Author: Virabian Jhanna

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
[email protected]
Internet

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
October 22, 2008
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

ANCA: OBAMA-BIDEN THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR ARMENIAN AMERICANS

— Nationwide Grassroots Organization Reaffirms Earlier Primary
Endorsement in January

— Expands on Nine Months of Nationwide Voter Mobilization to
Secure Obama-Biden Win on November 4th

WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
today formalized its longstanding support for Barack Obama with an
official endorsement of the Obama-Biden campaign for the Presidency
of the United States.

"The Armenian National Committee of America is proud today to
formally announce our support for Barack Obama – whom we endorsed
this January in the Democratic Primary and have energetically
backed with sustained, grassroots voter mobilization for the past
nine months," said ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. "Based on Senator
Obama’s strong record in office, his bold statements as a
candidate, and our judgment as to the types of policies he will
pursue as President, we believe that an Obama-Biden Administration
would be far better positioned than a McCain-Palin one to reflect
the views and values of the Armenian American community."

Barack Obama: The Choice for Change

In a powerful statement, issued on January 20th, Senator Obama
voiced his strong support for passage of the Armenian Genocide
Resolution and pledged that, as President, he would recognize the
Armenian Genocide. The Presidential hopeful also reaffirmed his
support for a strong "U.S.-Armenian relationship that advances our
common security and strengthens Armenian democracy." Unlike other
Democratic candidates, he also pledged to "promote Armenian
security by seeking an end to the Turkish and Azerbaijani
blockades, and by working for a lasting and durable settlement of
the Nagorno Karabagh conflict that is agreeable to all parties, and
based upon America’s founding commitment to the principles of
democracy and self determination."

The key elements of the Obama record that led to the ANCA
endorsement include the following:

* Public criticism of the Bush Administration for firing former
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans over his truthful remarks
recognizing the Armenian Genocide. He has publicly asserted that,
"An official policy that calls on diplomats to distort the
historical facts is an untenable policy."

* Strong support for the passage of the Armenian Genocide
Resolution currently before Congress, in his capacity as Chairman
of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs.

* A written pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide as President,
clearly spelling out his "firmly held conviction that the Armenian
Genocide is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of
view, but rather a widely documented fact supported by an
overwhelming body of historical evidence. The facts are
undeniable."

* A commitment to ending the cycle of genocide. He has said, on
the record, that, "America deserves a leader who speaks truthfully
about the Armenian Genocide and responds forcefully to all
genocides. I intend to be that President."

* Letters to President Bush urging him to properly recognize the
Armenian Genocide and a record of defending that position, when
challenged. While visiting Azerbaijan in August 2005, in response
to media inquiries about why he signed these letters, Senator Obama
publicly defended his decision by stating that the Armenian
Genocide was a historical fact.

* Commitment to promoting Armenia’s security "by seeking an end to
the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades."

* Support for "a lasting and durable settlement of the Nagorno
Karabagh conflict that is agreeable to all parties, and based upon
America’s founding commitment to the principles of democracy and
self determination."

Joe Biden: Leading Senate Advocate on Armenian American Concerns

For over three decades, Vice-Presidential Nominee Senator Joe Biden
has been a voice of moral clarity on issues of concern to the
Armenian American community including:

* Support for U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide, dating
back to his work with Senator Bob Dole to pass the Armenian
Genocide Resolution (S.J.Res.212) in 1990, and to promote stronger
U.S.-Armenia relations.

* Consistent support for Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act,
adopted in 1992, which restricted U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan due
to its ongoing blockades of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.

* Leadership in pressing the Administration to explain its firing
of U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans and ensuring that future
nominees as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia and Turkey do not deny the
Armenian Genocide.

The McCain-Palin Campaign:

Throughout the primary and general election cycles, the ANCA
invited all of the major candidates – including Senator McCain – to
share their views on Armenian Americans issues and to comment on
both the growing relationship between the U.S. and Armenian
governments and the enduring bonds between the American and
Armenian peoples.

Senator McCain, in a letter to the ANCA this February and a follow
up open-letter to Armenian Americans in September of this year,
formally asked for the support of Armenian American voters, but
failed, in both instances, to outline his stands on core Armenian
American issues. In his letters, the Arizona Senator praised the
Armenian American contribution to American society, and Armenia’s
contribution to Coalition operations in Iraq and NATO peacekeeping
in Kosovo, but remained silent on Nagorno Karabagh, the Turkish and
Azerbaijani blockades, U.S. aid to Armenia, and the broader issue
of U.S.-Armenia relations. He did, as he has done over the years,
echo the Bush Administration’s practice of employing euphemistic
language such as "terrible tragedy" to avoid mentioning the
Armenian Genocide by its proper name.

Senator McCain has, throughout his tenure in the Congress, largely
opposed or was passively indifferent to a broad array of Armenian
American issues. As recently as October of last year, Senator
McCain publicly opposed Congressional recognition of the Armenian
Genocide. In 1999, he voted against restricting U.S. aid to
Azerbaijan over its blockades and other offensive uses of force
against Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh. He voted against Senator Bob
Dole’s Armenian Genocide Resolution in 1990. Governor Sarah Palin
has no record on Armenian American concerns.

The Armenian American Vote:

Armenian Americans, in key battleground states and throughout the
country, represent a motivated and highly networked constituency of
more than one and a half million citizens. The ANCA mobilizes
Armenian American voters through a network of over 50 local
chapters and a diverse array of affiliates, civic advocates, and
supporters nationwide. ANCA mailings reach over a quarter of a
million homes and, with the addition of internet outreach, updates
and action alerts, reach well over 350,000 households. The ANCA
website, which features election coverage from an Armenian American
point of view, attracts over 100,000 unique visits a month. The
ANCA also has broad reach to Armenian American voters via a
sophisticated media operation of newspapers, regional cable shows,
satellite TV, blogs, and internet news sites.

Along with its presidential endorsement, the ANCA reminds Armenian
Americans that their ability to impact policy-level decision-making
depends, first and foremost, on the continued expansion of advocacy
efforts at all levels of government. The ANCA’s Congressional
endorsements represent an important element of this process by
providing Armenian American voters with the information they need
to solidify the strong, bipartisan support our community enjoys in
Congress.

ANCA Presidential endorsements are offered against the backdrop of
several decades of disappointing experiences, during which
Presidents, while running for office, have affirmed the Armenian
Genocide to win hearts and minds among Armenian American voters,
only to retreat from this recognition once in the White House and
then, in the case of each of the past four administrations, to
aggressively pressure the U.S. Congress from properly commemorating
the very same crime against humanity they once condemned as
candidates.

As always, the ANCA welcomes feedback on its service to the
Armenian American community. Please forward your thoughts and
suggestions about the 2008 Presidential election by email to
[email protected].

#####

Note to the Editor: Please visit the ANCA website for additional
information on the ANCA Endorsement and the Presidential
candidates, as listed below.

Additional Materials:

To read Senator Obama’s pledges on Armenian Americans on his
official website:
ack_obama_on_the_importance.php

To read a 2-page summary of Senators Obama and Biden’s record of
support for Armenian American issues, visit:
n_record.pdf

To read a 2-page listing of the Bush-Cheney’s opposition to
Armenian American issues, visit:
y_record.pdf

To view/print an Obama/McCain comparison one-page, visit:
n.php

For information on Armenians for Obama visit:

To view Samantha Power’s YouTube video in support of Senator Obama,
visit:
XsV-Dg

To read "McCain’s Armenia Problem" in The Atlantic, visit:
nian-american-vote

To Read Sen. John McCain’s Letters to the Armenian Community,
visit:
es/press_releases.php?prid=1602

______________ _______________________
Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Communications Director
Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:

ARMEN JIGARKHANYAN: "I CAN NOT IMAGINE AN ARMENIAN WHO DOES NOT LISTEN TO AZERBAIJANI MUGHAM IN HIS CAR"

Today.Az
21 October 2008 [13:47]
Azerbaijan

Day.Az interview with Armen Jigarkhanyan, popular artist of USSR,
prominent Armenia, Soviet and Russian actor.

– You have recently marked your birthday. We congratulate you on your
birthday and wish you long life, sound health and happiness. My first
question will be: which present for your birthday, ever given to you,
was the most dearest?

– Many presents were given to me, but I do not collect the presents
given for my birthday, therefore, it is difficult to answer which
was the dearest one. Moreover, sometimes even a single call or a
single word, said by someone on the birthday, can be even dearer than
any present.

– Do you often return to your childhood and youth in your memories?

– I do not devote special time to memories. Sometimes my memory returns
me to any moment in the past. These memory gifts are fragmentary:
thus, I often return to the streets of Yerevan, where I spent my
childhood. Sometimes I can not even understand why I have recalled
this or that moment in my life so apparently that I almost can smell
and touch whatever I see thanks to my memory. And the longer I live,
the most often it happens. Perhaps, the subconscious search of sources
proceeds like that.

– What would you change in your life if you had a chance to live it
once more?

– It is difficult to judge theoretically, but I will probably change
nothing in my life if I had a chance to live it once more, or I would
change just insignificant things. For example, I would learn to swim,
but this is just an insignificant detail. On the whole, I would not
have changed anything in my life.

– Do you think life is fair?

– No, it is not. I think the main threat for a person is the
environment, we live in and the surrounding. Environment and
surrounding rarely create all conditions for a person to state that
life is fair.

Moreover, I know the only truth – not a single person knows exactly
what he wants. All we live trying to find our place in the world
by saying: good that I did it and bad that I failed. But it is a
separate topic for discussion whether it is correct to speak about
fairness or injustice of life.

– I agree. But then let’s speak of fragmentary justice. Do you
consider it fair that Azerbaijanis and Armenians are currently in
conflict around Nagorno Karabakh?

– I think it is too unfair. This unfair situation has been created
by evil people.

I am not a diplomat or politician: I am an actor who has his own
opinion about what has happened. I think a conflict is possible only
when both conflicting parties strive for it. Unfortunately, both
Armenian and Azerbaijani side have such people. But I remember other
times: when the performances of Azerbaijani singers and musicians,
Russian drama theater and Opera and Ballet Theater were a success
in my native Yerevan, the same as with Armenian theaters, singers
and musicians in Baku. In particular, the memories about the visits
to the wonderful, warm and beautiful city of Baku are dear to me. It
all is a part of my life in which the meetings between Armenians and
Azerbaijanis, culture representatives of our countries were always
a holiday! It was not a holiday, declared by the government, it was
a real holiday, the real happiness of people, bred by communication
with each others. And it was right! I can not imagine an Armenian
who would not listen to Azerbaijani mugham in his car!

Therefore, I can not understand how it all happened?! How and who
managed to do it with our peoples?!

– Do you have Azerbaijani friends?

– I treat friendship seriously and, therefore, I think that a person
can not have many friends. But once I was close with famous Azerbaijani
painter Tair Salakhov and we always have good relations with prominent
film director Rustam Ibrahimbekov.

Moreover, I played in several films of wonderful film director Ajdar
Ibrahimov. The acquaintance with each of these wonderful persons is
dear to me.

– Last year a group of intellectuals of Azerbaijan and Armenia visited
Nagorno Karabakh, simultaneously taking a trip to Baku and Yerevan by
initiative of the ambassador of our countries to Russia Polad Bulbul
oghlu and Armen Smbatyan. Would you agree to take part in such a visit?

– With great pleasure, if this trip really assists to reconciliation
of our peoples. We should think thoroughly about the purposes and
consequences of this visit. It will be bad if such initiatives end
with one or two visits of the intellectuals of our people to Nagorno
Karabakh, Yerevan and Baku. Such a trip lead to a start of a dialogue
between our peoples and it would be a great pleasure for me to take
part in a visit, which will assist in launching this dialogue.

– What can you wish to our readers?

– I wish you peace in your families and your hearts. I am not an
excessive optimist, but I know that it is possible and important. Yes,
each of us has some diseases and problems. But it would be good
for us to smile when meeting each other. And this striving of the
representatives of our peoples should be justified for the future of
our future generations.

"DOLLAR-THRIFTY" COMPANY – WORLD LEADER IN CAR RENTAL MARKET IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The opening ceremony of a service
center of Dollar-Thrifty company – a world leader in the car rental
sector took place at Yerevan’s Marriott Armenia Hotel on October 15.
Beau Monde Services partner company will provide services by the
exclusive right of franchise in Armenia. During a talk with NT
correspondent, the Founder-Director of Beau Monde Services Vahe
Harutyunian said that they will provide car rental services to both
Armenian citizens and foreigners. Besides, the Dollar-Thrifty’s
services in Armenia will include transportation of the Marriott
Armenia’s guests to Zvartnots Airport which will make their travel
conditions in Armenia more comfortable.

In the opinion of V. Harutyunian, the entrance of Dollar-Thrifty into
Armenia will increase the competitiveness of the Armenian car rental
market in terms of prices, quality and variety of cars for rent because
only two years ago this market just started to develop whereas now more
than 10 companies, including 5 internationally recognized ones, operate
in the sector. He said that the presence of Dollar-Thrifty in Armenia
will help bring the level of the car rental market into line with
international standards.

V. Harutyunian explained that one peculiarity of the indicated market
is that the demand depends not so much on the variety of cars for rent
as on the quality of services, the high level of which is ensured
according to the internal standards of Dollar-Thrifty. "Otherwise the
quality of our services will not meet the high requirements of
Marriott," V. Harutyunian noted, adding that Beau Monde Services
delivers car rental services through its offices located at the
Marriott Armenia and another office. It is envisaged expanding the
network of office.

Naturally, car rental services are related to insurance of
responsibility to these services, drivers, passengers and third
persons. In this issue the partner of Beau Monde Services is Ingo
Armenia, one of the leading companies in Armenia’s insurance market. An
agreement on provision of comprehensive insurance services has been
signed with Ingo Armenia.

It is noteworthy that the opening ceremony of the Yerevan office of
Dollar-Thrifty (its head office is in London) was attended by Richard
Ault, the company’s Managing Director for Franchise Sales and
Development in Europe and Sub Saharan Africa. After seeing the sights
in Armenia, he said that Armenia is an exotic country of a unique style
and unblended culture. R. Ault considered this circumstance as an
additional factor of development of Dollar-Thrifty’s market in Armenia.

THE NUCLEAR STATION

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
17 Oct 2008
Armenia

Russia will allocate 10 million dollars for the restoration of the
security system of the second energy block of Armenia’s Nuclear
Station.

The director of the nuclear station Gagik Markosyan said the assistance
will be transferred via MAGATE. This is the first assistance from
Russia of that volume. The works will start from the year 2009, the
volume and direction of the works need clarifications. The discussion
of technical issues is in process.

VARTAN OSKANIAN SPOKE TO BBC WORLD SERVICE’S OWEN BENNETT JONES

August 27, 2008

Mr. Vartan Oskanian, founder of the Civilitas Foundation, and
former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, spoke to BBC World
Service’s Owen Bennett Jones on Wednesday, August 27, 2008, about
the Caucasus region in the wake of Russia’s recognition of S. Ossetia
and Abkhazia. Below, Mr. Oskanian’s responses.

What do you think NATO should do?

I think there’s a big responsibility here. I believe NATO at least
publicly but more so through diplomatic channels should talk to
Russia and consider reviewing their policy vis-a-vis the Caucasus,
Ukraine. I’m not suggesting that they change anything, but at least
they should be prepared at this stage to sit down and talk with
Russia and express the willingness to review things, to see if they
can come up with an option that will be viable and also acceptable
to all parties.

So you’re suggesting NATO should back down on their positions on
membership?

That has to be mutually agreed upon. I understand NATO’s position,
that they don’t want to be dictated to by anybody as they decide what
they will do with membership issues, but given the circumstances and
what we have seen in these past three weeks and particularly after
Russia’s recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, I think it would
be worthwhile to put that ‘pride’ aside and sit down for the benefit
of global harmony and also for the benefit of the Caucasus, sit down
and talk with each other and come up with a viable option that will
be beneficial for all.

Don’t you feel vulnerable to Russian expansion?

We’ve never felt that. We do not have any particular problem with
Russia. What concerns us today is that our room to maneuver will
be extremely limited given the fact that Russia and Georgia, for
Armenia, are vital neighbors. If Russia is our strategic partner,
then Georgia is our natural partner. Our trade goes thru Georgia,
historically we have had excellent ties. So this tension between Russia
and Georgia, and I would even go a step further to qualify this as
tension between the West and Russia, by proxy, will put Armenia in
a difficult situation. For a decade, when I was foreign minister, we
implemented a policy of complementarity clearly saying to everybody
that we will not choose between Russia and the U.S. Armenia can not
afford to choose. I think that whole issue now has come closer to
home and Armenia should even enhance that complementarity by clearly
telling everybody that choosing is not an option for Armenia.

Why not? Russia is expanding, why not choose against Russia?

We shouldn’t rush to the conclusion that Russia is expanding. Maybe
what Russia has done is a consequence of a sequence of steps and
missteps by both sides. I’m not putting blame on any one side,
or, maybe I’m putting the blame on everybody. This is the time
when cool heads should prevail, not just in Russia and Georgia but
also the West. In the heat of things, lots of resentments are being
expressed. I think there is a moment there. There is an opportunity so
that we sit down and talk – all of us, Brussels, Moscow and Washington
should sit down with Yerevan, Tbilisi and Baku — and come up with
a viable option for this region, so that we turn the Caucasus into a
non-aligned Caucasus. Because the Caucasus is too small to accommodate
several security alliances especially when they are exclusionary.

So, keep the Russians out, keep the Americans out, make the Caucasus
a non-aligned neutral area.

I think that will be a viable option. I don’t see how we can proceed
with this kind of tension. It’s not just detrimental for our region
but also for global politics. I don’t think the world these days
can afford this kind of tension, this Cold War redux, because there
are more pressing issues before Russia, the US and the international
community. Our focus should be on those issues rather than fighting
proxy wars in different regions.

But it has to be said that with Russia in its current mood and the
US in its current mood, this is not going to happen, is it?

Let’s look at the reasons for those moods. There’s lots of resentment
there that have accumulated since the collapse of the USSR. There
has been a sequence of misunderstandings that have led to this kind
of situation. In the past 400 years, the world has gone through at
least four, five major transformations. After each major war and
conflict, a new system has emerged, at each new mechanisms and new
institutions have emerged to constitute a new world order to regulate
state relationships. The end of the Cold War is the exception. The
very institutions that contributed to the defeat of the USSR remained
as the main pillars of the so-called new world order. That was natural
back then when Russia and China were weak. Today’s Russia and China
are not the same. Insisting on those institutions particularly the
security ones, to operate the way they used to, is not sustainable.

TREE CANADA TO VISIT ARMENIA

Marketwire (previously known as CCN Matthews)
October 2, 2008 Thursday

Building International Bridges for Forestry Futures Enters Phase 2

OTTAWA, ONTARIO–(Marketwire – Oct. 2, 2008) – Tree Canada President
Michael Rosen and Tree Canada Associate, Adrina Bardekjian Ambrosii
will be in Armenia from October 11-25 to share their forestry
expertise to help combat desertification. The two-week trip is the
second phase of the Building International Bridges for Forest Futures
project. In April 2008, Tree Canada sponsored two Armenian foresters,
Alla Berberyan and Gagik Amiryan, to learn about sustainable forestry
and conservation practices by touring urban and rural forests in
south/central Ontario. Project travel is financed by the Canadian
International Development Agency (CIDA).

Armenia is a small country with limited resources. Only 8% of Armenia’s
forests remain intact. Conservationists fear that the country will
become a desert within 20 years if deforestation is not stopped. They
see education as a key component in promoting the benefits of healthy
forests for the social and economic well-being of Armenians. After
the visit by Tree Canada staff, both organizations will identify and
implement practical projects that can be developed collaboratively
in the future.

Tree Canada will be visiting (amongst others):

Minister of Environment, Mr. Harutyunyan

Director, Sevan National Park, Mr. Ziroyan

Director, Gugark Forestry Agency, Gagik Amiryan

Dean Sayadyan, Agricultural University of Armenia

K. Menvelyen, Director World Wildlife Fund, Armenia and

Nazeli Vardanyan, Director, Armenian Forests (NGO)

Phase 3 of the project will consist of how Tree Canada and Armenian
officials will be able to work together to help restore that nation’s
forest cover.

nationalbridges.htm

Tree Canada is a not-for-profit charitable organization established
to encourage Canadians to plant and care for trees in urban and
rural environments. A winner of the Canadian Environmental Award
(2007), Tree Canada engages Canadian companies, government agencies
and individuals to support the planting of trees, the greening of
schoolyards, and other efforts to sensitize Canadians to the benefits
of planting and maintaining trees. To date, more than 75 million trees
have been planted, more than 450 schoolyards have been greened, and
Tree Canada has organized 8 national urban forestry conferences. More
information about Tree Canada is available at

COMMITTEE ON SUPERVISING MILITARY ACTIVITIES IN DEFENSE

Panorama.am
17:02 11/10/2008

By the decree of the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan a committee
has been established on supervising the military activities in defense
field, said Arthur Baghdasaryan, the secretary of Security Council.

According to him the first session of the committee is scheduled
on October 13, when the members of the committee will work on the
reforms in defense.

A. Baghdasaryan has also presented the results of session holed by the
Security Council. He said that during the session they have assessed
"Rubej 2008" military exercises highly.

Although the members of the council have discussed the reforms in
court and legal aspects, the secretary of the council said that another
session will be organized to discuss the current issues more in detail.

ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN HAVE MORE CHANCES TO RESOLVE KARABAKH CONFLICT

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.10.2008 16:11 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia and Azerbaijan are close to resolution of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, French Ambassador to Azerbaijan said.

"Paradoxically, today, chances for resolution of the conflict are
more than before the Georgian conflict," Gabriel Keller said.

"The South Caucasus countries realized their weakness and their
dependence on the regional context, as well as unfeasibility of a
military solution. The Minsk Group initiatives have more chances to
produce effect now. Every success achieved in the negotiations will
be developed with the positive measures for the regional security
and welfare," Ambassador Keller said, the Azeri Press Agency reports.

TO TELL HOW THE LIFE IS REVITALIZED IN ARTSAKH
Sussanna Balayan

Azat Artsakh Daily
10 Oct 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

Books of the writer, film director Boris Baratov about Armenia and
Artsakh are exceptional by their contents and high artistic
illustrations. But our reader either has heard about them, or is not
familiar at all.There are some reasons: they haven’t armenian version,
there is a great deficit of russian version, english version is in the
library of MFA. And these books are really rare. The new book about
Karabakh is almost ready: about 700 illustrations and about 400 pages.
All that, which depends on the author ` text, illustrations, model of
the book, he has made ready, but it’s difficult to comply with printing
expenses, he explains. `The book should be published in one of the best
printing-houses, in order that it is taken into hand and is read not
only in Artsakh but by leaders of other states. Anyway I will elucidate
the book, merely it’s a problem of time’. Baratov was born and grew
up in Moscow in armenian family moved from Hadrut to Moscow. And during
his childhood he visited Hadrut many times. During karabakhian blockade
of 1988-89 Baratov was one of the firsts who came Artsakh for telling
the world that how all the population and its created beauty was being
abolished.Three years he worked on the first book abou
t
Artsakh-Karabakh ` `Artsakh’s angel’, which was elucidated (with great
difficulties) in 1992 at once in four europian languages. brought the
author many congratulating responses. The book today is preserved in
the UN’s iabaray(Geneva), in many libraries of Europe, America and
Russia, informed the author.’But it was too little. When the war was
finished, it was necessary to create a new book. I called the book
`Travel to Karabakh.Ruined paradise’. Elucidation of the second
book, in contrast to the first, was managed to realize more quickly.
`The book was printed in russian and english. But tragic death of
L.Petrosyan hampered, and then I didn’t touch upon the project’.
Last years Boris Baratov wrote also two books, but he attached great
importance to the book, which he wrote two years ago.’ Books of
azerbaijanian authors about Karabakh are printed much in the world. The
latters study the history of our territory and roots of our people,
re-form and distort. Not only telling the truth, but for the reason,
that it was interesting just for us, we decided to write a big book
about Armenia ` `Armeniada’: I wanted to tell about ancient and new
Armenia’. Let’s notice, that the book was also elucidated in
various languages except armenian, and the responses about the book are
rather positive. After success20of `Armeniada’ Boris Baratov has
decided, that the time of creating such a book about Artsakh-Karabakh
has come. `It’s necessary to tell the world, that NKR as a state
exists, not only for the reason that, the president’s institution
operates, but other state institutions ` legislative, executive,
judicial bodies, civic society. It’s necessary to tell how the economy
develops after the war’s blows, how industry, agriculture, particularly
vine-growing gather full speed.Many positive things are done today in
Artsakh and it’s necessary to tell about it not only in NKR, RA,
Diaspora, but Europe, the world. But in the book not only today’s but
yesterday’s and previous days’ Artsakh will be recreated in three
planes ` with monuments appearance, in the war and with this restoring
day’ B.Baratov has met the NKR President Bako Sahakyan either in Moscow
or in Artsakh, who has treated perceptibly to that intention. Such
books are necessary especially today, when today in conncetion with new
worldpolitical situation, again the interest towards southcaucasusian,
especially Karabakh problem has grown. `I’m sure, that our book like a
kind stranger, can enter any country, any house. If the book is good,
it will have a demand’.

TURKISH PARLIAMENT EXTENDS GOVERNMENT’S AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT OPERATIONS AGAINST PKK IN N. IRAQ

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.10.2008 13:03 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Turkish parliament agreed to extend the
government’s authority to deploy ground troops and conduct operations
in northern Iraq to crush Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) hideouts
in that country, but Turkey’s experience in the past year has shown
that cross-border operations do not have a huge impact on Turkey’s
fight against terrorism, Today’s Zaman reports.

A bill authorizing the government to launch military offensives in
northern Iraq was passed in October of last year with 507 votes for
and 19 against.

Since then Turkey has conducted ground operations in northern Iraq
only once, but air strikes have been launched many times. An attack
last Friday on the Aktutun military outpost located in Hakkari near
the Iraqi border, taking the lives of 17 soldiers, shows that nearly
a year after Parliament approved cross-border operations Turkey is
still vulnerable to attacks by PKK terrorists.

Yesterday’s vote garnered more support than had been previously
expected with 511 voting in favor and 18 against.

The decision to extend mandate was taken soon after at least three
police officers and one civilian were killed with as many as 20
wounded in an attack on a Diyarbakir police station.