Author: Toneyan Mark

RATIFICATION OF THE PROTOCOLS NOT ON THE AGENDA

armradio.am
12.11.2009 17:55

Ratification of the protocols signed by Turkey and Armenia in Zurich
on October 10 does stand on the agenda of the Turkish parliament’s
foreign relations commission," member of Turkish parliament from AKP,
member of the parliament’s foreign relations commission Zeynep Daghi
said, APA reports.

"I know for sure that the protocols are not on the commission’s
agenda," she said.

The Turkish parliament sent the Armenian-Turkish protocols to the
foreign relations commission on October 21.

SENATOR MCCAIN CLAIMS ‘ARMENIAN GENOCIDE’

AzerNews Weekly
Nov 10 2009

US Senator John McCain, a former presidential candidate, reportedly
claims Turkey committed genocide against Armenians during World War
I and that this is proven with documents.

Armenians say Ottoman Turks killed 1.5 million people in 1915,
a claim strenuously denied by the modern Turkish state.

In an interview with Voice of America, McCain said he supports the
process of rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia.

McCain welcomed progress that has been achieved in Turkey-Armenia
reconciliation. "For the first time, the parties are making steps in
the same direction."

"On the other hand, the Turkish and Armenian people and states cannot
forget their past. Especially Armenians can’t. Because of that they
consider that they should develop the relations with Turkey step by
step," the senator said, adding that he favors this approach.

Senator McCain, who stood in the presidential elections on November 4,
2008 as a nominee representing the Republican Party, lost to his rival
from the Democratic Party Barack Obama. While on the campaign trail,
he was said to have vehemently rejected the "genocide" claims. The
Atlantic Monthly magazine then reported that McCain was committed to
a firm stance on the issue and has repeatedly opposed the allegations.

As for Obama, despite pledging during his pre-election campaign to
recognize the "genocide", he did not deliver on the promise after
being elected president.*

SOME 21.2 BILLION DRAMS EARMARKED FOR TREATMENT OF PATIENTS IN HOSPITALS AND CLINICS IN 2010

ARKA
Nov 11, 2009

YEREVAN, November 11, /ARKA/. Armenian health minister Harutyun
Kushkian said Tuesday the draft 2010 budget has earmarked 21.2 billion
Drams for treatment of patients in hospitals and clinics. Speaking at
a news conference he said this will be enough to ensure 215,00 berths.

In his words, the average cost of a one-day treatment of a patient
will rise by 8% from 2009 to 12,400 Drams. He said also the average
salary of senior medics next year will not changed and will remain
62,00 Drams and that of lower staff will remain 49,000 Drams.

The minister said also his agency will continue next year
implementation of a project designed to modernize the sector, backed
by a World Bank loan. The project will kick off in December this
year and run throughout next year. The funds, 4.3 billion Drams,
will be used for compete reconstruction of hospitals in Hrazdan,
Ijevan, Armavir, Aparan, Goris and Gavar.

He said next year the ministry will launch also construction of a
new building for the central hospital of Gyumri and in 2-3 years the
second largest town of Armenia will have a modern hospital furnished
with up-to-date equipment and trained personnel.

The 2010 draft budget has earmarked a total of 55.1 billion Drams as
healthcare spending.

($1 – 387.72 Drams).

SWINE FLU REACHES ARMENIA
Nelly Danielyan

"Radiolur"
10.11.2009 18:02

Armenia did not avoid the H1N1 virus. Three swine flu cases have been
confirmed in Armenia. Armenian Health Minister Harutyun Kushkyan told
reporters today that although the virus has been identified by local
laboratories, it still has to be confirmed by the London laboratories.

The Minister said the lab tests of two Armenian and one Iranian citizen
have proved positive. The Iranian citizen later left Armenia, but the
two Armenian citizens are still in hospital and will be discharged
in two or three days. The final results will be available in a month.

"There is no reason for panic. We simply have to be cautious in
order to be able to resist the disease. The symptoms do not differ
form those of ordinary flu. They include high temperature, headache,
muscle pain, reddening of eyes," the Minister said.

The preventive measures against swine flu are now restricted to
propaganda. As offor the prevention of seasonal flu, Armenia has
enough of Tamiflu vaccine.

The World Health Organization has promised vaccine to Armenia next
year. "The Ministry of Health is currently negotiating with the WHO
to change the terms of supply, as the first swine flue cases have been
registered in Armenia," Kushkyan said. The Minister added that special
vaccines, with minimum side effects, would be purchased for children.

AZERI MP: TURKEY DEMANDS GUARANTEES ON AZERBAIJAN’S OCCUPIED LANDS FROM THE UNITED STATES AND RUSSIA

news.az
Nov 10 2009
Azerbaijan

Fazil Mustafa "Today Turkey is in an awkward situation and it does
not know what to do with the protocols it signed with Armenia.

If the ruling party ratifies these protocols, it may face the prospect
of losing powers, as the nationalistic forces in Turkey will use
these protocols against Erdogan’s government. But if it does not
ratify them, it will face pressure of superpowers", parliamentarian
Fazil Mustafa said.

"Currently, the Turkish government must attain the liberation of at
least a part of the occupied lands of Azerbaijan.

It is obvious that Turkey attempts to get guarantees from Russia and
the United States regarding this issue. It is not ruled out that the
hasty organization of the meetings of the Azerbaijani and Armenian
presidents by OSCE’s Minsk Group co-chairs in late November is also
related to these processes.

Let’s see the schedule of all these processes to judge. First comes
the meeting of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia and then
on December 7 Erdogan will leave to Washington. The link between
these processes is evident. But it will depend on Armenia’s conduct
during the talks. I do not see any softening in Armenia’s position
yet. But let’s wait for the meeting of the presidents and we will see
what position Armenia and superpowers will take regarding all these
processes around the Karabakh conflict", he said.

AYDIN MIRZAZADE: ARMENIA WILL SEE ITS CONDITIONS WORSENING BEFORE WINTER WITHOUT OPENING OF BORDERS WITH TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN

news.az
Nov 9 2009
Azerbaijan

Aydin Mirzazade "We are grateful to all political powers of Turkey
for support to Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan and Turkey are natural and
historical allies so this step was expected", parliamentarian Aydin
Mirzazade has said.

He noted that "Azerbaijan’s importance for Turkey’s political life
is great and it is no accident that all political parties of this
country, including ruling and oppositional ones, support the just
position of Azerbaijan".

"I think Turkey’s principal position on the Karabakh issue will make
Armenia soften its position at the upcoming meeting of the Azerbaijani
and Armenian presidents. Armenia should understand that borders
with Turkey will not open without the Karabakh conflict settlement",
he said.

"Now Armenia has the only path to life – via Iran. But this path is
also unstable considering the state which this country is now in.

Moreover, in winter the road between Iran and Armenia is difficult to
pass. Thus, Armenia will see its state worsening without the opening of
borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan before this winter. Today everything
depends on the position of its leadership and how it behaves during
talks. If it wants the development of its country and its people,
it should denounce its nonconstructive policy as it leads Armenia to
nowhere", the deputy said.

"In 1991 Armenian and Azerbaijani budgets were equal and totaled
4 bn former Russian rubles, while now Azerbaijan’s budget is 12.5
bn and Armenia’s is nearly 2bn. Thus we can make a conclusion that
Armenia’s policy of aggression against neighbors led it to the current
state and if it does not understand it, it will see worse times",
the deputy said.

ARMENIA-TURKEY PROTOCOLS NOT INTRODUCED TO RA CONSTITUTIONAL COURT YET

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.11.2009 10:31 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has not sent the
Armenia-Turkey protocols to the Constitutional Court yet, CC spokesman
Hovhannes Papikyan told PanARMENIAN.Net.

It’s not known when the protocols will be submitted to the CC.

AKHTAMAR ARMENIAN CHURCH ON TURKISH PARLIAMENT’S AGENDA

Tert
Nov 6 2009
Armenia

Democratic Society Party (DTP) Van Deputy Ozdal Ucer brought to
Turkey’s parliamentary agenda the issue that certain Armenian,
Assyrian and Chaldean religious sites especially in Van were used as
barns and military sites, and that it was forbidden to put a cross on
the dome of the Sourp Khatch Church on Akhtamar Island. The member
of parliament demanded preservation of these structures within the
context of preserving ‘cultural wealth.’

MP Ucer expressed to the parliament his contempt at the intolerance
against religious minorities’ places of worship and at the careless
restoration works with destructive consequences. Submitting a question
motion to be answered by Minister of Culture and Tourism Ertıugrul
Gunay, Ucer said a disrespectful attitude was apparent in places of
worship belonging to Armenian, Assyrian and Chaldean peoples in Van
and the surrounding area, reminding parliamentarians that the Red
Church in Van’s BaÅ~_kale town was used as a barn and the church in
Albayrak village as a military site.

Though the Sourp Khatch Armenian Church in Akhtamar Island was
restored, according to the parliamentarian, worship was prohibited
there, the restoration was not performed in accordance with the
original form, and a cross was still not put on the church dome.

Noting that the Sourp Khatch Armenian Church in Akhtamar Island was
allowed to be used as place of worship, Ucer said this situation
conflicted with the state officials’ statements which follow that
"Our diversity is our wealth."

Ucer asked the following questions to be answered by the Ministry of
Culture and Tourism: "How many churches are there within the borders
of Van province? What kind of studies are conducted relating to them?

Is there an ongoing study in accordance with the original of the
Akhtamar Church? Is there any study to open the said church to
worship? Are other churches in the city subjected to any kind of
restoration?"

AAA THANKED CONGRESSMAN PERIELLO FOR HIS DEDICATION TO AFFIRMATION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.11.2009 20:25 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During a meeting on Capital Hill, Armenian Assembly
Executive Director Bryan Ardouny and Congressional Relations Associate
Bianka Dodov emphasized the importance of squarely affirming the
Armenian Genocide and thanked Congressman Tom Periello for his support
of H. Res. 252, the Armenian Genocide resolution.

H. Res. 252 was introduced by Congressman Adam Schiff along with
his colleagues Congressman George Radanovich and Armenian Caucus
Co-Chairs, Congressmen Frank Pallone Jr. and Mark Kirk. This bipartisan
legislation recalls the proud chapter in U.S. history in helping to
save the survivors of the first genocide of the twentieth century.

With over 130 cosponsors, the legislation is currently pending before
the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, where last Congress, it was
adopted by the full Committee with the support of the late Chairman
Tom Lantos.

"The Armenian Assembly thanks Congressman Periello for his dedication
to affirmation of the Armenian Genocide," stated Executive Director
Bryan Ardouny. "In the face of an ongoing campaign to deny the Armenian
Genocide, H. Res. 252, and its counterpart in the Senate, S.

Res. 316, sends a powerful message," added Ardouny. "The Assembly will
continue its advocacy efforts and outreach to all those committed to
the cause of genocide education and prevention to ensure passage of
this important human rights legislation."

As a newly minted Member of Congress, Periello serves on the House
Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and the House Veterans’
Affairs Committee.

ARMENIA INTENDS TO STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION WITH NATO

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.11.2009 18:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian met Special
Representative of NATO Secretary General in the South Caucasus and
Central Asia, Robert Simmons. At the meeting, RA FM emphasized the
importance of bilateral collaboration and expressed Armenia’s intention
to strengthen it through Armenia -NATO Individual Partnership Action
Plan (IPAP).

In his turn, Robert Simmons gave high assessment to NATO’s partnership
with Armenia, expressing a hope that 2009-2010 IPAP will also be
successfully implemented. He emphasized the importance of Armenia’s
contribution to international peacemaking mission.

At the meeting, the parties focused on regional issues, with NATO
Secretary General’s Special Representative expressing approval for
progress in RA-Turkey rapprochement process, RA MFA press service
reported.