Author: Chakhmakhchian Vatche

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT OPENED HIGHWAY LINKING YEREVAN’S SOUTH-EAST TO NORTH-WEST

ARKA
Dec 3, 2008

YEREVAN, December 3. /ARKA/. The RA Government assigned 8.5bln AMD for
construction of a highway linking Yerevan’s south-east to north-west,
said Yerevan Mayor Yervand Zakharyan at the opening of the highway
on Wednesday.

RA President Serzh Sargsyan, second President Robert Kocharyan and
Yerevan Mayor Yervand Zakharyan participated to the opening ceremony.

"Today we opened another highly important sector of a transport
system, which is truly exclusive in the history of road constructing
in Yerevan during the past ten years," said Zakharyan.

He said the project of a highway that will link the city’s south-east
to north-west was developed as far back as in 1970-1980s, but it is
notable the project was implemented in the years of independency and
during the country’s stable economic uprise.

"Armenian economy develops abreast with today’s criteria for
civilization foreknowing the current challenges. What was impossible
five years ago is now a reality in Yerevan," said Zakharyan.

According to the Mayor construction works started last year.

"Today, less than in two years, the capital city has a long-expected
and highly important highway which is to change the appearance of
center of Yerevan as well as to improve the condition of transport
communication," he said.

The last sector of the new20highway is 2.6km-long which enables to
direct transport stream from Tigran Mets, Arshakunyats and Khanjyan
streets to the tunnel on Myasnikyan street linking it to Saralanji
avenue and making it faster to reach Komitas avenue and Davidashen
bridge.

This will contribute to the relieve of Mashtots, Baghramyan, Tigran
Mets, Khanjyan, Alek Manukyan, Isahakyan, Abovyan, Nalbandyan,
Koryun and Charents streets as well as to reduce time spent on road
thrice.

PRIOR TO THE HISTORIC CONFERENCE
Nayira Khachatryan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
02 Dec 08
Armenia

"In the present-day situation, there are no pre-requisites or telling
circumstances that may force us to revise our decision on discontinuing
the rallies," ARMAN MOUSSINYAN, L. Ter-Petrosyan’s Press-Secretary,
announced in "Urbat" (Friday) club yesterday.

As mentioned by the speaker, the Armenian National Congress will
present more details on its strategy in the conference to be held
in mid-December.

"The day has not been specified yet; preliminarily, it is scheduled
for the 12th of December. The conference of the Congress will not be a
closed door discussion. It will be public, and the questions concerning
both our further strategy and the settlement of the Karabakh conflict
will be answered. There will also be analysis concerning the sphere
of economy."

The radical opposition has not yet elaborated a unanimous opinion
on the Karabakh issue. "The Congress has different approaches to
that question.

There is no unanimous opinion as such, but all the parties are
interested in the maximum advantageous settlement of the conflict."

As to which is that maximum advantageous settlement, the speaker did
not fully clarify the question. "The maximum advantageous settlement
of the issue depends on the strength of Armenia and the weakness of
Azerbaijan at the given moment. In such20circumstances, the settlement
will be in our best interests. Otherwise, the situation will arouse
concerns. That was the reason we discontinued the rallies, relieving
the criminal authorities from our pressures so as they might at least
have the chance to negotiate from stronger positions, because the
Karabakh issue is not restricted to the authorities; it’s a matter
concerning our state and national security."

As seen by the answers of the ex-President’s Spokesman, the issue
will not be settled in the course of the coming months. "It will
be settled after the signature of a framework agreement over the
principles. The Moscow Declaration is the start of the process of
achieving agreements on those principles. I believe there will be an
advance step in that direction during the coming months.

I want you to understand me properly. When we were saying that
the issue was close to its solution, we didn’t mean the main
agreement. What we meant was the preliminary arrangement determining
the principles of the settlement of the Karabakh conflict."

Estimating the current stage of the negotiations, A. Moussinyan
insisted that such settlement process is not in the interests of the
Armenian party.

The arguments, he said, repeated the opposition’s views with regard
to the Minedorf Declaration. "One of the Declaration clauses that
poses a threat is that the conflict should be settled in compliance
with the international principles and the documents adopted on their
basis. For 10 years on end, Azerbaijan had several anti-Armenian
documents adopted by different international tribunals, and thus
it established a legal base. Enshrined in the Moscow Declaration,
that base became the underlying principle of settlement."

And L. Ter-Petrosyan turned out to be the only person proposing
anti-Armenian solutions. "Hadn’t it been for L. Ter-Petrosyan’s speech
delivered on October 17, all this would have passed unnoticed. The
Moscow Declaration would have been adopted, and everybody would
have welcomed it with applauses. With his speeches, L. Ter-Petrosyan
established an agenda. He pushed everybody to speak about the Karabakh
issue."

CLINTON WELCOMED BY US ARMENIANS

Hurriyet
Dec 3 2008
Turkey

WASHINGTON – U.S. President-elect Barack Obama’s selection of
Sen. Hillary Clinton as secretary of state seems to have been met with
approval by both Turkey and Armenia, with the largest U.S. Armenian
group and Turkish officials welcoming the decision.

U.S. President-elect Barack Obama’s selection of Sen. Hillary Clinton
as secretary of state seems to have been met with approval by both
Turkey and Armenia, with the largest U.S. Armenian group and Turkish
officials welcoming the decision.

The Armenian National Committee of America, or ANCA praised Clinton’s
record as a strong supporter of the Armenian cause, in a statement
late Monday. However, the ANCA made no mention of Clinton’s opposition
to the passage of an "Armenian genocide" resolution in the House of
Representatives in October 2007, when she cited concerns of a strong
Turkish reaction.

"We extend our thanks to President-elect Obama for this choice
and our congratulations to Senator Clinton on her appointment to
our nation’s top diplomatic post," said Aram Hamparian, the ANCA’s
executive director, according to the statement.

"We are certainly pleased to see that, for the first time in recent
memory, an individual with a strong record in support of Armenian
genocide recognition will serve as America’s secretary of state,"
Hamparian said.

Obama announced earlier Monday, he would nominate Clinton, his former
rival during the Democratic Party’s primaries for the presidential
election, as his secretary of state. Clinton first needs the Senate’s
confirmation to assume her new post. She is not expected to face any
difficulty with that process.

Turkish officials are also happy with Obama’s overall cabinet choice,
although for different reasons.

"We have very good relations with these three figures (Clinton,
Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Gen. James Jones). We believe
Obama is forming a very good national security cabinet," said one
Turkish official on condition of anonymity.

Turkish officials see Clinton as an experienced and centrist figure
with a positive understanding of Turkey.

What happened last year?

Like Obama, Clinton, during the primaries earlier this year, pledged
to recognize the 1915 incidents in the Ottoman Empire as "genocide",
if she were elected president. Clinton has also co-sponsored every
so-called genocide resolution in the senate since coming into office
in 2001.

But her position was different late last year. On Oct. 7, 2007, the
House Foreign Affairs Committee passed a so-called genocide resolution,
sending it for a potential floor vote.

Turkey reacted strongly, withdrawing its ambassador to Washington and
warned that the legislation’s passage in a full floor vote would hurt
the U.S.-Turkish relationship in a major and lasting way.

At a meeting with the Boston Globe’s editorial board Oct. 10, Hillary
said she had qualms about supporting a similar measure she co-sponsored
in the senate, according to a Globe article on Oct. 12.

She told the Globe’s editorial board that Turkey’s opposition had
been stronger than anticipated and that congress should proceed with
caution. Eventually President George W. Bush’s efforts forced the
house leadership to shelve the resolution.

Although both Obama and Clinton have pledged to recognize the so-called
genocide, the ANCA, which has now congratulated Clinton, viewed Obama
as the more sincere candidate on Armenian matters and decided in late
January to back him against Hillary in the primaries.

In addition, Hillary’s husband and former president, Bill Clinton,
due to last-minute pressure, prevented a similar resolution from
passing in a house floor vote in October 2000.

MAP A REMINDER OF COMPLEX HISTORY OF CAUCASUS
Scott Taylor, [email protected]

The Chronicle Herald
3425.html
Dec 1 2008
Canada

The final destination on my recent seven-country tour of the volatile
Caucasus was Baku, Azerbaijan. One of my commitments during this short
visit was to give a lecture at the Azeri Ministry of Foreign Affairs
University. About four dozen former ambassadors, faculty members and
students attended my presentation.

While it is admittedly a challenge to try to define the complex
political, strategic situation in the Caucasus to North American
readers, it is much dodgier when you attempt the same thing with an
audience of active participants from the region. Given the level of
tension between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the disputed territory of
Nagorno-Karabakh, almost every word you could utter has the potential
to be contentious.

In 1991, when Azerbaijan declared independence from the collapsing
Soviet Union, the ethnic Armenian majority in the province of
Nagorno-Karabakh held its own referendum, in which it unilaterally
declared the region to be independent from Azerbaijan.

While inter-ethnic violence had already begun to increase in this
region at an alarming rate during the late 1980s, the declared
secession of Nagorno-Karabakh sparked an all-out war between the Azeris
and Armenians. To support the ethnic Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh,
troops from the neighbouring Republic of Armenia first forced a
land corridor into the disputed province. Then, over the course of
two bloody years of combat, the Armenians captured and ethnically
cleansed seven additional Azeri provinces around Nagorno-Karabakh to
create what they call a security zone.

At the beginning of my lecture, I mentioned my travels to
Nagorno-Karabakh’s capital city, Stepanakert. As soon as I said
the word, a low grumble came from my audience, hands shot up and a
bright, young Azeri student rose to admonish me. "You mean the city
of Henkendi?" he asked.

I had to admit that I had never heard of that name; from highway signs
to maps to written accounts of the war, I had only ever seen the name
Stepanakert. "Henkendi was the old Azeri-Turkic name of the capital,
but the Soviets changed it to Stepanakert in the 1920s," I was advised.

On Azeri maps published since independence from the Soviet Union,
all place names have been replaced with the former Turkic ones. This
renaming process was also conducted by the Armenians, and, as it had
been very difficult to find accurate maps of the region in Canada,
I had acquired one in Yerevan.

This particular map had been produced in 2002 by the Armenians, and
it included a separate handy chart that listed all the former place
names juxtaposed with the current ones. Despite the catalogue of name
changes, I was still unable to correspond some of my research to a
location on the map.

Outside Baku, at a refugee camp, I had interviewed 28 Azeri survivors
of the Feb. 26, 1992, massacre in the town of Khojaly. On that fateful
night a combat force of Armenians had routed the Azeri militia and
completely cleansed the Azeri enclave of all inhabitants. In the
process, 613 Azeris were killed — mostly civilians — including 83
small children. Thousands more were injured or missing.

At the time, Human Rights Watch reported this to be "the largest
massacre to date in the conflict," and Azerbaijan subsequently declared
Feb. 26 a national day of mourning. After my lecture, I asked one of
the Azeri students to find Khojaly on my Armenian-produced map. After a
protracted, head-scratching silence, he looked up bewildered and said:
"It’s not there. They’ve simply erased it from existence."

There are always at least two sides to the history of every conflict,
but in the Caucasus that divide seems wider and deeper than most.

ISSUES REFERRING TO BANKING SPHERE’S DEVELOPMENT IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH DISCUSSED IN GENEVA

De Facto
Dec 1, 2008

STEPANAKERT, 01.12.08. DE FACTO. On November 29 of the Nagorno-Karabagh
Republic President Bako Sahakian arrived in Geneva. On November 30 the
Head of the State held a meeting with an entrepreneur Vardan Sermakes.

According to the information DE FACTO received at the Central
Information Department of the Office of NKR President, a wide range of
issues related to activities currently being carried out in Artsakh
and prospects of new investment projects had been discussed at the
meeting. Special attention was paid to the development of banking
and sports spheres.

NKR finance minister Spartak Tevosian, executive director of Artsakh
Bank closed joint stock company Kamo Nersesian and other officials
partook at the meeting.

FOREIGN MINISTERS OF ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN TO MEET IN HELSINKI DECEMBER 3
Anna Nazaryan

"Radiolur"
01.12.2008 17:44

The Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, will leave for
Helsinki tomorrow to participate in the OSCE Ministerial meeting on >
> From December 3 to 5.

US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza had declared in
Yerevan on November 17 that the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and
Azerbaijan would meet in Helsinki on the sidelines of the meeting. Head
of the Media Relations Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of Armenia Tigran Balayan told "Radiolur" that Nalbandian-Mammadyrarov
meeting with participation of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs will take
place on December 3.

Tigran Balayan did not give exact information about the face-to-face
meeting of the Foreign Minister of the two countries. Neither did
he confirm the information about a trilateral meeting between the
Foreign Ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Within the framework of the OSCE Ministerial Edward Nalabndian
will have bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Luxemburg
and Ireland.

Since Armenia presides over the Collective Security Treaty
Organization, Mr. Nalbandian will initiate a meeting of CSTO Foreign
Ministers.

The Messenger, Georgia
Nov 28 2008

High ranking politicians are controlling strategic areas of the
Armenian economy

By Messenger staff
Friday, November 28

A representative of international organization Freedom House, Chris
Walker, says that the most alarming fact about Armenia today is that
its indicators of democracy have not changed over the last few
years. `The Armenian Government has not carried out any significant
reforms,’ Walker noted.

Walker believes many fields in Armenia need to be reformed. Several of
these were mentioned in the EU report concerning the March 1 events.

Chris Walker thinks that the most problematic sphere in Armenia is
economics. `Despite the economic growth indicated during the last
several years, most of the strategic sectors of the economy are in the
hands of a few high ranking individuals,’ he noted. Walker says this
fact gives reason for concern, because economic freedom promotes
political freedom.

WPS Agency, Russia
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
November 26, 2008 Wednesday

MEINDORF PROGRESS

by Yuri Simonyan

NAGORNO-KARABAKH EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF ITS RETURN TO THE
NEGOTIATING TABLE; International brokers display cautious optimism in
the matter of the Karabakh conflict settlement.

The idea of the Meindorf Declaration (non-use of force in
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement) belonged to Russian President
Dmitry Medvedev.

Local experts and politicians differ in the opinion on the
document. Georgian political scientist Professor Ramaz Sakvarelidze
assumed that Moscow’s activeness in the matter of Karabakh conflict
settlement had to do with the symptoms of potential restoration of the
Turkish-Armenian relations. "Turkey promotes the plans designed in the
West that aim to wrestle Armenia from the Russian orbit," Sakvarelidze
said. "Medvedev stepped in as soon as Turkey moved into the Armenian
foreground. He took it upon himself to settle the Karabakh conflict to
oust the Turks from the process." Sakvarelidze suggested that the
hasty and unexpected invitations to Aliyev and Sargsjan to visit
Moscow were reaction to the Turkish factor and questioned Russia’s
resolve to see the conflict settled. "Russia has had ample time to do
so – with nothing to show for it," he said.

The reaction to the Meindorf Declaration was particularly tumultuous
in Armenia while Azerbaijan took it in stride. In Baku, the official
authorities and the opposition kept emphasizing that a fair settlement
of the conflict was only possible on the basis of the principle of
territorial integrity (of Azerbaijan, of course).

Armenia reacted in a more agitated manner. In fact, reaction to the
document there including the whole assortment of opinions from
condemnation of Sargsjan for "having given Karabakh up" to praise for
accomplishments of Armenian diplomacy. Armen Rustamjan, Chairman of
the Permanent Commission for Foreign Relations of the National
Assembly and representative of the Ruling Body of the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutjun, visited Moscow the other
day. His evaluation of the situations appears to be most reasonable of
the lot. "There is only one shortcoming in the whole declaration so
far as I can see – the absence of Nagorno-Karabakh from the process,"
Rustamjan said. "Yerevan can defend interests of the Armenians but
issues of the status and return of refugees are prerogative of
Stepanakert alone."

The latter seems to be of a similar frame of mind. The authorities of
Nagorno-Karabakh never miss a chance to emphasize the necessity of
their return to the negotiating table. A meeting with OSCE Minsk Group
chairman, Karabakh President Bako Saakjan announced that "… Artsakh
values every document that may promote the establishment of a
civilized dialogue in the process of Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict
settlement, but the process of settlement cannot be universal without
Nagorno-Karabakh’s participation in it." Georgy Petrosjan, Foreign
Minister of the self-proclaimed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, plainly
told this correspondent that "The lot of Nagorno-Karabakh is not to be
settled without Nagorno-Karabakh."

Azerbaijan in the meantime suspects that the demands to return
Nagorno-Karabakh to the negotiating table are simply a device in
Armenia’s part intended to buy it time. "Stepanakert participated in
the talks in the 1990s, and what did it avail? On the other hand, if
the Azerbaijani authorities insist that Nagorno-Karabakh is their
territory, then their refusal to launch a dialogue with their own
nationals is not very logical," Professor Rasim Musabekov said.

OSCE Minsk Group chairman seem to be of a similar opinion. Commenting
on the trip to Stepanakert on November 15, Russian Chairman Yuri
Merzlyakov said that the text of the agreement would be drawn with
Nagorno-Karabakh representatives actively participating.

American Chairman Matthew Bryza was even more optimistic and suggested
that unless something happened to worsen the situation now: "the
solution to the problem of Nagorno-Karabakh may be expected in 2009."

Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, November 24, 2008, p. 11

Translated by Aleksei Ignatkin

PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung), Austria
Nov 27 2008

121st Anniversary of Social Democrat Hunchakian Party Commemorated

GLENDALE, CA – On November 22, the Social Democrat Hunchakian Party
commemorated the 121st anniversary of the party’s founding.

The event which took place at Glendale Community Church and was
attended by His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Father Andon
Saroyan of St. Gregory Armenian Catholic Church, SDHP Central
Committee Chairman Mr. Setrag Ajemian, Party officials,
representatives of various Armenian organizations, community
representatives, as well as a crowded audience.

The SDHP Western USA region Chairman, Dr. Hampik Safarian embodied the
significance of the occasion, by noting that 121 years ago the SDHP
became first political organization for the Armenian people, which
from its inception to the present stages continues to advocate for the
Armenian causes worldwide and struggles for a independent, democratic
Armenia.

Mr. Garo Garabedian, Esq. representing the Armenian National Congress,
expressed Congress’ appreciation for the SDHP’s historical advocacy
and endurance for the rights of Armenians, noteing that the SDHP
continues its great effort even in today’s Armenia, stressing the need
for human rights, political and democratic reforms.

SDHP Western region Executive Committee member Mr. Souren Khoudenyan
conveyed the current issues concerning the SDHP within the Armenian
Diaspora, the Republic of Armenia, and Artsakh. Mr. Khoudenyan
articulated the SDHP’s continued resolve to gain a just verdict in
matters concerning Armenian Cause, democracy in Armenia, and a
peaceful resolution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict with principles
of democracy and self determination.

The evening’s keynote speaker was former Deputy Prime Minister and
Deputy Defense Minister of the Republic of Armenia, Mr. Vahan
Shirkhanyan, current member of the SDHP’s Central Committee in
Armenia. Mr. Shirkhanyan presented the views of the Hunchakian Party
in particular and the Armenian parliamentary opposition in general
with regard to the latest developments of the Artsakh issue and
Armenian domestic politics.

He stressed the need for a truly Democratic Armenia, one with a
vibrant self sustained economy free of repression and corruption
before any talk of Artsakh concessions be addressed, or for that
matter the Turkish Armenian border be opened.

Mr. Shirkhanyan noted the severity of the situation the Republic of
Armenia faces with the continued mass emigration of the Armenian youth
from throughout the country seeking jobs in different parts of the
world. He emphasized that the population depletion in Armenian towns
and cities outside of Erevan with the present circumstances will not
only endanger the independence of Artsakh and the safety of its
populace with territorial concessions, but the absence of a viable
growth in domestic infrastructure and progression in the manufacturing
of goods and products will continue to place Armenia in a situation
where they will forever be economically in debt to and dependent on
its historical foes, especially if the Turkish Armenian border is
opened.

Mr. Shirkhanyan also stated the importance of the Armenian Cause and
stressed that in order for Armenia to demand recognition of the
Armenian Genocide, its government must be democratic, free of scrutiny
with a strong and vibrant populace.

The event was concluded with His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian
stressing the importance to pursue dreams, as was the dream of the
founding members of the SDHP for an independent Armenia. The artistic
program featured renowned Armenian singer visiting from London, Samvel
Vartanian, Armenian American singer and poet orator Babin Boghosian
and Grigor Okaryan.

PRESS RELEASE
Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
Governmental Buiding 3, Yerevan, RA
Contact: Hasmik Grigoryan
Tel: +(3741) 56 01 06 ext. 105
Fax: +(3741) 52 15 05
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

28 November, 2008

Hayastan All Armenian Fund Raises Record Breaking US $35 009 156 at Annual
Telethon

Yerevan, November 28, 2008. – Hayastan All Armenian Fund is pleased to
announce the successful completion of the Telethon 2008. With US $35 009 156
pledged during the 12 hours of live broadcast from Los Angeles, US, this
year’s Telethon has marked an unprecedented fundraising landmark for the
Fund, more than doubling the already impressive results of the previous
Telethon. The funds raised during the Telethon 2008 will go towards the
revival of border villages in Armenia and Artsakh.

Donations made by the Hayastan Fund affiliates include: Hayastan Fund USA
West Coast affiliate – around $1 300 000, Lebanon – around $200 000,
Montreal – around $130 000, Argentine – $100 000, Great Britain – $200 000,
Netherlands – $40 000, Australia – $50 000, USA Fund New York – $200 000,
France – $1 500 000, Germany – $85 000, $Switzerland – around 33 000,
Toronto $250 000, $Greece and Cyprus – around 40 000.

In the days leading to the Telethon, a number of fundraising activities were
organized around the world including phoneathons held in France, Argentine
and New York, fundraising bike-ride, radiothon, galas, and charity concerts
registered unprecedented activity, significantly upping the bar of the
precious fundraising efforts.

Telethon 2008 secured a significant increase in public participation, as
well as small and medium-sized donations next to large ones. Russia-based
Armenian businessman has pledged $15 million, which will be used to
construct a hospital in Stepanakert. Other major donors include
VivaCell-MTS, Mikael Vardanyan, Samvel Aleksanyan, Eduardo Eurnekian, Gagik
Adibekyan, Varujan Grigoryan, Gagik Zakaryan, Norik Petrosyan, Barsegh
Beglaryan, Aram Kocharyan, Khachik Manukyan, Karapet Aleksanyan.

Armenia’s involvement in Telethon 2008 was marked by a significant rise in
the number of people who made a donation, making their investment in the
future of our homeland. People made their contribution by transferring funds
to the Hayastan Fund’s accounts, through the local post offices or by
visiting the Fund’s office on the Republic Square. Among the ordinary donors
was the Hovsepyan family from Yerevan who visited the Fund Executive Board
office shortly before midnight with the young members – Armen 4, Vache 11,
Arman 11 and Ara 13 – each contributing several dollars to the telethon. Ara
said he had participated in the last year’s telethon as well. His wish was
that Hayastan fund constructs more nice schools and kindergartens.

Eleven years since the first telethon was broadcast from Los Angeles on
Thanksgiving Day, these annual events have grown to become an established
and time honored tradition attracting thousands of millions of viewers
during the twelve hours of live airtime. This year, Armenians from around
the world were able to tune in using television, satellite, cable, and
internet networks and be part of the all Armenian effort of bringing change
and a new hope to the people living in the border communities. These
villages – some ravaged by war, others by economic turmoil – face a variety
of complex issues, some of which will now be possible to solve thanks to the
patriotism and generosity of our compatriots from around the world and
Armenia itself.

Among dignified guests were President of Nagorno-Karabakh Bako Sahakyan,
Primate of the Artsakh Diocese Archbishop Pargev, Hayastan All Armenian Fund
Acting Executive Director Ara Vardanyan, other benefactors and public
figures.

"This year’s telethon is a testament to the strength and unity of our
nation," says Ara Vardanyan, the Acting Executive Director of Hayastan All
Armenian Fund. "These are trying times, not only for Armenia and Artsakh but
for the entire world that was badly shaken by current economic crisis. And
yet, despite the many difficulties and obstacles, Armenians from around the
world have come forth and extended a helping hand to their compatriots in
the villages of Armenia and Artsakh in an unprecedented show of compassion
and patriotism. I think that this is a day when each of us should be
especially proud to be an Armenian, part of the nation that never gives up
and is ready to build the future with its own hands".

###

Hayastan All-Armenian Fund