGRAN TOROSYAN FORMALLY SENDS IN RESIGNATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
19.09.2008 15:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian National Assembly speaker Tigran Torosyan
has sent in resignation. During a special session Friday he also
confirmed the intention to stop his membership of the ruling Republican
Party of Armenia.

On September 16, the RPA Council approved the candidacy of former
head of the presidential administration, Hovik Abrahamyan, to the
post of parliament speaker.

RESPONSIBLE FOR EACH COMMA

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
18 Sep 2008
Armenia

The presentation of the book "The Victories As They Were. Signal
44" devoted to Samvel Babayan took place in "Tigran Mets" hall of
Armenia-Marriott hotel yesterday.

"I’m responsible for each comma. And those who will find at least one
mistake, will not agree to this or that formulation I invite to have
public dispute on live airtime, whoever he is.

An entire military cartography is represented in the book and if some
people have certain reserving they can write their own version.

By the way I could have said more, but I didn’t. I didn’t intend
to praise or reproach anyone. I have simply represented the truth,"
Samvel Babayan announced.

US SENDS AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA AFTER 2 YEARS

AP foreign
September 17 2008

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) – The U.S. has sent an ambassador to Armenia,
more than two years after the previous one had his tour of duty
cut short.

The U.S. Embassy in Yerevan said Marie Yovanovitch arrived Wednesday
night to take up her new post. A career diplomat, she had previously
served as the U.S. ambassador in Kyrgyzstan.

The last ambassador was withdrawn in 2006 after he referred to
the World War I-era killings of Armenians in Turkey as genocide,
in defiance of U.S. policy.

Turkey denies the deaths constituted genocide, and the U.S. wants
to avoid damaging relations with the NATO member and important
strategic ally.

At her confirmation hearings, Yovanovitch explained U.S. policy but
would not comment on whether she believed genocide had occurred.

TRILATERAL COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT TO BE SIGNED SOON WITH AIM OF REGULATING SOCIAL LABOR RELATIONS

Noyan Tapan

Se p 16, 2008

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 16, NOYAN TAPAN. It is envisaged signing a
2008-2010 republican collective agreement among the Confederation
of Trade Unions of Armenia, the Republican Union of Employers and
the Armenian government. NT correspondent was informed by the head
of the Labor and Employment Department of the RA Ministry of Labor
and Social Issues Vahan Simonian that the agreement will establish
additional guarantees for regulation of social and labor relations. In
his words, among the primary goals of the agreement is to protect the
interests of employers and employees, improve the legislation field
and increase the role of trade unions.

V. Simonian said that a draft agreement is currently being developed
and then it will be submitted to the government for approval. It was
metioned that signing this agreement will create a good basis for
promoting the social partnership in the country.

HOPEFULS SPLIT ON ARMENIA GENOCIDE
by Michael Doyle

Fresno Bee
September 15, 2008 Monday
California

The two major presidential candidates differ sharply over an Armenian
genocide commemoration, with Republican John McCain opposing it and
Democrat Barack Obama supporting it.

The policy clash could make a political difference in the San
Joaquin Valley and other regions with sizable Armenian-American
populations. McCain may have more to lose, in the short term. But in
the long run, based on past candidates’ stances, Obama may have more
to prove.

Commemoration could be in the form of a congressional resolution or
presidential proclamation. Last fall, though, came the latest signal
that federal commemoration is a fleeting ideal: A House resolution
calling on the president to use the word "genocide" in his annual
Armenian message, supported by a House committee, never reached the
floor for a vote.

Now, the popular presidential vote is at stake, and the potential
short-term political cost is readily apparent.

Estimates of the number of Armenian-Americans range from 385,000,
in the 2000 census, to more than 1 million. Many track the genocide
issue closely.

By contrast, only 117,000 U.S. residents nationwide claimed Turkish
ancestry.

"There are many Armenians in states such as Michigan and Florida,"
said Barlow Der Mugrdechian, coordinator of the Armenian Studies
Program at California State University, Fresno. "Since the race is
expected to be close in these states, and many others, the Armenian
vote could prove to be the difference."

The long-term challenge is different. If Obama is elected, he would
face tremendous pressure from the State Department, the Pentagon,
other countries — and maybe even his own advisers — to back away
from emphatic Armenian genocide language. That is what other presidents
have done.

In 1988, for instance, a campaigning George H.W. Bush declared the
United States should "acknowledge the attempted genocide of the
Armenian people." As president, Bush instead stressed "the differing
views of how the terrible events of 1915-23 should be characterized."

Bush’s son, while campaigning in 2000, similarly referred to a
"genocidal campaign" against the Armenians. Once elected, he avoided
the genocide term, and his State Department withdrew a U.S. ambassador
who dared use it.

"I think the Armenian community is very leery of any candidate who says
he will support a genocide resolution, because those promises haven’t
necessarily been kept," said Rep. George Radanovich, R-Mariposa. "When
push comes to shove, the State Department gets in there and has
its way."

Genocide is what Armenian-Americans and many scholars say happened in
the dying years of the Ottoman Empire, between 1915 and 1923. By this
account, the slaughter and violent exile of some 1.5 million Armenians
met the definition of genocide and should be commemorated as such.

Genocide means the systematic and intentional destruction, in whole
or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious or national group.

Presidents traditionally deliver a public statement about what happened
between 1915 and 1923 each April 24 — Martyrs Day, considered by
Armenians the day that the genocide began in 1915. The question thus
becomes: Will the statement next spring include the word genocide?

Obama’s stance

"There was a genocide that did take place against the Armenian people,"
Obama said while campaigning this year.

He hasn’t been very active on the issue in his four years in
the Senate, despite serving on the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee. Obama has not co-sponsored the Senate’s Armenian genocide
resolutions, and he did not attend confirmation hearings for President
Bush’s nominees to serve as U.S. ambassador to Armenia.

Obama’s rhetorical support now for recognizing the genocide nonetheless
helped secure the endorsement in January of the Armenian National
Committee of America. It’s a view long held publicly by Obama’s vice
presidential candidate, Sen. Joe Biden, the Delaware Democrat who
chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. It’s also a position
being deployed on the campaign trail.

Samantha Power, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and Harvard scholar who
has advised Obama on foreign policy, posted on YouTube a campaign-style
video explicitly addressed to the Armenian-American community. Power
declared that a President Obama would "call a spade a spade" and
publicly acknowledge the genocide.

Power, a strong proponent of Armenian-American issues, no longer
has a formal role advising Obama. One top adviser, Anthony Lake,
was national security adviser to Bill Clinton during the period that
Clinton avoided the genocide word in his annual proclamations. Another
top Obama adviser, Susan Rice, was Clinton’s assistant secretary of
state in fall 2000 when Clinton blocked a genocide resolution written
by Radanovich.

McCain’s reasoning

McCain’s position is the opposite, as he cites the diplomatic and
strategic risks associated with alienating Turkey.

"I was disappointed that many in Congress were ready to legislate a
historical judgment of the Armenian genocide whatever the cost to our
relations with Turkey," McCain declared in Iowa last October. "Turkey
is essential to stabilizing Iraq, containing Iranian power, and
encouraging economic and political reform in the Arab world. We should
be strengthening our partnership, not erecting new barriers to it."

LOCAL FILMMAKER TO SCREEN LATEST DOCUMENTARY
by Stacie N. Galang

The Salem News

September 16, 2008 Tuesday
Beverly, Massachusetts

Sep. 16–PEABODY — Apo Torosyan gives gifts.

The filmmaker’s latest package is "The Morgenthau Story," a 56-minute
documentary about Henry Morgenthau, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey
from 1913 to 1916, his efforts to stop the Armenian genocide and his
life as a humanitarian.

"This film is a gift to the young generation to come because a lot
of people in today’s generation haven’t heard of Henry Morgenthau,"
Torosyan said.

His first area screening will be Sept. 21 in Chelmsford, with others
on the North Shore to follow on Oct. 20 at Salem State and Oct. 24
at Gordon College in Wenham.

Torosyan calls himself a storyteller whose goal is to educate.

"People don’t remember dates," he said, "but if you tell them a story,
they will remember."

The documentary marks his fourth such film, all of which share the
common thread of the Armenian genocide. Torosyan describes himself
as a second-generation survivor.

"As a human being, I believe it’s my job to change our vision,"
he said.

Each movie spawns his next.

His first, "Discovering My Father’s Village — Edincik," took him to
his ancestral homeland of Turkey. One showing near Boston, and the
lecture with it, led Torosyan to Morgenthau’s story.

A professor in Greece suggested Torosyan create a 30-minute film on
the former ambassador. As Torosyan researched his subject, he found
Morgenthau’s life and accomplishments too "rich" for 30 minutes.

"So I enlarged the film," he said. "His intentions were very universal,
and he was a humanitarian."

The filmmaker landed interviews with two of Morgenthau’s grandsons and
one great-granddaughter. They share their understanding of the man,
his influence on their lives and his beliefs.

"If the world had reacted to the genocide of Armenians, Hitler would
have been reluctant to go out and kill Jews in wholesale fashion,"
grandson Robert Morgenthau said.

The words are strong and the images stronger. Torosyan does not shy
away from the heart-wrenching photos of the genocide.

The filmmaker said his grandparents didn’t have a graveyard. With
his movies, now they do.

Torosyan completes his latest documentary with scenes of the
clouds. It’s his way of relating hope, he said.

"My message is hope, not hate," he said.

Local Screenings

Sept. 21 — St. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church, Chelmsford

Oct. 20 — Salem State College

Oct. 24 — Endicott College

Azerbaijani Press
Sept 10 2008

EXPERTS DIFFER ON GOAL OF TURKISH LEADERS’ VISIT TO AZERBAIJAN

Azerbaijani analysts have differed on the goal of Turkish President
Abdullah Gul’s visit to Azerbaijan on 10 September.

Opposition political analyst Qabil Huseynli has told Yeni Musavat
daily that the Turkish president came to Baku to discuss his 6
September visit to Armenia.

"Gul’s talks in Yerevan and the points raised during the talks could
not have gained any force without them being discussed with the
Azerbaijani leadership," Yeni Musavat quoted Huseynli as saying.

The expert said that any agreement should meet Azerbaijan’s interests
in the Nagornyy Karabakh settlement, be it the Nabucco gas pipeline
passing through Armenia or Turkey opening borders with Armenia.

In an interview with Azadliq, pro-opposition political analyst Zardust
Alizada said that Turkey was trying to convince Baku to agree to the
Nabucco pipeline passing through Armenia rather than Georgia.

"Nabucco’s passing through Georgia is dangerous," Alizada
said. "Russian troops are standing there and they can halt it any
time. Europe wants gas. Therefore, they ask that gas is transported
from Azerbaijan to Armenia and further to Turkey. Azerbaijan says that
Armenians should return Karabakh and then it will let gas pass through
there."

Alizada said that however, Armenia had no intention of returning
Karabakh. "They are trying now to ensure that [Azerbaijani President
Ilham] Aliyev compromises and the pipeline passes through Armenia,"
Alizada said.

In the meantime, another analyst, Zeynal Ziya, told private Ekspress
newspaper that Turkey wants to resolve its problems with Armenia,
while at the same time trying to keep Azerbaijan happy. The expert
accused Turkey of taking advantage of the Karabakh conflict.

"In any case, a solution to the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict is nowhere
to be seen. What we can see is that the Armenian-Turkish dialogue will
become more intense and Ankara-Yerevan ties will warm up," Ziya said.

[Exerpts translated from Azeri Yeni Musavat, Azadliq, & Ekspress]

Sunday’s Zaman, Turkey Sept 14 2008

Progressive-looking reactionary

by HASAN KANBOLAT

I had dinner with a classmate of mine from my university years the
other night. We talked about the crisis in Georgia and its
aftermath. My friend said: "I oppose the US. What business do they
have in the Black Sea?" adding: "The US is an imperialist and
occupying state. And human rights and NGOs are made up by the US; they
are their vessels."

My friend may have been right, but he didn’t stop there:

"I am opposed to Gül going to Armenia. It was a lost cause. I
am against the European Union, too. They are interfering with our
internal affairs. We can’t even smoke comfortably. The roads are
infested with radar systems. It’s killing us. I don’t like the
West. And just because I dislike the West doesn’t mean I like the
East. Take a look at Africa — a continent of cannibals. All that
comes Turkey’s way from Africa is filth, ignorance and narcotics. I
don’t understand why we are trying to invest in Africa. And the Middle
East is a whole different can of worms. Were they not the ones that
stabbed us in the back after World War I? And Israel is real pain as
well. The same goes for Iran. Filled with mullahs. We should close off
our borders with the Middle East. The Chinese are our national
enemies. They did a lot of damage to Turkey in the past. These are
documented on the Orkhon memorials. And nowadays cheap Chinese
products have flooded our markets.

India is the land of stench. And the Japanese look down on Turks. The
Russian Federation and Ukraine exported call girls to Turkey in order
to ruin our moral fabric. We earn our money and the calls girl pocket
it. And have the Russians not been threatening our straits in the
Black Sea region for centuries? What we should actually do is limit
Turkey’s relations with outside countries. We should never leave our
country, nor should be let anyone enter ours. Furthermore we should
ban the use of digital satellite dishes. While we’re at it we should
do away with the private sector. They are sucking us dry. We should
exile the Christians — they are working as missionaries, as servants
of an imperialist system. I am against Alevis and Sunni Muslims,
too. Alevis act like they are a separate religion altogether. The
Sunnis are turning the country into state of religion. I am against
different ethnic backgrounds, as well. They are all partisans."

"So do you have any solutions to offer to that," I said.

"Yes," he said. "If we get rid of Christians, Alevis, Sunnis, all
different ethnic groups and the private sector, what remains will be
decent enough for Turkey. This way, happiness and peace would arrive
in Anatolia."

I couldn’t stand it, so I said: "You have done such elimination that
you didn’t leave people in Turkey or any countries in the world. I
think you should stand in front of the mirror first and take a look at
yourself. Although you might not like the West, you went to school in
the US. You got married in Paris. Your daughter is currently going to
school in Germany. Your son is an executive in a US-based finance
company and he is conducting sales transactions in global stock
exchanges. You visit Europe, the Far East or the Russian Federation a
couple of times a year either for business or travel. Despite all
this, you are against Turkey opening up to the world and integrating
with it more deeply? When you can benefit from the luxuries of the
age, you would rather have Anatolia suffice with the minimum resources
that remain in the heartland? Isn’t this a strong contradiction? How
do you describe yourself for God’s sake?"

He looked me in the face and said, "I am progressive."

In the old days, people would modify their Å?ahin model cars, a
cheaper model of the TofaÅ? automobile brand, to look more like
the luxury model, DoÄ?an. Just like that, my "progressive"
friend has evolved into a "regressive with the look of a progressive."
He is just oblivious to that fact.

He put his car in reverse gear instead of into first gear, but he
looks straight ahead although the car moves backwards. He is not aware
of that.

Like an overprotective father afraid to let his growing children play
outside, he doesn’t trust his people. He is not aware.

Although his body remains as before like a mummy, his internal organs
have left his body. He is unaware.

While he makes use of the opportunities of the age such as democracy,
human rights, civil society groups, advancing communication and
transportation tools, he doesn’t see his people as being worthy of
these. He is not aware.

Instead of making concrete efforts to increase the wealth and
happiness of Turkey, he has found an easy short cut. He is not aware.

Battling with Quixote’s windmills and blaming the windmills for
everything that goes wrong comforts him. He is not aware.