Author: Tatoyan Vazgen

SERZH SARGSYAN EXPRESSED HIS CONDOLENCES TO FRENCH AND BRAZILIAN PRESIDENTS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
03.06.2009 19:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ RA President Serzh Sargsyan addressed telegrams
to Presidents of France and Brazil, expressing his condolences in
connection with the tragedy on Rio de Janeiro -Paris flight "I express
my deep condolences in connection with plain crash over the Atlantic
and great number of human causalities. On behalf of Armenian people
and on my own behalf, I’d like to offer my sympathy to friendly state
of France and families of victims," says the telegram addressed to
Nicolas Sarkozy.

In a telegram addressed to Brazilian President Lula da Silva, RA
President noted, "In this difficult time for Brazil I express my
deepest condolences to you and friendly people of Brazil, and wish
you patience and fortitude.

PKK TERROR MUST BE FULLY ERADICATED FROM NORTH OF IRAQ, TURKEY’S DEFENSE MINISTER

Anadolu Agency
June 1 2009
Turkey

WASHINGTON, D.C. (A.A) – 01.06.2009 – Turkish Minister of National
Defense Vecdi Gonul said Monday the U.S. support against PKK terrorism
was appreciated.

Speaking at a meeting of the American-Turkish Council (ATC) in
Washington, D.C., Gonul said that PKK terror must be fully eradicated
from the north of Iraq.

"We appreciate U.S. support against PKK terrorism. PKK terror must
be fully wiped out of northern Iraq," Gonul stressed.

We welcomed U.S. President Barack Obama’s confirmation of the
continuation of U.S. support against terrorist PKK and intelligence
sharing during his recent visit to Turkey, Gonul said.

Touching on Turkish-Armenian relations, Gonul said that efforts have
been made since the year 2007 to normalize relations between Turkey
and Armenia.

"Resolving problems between Turkey and Armenia will not only benefit
the two countries but the whole southern Caucasus," Gonul noted.

"The U.S. should speed up efforts so that problems between Azerbaijan
and Armenia get resolved soon," Gonul said.

In reference to an Armenian resolution in the U.S. Congress, Gonul
said that such initiatives could harm the normalization of relations
between Turkey and Armenia.

We expect the U.S. administration to continue to make efforts so that
the resolution in the U.S. Congress does not get accepted, Gonul said.

"We are pleased with the support U.S. President Obama has extended
to Turkey’s EU membership," Gonul also said.

AZERBAIJANI DEFENSE MINISTRY CONFIRMS TWO SOLDIERS OF ARMENIAN ARMY CROSSED TO AZERBAIJAN

APA
June 1 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku – APA. Azerbaijani Defense Ministry made an official statement
on crossing of two soldiers of Armenian Army to Azerbaijan.

Spokesman for Defense Ministry, Lieutenant-Colonel Eldar Sabiroglu
told APA that the soldiers of military unit #38862 at the disposal of
Armenian Defense Ministry Arutunyan Ohan Varinakovich and Tomasyan
Gevork Serjikovich surrendered to the servicemen in Goranboy region
of Azerbaijan at 13.00 on May 31, 2009. They are held in the relevant
military unit of Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. Sabiroglu said the
soldiers linked it to the tortures they underwent in Karabakh.

"They said they could not bear the tortures and were obliged to cross
the line of contact," he said.

Spokesman said both of the soldiers were citizens of Armenia.

"Arutunyan Ohan was born in Martuni region of Armenia, Tomasyan Gevork
in Nairi region. Both were born in 1991," he said.

CSTO creates powerful mil grouping to repel large-scale aggression

2009-05-31 11:50:00

ArmInfo. Collective Security Treaty Organization creates powerful
grouping in Central Asia to ensure stability in the region, Vitaly
Strugovec, CSTO Press Secretary told ArmInfo.

‘Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrghyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan form the
given grouping able to repel a large-scale aggression not to settle
local conflicts like the Collective Rapid Deployment Force’, he said.
Armenia assumed CSTO rotating chairmanship in 2008.

President Sargsyan cast his vote at polling station #9/10

armradio.am
31.05.2009 13:38

President Serzh Sargsyan came to precinct #9/10 located at School #24
after S. Spandaryan with his wife and daughter to fulfill his civil
duty by casting his vote for one of the forces running for the Yerevan
City Council.

The President refused to answer any questions, saying that `today is a
duty of silence.’ Serzh Sargsyan was the 189th to vote out of 1 936
voters.

To remind, one bloc and six parties are running for the Yerevan City
Council.

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

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

THE ARMENIAN CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA AT THE 18th MEETING OF THE BOARD OF
ARMENIA FUND

On Monday 18 May 2009 the members of the Board of Armenia Fund met at the
Government building in Erevan, under the Chairmanship of the President of
Armenia His Excellency Serge Sarkissian. The other distinguished members of
the Board were His Holiness Karekin II and His Holiness Aram I. Archbishop
Sebouh Sarkissian Prelate of Terhran (Iran) represented His Holiness Aram I
at the meeting.

After the official welcome, during the deliberative session, Mrs. Heranoush
Hagopian, Minister for Relations with the Diaspora, presented a report on
the future activities of the ministry. At the end of the Board meeting, H.E.
President Serge Sarkissian informed the participants on their recent
dialogue on Turkey-Armenian ‘roadmap’, and implications on Nagorno Karabagh.

##
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.

SMALL-TO-MEDIUM BUSINESS SHOULD BE DEVELOPED TO RESIST ECONOMIC CRISIS, SAYS ABEL AGHANBEGYAN

Noyan Tapan
May 25, 2009

Yerevan, Noyan Tapan, May 25. On the initiative of Policy Forum
Armenia, an economic forum started at the American University
of Armenia on May 25 with a goal to discuss the impact of the
world economic and financial crisis and find ways to mitigate its
consequences.

The Economic Forum brought together representatives of international
organizations, major policymakers from regional economic powerhouses,
Armenia’s key economic policymakers since independence. Titled
"Armenia: Weathering the Global Storm", the economic forum served as
a major venue for discussing the global and Armenia-specific trends
and culminated in a panel session where Armenia’s successive Prime
Ministers discussed policy options for the future.

As Abel Aghanbegyan said during the television bridge at the opening of
the conference, it is not clear when the global financial crisis ends.

Apparently, many will be able to get stronger while overcoming
the crisis.

According to A. Aghanbegyan, in order to withstand the crisis CIS
countries should develop small and medium business, which will enable
to create new jobs and revive the economy. "We will not come out
of this recession soon," stressed the academician adding that it
is important to remain optimistic and at the same time be ready to
the worst.

ANAHIT BAKHSHIAN EXPECTS RA PRESIDENT TO RESTORE NORMAL ACTIVITY OF FACT-FINDING GROUP FORMED BY HIS ORDER

Noyan Tapan
May 26, 2009
Yerevan

Zharangutiun (Heritage) party Board Chairwoman Anahit Bakhshian
sent a letter to RA President Serzh Sargsyan on May 26 drawing his
attention to the fact that fact-finding group’s activities in essence
have been frozen from May 4. Group head Vahe Stepanian took leave,
which, according to A. Bakhshian, is not envisaged by RA President’s
2008 October 23 Order. Returning from leave on May 25, V. Stepanian
unexpectedly declared that he is resigning. And the whole documents
base, according to Zharangutiun Board Chairwoman, is kept in the
locked safe under his control.

"Undergoing various pressures and overcoming many obstacles during
its seven months’ activity the fact-finding group nevertheless
introduced essential facts to the NA Ad-hoc Committee on Events
Occurred on 1-2 March and Their Reasons, in accordance with the
provisions of the RA President’s 2008 October 23 Order, which also
proceed from the requirements of PACE Resolution N 1643. We expect
restoration of activity of the fact-finding group formed by your
order," A. Bakhshian’s letter read.

TURKEY URGES ISRAEL TO RESPECT INT’L JERUSALEM STATUS

WorldBulletin.net
May 25 2009
Turkey

Turkish FM Davutoglu urged Israel PM to respect the internationally
accepted principles on Jerusalem status.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Sunday urged Israel PM
to respect the internationally accepted principles on Jerusalem status.

Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that
"Jerusalem was and will always be ours."

Davutoglu attended the 36th meeting of the OIC Council of Foreign
Ministers in Damascus and the meeting ended on Sunday.

FM Davutoglu said, "not only the Organization of Islamic Conference
(OIC), but also the United Nations (UN) and international law
principles on Jerusalem status are very clear."

"The policy of not changing status and character of Jerusalem is an
adopted principle not only by OIC but also by the UN. It is also the
adopted policy of Turkey," he said.

"In this regard, we believe everyone should agree the basic principles
of the international community."

Davutoglu added that Turkey would continue its indirect mediation
efforts between Syria and Israel if there is a request, in a talk
suspended after Israel’s 22-day assault into Gaza, killing 1434
Palestinians.

Davutoglu will travel to Baku together with his Azarbaijani counterpart
Elmar Mammadyarov and hold meetings with Mammadyarov and Azarbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev on a wide range of issues including the
Karabakh issue.

ARA ABRAHAMYAN: UNION OF ARMENIANS OF RUSSIA INTENDS TO CHANGE ITS APPROACH TO ARMENIA-DIASPORA RELATIONS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
25.05.2009 14:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Union of Armenians of Russia (UAR) World Armenian
Congress (WC) will continue assisting the development of science and
culture in Armenia and support initiatives in those spheres, told a
press conference Ara Abrahamyan, president of UAR and WAC. "Since the
establishment of these organizations we have carried out a number of
programs aimed to support scolars and cultural workers. Since 2007
WAC jointly with the Union of writers and journalists of Armenia have
given awards for the best works. Since 2008 the Armenian National
Academy of Sciences, unions of artists, composers and music critics
have joint the initiative, told Ara Abrahamyan.

"An Armenian at the beginning of the 21st century", "Armenia is the
motherland of all Armenians", "the best scientific work", "Armenia
and Armenians in the eye of artists" and "Creative attainments of
the Armenian modern composer’s culture" are these year nominations.

According to Mr. Abrahamyan, on May 25 the ceremony of handing
the prizes will take place at the Aram Kahchatrian Symphony
Hall. The winners will be awarded with WAC diplomas as well as cash
awards. Besides, Hovahannes Chekijian and Jivan Gasparian will be
handed "Golden Cross" medals of UAR.

On occasion of 10th anniversary of the Union of Armenians of Russia
in 2010 the concert will be organized in Russia.

"In connection with 10 years of our activities our organization
intends to change its approach to Armenia-Diaspora relations. I am
very happy that finally the Diaspora ministry has been established
in Armenia. We discuss with them our common tasks and present our
approaches," stressed Ara Abrahamyan.