Author: Vanyan Gary

INTERMEDIARIES AFFIRM POSITIVE TRENDS IN KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

Interfax
April 27 2009
Russia

The Co-chairmen of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group said they are optimistic about the resolution
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, during a press conference in Yerevan.

There are intentions and possibilities to settle this
conflict, U.S. Cochairman Matthew Bryza told the conference on
Monday. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said recently that
the conflict might be resolved within the next few months, Bryza said,
adding that in his opinion that was realistic.

quot;The parties to the conflict understand that it is possible to
make progress, but it is still difficult to set a timeframe. One thing
is clear – the sides will concentrate on a peace agreement once they
coordinate positions on fundamental [settlement] principles,quot;
Russian Co-chairman Yuri Merzlyakov said.

The intermediaries hope for a fruitful and constructive meeting of the
Armenian and Azeri presidents in Prague on May 7, French Co-chairman
Bernard Fassier said.

‘The presidents may also meet in St. Petersburg in June, but everything
will depend on their will and mutual understanding,quot; Fassier said.

The co-chairmen welcomed the closer relations between Armenia and
Turkey and the coordination of the normalization roadmap.

Merzlyakov rejected claims that Russia might withdraw its servicemen
from Armenia with the settlement of the Armenian-Turkish relations.

IRAN’S INVESTMENT IN ARMENIA HIT $980 MLN

Moj News Agency
April 27, 2009 Monday
Iran

Iran`s investment in Armenia reached $980 million, head of National
Security Council of Armenia said adding that increasing the Islamic
Republic`s investment in Armenia was one of the main subjects discussed
in the last meeting of the Council. Referring to Armenian President`s
recent visit to Iran, he said during Serzh Sargsian`s visit, 8
memoranda of understanding were signed between the two countries in
various fields including railways transportation, railways links,
hydroelectric power station, free trade, petroleum pipeline, energy
and banking.

ARMENIAN RELIEF SOCIETY OF WESTERN U.S.A., INC.
Contact: Boghos Patatian
517 W. Glenoaks Blvd.
Glendale, CA 91202-2812
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 818-500-1343
Fax: 818-242-3732
Web:

ARS-WR TO HOST ITS 8th ANNUAL ARMENIAN FOOD AND CULTURAL FESTIVAL

Thousands Expected to Attend and Celebrate the 99th Anniversary of the
Organization’s Establishment

GLENDALE, CA – Months of hard work, planning and preparation have culminated
in the exiting opportunity for The Armenian Relief Society of Western U.S.A.
to finally announce that all of the hard work poured into the organization
of the 8th Annual 2009 ARS Armenian Cultural and Food Festival, celebrating
the 99th Anniversary of the establishment of the A.R.S., is complete and its
organizers cordially invite the public to attend this very important,
enriching and one-of-a-kind community-wide event.

Scheduled to be held at Glendale Civic Auditorium as in years past, the 8th
Annual 2009 ARS Armenian Cultural and Food Festival is expected to draw over
3000 to 4000 people will be held on Saturday, May 2nd, 2009 at the Glendale
Civic Auditorium located at 1401 North Verdugo Road, Glendale (the cross
street is East Mountain Street). The festival’s doors open and the non-stop
entertainment begins at 10:00AM in the morning and the entertainment and
festivities continue on all day until 11:00PM in the evening. The Festival’s
official opening ceremonies will take place at 1:00PM. Admission is $5 for
the public (very young children are admitted free of charge).

This Annual festival is intended to expose its attendees to the rich and
robust traditions of Armenian hospitality and culture; offering them the
merriment of many traditional festivities, along with: an Armenian Costume
Show; the opportunity to have their picture or their children’s picture
taken in traditional Armenian costumes; learn to dance with Armenian dance
groups; learn how traditional "lavash" bread and string cheese is prepared;
listen and dance to lively music performed by contemporary adult and
children’s entertainers; and roaming around unique exhibits of local and
Armenian products such as books, arts and crafts, food and drinks.

The festival is an ideal place to bring the community and three generations
of families together, all under one roof, for a relaxing, culturally
enriching and enjoyable outing, where Armenian music, art, dance, history,
and culinary heritage are prominently and proudly showcased and displayed
alongside children’s games and entertainment. All of the interesting and
informative programming enjoyed by Armenians and non-Armenians alike in
years past will return, along with expanded activities and games for young
children.

Unparalleled in the sheer volume of services it provides, the Armenian
Relief Society, Inc. is the oldest and largest Armenian women’s humanitarian
organization of its kind within Armenia and throughout the Diaspora. It is
an independent, non-governmental and non-sectarian philanthropic
organization which serves the humanitarian needs of the Armenian people and
seeks to preserve the cultural identity of the Armenian nation, whenever and
wherever the need arises, and to bring educational and humanitarian help to
all communities in distress –Armenian and non-Armenian alike. Over course
of the century since its founding in New York City New York, in 1910, the
organization has in the past and continues to serve the world by: feeding
and clothing the needy, supporting schools and after-school programs,
helping the elderly, sponsoring orphans, and empowering women. Since its
founding the ARS has continually expanded and currently has chapters and
entities in 26 countries. The establishment of the first two ARS-WR chapters
west of the Mississippi River occurred in Fresno in 1915 and Hollywood 1918.

Established in 1984, The ARS of Western USA, is one of the 12 regions of the
ARS international. Its regional operations are coordinated through its
regional office in Glendale, CA. The Region has 26 chapters, 5 Social
Service Offices, Child Youth and Family Guidance Center, fifteen Saturday
Schools and after school programs and the list goes on. Its Social Services
and the Guidance Centers are open to every member of our community,
Armenians and non-Armenians alike. It also maintains several programs in
Armenia and Artsakh such as: the "Sponsor a Child Program," "Food for
Orphans Project" as well as other humanitarian assistance programs in the
region. During its 100-year history, the ARS has worked faithfully and
tirelessly to meet the social, humanitarian, educational, and cultural needs
of the Armenian people, in both the Diaspora and in Armenia. It has
established schools, social service centers, youth camps, and day care
kindergartens across the globe and recently extended its role in the
international forum by becoming a roster member of the United Nations’
Economic and Social Committee (ECOSOC) and an active participant in ECOSOC’s
many working groups.

Anyone seeking further information or details, is encouraged to visit our
website at or contact the ARS-WR Executive Headquarters
at (818) 500-1343, (818) 242-3732 (fax) or email us at:
[email protected].

BANK VTB (ARMENIA) RECEIVES FIRST $2.5MLN TRANCHE UNDER EBRD PROGRAM

ArmInfo
2009-04-29 19:03:00

Bank VTB (Armenia) has received the first $2.5mln tranche under EBRD
SME crediting program and has already started the lending, Director
General-Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bank VTB (Armenia)
Valery Ovsyannikov said during a press-conference today.

Presently, the bank is considering the possibility of lending the
money in AMD.

"The client earning his money in AMD should be able to borrow it also
in AMD. The bank would also benefit from this as AMD crediting would
reduce currency risks," Ovsyannikov said.

The bank is planning to open a special SME micro-crediting and
crediting center at on e of its Yerevan branches.

In Dec 2008 EBRD and Bank VTB (Armenia) signed a $10mln SME crediting
agreement. The money will be provided in three tranches. The interest
on the loans is 20%, the repayment period is 3 years, the maximum
amount is 15mln AMD.

ANNE DERSE: "CHANGES IN THE REGION CAN APPEAR FEARFUL"

APA
April 27 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku. Lachin Sultanova – APA. US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Anne Derse
was a guest of "Ambassador’s Hour" club at Baku Slavic University. The
diplomat spoke about the relationship between the United States and
the Russian Federation, APA reports. She laid out a few of the areas
where the Russian-American partnership can make the world a safer
and healthier place. "We can reduce the number of nuclear weapons
and work together to stop the spread of nuclear weapons elsewhere",
she said. According to her, still today, foreign correspondents love
to speculate about the "New Great Game," in which Russia, the United
States, Europe and Iran compete. "I’m here to tell you that there is
no New Great Game. The future of Azerbaijan — the future of all the
independent, sovereign nations of this region — is not subject to a
game. Your future is yours to decide. Not Moscow’s; not Washington’s;
not anyone else’s". The ambassador said it was natural that Russia
and Azerbaijan, as neighbors, had normal relations. "It is natural
that Russia’s economic, diplomatic and cultural ties with Azerbaijan
are solid and thriving. Azerbaijan would be a less dynamic nation
without them".

Anne Derse answered the questions of the faculty and staff. She said
her country was intensifying its efforts toward settlement of Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. "Concrete developments can be a sign of changes in
the region. These changes can appear fearful. The diplomat reminded
that OSCE Minsk Group US Co-chair Matthew Bryza visited the region
for six times over the last couple of weeks by the instructions of
the US President and the Secretary of State.

Cape Times (South Africa)
April 24, 2009 Friday
e2 Edition

Turkey and Armenia to normalise ties

Turkey and Armenia have agreed on a framework to normalise ties after
nearly a century of hostility, a move that could stabilise the
volatile, oil-rich Caucasus, but may affect European energy security
plans.

Former officers jailed for war crimes in Serbia

Serbia’s war crimes court sentenced four former policemen yesterday to
prison terms ranging from 13 to 20 years for killing 50 Kosovo
Albanians found buried with hundreds of others in a mass grave near
Belgrade.

Pakistani paramilitary forces rushing to protect government buildings
and bridges in a Taliban-infiltrated district near the capital were
yesterday met with gunfire which killed one police officer,
authorities said.

Malaysia’s government announced yesterday that it would bar the
religious conversion of children without both parents’ consent, in a
major step to ease interfaith conflicts that have strained race
relations in this Muslim-majority country.

Negotiators from the United States and Russia will take the first
steps towards a new treaty to curb nuclear arms today.

Indonesia orders Red Cross committee to shut

Indonesia’s government ordered the International Committee of the Red
Cross to shut its office in Papua province after staff members visited
suspected rebels in jail.

A Philippine appeal court overturned the 2006 rape conviction of a US
Marine and ordered his immediate release yesterday.

Anadolu Agency, Turkey
April 25 2009

PRESIDENT GUL CRITISIZES OBAMA’S SPEECH ON INCIDENTS OF 1915

SOFIA (A.A) – 25.04.2009 – President Abdullah Gul commented on
U.S. President Barack Obama’s statement on 1915 incidents, and said
pain and suffering of all people who lost their lives in 1915 should
be remembered.
Gul told reporters in Sofia that he disagreed with parts of Obama’s
statement, noting that not only Armenians but hundreds of thousands of
Turks and Muslims lost their lives during the incidents of 1915.

He said statesmen and politicians could not pass judgement on events
in the history, adding that it was time to look to the future and give
a chance to diplomatic efforts for solution of issues in the region
including issues between Turkey and Armenia, and Armenia and
Azarbaijan.

Gul said for the first time all related parties were exerting utmost
efforts on the highest level to contribute to the solution of
problems. He expressed his hope that all problems would be solved
giving way to cooperation among all countries in the region. (OZG-BRC)

US VICE PRESIDENT IN A PHONE CONVERSATION WITH ARMENIAN PRESIDENT WELCOMED STATEMENT OF ARMENIAN AND TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTRIES

ArmenPress
April 24 2009
Armenia

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS: US Vice President Joe Biden had a phone
conversation April 23 with the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan. Press
service of the White House reported that during the phone conversation
the US Vice President welcomed the statement of the Armenian and
Russian foreign ministries which expresses readiness of normalization
of bilateral relations. "The US Vice President expressed his admiration
with the administration of the President Sargsyan and pointed out that
US Administration will support Armenia and Turkey in that process as
much as it can," says the press release of the White House.

The fact of the second phone conversation during this week between
Joe Biden and Serzh Sargsyan was confirmed by the spokesman for the
President of Armenia Samvel Farmanyan. The latter noted that the
phone conversation took place on the initiative of the US side,
on the way to Yerevan from Moscow in the airplane. "The US Vice
President also noted that the statement of the US State Department
which expresses its support to the efforts of Armenia and Turkey
towards normalization of relations without preconditions and within
a reasonable timeframe reflects the approaches of US President Barack
Obama and US Administration."

NORMALIZATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH TIES IS BASED ON OBJECTIVE PREREQUISITES

PanArmenian News
April 22 2009
Armenia

There are objective preconditions for normalization of ties between
the two countries, a diplomat, Professor David Hovhannisyan said in
an ACNIS round table devoted to the Armenian-Turkish relations. David
Hovhannisyan believes that Armenia and Turkey cannot live in hostility
for ever. "The current dialogue inspires us with certain optimism, and
I do want to believe that the relations between the two states will
normalize," David Hovhannisyan said, stressing Russia and Turkey’s
increasingly active role in the region. "Nevertheless, I don’t think
Armenia will make any concessions on Karabakh issue in case the border
is opened," the Armenian diplomat stressed.

In 200-2003, David Hovhannisyan was a member the Turkish-Armenian
Coordinating Committee (TARC) which discontinued its activities
because of Turkey’s reluctance to admit the Armenian Genocide and
refrain from interfering with Karabakh conflict.

NATIONAL INNOVATION AND BUSINESS CENTER TO BE CREATED IN ARMENIA

ArmInfo
2009-04-23 15:16:00

ArmInfo. National Innovation and Business Center will be created
in Armenia as a state non-commercial organization. Such a decision
was made at the government session today. According to the Economy
Minister of Armenia Nerses Yeritsyan, the Center has been as a
structure providing communication between innovations and business. ‘We
want to create an atmosphere where the subjects, able to implement
the knowledge in the economy, would receive a free access to these
knowledge’, the minister said. He also said this issue was already
discussed by private companies and donor organizations. UNDP is
ready to render an consulting support in the Center creation. In
particular, under assistance of UNDP, an expert, selected on the basis
of a relevant competition, will arrive in Armenia to develop, jointly
with the Armenian party, a three-year strategy of the Center creation
and work. The work will expectedly be completed till late 2009.

It is scheduled to make the Center a place of rendering of complex
services on business- consulting and delivery of the required
information and knowledge. Small and Medium Entrepreneurship
Development National Center (SME DNC), the State Register of
Enterprises of Armenia and others will take part in the work of
the Center. The branches of the former Armenian Research Institute
of Scientific-Technical Information in Gyumri, Vanadzor, Kapan and
Hrazdan will be used as regional branches of the Center.