Author: Torgomian Varazdat

NEW PROSPECTS OPEN FOR COOPERATION BETWEEN ARMENIA AND EGYPT

Noyan Tapan
March 3, 2010

YEREVAN, MARCH 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Receiving on March 3 Egypt-based
ARTOC Group’s delegation headed by the company chairman Shafik Gabr,
the Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan stated that he has been
informed and has a high opinion about the investment projects that
ARTOC Group for Investment & Development plans to implement. Speaking
about the prospects of promoting bilateral cooperation and implementing
investment projects, he attached great importance to the development
of a knowledge-based economy, in which the creation of technoparks
is of special importance. The interlocutors underlined the necessity
of founding technical business parks which should include all the
necessary services in the IT sector and science.

The RA Government Information and PR Department reports that the
sides considered it important to implement projects on free economic
zones and discussed the opportunities of building a broadband Internet
network. According to T. Sargsyan, the Armenian government approved
the concept of forming e-society, which involves the prospects of
continuous development of e-governance. He expressed a hope that the
envisaged joint projects will be implemented successfully and invited
the guests to visit Armenia in October in order to attend the opening
ceremony of the Tatev funicular ropeway – the longest one in the world.

ITALIAN DUO EL TANGO TO LAUNCH ALBUM IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.03.2010 15:58 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A concert of the Italian duo Duo el tango to be
held between March 2 and 4 in Yerevan at the Chamber Music Hall
after Komitas with Virtuoso accordionist (bandoneon) Mario Stefano
Pietrodarchi and a guitarist Luca Lucini.

"A new joint album "Tango" by the Italian duo will be also held in
Yerevan," Armen Mazmanyan, artistic director of the Goy Theater told
a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. The concert will be organized with the
assistance of RA ministry of culture.

On March 4 the duo will perform another music program in the Armenian
capital in a more private setting of the Mezzo music club.

ARMENIAN EMBASSY MAY OPEN IN SPAIN

Aysor
March 2 2010
Armenia

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said at today’s meeting
with Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Miguel Angel
Moratinos that Armenian administration intends to open an embassy in
Spain. The opening is expected in the course of 2010, according to
announcement by Minister Nalbandian.

"We’ve held talks with the Spanish counterpart and discussed
Armenia-Spain relations. I said that Armenian administration indents
to open an embassy in Spain and hopes the Spanish diplomatic mission
will be found in Armenia," said Foreign Minister Nalbandian.

Miguel Angel Moratinos, who is on a visit to Armenia in the framework
of the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union,
said that the EU seeks for cooperation with Armenia and intends to
add wings to process of signing the Agreement on Association.

"Armenia considers the EU as a reliable political and economical
partner," said Edward Nalbandian. He added that the Eastern Partnership
Program, which launched last year, creates great opportunities for
cooperation in several spheres.

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

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Watch our latest videos on YouTube here:

"THE CHURCHES OF INDIA LIVE AS ONE FAMILY IN A BROADER MULTI-RELIGIOUS
COMMUNITY"

Said His Holiness Aram I

Concluding his visit to the Indian Orthodox church, His Holiness Aram I said
that "The Churches of India live as one family with a strong sense of
togetherness as integral part of a broader inter-religious community". He
warmly welcomed the Churches growing commitment to working together and
moving forward to the visible unity of the church: "The Churches of India
share a common tradition and values. They all venerate ST. Thomas as the
founder of Christianity in India. This sense of belonging to the same
tradition must become a driving force in the churches endeavors to give
fuller manifestation to the communion of faith" said His Holiness Aram I.

Aram I was speaking at the farewell diner given in his honor by His Holiness
Dydimos I. Attending the diner were the bishops of the Indian Orthodox
Church, representatives of the churches, state ministers and deputies and
representatives of civil society.

Catholicos Aram I also stressed the vital importance of living together as a
community with other religions, considering India "a model of community of
inter- religious diversities". He said that "a community of inter-religious
diversities must be built on common values and sustained by tolerance and
mutual trust".

According to His Holiness, globalization is a "hope and progress", at the
same time it may become a source of "evil if its values are taken blindly".
He said that we must have "a critical and realistic approach to
globalization. The local traditions and identities must not be destroyed by
the forces of globalization. Religions have a special role to play in this
respect".

The concluding remarks of Aram I was preceded by the greetings of Catholicos
designate of the Indian Orthodox Church, metropolitan Gregory of Trivandrum
Dr. Ninon Koshi, the former director of the World Council of Churches
International Affairs Department and minster of cultural and education.

##
View the photos here:
c/Photos/Photos448.htm
http://www.armenianorthodox church.org/v04/doc/Photos/Photos448-.htm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities 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.

AZERBAIJANI MP: RESOLUTION OF PROTRACTED NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT WILL ONLY BENEFIT ARMENIA
Z. Ahmadov

Today
2796.html
March 1 2010
Azerbaijan

Day.Az interview with member of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis
(parliament) Azay Guliyev.

Many experts argue that some forces in Armenia have much more
constructive approach to the Karabakh problem than the ruling circles.

Do you share this view?

It’s true. Some political parties and NGOs in Armenia do not share the
authorities’ approach to the Karabakh problem. They understand that
Armenia has occupied Azerbaijani lands and Azerbaijan will never
accept loss of its territories. Therefore, they strongly oppose
political line pursued by the Armenian authorities and understand
its futility. But Armenia’s police regime does not allow voices of
"disgruntled" to be heard at full. I think that if there was secret
and fair vote on the Karabakh issue in Armenia, quite many disgruntled
people would be able to express their views.

There are mothers in Armenia, too, who do not want their children
to be killed in a war. That is why all "disgruntled" in Armenia
must quickly show themselves, and, finally, resolve this protracted
problem. Armenia will only benefit from this.

In your opinion, may these forces come to power one day?

There are two problems in this regard. The first is a police regime
in Yerevan who does not want to hand over the power to anyone. The
second is that Armenia is not actually an independent state. As shown
by well-known events in the Armenian parliament in the 1990s, this
country’s policies are largely controlled by external forces. So,
change of power in Armenia is not very realistic at the moment.

But this is not important for Baku. The main thing for us is that
Armenia understands that its mythical desire to form "Great Armenia
from sea to sea" is a utopia. Azerbaijan will never reconcile with
the loss of its territories.

In your view, are the Zurich Protocols likely to be ratified with
reservations made by the Armenian Constitutional Court before Turkey
does so?

I think that this option is quite possible and will mean end of the
Zurich process. Turkey will never agree to accept the protocols in
a form amended by the Armenian Constitutional Court. Therefore, it
is another ploy of Armenia’s policy prior to the "Armenian genocide"
discussions in the U.S. Congress.

It should also be noted that Armenia has adopted a law on country’s
withdrawal from international treaties. Thus, Yerevan wants to insure
itself against the unfavorable situation. In any case, I believe that
Turkey has made a mistake at the very beginning. Turkey should not
have signed the Zurich accords.

THREE HOUSE LAWMAKERS ENCOURAGE THEIR COLLEAGUES TO STOP GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

PanARMENIAN.Net
01.03.2010 13:47 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A trio of House lawmakers is encouraging their
colleagues to stop the Armenian Genocide resolution before a key
committee vote this week. In a February 22 letter to House Foreign
Affairs Committee members, Reps. Steve Cohen, Kay Granger and Ed
Whitfield ask their colleagues to reject a resolution that would
recognize the killing of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians by the
Ottoman Turks during World War I as Genocide, The Hill reported.

"A vote on this resolution will do nothing to rectify the tragedies
of the past, but it will most certainly have significant negative
consequences on current and future relations with Turkey," the
letter says. Cohen, Granger and Whitfield are all co-chairs of the
Congressional Caucus on U.S.-Turkey Relations.

The three lawmakers are also working on a separate letter to Reps.

Howard Berman, the committee chairman, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen,
the panel’s ranking member, opposing the resolution. The trio is
gathering members’ signatures and 14 lawmakers have signed onto the
letter to Berman and Ros-Lehtinen. Aides are expecting many more to
sign on before that letter’s release on Tuesday.

Turkey lobbies heavily against the resolution every Congress it is
introduced, hiring some of K Street’s biggest names in lobbying and
public relations. In turn, Armenian-American groups push for the
resolution’s passage and, like Turkey, are trying to bolster their
support on the House Foreign Affairs Committee before the key vote
next week.

Leaders of four groups – the Armenian Assembly of America, Armenian
General Benevolent Union, the Eastern Diocese Armenian Church of
America and the Western Diocese Armenian Church of America – wrote
a February 25 letter to Berman, urging him to support the resolution.

Doing so will "send a powerful message that America is committed to
the fundamental principles of human rights and basic freedoms around
the world," the letter says.

The resolution has a good chance of passing the committee with Berman
already supporting it. Including the California Democrat, there are
16 lawmakers on the 46-member committee that are listed as co-sponsors.

Overall in the House, the measure has 137 co-sponsors.

The question remains as to what happens to the resolution if it passes
the committee. In 2007, the resolution squeaked by the panel with
a close vote of 27-21 in its favor. But after intense pressure from
Turkey, Speaker Nancy Pelosi decided against bringing the resolution
to the House floor after originally promising to do so.

A spokesman for Pelosi did not say whether or not the House leader
would bring the resolution to the floor for a vote if it passed the
committee again.

"It’s important to take it one step at a time and see what the
committee does next week. Following their action, we can have
a discussion with the chairman and others about next steps," said
Nadeam Elshami, Pelosi’s spokesman.

95th anniversary of Armenian Genocide to be commemorated in Times Square

26.02.2010 12:24

Yerevan (Yerkir) – On Sunday, April 25, 2010, for the 25th year,
thousands of Armenian Americans and people against genocide will
gather in Times Square from 2-4 PM to commemorate the first genocide
of the 20th Century, the Armenian Genocide, Asbarez reported.

This year’s commemoration will underscore the theme: `Turkey is the
Question, America is the Answer.’
This historic event will pay tribute to the 1.5 million Armenians who
were annihilated by the Young Turk Government of the Ottoman Empire
(1915-1923) and address the consequences plaguing humanity till this
day.

The commemoration will come amid heightened attention on Armenia and
Turkey. Government leaders and the news media have recently been
preoccupied with Turkish-Armenians relations and the prospects for
opening the closed borders in the Caucasus.

Major political figures will speak at the memorial event as well as
civic, humanitarian, and educational leaders.

This event is sponsored by the Knights & Daughters of Vartan, a
national fraternal organization, and co-sponsored by the Armenian
General Benevolent Union, Armenian Assembly of America, Armenian
National Committee of America, Armenian Democratic Liberal Party, and
the Armenian Council of America.

Participating Organizations include the Diocese of the Armenian
Church, Prelacy of the Armenian Church, Armenian Missionary
Association of America, Armenian Missionary Association, Armenian
Evangelical Union, Armenian Catholic Eparchy, and several national
Armenian youth organizations.

ianyan magazine
Feb 26 2010

CBS News to Air Armenian Genocide Report

By Liana Aghajanian on February 26th, 2010

The greater Armenian Diaspora is abuzz as CBS’ 60 Minutes prepares to
air `Battle Over History,’ a program highlighting the Armenian
Genocide and the decades long battle for its recognition on Sunday,
Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. EST.

Although CBS has uploaded a short, 42-second preview of the program,
the comments – which are typical banter you would find on any internet
forum where the Genocide is up for debate – are more interesting,
than the sneak peek.
`Just tell me how you could have acted so blind in acknowledging this
human tragedy, all this time?!.. Where is your conscious?’ writes
Sevak-S. `Shame on you who participated in the denial policies of the
perpetrators¦ by doing so, you’ve stained your own humanity.’

Another reader named Harmik offered this in an opposite vein: `This is
a bunch of smoke and mirrors. No more than a few thousand Armenians
died.’

The comments also reveal the personal stories from the descendants of
Armenian Genocide victims and survivors.

The program’s description reads, `The Armenians call it their
holocaust – the 1915 forced deportation and massacre of more than a
million Armenians by the Turks. But the Turks and our own government
have refused to call it genocide.’ It will feature best-selling author
and Armenian Genocide scholar Peter Balakian, according to Armenia
Now.

The program’s timely airing comes days before a U.S. Congressional
committee vote on March 4 of House Resolution 252, which seeks
affirmation of the U.S. Record on the Armenian Genocide.

It also `calls upon the President to ensure that the foreign policy of
the United States reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity
concerning issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing and
genocide documented in the United States record relating to the
Armenian Genocide’ and also asks the President to `accurately
characterize the systematic and deliberate annihilation of 1,500,000
Armenians as genocide’ in an annual message issued on or about April
24.

An article by Manhattan business lawyer Mark Meirowitz on History of
Truth, a Turkish, anti-Armenian Genocide website highlights why the
resolution should be opposed, including that `U.S. strategic interests
would be severely disrupted’ and that `the practical effect of this
Resolution will be to paint a very negative picture of all Turks
around the world.’

Watch a preview of `Battle Over History’ below:

ACCORDING TO LAWYERS, MANY VIOLATIONS WERE COMMITTED DURING PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION ON SARIBEK SUKIASIAN’S CASE

Noyan Tapan
Feb 26, 2010

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. Many violations were committed
during the preliminary examination on the case of Armeconombank
Board Chairman Saribek Sukiasian and Ayrarat fair Director Artashes
Stepanian. Their lawyers Lusine Sahakian and Yervand Varosian declared
at a February 23 press conference.

Opposing to the opposite assertions of Chief of Yerevan Police Nerses
Nazarian the lawyers, in particular, mentioned that S. Sukiasian and
A. Stepanian were illegally kept at the Police station for 9 and 10
hours, respectively, for 4 hours were deprived of the possibility of
meeting their lawyers as the latters were not permitted to enter the
police station.

Besides, the address was mentioned wrongly in the court judgement
on holding a search at S. Sukiasian’s office and the investigator
blotted out it with his hands, wrote in his opinion a right address
and said "I corrected the address." That is, according to the lawyers,
obviously an illegal search was held. Investigator Artur Petrosian
confiscating the text of declaration on the violations in the case
being a legal secret prohibited the lawyers to copy that declaration.

And breaking the office doors by several dozens of policemen,
according to the lawyers, is nothing else but damaging the property
deliberately and abuse of official position as the chief entrance of
the office was open and the policemen could easily enter the office
through that entrance.

"Since the day of filing the case I have never seen even if one
document made up by the preliminary examination body that corresponds
to the law," L. Sahakian declared adding: "And under the circumstances
to assert that the case has no violations means that either Chief of
Yerevan Police was deceived or he deceives society." And the final
goal of all this turmoil, according to the lawyers, is taking away
from S. Sukiasian the Byuregh factory belonging to him and giving it
to a concrete person, Ruben Hayrapetian.

AMERIABANK: ARMENIA CAN RECORD HIGHER-THAN-EXPECTED ECONOMIC GROWTH IN 2010

ARKA
Feb 26, 2010

YEREVAN, February 26. /ARKA/. Tigran Jrbashyan, development director
of Ameriabank finds the 1.2% economic growth outlook for Armenia in
2010 pessimistic.

He thinks that the economic growth can be far higher.

Jrbashyan told journalists on Friday that Armenia’s economic
development will be contingent on how quick Armenia’s partners will
recover from the crisis.

Oil prices and dollar/euro ratio will influence the development
as well.

That is why it is necessary to take into account the global situation
for making forecasts.

"The latest world outlooks show that the global economy is coming out
of the first stage of the crisis, but there is a threat of a double-dip
crisis. This threat is mainly depend on things in China and on whether
this country will manage to retain the current trend," Jrbashyan said.

He thinks that inflation will be among Armenia’s biggest troubles in
the first half of 2010, and the central bank has already embarked on
relevant monetary policy and has raised refinancing rate.

Jrbashyan said that in the second half of 2010, the impact will
be softer.

In the 2010 state budget, GDP growth is planned at 1.2%.

European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and International
Monetary Fund predict a two-percent economic growth.