Author: Tatoyan Vazgen

CHURCH SUPPORTS

hos15366.html
10:48:50 – 01/10/2009

Supreme Spiritual Council Meeting Statement Regarding the Process to
Normalize Armenian-Turkish Relations

On September 30, the Supreme Spiritual Council convened a meeting
in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, under the presidency of
His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians. Following discussion on the process aimed at normalizing
Armenian-Turkish relations and the associated ongoing discussions,
the Supreme Spiritual Council made the following statement:

The Supreme Spiritual Council welcomes the process to establish
diplomatic ties free of preconditions between Armenia and Turkey and
the process to normalize Armenian-Turkish relations, for the sake
of regional security, preservation of peace and the development of
regional cooperation.

The Supreme Spiritual Council positively assesses the pan-Armenian
discussions currently taking place surrounding this process.

The Supreme Spiritual Council considers as natural and understandable
the concerns of Armenians living in Armenia, Artsakh and the
Diaspora, within the context of the bitter historical experience
of our people with Turkey, Turkey’s official policy of denying the
Armenian Genocide, Turkey’s intolerant position expressed toward the
Republic of Armenia, as well as the formulations contained in the
yet to be signed protocols regarding Armenian-Turkish relations that
have caused various interpretations, and the unacceptable statements
coming from the Turkish side associated with this process. In this
regard, the Supreme Spiritual Council reconfirms that the Armenian
Genocide is an indisputable fact, as is the right to independence
for the Republic of Nagorno Karabagh and the self-determination of
the Armenians of Artsakh. Our people and authorities shall never
abdicate the pursuit and defense of our just national rights.

The Supreme Spiritual Council exhorts all sons and daughters of our
nation to show utmost vigilance and reason to avoid nation-damaging
polarization, and united together, to face the challenges before
our people.

The Supreme Spiritual Council appeals for the assistance of our Lord
Jesus Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit for the authorities of
the Republic of Armenia, so that they lead the process of normalizing
Armenian-Turkish relations to a successful conclusion, for the sake
of our people’s cherished and vital interests.

ONLINE PETITION OPPOSING PROTOCOLS HAS BEEN LAUNCHED

2009/0 9/29 | 14:35

A worlwide online petition opposing the "Protocols on the Establishment
of Diplomatic Relations between Armenia and Turkey" has been launched
at The petition calls for the outright rejection of
the protocols.

Initiated by philologist Krikor Beledian, essayist Janine Altounian,
journalists Arpig Missakian and Arpi Totoyan, historian Yves Ternon
of France, Professor Mihran Dabag, Director of the German Research
Institute on Diasporas, among others, the petition states that
"to submit such a unique experience as genocide to negotiations
and a judgment by governmental commissions or sub-commissions would
subordinate the truth to political maneuvers and power relations".

The document therefore considers that "by the signing of these
protocols, Armenia marginalizes the Diaspora, and enters into the
strategy of the Turkish State to divide the Armenian people and
to stigmatize and delegitimize the Diaspora for advocating the
consciousness of the Genocide".

THEY WILL START FROM COMPETITION

rahos15324.html
17:28:35 – 28/09/2009

The Chairman of the Commission for the Protection of Economic
Competition of Armenia Ashot Shahnazaryan today met with the elder
economist of the World Bank Robert Taliersio and his delegation.

The WB elder economist informed the head that one of the most
important events the WB plans to fulfill in Armenia is connected with
the Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition. It is to
boost the independence and abilities of the commission. The project is
already ratified and will start working soon. The commission informs.

THIS AUTUMN, PACE WILL NOT DISCUSS RA DOMESTIC ISSUES

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
28.09.2009 17:59 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "There’s no point in expecting PACE or other European
structures to discuss RA and Turkey’s domestic issues this autumn,"
Heritage Parliamentary faction Leader Stepan Safaryan noted at news
conference.

According to Safaryan, this was made clear by CE Parliamentary Assembly
Chairman Lluis Maria De Puig expressing his approval of preliminary
signed RA-Turkish protocols and emphasizing that "enough work was
done over them". In Safaryan’s opinion, this means that European
structures will not discuss RA and Turkey’s democratization issues
so as not to harm RA-Turkish rapprochement process.

Same was confirmed by Zaruhi Postanjyan, Heritage representative at
the Council of Europe, upon her return from CE sitting.

Safaryan believes that European structures joined RA-Turkey
rapprochement process, initiated by Russia and USA.

Lack of RA’s issues discussion by CE structures will negatively
influence reforms and democratization process in the country,
Safaryan concluded.

DELEGATION HEADED BY NA SPEAKER TO LEAVE FOR IRAN

ARMENPRESS
SEPTEMBER 28, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS: Delegation headed by the Armenian
National Assembly Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan will leave September 29
for a two-day official visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

NA public relations department told Armenpress that in Tehran the
delegation of the speaker will have meetings with President Mahmud
Ahmadinejad, Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani, Secretary of
the Supreme Security Council Sayid Jalili.

During the visit the members of the delegation will visit tomb of
Imam Khomeyni as well as the Tehran’s Armenian Diocese, "Ararat"
sport cultural club where they will meet with the representatives of
Iranian Armenian community.

September 30 the official delegation of the NA speaker will arrive
back in Armenia.

UEFA ANNOUNCED AGREEMENT FOR BROADCASTING RIGHT OF UEFA EURO 2012 WITH EBU

15:03 24/09/2009
Panorama.am

UEFA announced an exclusive agreement for the broadcasting rights of
UEFA EURO 2012′ with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). This deal
covers a total of 36 European territories, including Armenia.

EBU members will be granted the broadcasting rights in 29 of these 36
territories. In those 29 territories, a minimum of 27 of the 31
matches will be broadcast live on free-to-air channels, as well as
dedicated magazines and highlights programmes.

In a further 7 countries, which includes Azerbaijan, Czech Republic,
Hungary, Israel, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Slovakia, UEFA and the EBU will
work together to identify the best platform for the broadcasting of
such rights.

Sale and purchase transactions of 10 million 660 thousand dollars
carried out at Nasdaq Oemex Armenia on September 25

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Sale and purchase transactions of
10 million 660 thousand dollars at the weighted average exchange rate
of 385.86 drams per dollar were carried out at Nasdaq Oemex Armenia
OJSC on September 25, the press service of the Central Bank of Armenia
reported.

Masked people shot at Armen Sargsian on March 1

argsian
07:54 pm | September 25, 2009 | Politics

The only acquitted Armenian political prisoner, Armen Sargsian, was
released under a September 16 decision of the Cassation Court.

He received a missile wound in front of a Persian mosque on Mashtots
Avenue on March 1, 2008.

"I was shot by people in police uniforms and black masks. Later I
learnt that a man had been shot dead in the same place but I didn’t
know him," Armen Sargsian told A1+.

Armen Sargsian was wounded in the left foot. He was able to get to the
Erebuni hospital where he had his foot bandaged.

"On the way home, at about 2.30-3.00 a.m. police stopped the taxi and
arrested me," tells the hero of the Karabakh war and proponent of the
Pan-national Movement.

The peaceful demonstrator was charged under Article 225 of the
Criminal Code (participation in mass disorders).

"During private conversations, investigators told me they had to try
me to conceal the shot. I asked them for my left shoe as my foot was
aching but the shoe had disappeared."

Note that a court in Yerevan had sentenced Armen Sargsian to four
years in prison and the Appellate Court left the verdict unchanged.

"They acquitted me as they wanted to silence the Council of Europe. If
the authorities really want to show the progress in the country they
should release the other 19 political prisoners illegally kept in
custody," says Armen Sargsian.

After his release, Armen Sargsian attended Armenian National
Congress’s rally of September 18.

"I shall struggle until the last political prisoner is freed and until
the power is changed in Armenia. I am a war veteran and I cannot sit
with folded arms," says the former political prisoner.

Lismore Northern Star

Russian daily publishes fake interview

25th September 2009

A RUSSIAN newspapers has issued a sheepish apology for running a fake
interview with the president of the former Soviet republic of Armenia.

ONE of Russia’s most popular newspapers issued a sheepish apology on
Tuesday for running a fake interview with the president of the former
Soviet republic of Armenia.

Moskovsky Komsomolets had run the interview on Monday – when Armenia
marked its annual independence day – calling it an "exclusive" based
on a lengthy meeting in President Serzh Sarkisian’s presidential
palace.

"In fact, the president of the Republic of Armenia, Serzh Sarkisian,
did not give an interview to Moskovsky Komsomolets. An unprepared
article was published through the fault of the editor on duty," it
said on its website.

"Those responsible were disciplined," the broadsheet said, adding that
the interview had been based on previous Sarkisian statements
presented as answers to "hypothetical questions" that he was not
actually asked.

"We hope our regrettable mistake will not spoil anyone’s holiday," the
newspaper said.

In the fake interview, Sarkisian praised Armenia’s close ties to
Russia and discussed various issues affecting his small Caucasus
country, including its rapprochement with longtime foe Turkey.

Animator Robert Sahakyants passed away aged 59

armradio.am
25.09.2009 17:23

Famous Armenian animator Robert Sahakyants died in Yerevan on September
24, aged 59, shortly after undergoing a heart surgery.

Robert Sahakyants was born in 1950 in Baku. He had been living in
Yerevan since 1964. Sahakyants graduated from the Pedagogical Institute
after Khachatur Abovyan and worked at `Hyfilm’ studio as an animator.

Sahakyants is author and artistic-director of about 33 scenarios of
animation films and over 100 cartons. The film `Road to Home’ was
Robert Sahakyants’ last work. This is an excursus to our historic
motherland. The events take place in 2050. Some consider the film is
extremely politicized, but the author had a different opinion and
objectives.

Robert Sahakyants was not only a talented cultural figure, but also an
active intellectual, who was able to analyze and express his opinion on
most different issues.