Author: Tavakalian Edgar

THE SECOND FORUM OF NON GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

x.php
27-05-2009

On May 18th, 2009 the second Forum of NKR non governmental
organizations – "Peacemaking. Tendencies and prospects" took place
in Stepanakert…As the Forum’s subject was defined by frameworks
of participation of non governmental organizations in peace-making
projects, representatives and experts of it actively working in
the international programs on construction of trust between the
parties of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict have taken part in its
work only. At the Forum the open exchange of opinions and the
information on the situation which have developed in negotiating
process and about influence of political processes on non-governmental
peace-making initiatives has taken place. As a result of discussions,
participants of the Forum have come to conclusion, that tendencies
of politicisation of peace civil dialogue which inherently deform
an actual situation recently taken place and anticipate results of
official political settlement of the conflict. For the purpose of
the prevention of development of the similar tendencies having a
pernicious effect on dynamics and efficiency of national diplomacy,
participants of the Forum have made the decision of Social council
creation on work with the regional and international organisations, in
frameworks of which working groups in various directions of activity
will be organised. Also participants of the Forum have accepted "the
Declaration on principles of participation of representatives of
civil society of Artsakh in the international peace-making projects".

PRESS RELEASE

PRESS OFFICE

Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)

630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212)-686-0710

Fax: (212)-689-1934

<;

May 26, 2009

_______________________________

STANDING CONFERENCE OF THE ORIENTAL ORTHODOX CHURCHES IN AMERICA HOLDS
SPRING MEETING

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church
of America (Eastern), attended a meeting of the Standing Conference of the
Oriental Orthodox Churches in America on Tuesday May, 18.

The meeting, held at the Archdiocese of the Syriac Orthodox Church in
Paramus, NJ, was led by Standing Conference chairman Archbishop Barsamian
and hosted by Metropolitan Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim, the head of the Syriac
Archdiocese of the Eastern United States.

It was also attended by other clergy of the Eastern Diocese who are members
of the Standing Conference, including the Very. Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan,
the Very Rev. Fr. Vahan Hovhanessian, and the Rev. Fr. Tateos Abdalian.

Participants discussed programs for youth, the development of a brochure
about Oriental Orthodox Churches, and an effort to strengthen the presence
of Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches in Washington, DC through the
creation of a special joint commission.

In addition, participants began to make plans for this year’s Orthodox
Prayer Service, the annual gathering organized under the auspices of the
Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas and the
Standing Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches, to give Orthodox
Christians an opportunity to come together for worship and to learn more
about each other’s culture and heritage.

Last year’s prayer service was held at St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral. The
gathering included worship and a program focusing on the United Nations
Millennium Development Goal to stamp out poverty and inequality.

Also under discussion was the upcoming Roman Catholic Church and Oriental
Orthodox Churches Dialogue, scheduled for September 30, 2009, and the
proceedings from the last international Roman Catholic and Oriental Orthodox
Dialogue held in Rome in January.

Before adjourning, participants prayed together and shared news from their
respective churches.

Bottom of Form

###

Photo attached: Participants at the Standing Conference of the Oriental
Orthodox Churches in America meeting last week.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SIGNES A DECREE ON APPROVING THE STAFF OF MEMBERS OF PUBLIC COUNCIL (HEADS OF COMMISSIONS)

ARMENPRESS
MAY 21, 2009
YEREVAN

Armenian President Serzh Sargsian has signed May 20 a decree on
approving the staff of the members of Public Council (heads of
commissions).

Presidential Press office told Armenpress that the following staff
of members of Public Council (heads of commissions) elected by the
Public Council commissions has been approved: Artush Ghukasian –
Commission for science, education, culture, youth and sport affairs
Grigor Badirian – Commission for state-legal affairs Hovhannes
Hovhannisian – Commission for consolidation of civil society Vazgen
Safarian – Commission for financial-economic and budget affairs Yurik
Javadian – Commission for agriculture and nature protection affairs
Derenik Dumanian – Commission for health and social affairs Koryun
Arakelian – Commission for territorial administration and local
self governance affairs Karlos Ghazarian – Commission for defense,
national security and home affairs Arshak Sadoian – Commission
for entrepreneurs activity and consumers affairs Grigor Asatrian –
Commission for ethnic minority affairs Elena Vardanian – Commission
for demographic and gender affairs Ruben Safrastian – Commission for
religion, diaspora and international integration affairs.

AZERBAIJAN INDICATES EU ON ARMENIA’S NON-CONSTRUCTIVE STAND ON GARABAGH CONFLICT

Azerbaijan Business Center
May 20 2009

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Elmar Mammadyarov, the minister for foreign
affairs of Azerbaijan, has received the European Union special
representative for South Caucasus.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan reports that in the
meeting the parties discussed the current condition of relationships
between the country and the EU, results of "Eastern Partnership –
Southern Corridor" Summit, regional stability and other issues. The
FM reiterated Armenia’s non-constructive position on the matter of
Nagorno Garabagh conflict settlement.

ROBERT L. LIVINGSTON: "907" AMENDMENT NEEDS TO BE ABOLISHED – EXCLUSIVE

APA
May 19 2009
Azerbaijan

Washington. Zaur Hasanov – APA. Former Speaker-designate of the
U.S. House of Representatives Robert L. Livingston gives an interview
to APA US bureau

Profile. Robert Livingston was the member of the House of
Representatives in 1977-1999. In 1998 in capacity of chairman of the
Appropriations Committee Livingston initiated to eliminate Section 907
of the Freedom Support Act and managed its abolition on the level of
the committee. Full abolition of the section was impossible in the
voting held in the House of Representatives due to the pressure of
the Armenian lobby.

– Both President Obama and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton have
stated that they will foster the process of final settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. How can it help the final settlement of
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

– We have to hope that this is going to be true. In the next few
weeks, the President Mubarak of Egypt is coming to the United
States and President Obama is going to Egypt to address the entire
Muslim world. It appears to me that President Obama has a very clear
understanding of issues which affect the whole region, all the way
through to the Caspian. If that is true, then he has to know that
the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is a key ingredient
to resolving the problems of the area. Turkey has been talking to
Armenia these days and Prime Minister Ardogan just last week showed
Azerbaijan that he is not going to resolve the border issue with
Armenia without resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh issue as well. It is
important for Europe because of the pipelines. It is important for
the entire world because of troubled areas such as Iran and elsewhere.

With President Obama going to Egypt to address the Muslim world, his
address is going to be a comprehensive one and the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict is going to be a very key component.

– In 1998, your initiated to abolish "907" amendment to "The Freedom
Support Act" almost succeeded in the House. Do you think will it be
possible to repeal it with the Democrats controlling the Congress?

– It is an unfair provision. That provision was placed on the books
back in 1992 by John Kerry in the middle of the night when nobody was
looking and nobody thought anything about it. There is no provision of
this kind like that aimed at any other friend of the United States or
any enemy of the United States. It is the only provision of its sort
in our foreign policy and it needs to be abolished. Almost everybody
in our Defense Department says it should be abolished, some people
in our State Department say that it should be abolished. But getting
the political will of the majority of Congress in both Houses takes
work. With the Armenian Diaspora constantly working against it,
it is an uphill battle. But it is possible.

– Don’t you think that with John Kerry, a chairman of the powerful
foreign affairs committee, it will be difficult to do?

– Senator John Kerry has a different hat to wear these days. He is
Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and has to be more
responsible. His responsibility is to do what is in the best interest
of the United States. Eliminating 907 is not only in the best interest
of Azerbaijan but it is in the best interest of the United States.

– Some experts in Washington believe that if Turkey opens its borders
with Armenia without significant progress on Nagorno-Karabakh issue,
it still will bring an improved environment to the region. Do you
agree with this approach?

– Not really. Once you open the border then people who are
occupying the territory will not likely give it up. It needs to be
a comprehensive resolution. Otherwise the people who have gained
the ground will refuse to move and you will continue to have a
struggle. Then it will be up to the individuals to fight for their
property back and once the conflicts starts you can not get rid of
it. So I think we need a comprehensive settlement.

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
May 16 2009

Wexler urges US to positively `channel’ Turkey’s value

American legislators and experts have assessed US President Barack
Obama’s April visit to Turkey at a hearing held at the House of
Representatives, with Democrat Robert Wexler describing the visit as
`historic.’

Turkey’s new foreign minister, Ahmet DavutoÄ?lu, is the
architect of Turkey’s policy of having `zero problems with neighbors,’
Wexler underlined, adding that Turkey has proven its own value, it has
the skill for opening certain doors and that the United States needs
to be able to positively `channel’ this situation.

The hearing, titled `The United States and Turkey: A Model
Partnership,’ was held on Thursday as part of work by the Subcommittee
on Europe of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Foreign
Affairs.

In addition to Florida Rep. Wexler, as the head of the Subcommittee on
Europe, Ian Lesser, senior transatlantic fellow at the German Marshall
Fund of the United States, David L. Phillips, senior fellow at the
Atlantic Council of the United States, and Stephen Flanagan, senior
vice president, and Henry Kissinger, chairman, of the Center for
Strategic and International Studies participated in the hearing as
witnesses.

The title of the hearing was an apparent reference to wording that
Obama used during his visit to Turkey. The United States and Turkey
can build a `model partnership’ between a predominantly Christian
nation and a predominantly Muslim nation with a unity based on ideals
and values rather than religious faiths, Obama said in Ankara,
stressing his eagerness to see this model partnership materialize.

He felt the need for holding such a hearing following `the historic
visit that Obama paid to Turkey,’ Wexler said while opening the
hearing, the Anatolia news agency reported.

Wexler suggested that Obama’s visit has constituted a basis for
further strengthening Turkish-American relations in economic, military
and political fields, adding, `This cooperation is vital for both of
the two states in an environment in which we face serious security
issues in Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, the Balkans, Black Sea, Caucasus
and the Middle East, besides a global financial crisis.’

The congressman also touched upon the recent rapprochement between
estranged neighbors Armenia and Turkey, which aims at normalizing
their bilateral relations.

`These diplomatic efforts deserve top level support from the US. I
call on my colleagues in Congress to support the Armenian and Turkish
governments in their quest for founding diplomatic, political and
economic relations,’ he said.

16 May 2009, Saturday
TODAY’S ZAMAN WITH WIRES ANKARA

NOBEL LAUREATE BACK IN THE DOCK

Hurriyet
May 15 2009
Turkey

ANKARA – The country’s top appeals court rejects a ruling by a lower
court and says the case involving Nobel winner Orhan Pamuk will have
to be reassessed by the lower court. Pamuk was originally standing
trial for insulting Turkishness but the case was rejected

Complaints filed against Turkey’s only Nobel laureate, Orhan Pamuk,
for insulting the Turkish nation were valid and it was wrong for
an Istanbul court to dismiss them, the country’s top appeals court
announced yesterday.

In addition to the prosecutors original charges, six other complaints
were filed against Pamuk, including from Istanbul Martyrs’ Mothers
Support and Solidarity Association and nationalist lawyer, Kemal
Kerinsiz, after Pamuk’s remarks in a Swiss magazine became public.

The 2006 Nobel Literature Prize winner Pamuk, speaking to the Swiss
magazine said: "We killed a million Armenians and 30,000 Kurds. No
one in Turkey has the courage to say this. I do."

Charges were brought by an Istanbul prosecutor’s office against Pamuk
for insulting Turkishness based on the controversial Article 301 of
the penal code for his statement, but an Istanbul court had dropped
the case because of the Interior Ministry’s failure to approve of
the trial.

Complaints filed were dismissed by another Istanbul court, which
argued the complainants could not be accepted as representing the
whole nation. It said those who filed the complaint, while members of
the Turkish nation, could not be personally harmed by Pamuk’s remarks.

Judiciary decides

Later, the Supreme Court of Appeals fourth court revoked the court’s
decision. It said: "The judiciary decides the limits of individual
rights that include physical, emotional and social values, occupational
pride, honor, freedom, spiritual rights, health and citizenship. When
assessed from this angle, citizenship is seen as a right that must
be protected and the statement directed at the whole nation gives
individuals the right to file such complaints."

It argued that constitutionally, every citizen of Turkey was accepted
as a Turk and their rights as well as their feelings of solidarity
with the nation they belonged to were protected by the Constitution.

The Istanbul court, in the retrial, insisted on its earlier verdict,
dismissing the case. On the second appeal, the case went to the
Supreme Court of Appeals General Council, which decided to revoke
the lower court’s decision again. The lower court will now have to
assess the case on its merits, and if found guilty, Pamuk will have
to pay compensation to the complainants. The decision allows every
citizen to file complaints against individuals who make statements
they deem insulting to the nation.

ZHIRAYR SEFILIAN: WHEN STEPANAKERT COUNTERVAILS YEREVAN, POWER SHIFT BECOMES INEVITABLE IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
May 14, 2009

YEREVAN, MAY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. Currently the Armenian authorities are
weaker than during the 2008 presidential elections campaign. Zhirayr
Sefilian, the Coordinator of the Consolidation of Armenian Volunteers
initiative, the Commander of Shoushi special battalion, expressed such
an opinion at the May 14 press conference. In his words, worsening
of the socio-economic situation in the country could not but weaken
authorities’ positions. "If people’s social condition continues
worsening and Yerevan Council of Elders elections are rigged, a social
explosion will become inevitable," Z. Sefilian predicted.

"Opposition’s current tactics is better than in 2008. To my happiness,
in this election the opposition will take an unyielding, resolute
position," Z.

Sefilian said. He reported that by Armenian National Congress’
decision, on the election day, May 31, 100-150 people will gather near
each polling station after they are closed and will control policemen
and will not permit rigging election results with their silent consent.

Touching upon the subject of Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Z. Sefilian
classed as "adequate" the proposal voiced at the NKR parliament,
according to which, a law prohibiting Armenia to sign a document on
behalf on NKR need to be adopted. According to Z. Sefilian, Artsakh
is convinced that RA President Serzh Sargsyan is "in a traitorous
process." "And when Stepanakert countervails Yerevan, a power shift
becomes inevitable in Armenia," he said.

STATE UNIVERSITY TO CELEBRATE 90TH ANNIVERSARY ON MAY 16

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
14.05.2009 21:06 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Yerevan State University (YSU), the oldest higher
educational institute in capital city, is celebrating its 90th
anniversary. In that connection, university’s student council
plans to organize a range of events within the coming one-year
period. Celebrations began on May 15, with screening of "Shushi Legend"
(Director: Samvel Tadevosyan).

Considering that historical-linguistic faculty was the first University
department, and that Armenia celebrated Shushi Liberation Day just a
couple of days ago, we decided to start celebrations with screening of
"Shushi Legend", Chair of YSU Student Council Tsolak Apopyan told a
PanARMENIAN.NET correspondent.

Explosion Rocks One of Largest Plants in Armenia

Yerevan, Armenia. "Nairit", one of the leading chemical enterprises of
the region is on fire after several explosions. Armenian Radio reports
that two people are killed due to this explosion.

The Emergency service says that it has received the first emergency
call in Yerevan at about 6:30 PM local time (nine hours of difference
from U.S. EST). The Emergency health service says that they have seen
two people killed because of the Nairit explosion.

LLC "Nairit", the official representative of "Nairit Plant" CJSC in
the Russian Federation, has started its operations. The company is a
subsidiary to Nairit Plant CJSC. It has started its practical
activities related to chloroprene sales of rubbers (from the storage
areas located in Moscow, RF) and carbinol (from Nairit Plant CJSC
warehouses, Yerevan, Armenia).

Just on April 28 the prime minister of Armenia Mr. Tigran Sargsyan
visited "Nairit factory," got acquainted with the ongoing processes of
the production and the perspectives of developments the factory has
got. Tigran Sargsyan stressed that the real potential of Nairit should
be much used to create thousands working places and to contribute to
the development of other factories.

Chemical industry has real perspectives for Armenia but there is no
chemical industry without Nairit, hence it is of great importance for
the state, the Prime Minister said.

Nairit is the largest chemical plant not only in Armenia but in the
entire region of Caucasus manufacturing industrial rubber. At this
time there is no official word of what has caused the explosion. Not
official sources according to Armenian Media, report that some types
of chemical leaks have caused the explosion attributing it to an
accident.

ion-rocks-one-largest-plants-armenia