Author: Antonian Lara

KALAYDJIAN FOUNDATION
96-102 Zenonos Kitieus Street
Larnaca 6022
Cyprus

Tel: (00357) 24-659200
Fax: (00357) 24-659203
Email: [email protected]
Web:

Kalaydjian Foundation Launches University Scholarship Programme

20th February 2009

The Kalaydjian Foundation, a non-profit benevolent organisation based in
Cyprus, is pleased to announce the start of two new programmes aimed at
providing support for education at both secondary and advanced levels.

As part of its efforts to provide targeted support in the present
difficult economic climate, the Kalaydjian Foundation has decided to
provide an annual grant to all Cypriot students who are graduates of
Narek elementary schools and are currently enrolled or will be enrolled
in private secondary schools in Cyprus. This assistance, up to
=82¬400 per child, will be provided to all eligible applicants
irrespective of their family’s income level, starting from the
academic year 2009-2010. Families who would be interested in receiving
this grant should submit an application to Mr. Hagop Kasparian by
September 30th at the latest. Mr. Kasparian can be contacted on
00357-22-429306.

The Foundation’s second programme is a scholarship that will
provide free post-graduate education to gifted Armenian Cypriot
students. The primary aim of this programme is to allow talented
students, who would otherwise not have the chance to continue their
education, the opportunity to receive a Master’s degree and
therefore enhance significantly their career prospects. To that end, the
Kalaydjian Foundation has signed a collaboration agreement with the
American University of Armenia in Yerevan.

The American University of Armenia (AUA) is a US-accredited educational
institution affiliated with the University of California and located in
Yerevan. AUA’s academic programme provides English-language
graduate education in Business and Management (MBA), Industrial
Engineering, Information and Communication Technologies, Political
Science, Health Sciences and Law.

Since its inception in 1991, it has provided advanced education to over
1,600 Armenians from all over the world. A major advantage is the fact
that enrolled students from the diaspora live in the safe and beautiful
city of Yerevan and make vital contacts and life-long friendships in
their ancestral homeland.

The Kalaydjian Foundation aims to send one Armenian Cypriot student
every year to the AUA for higher education, starting from the academic
year 2010-2011. It will provide a full scholarship that will cover the
entire cost of tuition. It will also offer advice and assistance on
other issues, such as accommodation in Yerevan. The deadline for
applications is 31st March 2010. The admission criteria are stringent
and include an undergraduate degree from a recognised university or
college in Cyprus or Europe/America, and suitable work experience.
Interested parties should contact the Foundation on
<mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]. More
information on the AUA can be received at <;

The Committee of the Kalaydjian Foundation

GENDARMERIE COMMANDER IN DINK CASE GETS AWAY WITH "NEGLIGENCE"

BIA
Feb 19 2009
Turkey

A Trabzon court has decreed that Gendarmerie Commander Colonel Oz and
five other soldiers will be tried for negligence for not preventing
the murder of journalist Hrant Dink.

The Trabzon 2nd Heavy Penal Court has decided that Commander
Colonel Ali Oz and five other soldiers shall be tried at the
Trabzon 2nd Criminal Court of Peace for not preventing the murder of
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink in January 2007.

Dink family lawyers have demanded that Oz and the other soldiers be
brought to the Istanbul 14th Heavy Penal Court, where the main Dink
murder case is being heard, as suspects. However, they will now be
tried at the Trabzon court. They stand accused of negligence rather
than abusing their position.

Gendarmerie cases will probably be merged Following the statements of
two other gendarmerie officers, Sergeant Major Okan Å~^imÅ~_ek and
Sergeant Veysel Å~^ahin, who are standing trial at the Trabzon 2nd
Criminal Court of Peace Oz and five intelligence officers, Captain
Metin Yıldız, Non-commissioned Officers Gazi Gunay and Huseyin
Yılmaz, as well as Sergeants Hacı Omer Unalır and Onder Araz will
be tried at the same court.

Their trial will begin on 6 May, and just like Å~^imÅ~_ek and Å~^ahin,
they will be tried for negligence, facing between six months and
two years imprisonment. It is expected that the two cases of the
gendarmerie officers will be merged.

Meanwhile, the next hearing of the main murder court case in Istanbul
will take place on 20 April. A total of twenty people, five of them
detained, stand accused at the Istanbul 14th Heavy Penal Court. (EO/AG)

ACCORDING TO AZERBAIJAN, IN ALL WORLD TROUBLES FEELS THE "HAND OF ARMENIA"
Karine Ter-Sahakyan

PanARMENIAN.Net
17.02.2009 GMT+04:00

Baku fails to differentiate between criticism and foul language used
against Armenia.

No matter how hard Azerbaijan tries to assure that the world economic
crisis Â"hardly tells upon the countryÂ", in fact this as well as
other statements of Baku Agitation and Propaganda Department contradict
the reality. Hardly will oil and gas prices rise in the near future,
which means that the Aliyev clan cannot get their regular billion
manats. By the way, Baku counts exclusively on mantas, since it makes
greater impression.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Against the background of the slightly changing
Russian-Turkish and Armenian-Turkish relations, President of Azerbaijan
decided to just in case find an alternative for the delivery of the
Azerbaijani gas to Europe through Georgia. It is no secret that this
was the main aim of Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Athens. "Azerbaijan makes
every effort to strengthen the energy security of Europe and expects
to export gas to Europe through Georgia," declared Aliyev in Athens
on Monday. One could say this statement was a signal to Ankara: there
can be found an alternative to Turkey as a transit country . Let us
note that the statement was made on the background of circulating
anti-Turkish campaign in the Azeri press. Well, this campaign is
not yet fully anti-Turkish but if the impossible occurs and the
Armenian-Turkish border is opened, there would be more than enough
reasons for Baku to severely criticize her Â"brotherly partnerÂ". Baku
considers that if Erdogan can venture upon harsh declarations about
Israel, Baku can do the same with respect to Ankara.

However, the situation is not that simple. Ilham Aliyev knows the game
directive brilliantly well and lays special emphasis on the Â"European
energy securityÂ", which is under threat because of the Â"gas warÂ"
between Ukraine and Russia. There is no guarantee that the war will
not break out again, that is why gas exporting states are now trying
their best to draw the attention of Europe. Some of them succeed, some
of them fail, but both Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan fail to notice the
two central players of this game: Iran and Russia. If the US-Iranian
relations indeed improve (and we are gradually coming to it), Iran will
have an opportunity to profitably transport gas to Europe and, quite
obviously, at an acceptable price. The same is true about Russia. No
matter how critically Â"GazpromÂ" is treated now, it can afford to
purchase the Azerbaijani gas and sell it at a profitable price.

Nabucco awaits a similar fate. It is still a question whether the
Nabucco project will be carried out or not, but it can be said for
sure that it can never be put into effect without participation
of Iran and Turkey, while Azerbaijan is not a necessary component
in this issue. Lately Kaan Soyak, co-founder and co-chairman of
the Turkish-Armenian Business Development Council, said "Nabucco
may well pass through Armenia", which caused a burst of anger in
Baku. The map shows Armenia is really a suitable transit country for
the Nabucco pipeline, only if the latter should not become a second
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan.

Supposedly, Aliyev’s foreign tours and statements are all closely
related to the Referendum due in March, the outcome of which is
quite predictable. Actually all that is done and spoken about in Baku
at least by officials or those Â"authorized to speakÂ", is exactly
directed to that. That is why no one is any longer surprised at the
tactless comments of the Press Secretary of the Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry about the President of another country. All is fair in war,
but Baku fails to differentiate between criticism and foul language
used against Armenia. However, it is also useless to teach Baku lessons
of good conduct since offspring of nomads will never be able to learn
this lesson.

The interesting point is that in any occurrence which is directly or
marginally related to Azerbaijan, Baku begins to nervously search
an Â"Armenian spotÂ". Hardly can all this be stipulated in the
declarations signed by Ilham Aliyev and in the liability criteria
of joining the EC. As usual, Vafa Guluzade could not stay aloof. His
Â"oraclesÂ" may finally lead Azerbaijan into a dead end, from where
she can never crawl out again. After all, a deadlock is a deadlock.

"Azerbaijan has no other way-out but to preserve close ties with
the West. This is the guarantee of our security. Russia has made its
choice, she has chosen Armenia, and we must strengthen our western
orientation as counterbalance to the Armenian-Russian alliance. You
see, they join their air defense forces, their economies, thus leaving
us no alternative but join the western world," Guluzade said.

It is simply interesting to know what Baku Agitation and Propaganda
Department has prepared after the failed bluff of Â"Russia’s selling
Armenia military hardware with a total cost of USD800 millionÂ". Most
likely, the new Â"storyÂ" will refer to the new US Administration,
which is surely reconsidering its attitude towards Azerbaijan,
remembering the Â"badÂ" inheritance of ex-Vice President Dick Cheney
and, in all probability, that of very soon former Co-chair of the
OSCE Minsk Group Mathew Bryza. It is not out of place to remind that
for the 8 years of Bush’s rule as co-chairs for the OSCE Minsk Group
mainly representatives of oil lobbywere chosen. If Barack Obama and
Hilary Clinton in fact want to change their foreign policy they should
appoint a more independent a co-chair, in whose appointment Baku once
again would try to find the track of the Â"Armenian lobbyÂ".

"ARMENIAN OFFICIALS USE "NEIGHBOR COUNTRY" INSTEAD OF AZERBAIJAN"

Panorama.am
18:29 17/02/2009

The press spokesman of Foreign Affairs Ministry of Azerbaijan commented
on Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan’s announcement that Azerbaijan
threatens the region making military announcements and over equipping
its army.

The press spokesman expressed his discontent that very often Armenian
officials use "neighbor country" instead of Azerbaijan. He tried to
justify the over-equipping of the army saying that Armenia spends
more on army than they do. But it is remarkable that Azerbaijan has
been always stressing that they will make their military budget equal
to the state budget of Armenia.

ARMENIA NEGOTIATES WITH EU FOR SIGNING FREE TRADE AGREEMENT

ARMENPRESS
Feb 17, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 17, ARMENPRESS: Armenia is conducting negotiations
with EU for signing an agreement on the implementation of free trade.

Press service of the Armenian Economy Ministry told Armenpress that
the agreement supposes a higher level of implementation of trade
and good conditions. An EU fact-finding group has already arrived in
Armenia and will meet February 18-19 with different experts, heads
of ministries and departments to discuss Armenia’s legislative acts
referring to trade.

As a result of discussions it will be clear what issues exist
in Armenia’s legislative field and what changes must be made. The
process of signing of the agreement demands long time and as a result
of 2-year work it will be possible to sign an agreement which will
give an opportunity to the Armenian producers export their products
without preconditions and duty free.

Armenia has signed free trade agreements with Russia, USA, Canada
and Japan.

ESTEEM STARTS FROM NATIONAL ANTHEM

A1+
[07:43 pm] 16 February, 2009

Starting from February 16 the national anthem will be played in all
Armenian schools every Monday.

Today the pupils of Abovyan’s secondary school N2 started their
lessons under the tune of Our Homeland. Schoolgirl Lianna says the
sounds of the national anthem encourages them.

A child should know the national anthem from birthday as it symbolises
the great respect for the country, says Pedagogue Frunze Begoyan.

Let’s remind that none of the Armenian MPs, except the Heritage
Faction, sing when the anthem is played in the parliament.

"HOUSE OF EUROPE" IN YEREVAN

Panorama.am
12:18 17/02/2009

"House of Europe" has been established in Yerevan. The German
University in Armenia and the European Movement of Armenia will
function in the "House of Europe", reports the office of European
Movement of Armenia.

According to the source discussions, round table meetings on European
developments, political events will be organized. A discussion has
been also conducted with the participation of the Ambassadors of
France and Poland to Armenia Serge Smessov and Tomaz Knotche

CSTO AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MIGRATION TO ENLARGE COOPERATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.02.2009 18:22 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Nikolai Bordyuzha, Secretary General of the
Collective Security Treaty Organization met with Mr. Enrico Ponziani,
head of IOM Moscow Mission, on Feb. 16 to discuss cooperation in
counteracting illegal migration and trafficking in people.

Nikolai Bordyuzha briefed Enrico Ponziani on the measures taken for
the purpose.

For his part, Mr. Ponziani said IOM is ready to assist conduction of
comparative legal analysis of CSTO legislative norms.

The participants also noted the positive results of implementation of
the international protocol on cooperation between the CSTO secretariat
and the administration of the International Organization for Migration
signed on July 26, 2006, the CSTO Yerevan Office reports.

OSCE PA WINTER MEETING SET TO DISCUSS EUROPEAN SECURITY ARCHITECTURE

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.02.2009 17:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ More than 270 parliamentarians from the OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly are scheduled to attend the Eighth Winter
Meeting in Vienna 19-20 February, where the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office,
Greece’s Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis, will address the opening
session on Thursday morning, February 19, the OSCE PA press office
told PanARMENIAN.Net.

Other speakers include the President of the Austrian Nationalrat,
Barbara Prammer; the President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly,
U.S. Congressman, John Tanner; and OSCE PA President, Joao Soares.

One of the highlights during the Winter Meeting will be a special
debate on Friday morning, 20 February, about the initiatives by Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev and French President Nicolas Sarkozy for
new European security arrangements. The OSCE parliamentarians will
hear from Alexander Groushko, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
of the Russian Federation; Veronique Bujon-Barre, Deputy Director
for Political and Security Affairs of the French Foreign Ministry;
and OSCE PA President Joao Soares.

The debate, as other sessions and the meetings of the three General
Committees during the Winter Meeting, is open to the press.

During the closing session on 20 February, the delegates will hear
presentations by the OSCE PA’s Special Representative on Gender
Issues, OSCE PA Vice-President Tone Tingsgaard, and by Panos Kammenos,
Greek Vice Minister of Mercantile Marine, Aegean & Island Policy, on
"Piracy As a New Security Threat."

The Winter Meeting’s agenda also includes a special presentation on
Kazakhstan’s preparations for its OSCE Chairmanship in 2010 by the
Kazakh delegation, led by its head of delegation and OSCE PA Vice
President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

The OSCE PA Winter Meeting, addressed by the top officials of the
OSCE, including the Secretary General and Heads of Institutions is
the second largest event in the OSCE PA calendar, topped only by the
Annual Session, which is due in Vilnius, Lithuania from June 29

AUCTION FOR "BJNI" OVER: ONE BID RECEIVED

armradio.am
16.02.2009 16:07

On 16 at 1 p.m. the electronic compulsory auction for the property and
property rights of "Bjni" Mineral Water Company came to an end. One
bid was submitted, Press Secretary of the Judicial Acts Compulsory
Enforcement Service of Armenia Ruben Grdzeyan told "Radiolur."

"The auction is over. Consistent with the Armenian legislation, the
information about the participants of the tender is kept secret,"
he said.

The preliminary price set by the Bailiff Service for the property of
the factory, including rights for trademarks, was 4,934,943,264.3
Drams at the first auction. The amount to be recovered from Bjni
factory is almost 4.356bln Drams.

Under the country’s law about public sale, if no bids are received
the new auction is to be announced on the third working day after
the final day of the previous one and the starting lot price is to
be reduced by 10% there.

The starting price of the second auction is over 4.441bln Drams.