Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

ERDOGAN TELLS WSJ READY TO SIGN PROTOCOLS, REGARDLESS OF MOLDOVA OUTCOME

Asbarez
/erdogan-tells-wsj-ready-to-sign-protocols-despite -moldova-outcome/
Oct 6, 2009

ANKARA (WSJ)-The Wall Street Journal Tuesday afternoon reported that
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an interview
that the signing of the Armenia-Turkey protocols was not dependent on
progress of talks to be held Thursday in Moldova between the Armenian
and Azeri presidents.

"The agreement will be signed on Oct. 10. It doesn’t have anything
to do with what happens in Moldova," Erdogan told the Wall Street
Journal Sunday.

Erdogan also said the two processes – a resolution of the Karabakh
conflict and rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia – remain linked,
and that a positive outcome in Moldova would help overall. Turkish
officials have continued to indicate the border could take longer to
open than the three months set out in the three-page protocol.

The Turkish leader said the only obstacle to signing the deal on
Saturday would come if Armenia seeks to alter the text. "This is
perhaps the most important point – that Armenia should not allow its
policies to be taken hostage by the Armenian diaspora," Mr. Erdogan
said. Much of Armenia’s large diaspora opposes the protocol.

A spokesman for Armenia President Serzh Sarkisian declined to comment
on whether Armenia would seek changes to the protocol. He said the
government would make a statement on "steps" concerning the protocol
soon.

Visit for the complete article.

TURKEY CONSIDERS THE STATUS OF ABKHAZIA
Emrullah Uslu

Jamestown Foundation
October 5, 2009 04:32 PM

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov

In response to a question as to whether Ankara and Moscow have reached
a deal to recognize Abkhazia and the Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated: "Russia
will not enter a deal implying the recognition of Northern Cyprus in
exchange for Turkish recognition of Abkhazia" (Zaman, October 4).

The debate was originally triggered by an article written by Paul
Goble in the Moscow Times on September 16. Goble argued that:
"There appears to be a chance that Turkey, despite denials by its
officials, might break the embargo against recognition because of
Ankara’s desire to play a greater role in the South Caucasus region,
its own long-standing experience as the only country to recognize the
Turkish Republic of North Cyprus, and the influence of its own Abkhaz
and Circassian communities." He based his argument on the intention
of the Turkish Foreign Minister Akhmet Davutoglu to visit Abkhazia in
order to "get acquainted with [that republic] and attempt to regulate
its relations with Georgia," while he continued, "thus potentially
positioning Turkey to play a role paralleling the one it has offered to
play between Azerbaijan and Armenia." Two days later, Unal Cevikoz,
the Deputy Under Secretary for Political Affairs in the Turkish
Foreign Ministry, who is of Circassian descent, visited Sukhumi and
met with the Abkhazian Foreign Minister Sergey Shamba. While Turkish
officials said that Ankara had informed Tbilisi about the visit and
had not changed its policy of supporting the territorial integrity of
Georgia, Cevikoz’s visit raised hopes in Sukhumi (The Moscow Times,
September 16).

Regarding Cevikoz’s visit to the region, Davutoglu said that the
existence of the Abkhaz community in Turkey compels Ankara to consider
how to resolve this problem. "We know very well that having peace
and stability in the South Caucasus region without achieving this
in Georgia is very difficult. With these thoughts and perspectives,
Turkey will continue making efforts toward the resolution of the
Abkhazian conflict, as it has done in previous years" Davutoglu
explained (Today’s Zaman, September 8).

Goble’s analysis also triggered a new debate within Turkey. The Turkish
media ran optimistic stories about the possibility of such mutually
beneficial recognition policies (Vatan, September 21). However,
Turkish analysts are skeptical that Turkey would want to recognize
Abkhazia or that Russia would choose to recognize the Turkish Republic
of Northern Cyprus (, September 27).

Recently, Lavrov joined the debate and revealed Moscow’s position:
Russia will not enter any deal implying the recognition of Northern
Cyprus in exchange for the Turkish recognition of Abkhazia. "We are
not inclined to enter any deals following ‘scratch my back and I’ll
scratch yours’ logic. These are two absolutely different stories. These
are different situations from the historical, moral and humanitarian
points of view. Any bargaining is out of the question. Each situation
should be considered in its historical context," Lavrov added
(, October 3).

It seems that Lavrov’s emphasis on history may indicate that Ankara
could be interested in establishing some form of relations with
Abkhazia. Historically tens of thousands of Muslim Ab as part of a
larger Muslim migration process from the Caucasus in the nineteenth
century. Approximately 500,000 Abkhazian descendents now live in
Turkey. In addition, other Caucasus communities in Turkey have close
relations with Abkhazians. The only exception is the Georgian descended
Muslim communities in Turkey. Due to their over representation in
critical government institutions, such as the National Intelligence
Organization (MIT), the Turkish armed forces, and their nationalist
outlook, Abkhazians retain significant lobbying power in Ankara.

By emphasizing the historical perspective, Moscow might expect
help from these communities in order to generate pressure on the
Turkish government to establish some form of relationship with
Abkhazia. Cevikoz’s visit to Sukhumi may indicate a policy shift in
Ankara. In 2007, when the Abkhaz leader Sergey Bagapsh wanted to visit
Turkey to meet with the Abkhaz diaspora, the Turkish government refused
to issue a visa and President Abdullah Gul at the time stated that
"I can only reiterate in this regard that Turkey supports Georgia’s
territorial integrity" (, November 21, 2007).

The crucial question remains: since 2007, what has changed that
has required Turkish diplomats to visit the region? Hasan Kanpolat,
a Turkish analyst who has close relations with the Turkish foreign
minister, pointed out what had led the government to revise its
outlook toward Abkhazia:

"During a period in which Abkhazia’s independence process has
begun to gain momentum, Cevikoz could not have gone to Sukhumi to
engage in efforts to restart a peace process between Abkhazia and
Georgia. Therefore, we can presume that, to prevent Abkhazia from
unifying any further with the Russian Federation, Ankara may have
asked Tbilisi to allow a controlled relationship with Abkhazia. To
be more explicit, the door may be opened to preventing Georgia from
intercepting ships on humanitarian missions or those involved in
trade traveling between Turkey and Abkhazia using the Black Sea"
(T kara sees that a close relationship with Abkhazia would eventually
produce a similar multi-dimensional relationship with Cypriot Turks
in the eastern Mediterranean. Abkhazia in this case would become an
accessible Black Sea coastline for Turkey.

ARMENIA’S PRIME MINISTER PARTICIPATES IN YSU’S SESSION

Aysor.am
Tuesday, October 06

Armenia’s Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisyan attended ceremony of joint
session of Board and Academic Council of Yerevan State University
timed to its 90th anniversary.

Prime Minister expressed confidence that there were resources and
will to restructure the University so that it could become one of
the best ones.

"I don’t see obstacles in our way to implement such a brave and
ambitious project. This is a way to prosperity. If we do not have
one of the best world’s universities then we can’t pretend to be a
competitive nation."

Mr. Sarkisyan expressed readiness to promote the project.

ESU’s staff was awarded prime minister’s medals and diplomas, reports
Armenian Government’s press office.

SERGE SARGSYAN IN NEW YORK

5409.html
12:39:33 – 05/10/2009

The second stop of the pan-Armenian trip was New York. Here, on
October 3, Serge Sargsyan had a meeting with the representatives of
the U.S. Eastern coast and representatives of the Armenian communities
in Canada. The deputy head of the Hayastan pan-Armenian Fund trustee
board Gagik Harutunyan, Ambassador with Special Assignments, the
former NKR president Arkadi Ghukasyan as well as the Minister of
Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan also took part in the meeting.

In his opening speech, Serge Sargsyan dwelt on the main concern
heard on the Armenian-Turkish protocols and reiterated that Armenia
is establishing relations with Turkey without preconditions.

Dwelling on the concern that we did not calculate all the possible
consequences and influence of border opening, Serge Sargsyan said
that in reality it is impossible to calculate all the scenarios.

As to economic expansions, Serge Sargsyan considered groundless this
concern saying that the country has enough mechanisms and means to
solve possible problems and challenges.

Serge Sargsyan also reiterated that the fact of genocide cannot be
discussed in the framework of the normalization of the Armenian and
Turkish relations.

In the end, Serge Sargsyan said he believes in Armenia’s good future
because we have chosen the right way. The press service of the
president informs.

SPEECHLESS WITNESSES OF THE HISTORY

06-10-2009

To the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the re-establishment of
the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church has not remained
apathetic and the Artsakh State Museum of Local History. In the years
of persecutions and pursuits, numerous exhibits were returned to the
storage into the museum. And recently on the organized exhibition
were presented some of the saved relics from spiritual genocide.

On September 27, the opened exhibition in Artsakh Museum of Regional
History visited the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, accompanied
by the Speaker of the NKR National Assembly Ashot Ghulyan, primate of
the Artsakh diocese the Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan and spiritual
leaders of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The director of the museum Melanya Balayan told the dignitaries about
the advanced exhibits. The most ancient relic – found in Dadivank a
stone knob of a crozier – dated from the fifth century. A bishop’s
throne is also found in Dadivank, dated 12-13 centuries.

The most "young" exhibit is an embroidered portrait of John the Baptist
(1912). Garegin the Second astonished the director of museum with
questions that could only specify the most enlightened visitor: how
was a relic of Russian origin find in Artsakh and whether they knew
what kind of exhibits, which are concerned to the Artsakh diocese,
are kept in museums in Armenia?

Catholicos of All Armenians left a note in the book of the museum. "So
carefully preserved relics of the church are a witness of the noble
and strong faith of Artsakh,"- Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin
II gave such estimation to the work of the museum.

The director of the museum said that much remained to be done. The
considerable part of the history kept in the funds of the displays
is almost unknown.

YEARS OF STRUGGLE AND RESURRECTION FROM THE ASHES
Norayr Hovsepyan

p
06-10-2009

The events, dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the re-establishment
of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, began on
Sept. 26 from Gandzasar. Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II came
to Artsakh.

The Primate of the Artsakh Diocese Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan,
NKR officials headed by the chairman of the National Assembly Ashot
Ghulyan, leaders and representatives of the dioceses of the Armenian
Apostolic Church met him.

Gandzasar was chosen not by chance, as the starting point of events
dedicated to the re-establishment of the Artsakh diocese. 20 years
ago thanks to the Catholicos of All Armenians Vazgen I, the Artsakh
Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church again began to operate, which
was closed in the 30-ies of the last century. On October 1, 1989 in
Gandzasar Church of St. John the Baptist, the current Primate of the
Artsakh Diocese Archbishop Martirosyan Pargev finished a service the
first liturgy.

"The rebirth of the Artsakh diocese at its height of the Artsakh
movement is not accident," – said the Speaker of the NKR National
Assembly Ashot Ghulyan.

"It symbolizes our return to the values left by our ancestors, – noted
the Minister of Education and Science of NKR Vladik Khachatryan.-And
everybody needs in spiritual food- and old and young".

Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II and the pastors of the Armenian
Apostolic Church did church service in Gandzasar Church of St. John the
Baptist, after which four sides of the Artsakh country were blessed.

Then the ceremonial procession directed towards the cross stone set at
the entrance in Gandzasar. Dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the
re-establishment of the Artsakh Diocese Garegin the Second blessed
the khachkar. Then he turned to the audience. Patriarchal word was
kind of assessment of 20-year activity of the Artsakh Diocese and
the Armenian of Artsakh. "We brought to Artsakh our blessing from
Echmiadzin with love.

We are proud that Artsakh regained freedom by the efforts of all
Armenians, – said the Catholicos of All Armenians.-And a priest
together with soldiers took up a weapon in his hand, as our holy
fathers bequeathed, we must change the cross into an arm in the name
of rescuing of the native land".

After 20 years in Gandzasar, they pray with the same zeal as the
first day. They pray heartily, with an awareness of loss and faith
in victory. So, in Gandzasar the bells never fall into silence.

American boy scouts help preserve future site of AGMA
03.10.2009 11:24 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ As part of their community service program, a Boy
Scouts of America troop from the Washington, DC, region is
volunteering to help preserve the National Bank of Washington (NBW)
building, which is a designated site on the National Register of
Historic Buildings.

As plans proceed to convert the 1920s structure into the Armenian
Genocide Museum of America (AGMA), the preservation of the historic
building has remained one of the priorities of the museum project. The
renovation plans will restore the site to its original grandeur, as
well as allow for the installation of full-scale exhibits on the
tragic ordeal of the victims and the long struggle of the
survivors. The NBW structure has historic designation for both the
exterior and the interior main hall of the former bank space.

"As we pull together the AGMA plans and exhibits, we also want this
historic site to be presentable and available to the local community,"
said Van Z. Krikorian, museum trustee and chairman of the project’s
building and operations committee. "We are honored by the offer of the
Boy Scouts of America to pitch in with our efforts to improve the site
for public use. Their volunteer spirit exemplifies the best of our
country’s values and is especially appropriate since the Boy Scouts of
America in the past honored Armenian Assembly of America chairman and
AGMA board of trustees chairman Hirair Hovnanian with their
Distinguished Service Award for serving on their National Board."

The reviews and approvals of the District of Columbia Historic
Preservation Review Board (HPRB) and the architectural plans developed
according to HPRB specifications have clarified which portions and
what details of the existing structure must be preserved and will be
renovated. The review also identified aspects to the interior of the
building that were later additions or are features that do not
constitute part of the original integrity of the historic building.

Not on The Extra Mile: Points of Light Volunteer Pathway, which is a
new national monument dedicated to the spirit of service in
America. The Extra Mile honors heroes of the nation’s service movement
with a series of large bronze medallions, including William D. Boyce,
founder of the Boy Scouts of America. Other honorees include
suffragist Susan B. Anthony, abolitionist Frederick Douglas, advocate
for the blind Helen Keller, civil rights leader Martin Luther King,
Jr., Special Olympics founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver, and American Red
Cross founder Clara Barton, who led American relief efforts in
response to the 1896 Armenian massacres. The AGMA offices are also
located across the street from the Church of the Epiphany, which is
one of the starting points of the Civil War to Civil Rights: Downtown
Heritage Trail.

U.S. GOVERNMENT PROVIDES 36 MILLION DOLLARS TO REHABILITATE PUMPING STATIONS

armradio.am
01.10.2009 14:48

The Millennium Challenge Account – Armenia (MCA-Armenia) SNCO signed
a contract with a French consortium – Farmex Technologies, Florian
Lopez and Gaxieu Ingenerie – to rehabilitate 17 pumping stations as
part of the MCA-Armenia’s Irrigation Infrastructure Project.

In the presence of Armenia’s Deputy Prime-Minister and Minister of
Territorial Administration, Armen Gevorgian, and senior officials
of the U.S. and Armenian governments, the contract was signed
by MCA-Armenia CEO Ara Hovsepyan and Farmex Chairman Noureddine
Smali. These works represent the largest single contract under
the Irrigaton Infrastructure Project and play a significant role in
helping to reduce rural poverty in Armenia by increasing the economic
performance of its agricultural sector.

Rehabilitation of these 17 pumping stations will provide reliable
irrigation water, increased electricity efficiency and improved
agricultural productivity to over 182,000 beneficiaries in 100
communities throughout Ararat, Armavir, Aragatsotn, Gegarqunik,
Tavush and Syunik marzes.

Currently, over 31,000 hectares of arable land receive water from
these pumping stations, which serve as the only source of irrigation,
especially for household plots.

Additional works under the MCA-Armenia’s Irrigation Infrastructure will
involve the rehabilitation of six main irrigation canals, construction
of four gravity schemes, upgrading of tertiary irrigation systems in
over 70 communities and improvements to the Ararat valley drainage
system.

TO TAKE THE MANDATE

os15364.html
17:19:17 – 30/09/2009

The leader of the Heritage party honourable Mr. Raffi Hovhannisyan,
several days after his resignation, decided to withdraw it.

Raffi Hovhannisyan explained his step saying that first he felt
betrayed but after he heard appeals form his compatriots from Armenia
and Diaspora to "accept the challenge and regardless inequality of
force to use the National Assembly limited possibility to work for
the sake of truth and justice". To be honest, reading these lines,
I remembered a joke. When a dance group after its fist performance
is called to the stage for a second performance by applauds, then
for the third, for the forth and fifth times when in the end they
understand that the spectators just made fun of them.

So, you do not know what the aim of the Armenian citizens and
Armenians from Diaspora is when they ordered Raffi Hovhannisyan to
come back. You do not know whether the Armenian citizens and the
Armenians from Diaspora were the authors of these pleads or maybe
Raffi Hovhannisyan’s political rivals sent messages and called Raffi
asking to come back and presented it as a "national plead" for him
to withdraw his resignation to appear in a ridiculous situation.

The fact that the situation is quite ridiculous may arouse doubts
only in Raffi Hovhannisyan otherwise he would not take back his
already laid down mandate. After this, Raffi Hovhannisyan’s words are
completely superfluous, because the society never knows if a person
who withdraws his resignation will not renounce his words either.

Raffi Hovhannisyan is not ruled out to have believed someone else’s
words and laid down his parliamentary mandate for some expectation
for example for a higher post but he remained without nothing having
to retake his mandate. Raffi Hovhannisyan is possible to be silent for
so long right because he was looking for an honourable way to withdraw
his resignation. And it is either ruled out that not the political
rivals sent the "national appeals" through all the possible means of
technology but Raffi Hovhannisyan organized it for the sake of an
honourable return. No, perhaps, Raffi Hovhannisyan tried to repeat
Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s impressive return but came out not to have
enough patience to wait for 10 years. Whereas, he had to realize that
the effect was not in the form of return but in waiting for ten years.

Apparently, the Heritage board has to withdraw Zoya Tadevosyan,
Vardan Khachatryan and Movses Aristakesyan’s dismissals. After,
the Heritage will withdraw its registration at the Ministry of Justice.

ARCHITECTURE FESTIVAL ZODCHESTVO-2009 IN MOSCOW

Russia-InfoCenter
28.09.2009

The largest Russian architecture festival Zodchestvo-2009 will be
held in the Central Exhibition Hall "Manege" in Moscow from the 15th
to 18th October.

"Today the festival Zodchestvo is the only one and the largest
exhibition space, where one can see at once the results of
architectural and town planning activity of numerous cities and
regions of Russia, project institutions, studios and offices, young
architects, students of architectural universities and departments,
as well as children’s architecture art groups" – President of Russian
Association of Architects Andrei Bokov said.

The forum will gather architects from more than thirty cities of
Russia, as well as representatives of other countries, including
Germany, USA, Holland, Switzerland, Austria, Bulgaria, Armenia and
Canada. The climax of the festival will be the ceremony of the national
award in architecture "Crystal Daedalus".