Author: Chaltikian Arsine

NKR REFERENDUM ISSUE DISCUSSED IN MOSCOW?

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
20.07.2009 17:07 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During their meeting in Moscow, Armenian and Azeri
Presidents discussed procedures of possible referendum in Nagorno
Karabakh for determining its final status, Russian "Ъ" periodical
reports, quoting the statement released by RF Foreign Ministry.

"Armenia and Azerbaijan have not yet reached agreement over any of the
clauses specified above," the newspaper says, adding that negotiations
are conducted behind close doors. "As reported by interlocutors closely
familiar with NKR settlement talks, key issues are procedures for NKR
self-determination and the essence of the so-called ‘interim status’."

The fourth clause approved in Madrid envisages final determination
of NKR status "through the expression of its people’s will, with
legally binding consequences". According to the second clause,
Nagorno Karabakh should have interim status which "will not narrow
NKR’s freedom existing at present."

Presidents’ sixth meeting which lasted 3.5 hours was held in Moscow’s
"President" hotel. Parties did not make official statements concerning
the results.

EU TROIKA DELEGATION TO VISIT ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN AND GEORGIA ON 16-20 JULY

Azerbaijan Business Center
July 17 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. The European Union’s troika delegation has
started a trip to the South Caucasus.

The Baku-based EU resident office reports that minister for foreign
affairs Carl Bildt of Sweden is to lead the Troika’s visit to Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia on 16-20 July.

"The trip will also encompass a field visit to the EU Monitoring
Mission (EUMM) in Georgia. The question of extending the EUMM mandate
is on the agenda of the EU foreign ministers’ meeting at the end of
July. The Southern Caucasus is an area of strategic importance to the
EU. The Eastern Partnership means new opportunities to contribute to
stability and reform in the three countries," it was reported.

In Azerbaijan the Troika will meet with Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and civil society. Matters
of common interest including energy, Nagorno Garabagh conflict and
EU-Azerbaijan relations will be discussed.

Accompanying Mr. Bildt on the Troika will be European Commission
representatives Karel Kovanda (Deputy Director-General and Political
Director) and John Kjaer (Head of Unit), Peter Semneby (EU Special
Representative) and Paolo Barroso Simoes (Council Secretariat). Spain’s
Ambassador on Special Mission to Central Asia, Santiago Chamorro,
will represent the next country to hold the EU Presidency.

THOUSANDS TO MARCH FOR CONTINUATION OF ERGENEKON TRIAL

Today’s Zaman
July 17 2009
Turkey

A coalition known as "70 Million Steps Against Coups," a platform
bringing together many anti-coup civil society groups, will hold a
demonstration on Saturday to call for the continuation of the Ergenekon
trial, where 88 suspects including political party leaders, former
army officers and university rectors stand accused of membership
in a clandestine organization charged with plotting to overthrow
the government.

The demonstration, titled "We want Freedom/Try coup leaders" is
organized in a bid to protest a recent attempt by the Supreme Board
of Prosecutors and Judges (HSYK) to replace judges and prosecutors
conducting the Ergenekon trial, which has been a source of indignation
for many in the country.

In the demonstration, scheduled to be held in Beyoglu’s Tunel
Square, the group will ask for the trial of past coup perpetrators
and protest against any kind of anti-democratic formation. A number
of civil society organizations will attend the rally, whose slogan
will be "We want the Ergenekon trial to go to the very end, we want
the Ergenekon gang to be tried and dissolved."

Several artists and intellectuals also support the rally, which
will be held in cooperation with such NGOs as the Young Civilians,
a group noted for its use of sarcasm in protests, the Association of
Human Rights and Solidarity for Oppressed Peoples (MAZLUM-DER), the
Revolutionary Socialist Workers’ Party (DSÄ°P), the Confederation of
Turkish Real Trade Unions (Hak-Ä°Å~_), the Women’s Rights Association
Against Discrimination (AK-DER) and Say No to Racism. In the rally,
demonstrators will speak out against anti-democratic initiatives and
coup attempts with slogans and banners that advocate democracy and
freedom. Other demands of the group include women wearing headscarves
to be allowed to attend universities, Kurds to not be shot at, acid
wells to not be used, Armenians to not be harassed and activists to
not be abducted.

Turgay Ogur, a representative of the Young Civilians, stressed
that with the second indictment in the Ergenekon trial, whose first
hearing will be held on July 20, the masterminds of the Ergenekon
gang will stand trial, in contrast to the previous one, at which
the group’s hitmen and bombers were tried. "We will march to mark
this historical day. There has been no significant resistance to
previous coups. We should show our opposition so clearly that no one
will be able to attempt another coup," Ogur said. Zeynep Tanbay,
a modern dance performer, also said: "It has been clear in Turkey
that we unfortunately do not have a democracy but pretend to have
one. The Turkish Armed Forces [TSK] are governing the country. This
system should be changed. Everybody should be equal before the law
and officers should also be tried, regardless of their rank."

Å~^enol KarakaÅ~_ from DSÄ°P said Turkey has been passing through
an extraordinary period. "Recent developments — such as attempts to
replace Ergenekon prosecutors — are significant. The Ergenekon gang
is playing a significant role in all top issues. We call everyone to
participate in our rally to win the fight for freedom," he added.

AZERI-ARMENIAN SUMMIT TO BE HELD IN MOSCOW JULY 17, MEDVEDEV TO JOIN JULY 18

Interfax
July 16 2009
Russia

Talks between the Azeri and Armenian leaders will be held in Moscow on
Friday and they will be followed by a three-party meeting the next
day with the participation of the Russian president, the Kremlin
press service reported on Thursday.

"On July 17 2009, Azeri and Armenian presidents Ilham Aliyev and Serzh
Sargsyan will meet in Moscow to discuss ways to settle the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. Following the talks, a three-party meeting will be
held on July 18 with the participation of President Dmitry Medvedev,"
he press service said.

US-ARMENIA DEFENSE COOPERATION PLANNING CONFERENCE TOOK PLACE IN YEREVAN

armradio.am
17.07.2009 18:09

On the 16th and 17th of July, 2009 the Armenian-American Defence
Cooperation Planning Conference took place in Yerevan. In the
delegation were the representatives of the Office of the US Secretary
of Defense, Defence Security Cooperation Agency, United States European
Command, United States Naval Forces Europe, US Air Forces Command in
Europe, Kansas Army National Guard, Press Service of the Ministry of
Defense reported.

During the event, together with the American side, the work done in
this year was summarized and the main directions of cooperation for
the coming two years were projected.

On the 16th of July the American delegation visited the Peacekeeping
division of the RA Armed Forces and the centre for mine cleaning,
and on the 17th of July they visited the Institute for National
Strategic Studies of the RA MoD.

Within the framework of the visit RA Minister of Defence Seyran Ohanyan
had a meeting with members of the delegation. Greeting and thanking
the members of the delegation for the work done, Seyran Ohanyan wished
them success in their further cooperation and activity. Pointing out
the importance of such conferences for broadening and developing the
cooperation through discussions, the Minister of Defence attached
attention to the sphere of Armenian-American defence cooperation,
to the events that have been accomplished and to the work to be done
to enrich them.

The partied agreed that cooperation should be enforced particularly
in the spheres of military medicine, mine cleaning, and development
of peacekeeping abilities. At the same time the US consultative aid
is to be continued in the process of defence strategic review.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

THE LATEST VOLUME OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION TEXTBOOKS
FOR 14 YEAR OLD STUDENTS IS PUBLISHED

Two years ago the Religious Council of the Catholicosate endorsed the
Project of publishing religious education textbooks for Church related
schools and Sunday Schools proposed by His Holiness Aram I. Since then the
books for 8 and 12 year olds have appeared. Last week the book for
14-year-old students appeared. It includes introductions to: the Bible, the
lives of Saints, the Feasts of the Church, and prayers. The book uses
pedagogical approaches that make the topics comprehensible and learning a
pleasant experience.

Two more volumes are under publication, those for 6-year and 10-year old
students. These two books also include handbooks for the teachers.

##
Book cover:
tos/Photos391.htm#2
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the books
published in the Printing House of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer
to the web page of the Catholicosate,
The Cilician Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is
located in Antelias, Lebanon.

BAKO SAHAKIAN SENDS MESSAGES OF CONDOLENCE TO PRESIDENTS OF RA AND IRAN

Noyan Tapan
July 16, 2009

STEPANAKERT, JULY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. On July 16, NKR President Bako
Sahakian sent messages of condolence to RA President Serzh Sargsyan
and Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad on the occasion of the crash
of the Tehran-Yerevan plane.

"In Artsakh we perceived with pain and sorrow the news on the crash of
the Tehran-Yerevan plane, in which our compatriots also died. With the
whole Armenian people we mourn over their tragic death and express deep
condolence and support to families and relatives of the victims. We
support you at this hard moment of sorrow and share the pain of
irreparable loss," the message addressed to the RA President read.

The address to Mahmud Ahmadinejad read:

"On behalf of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic people, authorities and
personally on by behalf I express condolence and support to you and
to the friendly people of Iran on the occasion of the crash. At this
hard moment of all-national grief we join you in mourning over the
tragic death of the Tehran-Yerevan plane passengers and wish strength
and might to their relatives."

CENTRAL BANK OF ARMENIA ALLOWS AMERIABANK TO PARTICIPATE IN LEADER SETTLEMENT-PAYMENT SYSTEM

ArmInfo
2009-07-15 15:46:00

ArmInfo. The Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) has allowed Ameriabank
to participate in the Leader settlement-payment system. The CBA
press-service told ArmInfo that the given decision was taken by the
CBA Board at July 14 sitting presided over by CBA Deputy Chairman
Vache Gabrielyan.

According to the data provided to ArmInfo by Ameriabank, money
transfers are also carried out under the systems Money Gram, Contact,
Migom and IntelExpress.

To note, Ameriabank focuses on investment banking and also provides
the whole spectrum of universal banking services. The strategic
partner of Ameriabank is Troika Dialog Group, one of the largest
investment-banking companies in Russia. The majority shareholder
of Ameriabank is TDA Holdings Limited affiliated with the Russian
investment company Troika Dialog, with 99.7% share in capital.

Iranian Plane Crash Kills All 168 Aboard
By VOA News
15 July 2009

Photo released by semi-official Iranian Students News Agency shows
scene of plane crash about 75 miles northwest of Tehran, 15 Jul 2009
Iranian state media say a passenger plane has crashed in northwestern
Iran, killing all 168 people on board.

State television said Wednesday the Iranian airliner was heading to
the Armenian capital of Yerevan when it went down near the northern
Iranian city of Qazvin. The plane crashed 16 minutes after taking off
from Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport.

Reports quote some witnesses as saying the plane was on fire in
mid-air.

State television quotes an unidentified witness as saying the plane
suddenly fell from the sky and exploded on impact, causing a huge
crater. However, the managing director of Iran’s airport authority
said there were no indications of problems in conversations between
the pilot and ground controllers before the crash.

Video footage showed a field littered with small pieces of smoking
wreckage from the Caspian Airlines plane. Investigators are searching
for the plane’s black box (instrument recording device).

Officials said the aircraft was carrying 153 passengers and 15 crew
members.

The passengers included Armenians, Georgians and Iranians. Iran says
10 members of its junior judo squad were among those killed.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has expressed his condolences to
the victims’ families. Some of those families have gathered at
Yerevan’s airport.

The Armenian government says President Serzh Sargsyan is cutting short
a working trip to return to Yerevan.

Caspian Airlines is a Russian-Iranian joint venture that was founded
in the early 1990s.

Iran has frequent plane crashes, often due to poor maintenance of
aging planes.

In the past, Tehran has blamed its plane problems, in part, on
U.S. sanctions that it says prevent Iran from getting spare parts.
But Caspian airliners are Russian-made planes, so U.S. sanctions would
not have the same effect on aircraft maintenance. Some information
for this report was provided by AFP and AP.

Margaret Mead Film & Video Festival best films to be screened at
Golden Apricot
11.07.2009 17:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The best films of The Margaret Mead Film & Video
Festival will be screened during Golden Apricot Film Festival,
according to a relevant agreement signed between the two festivals.
The Margaret Mead Film & Video Festival is the longest-running,
premiere showcase for international documentaries in the United
States, encompassing a broad spectrum of work, from indigenous
community media to experimental nonfiction. The Festival is
distinguished by its outstanding selection of titles, which tackle
diverse and challenging subjects, representing a range of issues and
perspectives, and by the forums for discussion with filmmakers and
speakers.