Author: Vanyan Gary

LE PRESIDENT DU KARABAGH A RENCONTRE LE MANAGER DE L’ONG HALO TRUST
Stephane

armenews
12 mai 2010
KARABAGH

Le 4 mai le President du Nagorno Karabakh Bako Sahakyan a recu Roly
Clark, de l’ONG anglaise HALO Trust le gestionnaire de programmes
humanitaire de deminage dans le Nagorno Karabakh.

Pendant la reunion M. Clark a presente au Chef d’etat le processus
des activites effectuees par l’organisation dans Nagorno Karabakh et
leurs resultats. Les questions liees a la nouvelle activite de l’ONG
concernant le degagement de champs de mines et la neutralisation de
l’artillerie non explosee sur le territoire de la republique ont ete
aussi discutees.

Bako Sahakyan a exprime sa satisfaction pour les activites
effectuees par le personnel de l’organisation affirmant en meme temps
l’empressement des autorites pour assister les programmes effectues
en Artsakh.

Baklava is a treat from ancient times

By Salim Ben Mami/For the Appeal-Democrat

2010-05-11

The story of baklava is probably one of the most fascinating tales. The myth
goes back to Mesopotamia where, according to various versions, baklava was
first developed as a pastry composed mainly of a simple dough, a combination
of nuts and honey.

As early as the eighth century B.C., Greek sailors brought the recipe to
Greece. The transition from the rough dough to the delicate thin phyllo
(which means "leaf" in Greek) occurred during this period. The refined
version of baklava was brought back to the East.

During the transition between the Byzantine and the Ottoman empires, baklava
recipes were perfected and spread to the rest of the empire. Each nation
around the Mediterranean is proud of its recipe and has its own signature
baklava – and each recipe is as valid as any other.

This week’s recipe is based on my experience with Turkish, Greek and North
African baklava. When you make it, be sure to use local honey – especially
clover honey.

Salim Ben Mami is head chef and owner of Café Collage restaurant in Oregon
House.

GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR AND ARTSAKH LIBERATION COMMEMORATED IN ARGENTINA

Panorama.am
12:33 11/05/2010

Society

65th jubilee of Great Patriotic War and 18th jubilee of Shushi’s
liberation have been commemorated in Buenos Ayres on May 9 by
the initiative of Armenian Embassy to Argentina, Armenian MFA PR
department reported.

According to the source a holy mass was served in St Grigor Lusavorich
Temple and then a ceremony was held at the monument Artsakh war
heroes. Ambassador Vladimir Karmirshalyan released a speech during
the ceremony.

The Ambassador found parallels between Great Patriotic and Shushi
victories stating that heroic deeds of thousands of Armenians served
as example for our generation fighting in Karabakh war.

HULIQ.COM: WHERE DOES AZERBAIJAN STAND IN THIS WORLD?

Panorama.am
17:25 10/05/2010

Politics

Only in two days Israel sent out a rare message agreeing to continue
Middle East Peace Talks to lead to Palestinian independent statehood.

Referring to the issue, Huliq.com writes:

"Israel’s abrupt change of policy toward Palestine spread positive
dynamics throughout the Middle East, Europe and the U.S. This
analysis shows Azerbaijan would benefit greatly if it did the same
on Nagorno-Karabakh, trying this approach as its diplomacy so far has
produced no fruits, neither for Azerbaijan, nor the Nagorno-Karabakh
peace process."

"Azerbaijan says it has agreed to Madrid Principles set forward
by the mediating states, however, those principles clearly point
to future independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. The last
principle literally reads "future determination of the final legal
status of Nagorno-Karabakh through a legally binding expression of
will." If this "legally biding" expression of will takes place it
will clearly lead to Nagorno Karabakh’s independence. The Armenian
population in Karabakh is the overwhelming majority and it has already
in one referendum voted for independence from Azerbaijan," Huliq.com
publisher, editor Armen Hareyan writes, adding: "Azerbaijan says it
accepts the Madrid Principles but how one accepts "a legally binding
expression of will," but says no independence?"

According to A. Hareyan, this type of approach has collapsed
Azerbaijan’s foreign policy. Refusing to consider the statehood of
Nagorno-Karabakh and regularly threatening with war Azerbaijan has
not gained anything. Even its close friend Turkey didn’t manage to
lead to a solution in favor of Azerbaijan.

"Azerbaijan should make a policy change and conducts its negotiations
in a way that will lead to Nagorno-Karabakh’s statehood. And as the
Armenian president has said, the issue can even be resolved in hours
if Azerbaijan respects nation’s right to self-determination," A.

Hareyan writes.

"We live in a world where there is Kosovo precedence, where there is
U.S. House resolution HR 2499 on Puerto Rico’s rights and when now
Israel says it agrees to negotiation toward Palestinian statehood.

Where does Azerbaijan stand here?", Huliq.com asks.

GEORGIAN BORDER GUARDS ARREST TWO ARMENIAN CITIZENS
N.Kirtzkhalia

Trend
May 10 2010
Azerbaijan

The Georgian border guards detained two Armenian citizens attempting
to illegally cross the state border.

Oarrested Andronik Kopyan and Gulnar Muradyan at the Ahkerpi border
sector May 7.

They are accused of illegally crossing the border.

A preliminary investigation was launched into the case.

AZERBAIJAN STILL TRIES TO JUSTIFY ITS DEFEAT IN KARABAKH WAR

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 10, 2010 – 16:46 AMT 11:46 GMT

Azerbaijan still tries to justify its defeat in Karabakh war, a
military psychologist said.

"Both victory and defeat influence the psychology of ethnic groups. At
that, the defeated side develops an inferiority complex, which often
results in aggressive behavior," Davit Jamalyan told reporters on
May 10. "For our people, the victory in Karabakh war was extremely
important, as it was a war for existence. Armenians were defending
their motherland, while contractors in Azerbaijan fought on a strange
territory."

"To somehow justify its defeat and screen its impotence, Azerbaijan
says that Armenia won with support of Russia," he said.

ARMENIAN MINISTER OF EDUCATION TO ATTEND THE AWARDING CEREMONY

Aysor
May 10 2010
Armenia

The Gevorkian Seminary of the Holy Echmiadzin of Armenia will host
Monday the awarding ceremony of the republican stage of the Armenian
Church History Contest for school students. The event follows the
contest, which was held Sunday among nearly 50 school students from
Armenian capital and provinces.

The awarding ceremony will start at 1 pm, said a spokesperson for
the Holy Echmiadzin. According to Holy Echmiadzin spokesperson,
Armenia’s Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotian will attend
the ceremony.

MUSIC FESTIVAL DEDICATED TO EUROPE DAY HELD IN MUSEUMS

news.am
May 10 2010
Armenia

On 5-14 May, 2010 EU Delegation to Armenia and DVV International
will organize a music festival dedicated to Europe Day in Vanadzor,
Gyumri and Yerevan. A number of events, including a lecture on European
culture and master classes in musical instruments will take place in
museums in the three cities.

The festival will culminate in a concert by the Aram Khachaturian Trio,
which will perform works by famous European and Armenian composers.

The museum music festival is part of the project, "Beyond Boredom,
Dust and Decay-Museums as Life Long Learning Spaces for Intercultural
Dialogue", which was launched in December 2008. This regional project
is operating in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and the Russian Federation
for 30 months in the framework of the EU programme "Investing in
People: Access to Local Culture, Protection and Promotion of Cultural
Diversity".

THE WASHINGTON CENTRE FOR AZERBAIJAN STUDIES HAS BEEN SET UP AS AN INDEPENDENT, BIPARTISAN ORGANIZATION

"Noravank" Foundation

06 May 2010

The centre has been founded by young Azerbaijani and international
scholars to serve as a platform for policy evaluation and independent
thinking and to contribute to the strategic debate on Azerbaijan,
the Caucasus and Caspian.

The new centre held a lunch presentation on ‘Geopolitics of Caspian
Energy: Perspectives and Challenges’ at the Elliott School of
International Affairs on 27 April. The event was moderated by Henry
Hale, director for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies at George
Washington University, and featured Edward Chow, senior fellow at
the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

Before the discussion started, Efgan Niftiyev from the Washington
Centre for Azerbaijani Studies outlined the organization’s mission.

Discussion at the event centred on emerging trends in oil and gas
production in the Caspian region, focusing on the role of Azerbaijan
as an energy producer and transit country. Recalling trips to the
region in the early 1990s, Edward Chow said Azerbaijan had been
able to rapidly develop energy contracts with foreign companies and
turn them into serious projects. He said the government had anchored
the balance between the interests of private companies and national
interests to provide for sustainable investment in Azerbaijan. ‘The
achievements that have been made in the past 17-18 years are not
to be underestimated,’ Chow said. He said it was hard to imagine
sustainability without a solution to frozen conflicts in the region.

Touching upon Turkish-Armenian rapprochement, Edward Chow said
that without a clear path to a resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict there was no imminent prospect of the Turkish-Armenian
border being opened. The Turkish-Armenian issue is a negative factor
in Turkish-Azerbaijani energy projects, he said.

Talking about the recent nuclear security summit in Washington, Edward
Chow described as a ‘missed opportunity for the US’ the failure to
invite Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to the summit. He said that
senior officials from the Obama administration should make more visits
to Azerbaijan.

ARCHBISHOP AYKAZIAN IN WASHINGTON SHARES HIS IMPRESSIONS ON BAKU TRIP

Trend
May 6 2010
Azerbaijan

Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Legate of the Eastern Diocese in
Washington, took part in the World Summit of Religious Leaders in
Baku and shared his impressions with The Armenian Reporter’s editor.

He said that the most impressive was the city of Baku. "It is very
beautiful, very organized, very clean. It reminded me a little bit
of Istanbul. When you see the old city, of which I saw very little,
you understand that there was a culture and it is not just the petrol
money," Aykazian said.

He said that highways are extremely good, particularly the road from
the airport to the city is very beautiful and along the road they
have built walls with motifs.

"But from what I understand, a lot of work has been done under
President Aliyev," Archbishop said.

The conference was also well-organized. I have to say much better than
the conference held in Moscow a few years ago, which I also attended,"
Aykazian said.

"The security was very tight. As we arrived, the road from the airport
to the conference venue in Baku was shut down and there were police
on every street corner," he said.

"In addition to the summit, we visited the Armenian church of St.

Gregory the Illuminator. There was a fire in 1990 there that destroyed
the frescoes. The cross is missing and alter has been destroyed, but
the premises have been renovated and now well-kept. The building now
stores books, including some 6,000 books in Armenian language as we
were told. The lady who handles those books is an Azerbaijani from
Yerevan and speaks perfect Armenian," Aykazian said.

All participants of the summit felt it was a very historic event. We
hope that the summit will diffuse tensions at least a little bit,
he said.

"Religious leaders came together because we believe that we can play
a very positive role in helping achieve a peaceful solution of the
Karabakh conflict. The religious leaders may not have the political
power but they can influence those in power," Aykazian said.

"Catholicos is ready for dialogue. The dialogue must be about peace.

And we might like each other or not, but we have to start to visit
each other again and we have to talk," he said.