Author: Toneyan Mark

U.S. SUPPORTS THREE PRESIDENTS’ DECLARATION ON KARABAKH – U.S. DIPLOMAT

Interfax News Agency
Nov 3 2008
Russia

The United States totally supports the declaration on the Karabakh
conflict resolution, passed by Russian, Azerbaijan and Armenian
leaders in Moscow the day earlier, U.S. co- chairman of the OSCE
(Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) Minsk Group
Matthew Bryza told the Azeri television channel ANS on Monday.

The U.S. co-chairman said his country totally supports the document
that shows that both presidents are able to work hard to resolve
this conflict.

Substantial talks have began between the Azeri and Armenian presidents,
who until now were not prepared to make any major decision as they
did not know well each other, he said.

But now they got to know each other well and are ready to make serious
decisions, the diplomat said.

The declaration passed the day earlier calls for the need for both
conflicting parties to continue their cooperation with the Minsk
Group and to make efforts resolve the conflict peacefully, the
U.S. diplomat said.

Everything in the declaration coincides with the basic principles,
he said.

This document is the green light for the Minsk Group co-chairmen
because it openly supports both presidents, he said.

The declaration should speed up talks between the president and the
conflict settlement process, Bryza said.

NKR FM: IF AZERBAIJAN WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN CONFLICT SETTLEMENT, IT WOULD SIT DOWN AT THE NEGOTIATION TABLE WITH NAGORNO KARABAKH FAR AGO

ArmInfo
2008-11-06 15:12:00

ArmInfo. Adoption of the Declaration by the presidents of Azerbaijan,
Armenia and Russia indicates readiness of the Russian Federation
to appear as an efficient mediator in Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement, Foreign Minister of the NKR Georgy Petrosyan said
commenting on the recently adopted Armenian- Azerbaijani-Russian
Declaration on Karabakh conflict settlement, Information Department
of the NKR Foreign Ministry told ArmInfo.

‘This meeting may be considered as an attempt to specify the positions
of Armenia and Azerbaijan regarding the prospects of Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement by political methods, as well as taking into
account the situation in the region which changed after the well-known
August events.

The process of settlement of the pervious years has proved that there
is a lack of the most interested link is, namely, Nagorno Karabakh, for
efficiency of negotiations. If Azerbaijan was really interested in the
conflict settlement, it would sit down at the negotiation table with
Nagorno Karabakh and would not try to put pressure on the NKR through
different international instances and countries. In any case, freedom
and independent status of Nagorno Karabakh Republic are an absolutely
interdependent sources of the NKR policy’, G. Petrosyan said.

MINISTER NALBANDIAN LEAVING FOR SWEDEN

armradio.am
06.11.2008 12:01

The Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, is leaving for
Sweden today for a two-day official visit.

During the visit the Foreign Minister will have a meeting with his
Swede counterpart Carl Bildt. The parties are expected to sign a
Readmission Agreement between Armenia and Sweden.

Edward Nalbandian will be hosted at the Institute for Security and
Development Policy, one of the most celebrated higher educational
establishments in Sweden. The Foreign Minister will make a speech on
the main directions and priorities of Armenia’s foreign policy.

In Stockholm Minister Nalbandian is expected to meet with the leaders
of the NASDAQ OMX Group and the Ericsson Company.

During the stay in the capital of Sweden Edward Nalbandian will meet
representatives of the Swedish Armenian community.

30 MILLION USD DONATION

Panorama.am
19:55 04/11/2008

In these days, in Yerevan money-collecting-dinner party has been
organized devoted to the "TV Marathon 2008" of "Armenia" All Armenian
Foundation. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan who is the President of
Board of Trustees of the Foundation, has invited the party. According
to the public relations department of the foundation 30 million USD
is promised to be denoted during the marathon. The money collected
in the frames of the marathon will be disposed to the development of
rural communities of Armenia and Artsakh.

"The mission of "Armenia" foundation is well known. All the gigantic
work done before is also well known," said the President. The
marathon is a good chance for our people to have their investment
in the prospering activities of our country, said the President. The
President encouraged every Armenian to take part in the marathon.

The President of Nagorno Karabakh Bako Sahakyan expressed his gratitude
to all Armenians who do their investments. The annual money-collecting
event has been attended by the Supreme Patriarch of All Armenians
Garegin II, the Chairman of the National Assembly, the President of
Central Bank, Ministers who are members of the board, the President
of Industrials and Businessmen of Armenia, the Minister of Diaspora
Hranush Hakobyan and over 120 businessmen from Armenia and Russia.

Remind that this year the TV Marathon will be broadcast on November
27 from Los Angeles.

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

Armenian version: nian.htm

A SPIRITUAL CONCERT CELEBRATES HIS HOLINESS
ARAM I’S DEDICATED SERVICE

The special Committee on the Year of Christian Education in the Diocese of
Tehran organized a unique celebration of the 40th anniversary of His
Holiness Aram I’s ordination as a priest by putting together a beautiful
spiritual concert in recognition of the Pontiff’s unwavering dedication to
the Armenian Church and his nation.

The event was held under the auspices of His Holiness. The primates of the
three dioceses of the Armenian Church in Iran, primates and spiritual
leaders from sister churches, community representatives, the Ambassador of
Armenia, the Armenian deputies in the Iranian parliament and large number of
the faithful attended the concert.

The Choir of the Tehran Prelacy and the Symphonic Orchestra put on a
magnificent performance under the artistic guidance of Dr. Elibis Masehian.

In his opening remarks, the primate of the Diocese of Tehran, Archbishop
Sebouh Sarkisian welcomed the presence of His Holiness Aram I in Tehran and
dedicated this holy concert to the Pontiff "as a small bouquet in return for
his dedicated spiritual service of 40 years."

The Choir performed a number of spiritual and national songs both in
Armenian and foreign languages. The event also featured solo performances
(accompanied with the Choir) by Zorig Farhadian, Garine Mouradian, Varoujan
Edgarian, Raffi Hovhannesian, Roupig Hovhannessian and Ofig Melikian, who
sang the "Mother and Virgin" hymn dedicated to the Holy Mother. Ayrina
Noravian and Verjig Tahmazian recited poems during the event.

Addressing the attendants at the end of the concert, His Holiness praised
the committee that organized the event and those who participated in it for
the high level of their artistic performance. The Pontiff spoke about
Armenian music, seeing in it a mixture of spiritual and national elements,
"which bring us all closer to God."

##
View the photos here:
tos/Photos319.htm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the dioceses 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.

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 2 2008

Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia to Cooperate on Situation in Caucasus
02.11.08 18:17

The leaders of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed to work together
on healing the current situation in the Caucasus, as well as
instructed foreign ministers to continue work on the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, RIA Novosti reported.

Presidents of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan declared that they would
contribute to health the situation in South Caucasus and establish
regional stability and security through a political solution to the
conflict after they substantively and substantially discussed the
state and prospects of settling of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by
political means through the continuation of direct dialogue between
Azerbaijan and Armenia and mediation of Russia, the United States and
France as co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, the declaration said .

The declaration envisages settlement of the conflict on the basis of
the principles and norms of international law and adopted in the
framework of decisions and documents, which will create favorable
conditions for economic development and comprehensive cooperation in
the region. Declaration was read out by Dmitry Medvedev after
negotiations.

Agence France Presse
October 29, 2008 Wednesday

US welcomes Russian diplomatic move on Nagorny-Karabakh

WASHINGTON, Oct 29 2008

The United States on Wednesday welcomed Russia’s initiative to host
the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan for talks on the disputed
Nagorny Karabakh region.

"We are pleased by this initiative that Moscow is undertaking. We hope
that the initiative succeeds. We are monitoring it very closely,"
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters.

Moscow announced it will host a meeting on November 2 between
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian President Serzh
Sarkisian to help end the long-simmering conflict over Nagorny
Karabakh.

The region is an enclave of Azerbaijan with a largely ethnic Armenian
population that broke free of Baku’s control in the early 1990s.

Analysts say Moscow is keen to boost its influence in the South
Caucasus after Russia’s brief war with US-allied Georgia in August
raised tensions throughout the region.

The August war, which began when Georgia attacked its own breakaway
enclave of South Ossetia, raised fears of similar violence in Nagorny
Karabakh.

AZERIS INVENT NAME FOR THE OCCUPIED LANDS

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
01 Nov 08
Armenia

According to SAMVEL KARAPETYAN, `There are no lands belonging to
Azerbaijan.

If ours had managed to liberate the territories extending to the river
Kour, the whole Armenian world would have been liberated. And beyond
the river Kour, on the left-bank area, is the historical territory of
the Caucasian Albania.

This year, the Azerbaijani statehood celebrated its 90th anniversary.
We should have done the same too. They created a state on a territory
seized in 1918 and gave it the name of another historical area
(Atrpatakan). That is, they gave an invented name to the occupied
lands. Azerbaijan speaks about territorial integrity, whereas its
territories are entirely based upon our historical homeland.

Panorama.am

18:44 31/10/2008

COMMITTEE DISCUSSED 12 BENEVOLENT PROJECTS

Today the Committee of Government of Armenia on Coordinating
Benevolent Projects had a session and 12 benevolent projects were
discussed during that session. In particular the committee confirmed
the projects of `Armenia’ all-Armenian fund covering water problem in
Lori region, construction of heart medical center in Syunik and
printing of information leaflets of `TV Marathon 2008′.

According to the information and public relations department of the
Government a few other projects were also confirmed, in particular
those implemented by Saint Cathedral Echmiatsin and Armenian
Benevolent Union.

Source: Panorama.am

RA OMBUDSMAN TRIES TO DEFEND RIGHTS OF HIS STAFF

Noyan Tapan
Oct 30, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Although the RA Ombudsman submitted
a bid to increase allocations to his office by 50-60 mln drams with
the aim of raising the salaries of employees of his office by 50%,
the government left the allocations at the previous level in the 2009
draft state budget. The deputy minister of finance Pavel Safarian
said at a joint sitting of the NA standing committees that no change
in salaries is envisaged in the bodies elected by the parliament.

In the words of the RA Ombudsman Armen Harutyunian, increasing the
salaries of the employees of the RA Ombudsman Office is not only a
financial but also a political problem, and his task is to equalize
actually the status of the body headed by him with that of the other
bodies elected by the National Assembly. Admitting the fact that the
salaries of employees of the Constitutional Court and the Control
Chamber did not change either, he at the same time mentioned that
the actual salaries of the heads and employees of the indicated
structures are 2-3 times higher as a result of their additional
payments. A. Harutyunian said 5 employees of his 40-member staff
left thier jobs, while another two are going to change their jobs. He
pointed out that the reason is not only low salaries but also the fact
that the years of work at the RA Ombudsman Office are not included
in employees’ length of service. The RA Ombudsman informed those
present that he repeatedly raised the problem at all the levels but
he was told that this is a problem of a political decision, and all
the promises to deal with it were not kept.

The NA deputy Rafik Petrosian said that under the Law on Ombudsman,
the ombudsman shall submit a bid on financing the Ombudsman Office,
and the amount of the financing requested by the ombudsman shall be
indicated in the draft budget. If the government has any ojections, its
representative must substantiate these objections during discussions
at the parliament. The same law stipulates that the Ombudsman’s salary
shall be equal to that of the Chairman of the Constitutional Court.