4 ARMENIAN JUDOISTS TO TAKE PART IN EUROPEAN YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP
NOYAN TAPAN
Ju ly 2
European Youth Judo Championship will be held on July 4-6 in the
capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Sarajevo. Varduhi Babayan (48 kg),
Andranik Chaparian (66 kg), Arman Soghomonian (73 kg), and Azat
Abrahamian (+90 kg) will represent Armenia in that competition.
The national team will be accompanied to Sarajevo by coach Martin
Sargsian.
US ADVISED IRAQI MINISTRY ON OIL DEALS
Andrew E. Kramer
Monday, June 30, 2008 by The New York Times
A group of American advisers led by a small State Department team
played an integral part in drawing up contracts between the Iraqi
government and five major Western oil companies to develop some of
the largest fields in Iraq, American officials say.
The disclosure, coming on the eve of the contracts’ announcement, is
the first confirmation of direct involvement by the Bush administration
in deals to open Iraq’s oil to commercial development and is likely
to stoke criticism.
In their role as advisers to the Iraqi Oil Ministry, American
government lawyers and private-sector consultants provided template
contracts and detailed suggestions on drafting the contracts, advisers
and a senior State Department official said.
It is unclear how much influence their work had on the ministry’s
decisions.
The advisers – who, along with the diplomatic official, spoke on
condition of anonymity – say that their involvement was only to help
an understaffed Iraqi ministry with technical and legal details of
the contracts and that they in no way helped choose which companies
got the deals.
Repeated calls to the Oil Ministry’s press office for comment were
not returned.
At a time of spiraling oil prices, the no-bid contracts, in a country
with some of the world’s largest untapped fields and potential for
vast profits, are a rare prize to the industry. The contracts are
expected to be awarded Monday to Exxon Mobil, Shell, BP, Total and
Chevron, as well as to several smaller oil companies.
The deals have been criticized by opponents of the Iraq war, who
accuse the Bush administration of working behind the scenes to ensure
Western access to Iraqi oil fields even as most other oil-exporting
countries have been sharply limiting the roles of international oil
companies in development.
For its part, the administration has repeatedly denied steering the
Iraqis toward decisions. "Iraq is a sovereign country, and it can
make decisions based on how it feels that it wants to move forward
in its development of its oil resources," said Dana Perino, the White
House spokeswoman.
Though enriched by high prices, the companies are starved for new oil
fields. The United States government, too, has eagerly encouraged
investment anywhere in the world that could provide new oil to
alleviate the exceptionally tight global supply, which is a cause of
high prices.
Iraq is particularly attractive in that light, because in addition
to its vast reserves, it has the potential to bring new sources of
oil onto the market relatively cheaply.
As sabotage on oil export pipelines has declined with improved
security, this potential is closer to being realized. American
military officials say the pipelines now have excess capacity,
waiting for output to increase at the fields.
But any perception of American meddling in Iraq’s oil policies
threatens to inflame opinion against the United States, particularly
in Arab nations that are skeptical of American intentions in Iraq,
which has the third-largest oil reserves in the world.
"We pretend it is not a centerpiece of our motivation, yet we keep
confirming that it is," Frederick D. Barton, senior adviser at the
Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said in
a telephone interview. "And we undermine our own veracity by citing
issues like sovereignty, when we have our hands right in the middle
of it."
United States officials are directly advising Iraq on a host of issues,
from electricity to education. But they have avoided the limelight
when questions turn to how Iraq should manage its oil endowment,
insisting that a decision must rest with the Iraqi government.
The State Department advisers on the Western contracts say they
purposely avoid trying to shape Iraqi policy.
"They have not negotiated with the international oil companies
since the 1970s," said the senior State Department official, who was
speaking about Iraqi oil officials and who is directly involved in
shaping United States energy policy in Iraq.
The advice on the drafting of the contracts was not binding, he said,
and sometimes the ministry chose to ignore it. "The ministry did not
have to take our advice," he said, adding that the Iraqis had also
turned to the Norwegian government for counsel. "It has been their
sole decision."
The advisers say they were not involved in advancing the oil companies’
interests, but rather treated the Oil Ministry as a client, the
State Department official said. "I do not see this as a conflict of
interest," he said. A potential area of criticism, however, is that
only Western companies got the bigger oil contracts. In particular,
Russian companies that have experience in Iraq and had sought
development contracts are still waiting.
Earlier in the occupation of Iraq, American advisers supported the
Oil Ministry’s effort to dismiss claims by the Russian company Lukoil
to a large Saddam Hussein-era deal. The ministry maintains that the
Hussein government canceled the contract three months before the
invasion. Lukoil says the attempt to cancel the deal was illegal
because Mr. Hussein had not appealed to international arbitration
first, as required in the contract terms.
The new oil contracts have also become a significant political issue
in the United States.
Three Democratic senators, led by Charles E. Schumer of New York,
sent a letter to the State Department last week asking that the deals
be delayed until after the Iraqi Parliament passes a hydrocarbons law
outlining the distribution of oil revenues and regulatory matters. They
contend the contracts could deepen political tensions in Iraq and
endanger American soldiers.
Criticism like that has prompted objections by the Bush administration
and the secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, who say the deals are
purely commercial matters. Ms. Rice, speaking on Fox News this month,
said: "The United States government has stayed out of the matter of
awarding the Iraq oil contracts. It’s a private sector matter."
Advisers from the State, Commerce, Energy and Interior Departments are
assigned to work with the Iraqi Oil Ministry, according to the senior
diplomat. In addition, the United States Agency for International
Development has a contract for Management Systems International, a
Washington consulting firm, to advise the oil and other ministries. The
agency’s program is called Tatweer, the Arabic word for development.
"The legal department of the Ministry of Oil passed us a draft of the
contract," Samir Abid, a Canadian of Iraqi origin who is an employee
of the Tatweer program, said in a telephone interview. "They passed
it to us and asked for our comments because we were mentoring them."
He added: "It was an exercise in deciding how best to do these
contracts. I don’t know if they used our comments or not."
In a statement, the agency said its advisers had reviewed the oil
company contracts, known as technical support agreements: "At the
request of the Ministry of Oil, the Tatweer Energy Team has done
a review of the format, structure and clarity of language of blank
draft contracts."
The statement said the team did not have access to confidential
information from the oil companies.
Consultants said the advice was necessary because the Oil Ministry,
like other sectors of the Iraqi government, has experienced an
exodus of qualified employees and lacks lawyers schooled in drawing
up contracts.
A supervisor with the Tatweer program, who was not authorized to
speak publicly and declined to be quoted by name, said that ministry
officials, many of them near retirement, needed help.
The American government lawyers provided specific advice, the
State Department official said, like: "These are the clauses you may
want. You will need a clause on arbitration. You will need this clause
to make this work."
MURAD SADADDINOV: "PACE MONITORING SYSTEM IS IN A STATE OF CRISIS TODAY. IT IS UNABLE TO ENSURE FULFILLMENT OF BASIC PRINCIPLES OF THE EUROPEAN CONVENTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS"
Today.Az
30 June 2008
Day.Az interview with Murad Sadaddinov, co-chairman of the Fund for
Protection of Democratic and Human Rights.
– Do you think the PACE resolution "On functioning of democratic
institutions in Azerbaijan" was balanced?
– First of all I would like to note that I attended the June session by
invitation of the PACE secretary general at the conference "Democracy
in Europe and problems of migration", where we discussed and presented
our recommendations on two reports, adopted in PACE on June 25.
In the framework of the conference I watched the debates while
discussing the report on functioning of democratic institutions
in Azerbaijan.
For several years we have not faced anything new in the PACE adopted
documents. We see here a certain format formed in such kind of
materials. As British Parliamentarian Mr. Hankock said during the
discussions, the name of the country can be changed to match other
countries as well.
In general, there are moments on which I agree and there are some
I can not agree. But the report is not the critical one. Today the
most important issue is that the countries, monitored by PACE, got
used to these documents and do not settle existing problems. PACE
monitoring system is in a state of crisis today. It is unable to
ensure fulfillment of basic principles of the European convention of
human rights in the CE member-states.
PACE mainly uses two opportunities to influence the countries. First
to persuade the government to adhere to certain recommendations by
way of a dialogue between rapporteurs and other high ranking persons
of PACE and second-by way of discussions of the country’s commitments
at a plenary session.
I consider that PACE needs urgent reforms in the monitoring system. It
is wrong to entrust the face and problems of a state to two deputies.
They are physically unable to do it and even so more they are replaced
from time to time. Unfortunately, there are some people, who aren’t
able to analyze and settle these problems due to their professional
capacities and experience. For this purpose, it is necessary to create
a permanent structure of PACE, which would study problems in the
countries subjected to monitoring, in a deep and consistent manner,
and work out serious recommendations and, even so more, the ways of
their implementation, as today the problem lies in the absence of
mechanisms for implementation of basic principles of the European
Convention of Human Rights on the whole area of the Council of Europe.
– Do you think the Azerbaijani government will take the resolution
seriously? Do the authorities intend to take PACE recommendations
into account?
– The Azerbaijani government has already worked out the system of
relations with PACE long before and I think it will adhere to those
point with are acceptable and everything will remain the same with
moot questions.
– The adopted resolution calls on the Azerbaijani leadership to free
the three reporters and five "political prisoners". Do you think the
authorities will undertake this step?
– The authorities will free these prisoners sooner or later, but
the adopted resolution will not be a key factor in this issue. The
working rapporteurs failed to create necessary trustful relations with
the country’s government and to persuade them to free the reporters,
as it was previously done by PACE rapporteurs George Clearfate and
Malk Bruce.
– Secretary of the CE Venice Commission Janni Bukikkio announced that
if presidential elections in Azerbaijan are not democratic, PACE may
apply sanctions towards Azerbaijan. Do you think these announcements
are real?
– Venice Commission is a consultative body, providing legal
recommendations to the CE member-states, considering the basic
principles of the Council of Europe and it is incorrect for the head
of this structure to make announcements on behalf of PACE.
What PACE will do by results of elections is a prerogative of the
parliamentary assembly and its authorized persons. Perhaps, it is
primarily necessary to consider the reaction at the recent elections
in Russia and Armenia. Armenian opposition is still in jail are there
are victims, but PACE gives time until January. In my opinion, the
arrested will spend their time in jail until at least the end of the
year and murders will escape justice. It is not a secret that PACE
is not able to cope with the task, set before it in this sphere.
– The PACE resolution fixes support to internationally recognized
borders of Azerbaijan and demands the immediate withdrawal of Armenian
troops from the occupied lands. How did Armenian delegation react to
such announcement?
– The reaction was unambiguous and representatives of the Armenian
delegation worked our and proposed several amendments to the final
document on exclusion of the aforementioned moments, which were not
supported among the majority of PACE delegates. They spoke referring
to the nation’s right for self-determination.
How many times can a nation self-determine, if there is a separate
state of Armenia. Will new states emerge in places where Armenians
reside? If we apply this principle to other peoples throughout the
world, we will have an absurd. On the basis of these principles,
we can attain recognition of several quarters or houses as states.
Or references to the so-called "return of the territories of Great
Armenia".
If we imagine hypothetically the existence of such a state, basing on
this "logic" it is necessary to return the Balkan peninsula to Turkey,
Near East to Greece, Eurasia to Mongols (but before it, to decide to
whom it belongs more- to Mongols or Tatars). If seriously, Armenians
should take lessons from the situation, nationalists led them to,
disavow senseless territorial claims against its neighbors and ponder
over their future. It is evident that Armenia has self-isolated from
all perspective projects in our country.
The country should live for future not for past.
Otherwise, Armenia’s position in PACE and other international
organization will weaken day by day.
ANALYSIS: DO AZERBAIJAN’S ETHNIC MINORITIES FACE FORCED ASSIMILATION?
RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty
June 26 2008
Czech Republic
Over the past 10 days, representatives of ethnic minorities in
Azerbaijan have issued two separate public statements affirming their
fear of assimilation and soliciting international support. Azerbaijani
commentators have dismissed those appeals as unfounded and orchestrated
by Moscow.
The ethnic groups in question are the Avars, Tsakhurs, and Lezgins,
and according to official statistics together they constitute less
than 1 percent of Azerbaijan’s total population of 8.65 million. They
live compactly in several districts of northern Azerbaijan bordering
on the Russian Federation. Avars are the largest ethnic group in
neighboring Daghestan, where they account for approximately 29 percent
of the population, and Lezgins the third largest (13 percent). The
Tsakhurs, who number around 8,000, constitute less than 0.5 percent
of Daghestan’s population.
Estimates of the number of Lezgins in Azerbaijan range from 178,000
to 400,000 or even 850,000. Azerbaijan’s Lezgins have lobbied
sporadically for greater protection of their rights since the early
1980s; some Lezgins in both Daghestan and Azerbaijan have gone so far
as to propose creating an independent state that would encompass their
historic homeland to the north and south of the Samur River that forms
the border between Russia and Azerbaijan. A conference on the Lezgins
organized in Moscow last month under the aegis of the Russian Foreign
Ministry was construed by some Azerbaijani commentators as possibly
heralding a new Lezgin separatist threat.
On June 16, the website rossia3.ru posted an appeal "To all people
of good will" signed by eight separate organizations representing the
Avars, Lezgins, and Tsakhurs. One of those organizations is the Imam
Shamil Avar National Front headed by Dagneft President and Russian
State Duma Deputy Gadji Makhachev, who many observers believe has
close ties with, and on occasion acts on orders from, the Kremlin.
The appeal deplored the fact that the creation in 1918 of the
Azerbaijan Democratic Republic effectively split the ancestral homeland
of the three ethnic groups, and that during the seven decades that
those lands were part of the USSR, they were subjected to "nightmarish"
discrimination. It claimed that they were the only ethnic minorities
in the entire Soviet Union who were obliged to pay for secondary and
higher education. It further argued that Azerbaijan’s secession in
1991 from the USSR was illegal as it was not preceded by a referendum,
in which they would have voted against (Armenia was in fact the only
Soviet republic to comply with the referendum requirement), and that
"twice during the 20th century Azerbaijan occupied our homeland and
unlawfully seized power there."
The appeal claimed that the leadership of the newly independent
Azerbaijan Republic then embarked on the systematic annihilation of the
three ethnic groups, sending "tens of thousands" of young men to fight
in Nagorno-Karabakh, of whom "thousands" were killed. (That figure is
difficult to reconcile with official population figures.) Members of
the intelligentsia from all three ethnic groups were allegedly thrown
into prison, and Azerbaijanis from other regions of Azerbaijan or from
Georgia resettled in their abandoned homes in what the appeal terms
a systematic "Turkicization" process. Those resettlers allegedly hold
most official posts in the districts where the three groups constitute
the majority of the population. The most recent crackdown was in
March 2008 against the predominantly Lezgin population of the Kusar
and Khachmas raions of Azerbaijan. The appeal concluded by requesting
help in clarifying what has happened to those arrested and support
for the creation of autonomous regions for the three groups.
Two days later, on June 18, the Daghestan-based Avar National Council,
which was not a signatory to the June 16 appeal, addressed an open
letter to Daghestan’s President Mukhu Aliyev (himself an Avar) to
"protect" Azerbaijan’s Avar minority from the threat of "genocide,"
kavkaz-uzel.ru reported. The agency quoted Magomed Guseinov, a
leading Council member, as estimating the size of Azerbaijan’s Avar
minority at 200,000, and the number of Avars currently imprisoned
in Azerbaijan at almost 300. Guseinov repeated the claim that in the
Zakatala, Belokany, and Kakh raions Azeris, mostly resettlers from the
Naxcivan Autonomous Republic, occupy most prominent political posts
even though they account for just 27 percent of the population. He
contrasts the plight of the Avars in Azerbaijan unfavorably with that
of Daghestan’s Azerbaijani minority, which at the time of the 2002
Russian Federation census numbered 111,656 people, or approximately
4 percent of the republic’s population. As one of Daghestan’s 14
titular nationalities, the Azeris have the right to radio broadcasts
and education in their native language.
Guseinov recalled that during a visit to Baku in late April 2007,
President Aliyev discussed the plight of Azerbaijan’s Avars with
President Ilham Aliyev, who declared on that occasion that the Avars
have no grounds for complaint and accused unnamed "forces" of seeking
to stir up unrest among Azerbaijan’s ethnic minorities. Mukhu Aliyev
is scheduled to visit Azerbaijan again on June 26.
Meanwhile, political scientist Vafa Quluzade, who served as an adviser
to Ilham Aliyev’s late father Heydar, was quoted by kavkaz-uzel.ru on
June 19 as accusing Russia of deliberately seeking to fuel disaffection
among Azerbaijan’s Avar, Lezgin, and Tsakhur minorities on the eve
of a visit to Baku by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Quluzade
suggested the objective is to coerce Azerbaijan into accepting
a recent offer from Gazprom to buy natural gas from Azerbaijan’s
offshore Shah Deniz field. A commentary published on June 19 in the
online daily zerkalo.az similarly argued that separatism on the part
of the Lezgins, the Kurds, and the Talysh (who live in the southern
districts of Azerbaijan bordering on Iran) constitutes a very real
threat to Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, and compared the Lezgins
in Azerbaijan with the Ossetian population of the breakaway Georgian
republic of South Ossetia.
WILL THE PRESIDENT OF TURKEY COME TO YEREVAN?
PanARMENIAN.Net
24.06.2008 GMT+04:00
Turkey has indeed become the hostage of Baku, as well as its interests,
its energy supplies and nobody knows how long it will still last.
The announcement that the President of Armenia Serge Sargsyan made in
Moscow, may change the situation in the region. The matter concerns
the possible normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations, which
is necessary to the USA, EU and Turkey itself. This may be the very
decisive point in the negotiations with the EU. For the USA the safety
of the pipelines is also very important, since Azerbaijan and Turkey
are not able to do that.
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During the meeting with the Armenian community
in Russia Serge Sargsyan announced that Armenia keeps up to one
clear point of view in the issue of establishing relations with
Turkey: in the 21st century two neighboring countries may not be
separated by closed borders. According to the President of Armenia,
the Turkish party suggests creating a commission, which shall study
the historical facts. "We are not against such a commission, but
only when the borders between two countries are open. Otherwise,
it may become a good way of abusing and prolonging the issue for
long years," he mentioned. "In the near future I intend to take new
measures in my course of establishing relations between Armenia and
Turkey. Most probably I will invite the President of Turkey Abdullah
Gul to Yerevan to watch the football match between our countries
together," announced Serge Sargsyan. It is worth reminding that the
President of Turkey was among the first ones who congratulated Serge
Sargsyan with his appointment on the post of the President of Armenia.
However, it is still too early to speak about any approximate date
of opening the Armenian-Turkish borders. But the fact that the
President of Armenia is open to the dialogue is already good. In
fact, the recommendation of the US State Department may be realized
in the beginning of the dialogue. But as the Armenian party has
always said – there must be no preconditions. The Turkish party has
many of these preconditions: the recognition of the Moscow Treaty
of 1921, the Karabakh Conflict and the Armenian Genocide in the
Ottoman Empire. As it is known to everyone, the Armenian party has no
preconditions. Naturally, Armenia will continue being the guarantor
of the safety of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh and will achieve
the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Turkey must
understand that it is easier to recognize the Genocide than spend
millions and blackmail the entire world. And in this issue Ankara is
standing on the way of Azerbaijan. One may still understand Baku:
in the absence of real allies in the issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict resolution, she counts on Turkey, as a country which is
more or less closer with her views. And as it has already been said
more than once, Turkey has indeed become the hostage of Baku, as
well as its interests, its energy supplies and nobody knows how long
it will still last, but it is rather interesting what Azerbaijan’s
reaction will be if Abdullah Gul really comes to Yerevan. If the
President of Turkey really wants normalization of the relations and
gives a positive answer to Sarsyan’s invitation, this will be a great
break. On the other hand, this kind of invitations are usually given
only when there is a preliminary agreement at least on the level of
the Foreign Ministries of both countries and necessarily through the
mediation of a third party, which in this case is the USA. Russia does
not participate in this dialogue, because she does not control the
situation and as it seems does not want the opening of the borders,
having all the reasonable fears that this will drive Armenia apart
from Russia and the Russian influence.
As for the recognition of the Armenian-Turkish, and also earlier the
Soviet-Turkish borders, here things are a bit more complicated. On
May 30, 1953 the government of the USSR made an official announcement
about the absence of territorial claims towards Turkey, having the
Kars region, Erzurum and Surmalin district on mind. The USSR broke
down and now the independent Armenia is not the assignee of the
Arm.SSR, but of the First Republic of Armenia and consequently, has
no responsibilities towards the treaties and agreements of the USSR.
During the hearings in the US Congress Assistant Secretary, Bureau of
European and Eurasian Daniel Fried announced, "The USA thinks that
a part of the problem solution is opening of the Armenian-Turkish
borders. The existing status-quo is no good for either of the
countries. The USA assists the dialogue and the cooperation between
the Armenian and the Turkish people through conferences, meetings and
program exchange. Establishment of the relations between Armenia and
Turkey is a very sensitive issue. Turkey must put up with the black
pages of her history; mass killings and deportations of the Armenian
people in the Ottoman Empire. This is not easy, like it was not easy
for the USA when she took her time to recognize the black pages of
her history. In her turn Armenia must be ready for the recognition of
the borders and not to come up with territorial claims towards Turkey
and must suggest constructive approach to the efforts of Turkey,"
said Fried. The interesting thing in this announcement is that Fried
did not mention anything at all about Turkey’s possible participation
in the regulations of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
According to the US Charge d´Affaires to Armenia Joseph Pennington,
after the presidential elections in Armenia some icebreaking has been
noticed between the countries and this may become a very good start
for both parties to find a way for compromise. "For reaching certain
progress in the two-sided relations the official Yerevan and Ankara
must cooperate, and the USA will only assist the establishment of
the relations," emphasized Joseph Pennington.
–Boundary_(ID_u9trSNqXh6VfYF3MMrfuyA )–
Islamic Republic News Agency Irna
June 24 2008
Iran
Iran, Armenia ink MoU on building power plant
Moscow, 24 June: Iran’s Deputy Energy Minister and Armenia’s Energy
and Natural Resources Minister signed two Memoranda of Understandings
(MOUs) on construction of a hydro-electric power plant on Aras River.
According to a report by Islamic Republic of Iran’s Embassy in
Armenia on Monday, Rasul Zargar, Iran’s Deputy Energy Minister in
Water Affairs, discussed the outlook of cooperation between Iran and
Armenia concerning generation of electricity and issues related to
construction of a hydro-electrical power plant on Aras River with
the Armenian Energy and Natural Resources Minister Armen Movsisyan
and his deputy in Armenia’s capital city, Yerevan.
The principle agreement on construction of Aras hydro-electrical
power plant was signed during President Ahmadinezhad’s state visit
to Armenia in the year 2006.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PREVENTING CYBER-TERRORISM OPENS IN YEREVAN
armradio.am
24.06.2008 13:55
International conference on "Preventing and withstanding attacks in
cyber-space" started in Yerevan within "NATO Week" today.
Armenia’s Ambassador to NATO Samvel Lazarian stated that recently the
topic of cyber-terror has been gaining more importance for NATO. This
is why NATO invited prominent representatives of international
organizations, involved in issues of combating cyber-terror,
to Yerevan.
Samvel Lazarian expressed hope that the conference will allow defining
the basic priorities for further actions.
The conference will continue through June 25.
IT HAS BEEN PRESIDENT BUSH’S POLICY NOT TO USE TERM ‘GENOCIDE’
PanARMENIAN.Net
20.06.2008 13:43 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ I am honored by the confidence that President Bush
and Secretary Rice have shown in me by nominating me for the post
of U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, Ambassador-Designate to Armenia,
Ms. Marie L. Yovanovitch said in her testimony before the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee on June 19, 2008.
"If confirmed, I pledge to build on my 22 years of service to our
country to protect and defend American interests in the increasingly
vital region of the South Caucasus. Only in the United States would it
be possible for someone like me – a first generation immigrant to the
United States – to appear before you as an Ambassadorial nominee. My
father fled the Soviets and then the Nazis. My maternal grandfather
escaped from Russia after the revolution and raised his family in
wartime Germany, where my mother grew up stateless. My parents brought
me to this country in search of a safe harbor, a harbor that provided
freedom and opportunity, dignity and respect.
"The United States offered our family a second chance, just as so many
Armenian-Americans received a second chance in our country after they
were driven out of the Ottoman Empire. In no way do I want to equate
my own family history with that of Americans of Armenian heritage here
in the United States. But I do wish to convey that I understand from
personal experience that the events of the past can haunt the present
and that individuals, born a generation or more after apocalyptic
events, seek recognition of the injustices of the past.
"The U.S. government – and certainly I – acknowledges and mourns
the mass killings, ethnic cleansing, and forced deportations that
devastated over one and a half million Armenians at the end of the
Ottoman Empire. The United States recognizes these events as one of the
greatest tragedies of the 20th century, the "Medz Yeghern" or Great
Calamity, as many Armenians refer to it. That is why every April the
President honors the victims and expresses American solidarity with
the Armenian people on Remembrance Day.
"The Administration understands that many Americans and many Armenians
believe that the events of the past that I have referred to should
be called "genocide."
It has been President Bush’s policy, as well as that of previous
presidents of both parties, not to use that term. The President’s
focus is on encouraging Turkish citizens to reconcile with their past
and with the Armenians. He seeks to support the painstaking progress
achieved to date. President Bush believes that the best way to honor
the victims is to remember the past, so it is never repeated, and
to look to the future to promote understanding and reconciliation
between the peoples and governments of Armenia and Turkey. A key
part of that effort is to end Armenia’s isolation in the region by
encouraging normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey
and the opening of their land border. The Armenian government has
requested that we facilitate this process. It will not be easy nor
will it likely be quick, but there are some hopeful signs.
"President Bush believes that normalization can and should be
achieved. The result would be an improvement in the life of every
Armenian. If I am confirmed, my priority would be to support the
efforts of the United States in working towards regional stability by
facilitating Armenian-Turkish relations and a peaceful settlement to
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict with Azerbaijan. Armenia is isolated
from its second largest neighbor, Turkey, and every year scores
of soldiers die along the line of contact with Azeri forces in
Nagorno Karabakh. The status quo in both situations is unacceptable,
a deterioration unthinkable and clearly not in U.S. or regional
interests," Ms. Yovanovitch said.
ARMENIA LEADING CIS COUNTRY IN THE GLOBAL ENABLING TRADE 2008
PanARMENIAN.Net
18.06.2008 16:43 GMT+04:00
East Asian economies Hong Kong and Singapore occupy the top two
positions in the Enabling Trade Index ranking, followed by Sweden
and Norway, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Switzerland and New
Zealand complete the top 10 list.
Published for the first time and covering 118 economies worldwide,
The Global Enabling Trade Report 2008 aims to present a cross-country
analysis of the large number of measures facilitating trade.
The Enabling Trade Index, featured in the report, measures the factors,
policies and services facilitating the free flow of goods over
borders and to destination. The index breaks the enablers into four
overall issue areas: (1) market access, (2) border administration,
(3) transport and communications infrastructure and (4) the business
environment
8,095 ENTRANT-SCHOOL LEAVERS TAKE UNITED EXAMINATION IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE
Noyan Tapan
Ju ne 17, 2008
YEREVAN, JUNE 17, NOYAN TAPAN. 8,095 entrant-school leavers took the
last united final and university entrance examination – the foreign
language examination at 39 test centers of Armenia and Artsakh on
June 17. Out of the indicated number of examinees, 7,801 took an
examination on English, 564 – on German, 514 – on French, 22 – on
Spanish, and 4 persons took an examination on Italian. The examination
lasted 2.5 hours.
The RA minister of education and science Spartak Seyranian toured
some test centers of Yerevan in the morning. In his words, all the
examinations went well, no problems arose, only a few "lapses" were
quickly removed. "The most important thing is results which will be
known in a few days," the minister said.
"The accessibility and quality of tests is taken into account during
their preparation. After an exam, a group of experts analyses the test
at the Evaluation and Test Center (ETC) in order to find lapses and
omissions," the ETC director Manuk Mkrtchian said. For example, the
questions of the last task in the Russian language examination’s 4th
version required a mathematical solution, as a result of which all the
4 answers were considered as correct. So, according to M. Mkrtchian,
0.25 points were given for all the answers of this task.
The correct answers of today’s examination are available at the website
of the ETC and the RA ministry of education and science since 3 pm.
Although the examinations by the united system are over, those who
were absent from examinations, demobilized servicemen and entrants
from Javakhk will take additional examinations: Armenian language
– on July 4, Russian language – July 6, mathematics – July 8, and
foreign language – on July 10.