Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

AWARDED OF MEDALS AND DIPLOMAS OF GRATITUDE IN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

mp;p=0&id=725&y=2009&m=02&d=02
28. 01.09

On January 28, 2009 Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly Hovik
Abrahamyan awarded a number of high-ranked officials with honorable
medals and diplomas of gratitude of the National Assembly on the
occasion of the Army Day.

Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, Members of Parliament, high-ranked
officials of the Defense Ministry were present at the ceremony.

For active participation in the process of reforms of the Armed
Forces, on the occasion of the 17th anniversary of the Armenian
Army Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, Chief of the General Staff of
the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia Yuri Khachaturov, Deputy
Defense Minister, Lieutenant-General Alik Mirzabekyan, Deputy Defense
Minister Ara Nazarian and Head of the Legal Department of the Defense
Ministry, Colonel Sedrak Sedrakyan were awarded honorable medals of
the National Assembly.

For clear and conscientious implementation of service duties head of
the department dealing with the work with the staff of the Armenian
Armed Forces, Major-General Vardan Avetisyan and Commander of the
Armenian Defense Ministry’s peacekeeping forces brigade, Colonel
Arthur Simonyan were awarded diplomas of gratitude.

Public Television of Armenia
Jan 28 2009

Armenian, Azeri leaders note "dynamism", "progress" in Karabakh talks
– minister

[Presenter] The Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents, Serzh Sargsyan
and Ilham Aliyev, had a meeting in Zurich [Switzerland] today. The
first phase of the meeting was held by the two countries’ foreign
ministers, with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen and the personal
representative of the OSCE chairman-in office in attendance. A
tete-a-tete meeting between the presidents, which lasted for an hour,
continued at an expanded format later.

[Haylur correspondent Artak Aleksanyan reporting from Zurich] The
Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents arrived in Zurich airport an hour
apart from each other. The Armenian president arrived in Zurich
airport first and then Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived. The
Azerbaijani delegation was informed that Armenia marks the 17th
anniversary of the Armenian armed forces today.

The meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents [at an
expanded format] lasted for more than two hours., The OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairmen and the personal representative of the OSCE
chairman-in-office also joined the presidents following the
tete-a-tete meeting. After the meeting, the two countries’ foreign
ministers noted dynamism in the negotiating process. The meeting that
lasted for more than two hours was productive.

[Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan speaking in Russian with
overlaid Armenian translation] The two presidents noted that there was
dynamism from the standpoint of these meetings’ regular nature and
that there is progress from the standpoint that both presidents much
better understand each other’s positions and the current difficulties.

[Correspondent] Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov noted
that it was still early to sign a framework agreement. On the other
hand, there remains three or four questions which should also be
agreed.

[Mammadyarov speaking in Russian with overlaid Armenian translation]
There was mutual understanding between the two sides. However, there
are some questions which have not yet been agreed. Meetings held
between the two presidents are aimed at resolving these
questions. This is a process [during which] we should move ahead,
because there is no other way.

[Nalbandyan] Indeed, the talk is about drawing up the settlement
principles. After an agreement is reached on the main settlement
principles, the sides will start working out a basic document.

VARDAN KHACHATRIAN: NEW PACE RESOLUTION CONTAINS ALL DEMANDS MADE TO ARMENIA SO FAR

Noyan Tapan

Jan 30, 2009

YEREVAN, JANUARY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. According to Resolution N 1643
adopted by PACE on January 27, no radical changes have been recorded
in Armenia. Vardan Khachatrian, a member of the RA NA Zharangutiun
(Heritage) faction, reported at the January 30 press conference adding
that the new resolution contains all concerns and demands made to
Armenia so far. According to him, depriving Armenia’s delegation
of the vote was not opposition’s, including Zharangutiun (Heritage)
party’s goal. "Endangering Armenia cannot be in the interests of any
political force acting in the country," V. Khachatrian said.

According to Karen Avagian, a member of the RA NA RPA faction,
Resolution N 1643 is a victory over all people, who did their
best to deprive the Armenian delegation of the vote. In his words,
according to that resolution, indeed changes have been recorded in the
country. "Otherwise a new resolution would not be adopted or it would
be a resolution with the previous one’s content," K. Avagian said. He
did not consider admissible the circumstance that Raffi Hovannisian,
the founder of the Zharangutiun party considering itself a constructive
opposition did not participate in the PACE sittings.

SERZH SARGSYAN: "I USED TO SPEAK AZERBAIJANI, BUT IT HAS BEEN ALREADY 20 YEARS THAT I DON’T SPEAK IT"

Today.Az
cs/50381.html
Jan 29 2009
Azerbaijan

Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President of Armenia
Serzh Sargsyan will meet today in Davos in the framework of the World
Economic Forum.

According to APA, referring to CNN Turk channel, the Foreign Ministers
of the two countries Ali Babacan and Edward Nalbandyan will meet
before the meeting of the leaders.

Answering Turkish journalists’ questions in Davos, Sargsyan said he
considers that the meeting will be a positive step for improvement
of the relations between the two countries.

Asked whether he speaks Turkish and to say something in Turkish,
Sargsyan said in Armenian:

"Frankly speaking I do not understand Turkish. I used to speak
Azerbaijani, but it has been 20 years that I don’t speak it".

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT TO START HEARING MINISTRIES’ REPORTS ON FRIDAY

ARKA
Jan 29, 2009

YEREVAN, January 29. /ARKA/. Armenian Government is to start discussing
ministries’ 2008 activity reports on Friday, Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan said on Thursday.

He said that the discussions will be focused on faults and unfulfilled
work.

The premier said that problems will be considered and steps outlined
for implementing the outstanding programs in 2009.

Sargsyan asked ministers to present only brief reports about failed
plans.

"ARTSAKH-ANCIENT COUNTRY" PUBLISHED IN PRAGUE

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2009-01-28 15:53
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic

The book "Artsakh-ancient country" has been published in the Czech
language in Prague in the form of a photo-album of 22 photographers
from the Czech Republic and Austria. They photographed episodes from
the cultural and spiritual life of Nagorno Karabakh, its nature,
historical-architectural monuments, etc. The book also contains
general information about the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

Initiator of the project is Garik Avanesyan, member of the
International Federation of Photography Art, winner of a number of
international awards.

In 1987 he first made photographs in Hadrout region of Nagorno
Karabakh, but published his works 20 years later. In Prague he
convinced his friends-photographers that Nagorno Karabakh is a
"paradise for photographers".

The presentation of the book "Artsakh- ancient country" will be held
in Prague on March 3, 2008, at the photo exhibition of the same name.

NKR PERMANENT REPRESENTATION IN FRANCE OPENED A SITE

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2009-01-27 17:56
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic NKR

The NKR permanent representation in France has opened a site
(), which includes both general information about
the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and news about the NKR socio-political
life.

Articles on the NKR history, economy, culture and foreign policy,
as well as information on the activity of the NKR representation in
France, humanitarian projects in Nagorno Karabakh, etc. are placed in
the new internet-resource. Those who want to visit Nagorno Karabakh
can find a tourism guidebook there. Twice a month the site will
produce video-reportages and an information bulletin on regional
geopolitical news.

Preliminary works are carried out for designing analogous sites in
Latin America, Middle East and in a number of European countries.

NKR PRESIDENT CONGRATULATES THE NEWLY ELECTED PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA

armradio.am
28.01.2009 17:36

On 28 January President of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic Bako Sahakyan
sent a congratulatory letter to the newly elected Patriarch of Moscow
and All Russia Kirill. The letter reads as follows:

"Your Holiness, On behalf of the authorities and people of the
Nagorno Karabagh Republic I cordially congratulate You on being
elected Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia.

Your personal qualities and experience, knowledge and unshakeable
faith create a firm foundation to carry out effectively the difficult
and important mission of the Head of the Russian Orthodox Church.

I hope that under your leadership the ties between the Russian
Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic sister churches will further deepen
and which will have a positive impact on strengthening Russian-Armenian
relations.

I congratulate You once again and wish peace, happiness, robust health
and success in all Your God-pleasing undertakings."

RUSSIA PREPARES TO DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST ATTACKS FROM EUROPEAN DEPUTIES
Vadim Trukhachev

PRAVDA
Jan 27 2009
Russia

The winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe (PACE) began working in Strasburg. European deputies will do
what they like doing most – criticize Russia for all of its recent
steps in home and foreign politics. At any rate, one shall expect
anti-Russian remarks during the discussion of such issues as South
Ossetia, Ukraine and the Baltic states. The agenda will also include
the consequences of the financial crisis, the war in Gaza and other
problems.

Russia will not be the only antihero at the session. Armenia (an
Asian republic of the former USSR) also gained some attention of the
PACE deputies. They claim that Armenia did not fulfill the resolution
of 2008, did not release political prisoners and did not conduct the
unbiased investigation of the events which took place in the country
on March 1-2, when an opposition meeting ended with riots in which
ten people were killed.

As for the fuel issue, the Europeans will try to build the Nabucco
pipeline as soon as possible to transport the Caspian crude to Europe
bypassing Russia. Armenia, Russia’s ally, seems to be a weak link at
this point. Therefore, Europe will have to put some pressure on the
Armenian administration to make it run pro-Western foreign policy.

PACE rapporteurs believe that Russia has not met several requirements
of last year’s resolution on South Ossetia. "The Assembly is sorry that
Russia has not met most of the requirements of the Assembly, including
numerous requirements that are not related to the issue of the status
of two regions (South Ossetia and Abkhazia)," the draft document
runs. The document does not specify any of those requirements, though.

Nevertheless, the head of the Russian delegation in Strasburg,
Konstantin Kosachev, is optimistic about the session. He said that the
PACE could mitigate the final version of the prepared resolution. "It
is not ruled out that Russia will support the resolution once it is
constructive," Kosachev said.

Another issue on the agenda also catches attention: "The investigation
of the crimes committed by top officials during Leonid Kuchma’s rule
in Ukraine." On the one hand, it looks like an awkward attempt to
whitewash Viktor Yushchenko, whose image in Europe was blackened during
the recent gas crisis. Specialists say that Yushchenko’s rule will
look somewhat better against the background of the crimes committed
during Kuchma’s rule. However, Yushchenko is not bad at all for the
deputies from Poland and the Baltic states just because of the fact
that all his actions are aimed against Russia.

ARMENIAN AND AZERI PRESIDENTS’ NEGOTIATIONS PLANNED ON JANUARY 28 IN ZURICH

Noyan Tapan

Jan 26, 2009

YEREVAN, JANUARY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. RA President Serzh Sargsyan leaves
for Switzerland on a working visit on January 28 to take part in
Davos World Economic Forum.

According to the report provided to Noyan Tapan by the RA President’s
Press Office, Armenian and Azeri Presidents’ negotiations over the
Nagorno Karabakh settlement are planned the same day in Zurich. It
was mentioned that after S. Sargsyan’s assuming RA President’s post
Zurich meeting is the third one between S. Sargsyan and I. Aliyev.

A number of bilateral meetings with heads of other states and
representatives of international organizations are envisaged within
the framework of Davos World Economic Forum.

S. Sargsyan will also meet with the Armenian community of Switzerland.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry Press and
Information Department, RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian left
for Zurich on January 26. He will meet with Azeri Foreign Minister
Elmar Mammadiarov and OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs on January 27.