Author: Chaltikian Arsine

BAKO SAHAKYAN, SMBAT LPUTYAN DISCUSS DEVELOPMENT OF CHESS IN NKR

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.05.2009 22:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On 5 May, President of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic Bako Sahakyan received first deputy chairman of the Armenia
Chess Federation, International Grandmaster Smbat Lputyan to discuss
issues related to the current situation and development of chess in
Artsakh were discussed at the meeting, reported the chief information
department of the NKR President’s Office.

According to Smbat Lputyan, Nagorno Karabakh stands a good chance to
achieve high results in this kind of sports.

The men also touched upon the final phase of chess Olympiad among
schoolchildren of Armenia taking place on these days in Shoushi.

President Sahakyan welcomed the initiative to organize such competition
in Shoushi and noted that it will be great incentive for enhancing
interest in chess sport among Artsakh schoolchildren.

Mayor of Stepanakert Vazgen Mikayelyan and chairman of the State
Committee on Sports under the NKR Cabinet of Ministers Razmik Hovsepyan
partook at the meeting.

84.5% OF CONSTRUCTION IN ARMENIA IN 1ST Q 2009 PAID BY POPULATION

/ARKA/
May 4, 2009
YEREVAN

National Statistical Service of Armenia says 84.5% of the first
quarter’s construction was carried out at the account of the
population.

The population-paid construction cost AMD 11.1 billion, of which AMD
11 billion was spent for mounting.

According to the statistical report, 15.5% (AMD 24.5 billion) of
construction was carried out at the account of organizations – 31.8%
less than in the first quarter of the previous year.

AMD 40.1 billion was spent for the capital construction paid from
all sources.

The statistical report says Armenia recorded 21.9% decline in its
construction in the first quarter of 2009, compared with the same
quarter of the previous year, while population-paid construction grew
39.1%. ($1 = AMD 372.61)

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Turkey Weighs Ending Economic Embargo on Armenia
By Dorian Jones
Istanbul
04 May 2009

Turkey’s 16-year trade embargo against Armenia is one of the longest
such sanctions in the world. Ankara enforced the embargo in solidarity
with Azerbaijan, after Armenian forces occupied nearly 20 percent of
Azeri territory during a war over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh
enclave. But a growing rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia is
giving hope the embargo may be lifted.

Ana is one of the estimated 70,000 Armenians working illegally in
Turkey. She, like most Armenians employed here, is a nanny. Ana says
an open border would transform her life.

"I think if the border opens, many things will change. I am 20-years
old and working in another country without official documents is very
difficult for me." She said. "I am always afraid of walking on the
street and seeing the police. If the border opens, it will be good for
everyone, there would be an exchange between the two countries and
both will win."

Turkish minister for EU membership Ergemen Bagis acknowledges the
hardship caused by his country’s embargo on Armenia, but says the
recent easing of tensions offers hope for a normalization of
relations.

"When you look at the population numbers of Armenia, coming down from
four million to currently two million, people are fleeing Armenia
because of poverty," said Ergemen Bagis. "We believe Turkey can help
Armenia solve some of their economic problems by direct trade. In the
last six years the Turkish government has allowed Armenian planes to
land in Istanbul. There are up to 70,000 Armenians of Armenia living
in Turkey, mostly working illegally. And we are talking about 15
percent of Armenia dependent on the money coming from these workers."

But it is not only Armenia that has been hurt by the embargo. Turkey
‘s eastern region bordering Armenia is amongst the poorest in the
country and has been hit hard by the ban on trade.

Historically, the two countries had strong trading ties, and many
observers say an open border would offer the prospect of rejuvenating
Turkey’s underdeveloped eastern provinces.

Turkish Armenian Trade Council President Kaan Soyak says while there
is distrust between political leaders there is no such problem between
businessmen.

"When I was in Yerevan last week, I met several business people
regularly traveling to Turkey to buy business material and
manufacturing in Armenian and selling to U.S. and Russia," said Kaan
Soyak. "And the type of trade they started without any contract like
it used to be, history, no contract, nothing. It is based on word,
based on trust. Everybody knows each other, they trust each other.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars of volume are being done without any
document. No contact no nothing. It is amazing, I see great demand
from both side to start this type of trade again."

U.S. President Barack Obama’s new administration in Washington has
also thrown its diplomatic weight behind the rapprochement process.

"An open border would return the Turkish and Armenian people to a
peaceful and prosperous coexistence that would serve both your
nations," said President Obama. "So I want you to know the United
States strongly supports the full normalization of relations between
Turkey and Armenia."

President Obama made those comments in an address to the Turkish
Parliament last month, joining the European Union in giving added
impetus to the ongoing efforts to improve relations.

With pressure continuing to grow from businesses and the international
community for normalized ties, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said
last month he hopes the embargo will end by October. That is when
Armenia is due to play an international football match in Istanbul.

But such hopes may be dashed. Turkey’s ally, Azerbaijan, has been cool
to the new rapprochement. It wants the end of Turkey’s embargo on
Armenia linked to the withdrawal of Armenian forces from disputed
territory that Azerbaijan wants back. With some of the largest gas
reserves in the world, Azerbaijan has powerful economic muscle.

An international relations analyst at Istanbul’s Bligi university,
Soli Ozel, says plans for the European Union-backed Nabucco gas
pipeline that would run through Turkey to Europe, could fall victim to
tensions between Turkey and Azerbaijan.

"Azeris reacted rather harshly to these openings; they even went so
far to start a flirtation with the Russians, suggesting they want to
sell part of their gas, which would have to be used for the Nabucco
project, to Russians," said Soli Ozel. "I guess without Azerbaijan you
cannot really start it because the Iranian gas is nowhere to be seen
for the moment. Iran ‘s relations with the west is not the best.
Therefore if you going to do anything about Nabucco and start the
project you have to be able to rely on Azeri gas."

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev has indicated his country could
raise the price of gas sold to Turkey. The Turkish economy is heavily
dependent on that gas and Ankara is now working hard to ease Azeri
concerns. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due to visit
Baku next week.

AZERBAIJAN ACCUSES RUSSIA OF OIL ACADEMY SHOOTING

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.05.2009 14:33 GMT+04:00

Some Russian forces are responsible for the shooting which claimed
lives of 13 people in the Azerbaijani Oil Academy on April 30.

"Pay attention to the fact that gunman Farda Gadirov had lived in
Russia for 15 years before arriving in Baku. This cold-bloodedly
committed crime was a result of psychological training, what is
peculiar to special forces," said Arastun Orujlu, head of East-West
analytical center.

"The crime was thoroughly thought-out. To all appearance, Gadirov
had an accomplice, who killed him to cover tracks," Orudju said,
adding that the threads of coup d’etat attempts and terrorist acts
in Azerbaijan

May 1, 2009
Press Release
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

PRELATE TO PRESIDE OVER DIVINE LITURGY
AT FORTY MARTYRS CHURCH

On Sunday, May 3rd, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian will
preside over Divine Liturgy at Forty Martyrs Church in Orange County. The
Prelate will also deliver the sermon.

34TH NAVASARTIAN VICTORY BALL KICK-OFF CELEBRATION

The 34th Navasartian Victory Ball kick-off celebration will take
place on the ecening of Sunday, May 3rd, at Katsuya Restaurant at the
Americana in Glendale. The event has been organized by the Homenetmen
Regional Executive.
On behalf of the Prelate, Rev. Fr. Vazken Atmajian will attend a

SAHAG-MESROB ARM. CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ANNUAL BANQUET

The annual banquet of Sahag-Mesrob Armenian Christian School will
take place on the evening of Sunday, May 3rd, at Ararat Home "Deukmejian
Hall" in Mission Hills.
Very Rev. Fr. Barthev Gulumian will represent the Prelate at the
banquet. Fr. Barthev is also the keynote speaker; he will speak on the
topic "The Importance of Christian and Armenian Education in the Lives of
Armenian Students".
Pastor of St. Sarkis Church Rev. Fr. Khoren Babochian will also
attend.

ARMENIAN INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL FUND ANNUAL GALA

The annual gala dinner of the Armenian International Medical Fund to
benefit hearing impaired children in Armenia, will take place at the
Glendale Hilton on the evening of Sunday, May 3rd.
Rev. Fr. Ardak Demirjian will represent the Prelate and will deliver
the invocation and the Prelate’s blessings.
PRELATE TO PRESIDE OVER OPENING CEREMONY
OF THE 8TH ANNUAL A.R.S. FESTIVAL

On Saturday, May 2nd, the 8th annual Armenian Relief Society
Festival will be held at the Glendale Civic Auditorium.
The Prelate will preside over the opening ceremony of the festival
and deliver the invocation. He will be accompanied by Rev. Fr. Gomidas
Torossian.

PRELATE TO PRESENT ROUBINA PAKRADOUNI WITH
THE "ST. MESROB MASHDOTS" INSIGNIA

On the evening of Friday, May 1st, the annual banquet of Armenian
Mesrobian School will take place at "Bagramian" Hall of Holy Cross Cathedral
in Montebello.
The Prelate will deliver the invocation and convey his blessings.
In addition, the Prelate will present educator Roubina Pakradouni with the
"St. Mesrob Mashdots" insignia, awarded by H.H. Catholicos Aram I, in
recognition of her decades-long service and contributions to the field of
education.
Executive Council member Levon Kirakosian and Pastors of Holy Cross
Cathedral Rev. Fathers Nareg Pehlivanian and Ashod Kambourian will attend as
well.

PRELATE AND EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEET WITH
BOARDS OF TRUSTEES AND DELEGATES

By the invitation of H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate,
and the Executive Council, on the evening of Tuesday ,April 28th, 2009,
Boards of Trustees and Delegates of Prelacy Churches and Parishes gathered
at the "Dikran and Zarouhie Der Ghazarian" Hall to discuss the general
activities as well as the concerns of their respective parishes. The
meeting was the third of its kind for the 2008-2009 year.
Following the opening prayer, Executive Council Chair Dr. Garo
Agopian welcomed the guests and on their behalf conveyed his condolences to
the Prelate on the loss of Diramayr Marie Mardirossian, which was followed
by a prayer in her memory. Dr. Agopian went on to inform the guests of the
issues that were to be discussed during the meeting. He welcomed all the
representatives and especially the parish council of the newly established
North Hollywood parish who were participating in this meeting for the first
time.
Subsequently, one by one the Chairmen or parish representatives were
invited to report on the past, present, and future activities of their
churches. Special attention was given by all to the importance of
strengthening ties with the youth.
Following the reports by each parish, Dr. Agopian presented
suggestions to ease concerns and allow for progress within our churches.
In his closing remarks the Prelate welcomed the input of the
representatives, stating that such discussions and exchange of ideas and
suggestions are beneficial to all. He commended the service and dedication
of the Pastors, Board members, and Delegates, and called upon them to
observe the "Year of the Youth" proclaimed by H.H. Catholicos Aram I and
focus their efforts on bridging the youth to our church. The Prelate
concluded by wishing the representatives success in their future endeavors
and service to our church.

PRELATE CONSECRATES NEW BAPTISMAL FONT AT
HOLY MARTYRS CHURCH

On Sunday, April 26th, 2009, H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian,
Prelate, presided over Divine Liturgy at Holy Martyrs Church in Encino,
where he also delivered the sermon, consecrated the new baptismal font, and
blessed the new altar curtain. At the conclusion of Divine Liturgy, the
Prelate presided over the requiem service during which prayers were offered
for the martyrs of the Adana massacres of 1909.
Prior to delivering the sermon, the Prelate, assisted by H.E.
Archbishop Yeprem Tabakian and Rev. Fr. Razmig Khatchadourian, consecrated
the new baptismal font blessed the new altar curtain.
The Prelate began his sermon by first and foremost thanking God for
bringing the faithful together to celebrate the third Sunday of Easter,
Green Sunday, and to proclaim triumphantly, "Praise be to You, O Lord, for
Your Glorious Resurrection".
The Prelate noted that this Sunday has particularly special meaning
since it was the day that Jesus’ disciples gathered at the same upper room
where the Last Supper had taken place and with the blessing of wine and
bread, in the example of Jesus, conducted the first Christian church service
and experienced a blossoming in their faith, likening it to the blossoming
of nature designated the third Sunday of Easter Green Sunday. The
disciples, reinforced in their faith, subsequently set out to spread the
Light and Word of God throughout the world. "We, as the heirs of that
staunch faith, must reaffirm and reassert that we too are unyielding in our
faith and manifest that faith through our deeds and in the way we live our
lives", continued the Prelate.
In speaking of the consecration of the baptismal font, the Prelate
referred to the day’s Scripture reading which records a conversation between
Jesus and Nicodemus during which Jesus speaks to him about the necessity of
being born again and of being born of water and the Spirit to enter the
kingdom of God, praying for the new font to be a symbol of spiritual rebirth
for us all. The Prelate thanked the sponsors of the baptismal font, Mr. and
Mrs. Armen and Ani Akian, and the sponsors of the altar curtain, the
Khodanian family, praying for the Lord to bless and reward them for their
devotion and support.
The Prelate noted that this year is the 100th anniversary of the
Adana massacres and invited the faithful to join in prayer for the souls of
our 30,000 martyrs and for a just resolution to our cause. He concluded by
stressing that we maintain our focus on the new generation and to instruct
them and instill in them the value of our centuries old religious and
national heritage to ensure not just the survival but the progress of our
church, our nation, and our cause.

BH’s motto in Yerevan Council of Elders elections will be "Our Word is Act"

YEREVAN, MAY 1, NOYAN TAPAN. The official election campaign of Yerevan
Council of Elders elections is launched on May 2, and the Bargavach
Hayastan (Prosperous Armenia) party is ready for full participation in
it. Khachik Galstian, the Spokesperson of BH leader Gagik Tsarukian,
reported at the May 1 press conference. According to him, an event will
be organized on May 2, during which BH’s preelection program will be
presented officially.

BH’s main motto is "Our Word is Act," which, according to him, more
aptly characterizes the way passed by G. Tsarukian, BH’s style of
acting. The second motto is "Trust and Demand." "If only there is
sufficient vote of confidence one can demand full-value fulfillment of
all promises and preelection programs," K. Galstian said.

According to G. Tsarukian’s Spokesperson, the information that BH
representatives give out bribe of 5 thousand drams to Yerevan residents
does not correspond to reality. Moreover, he assured that BH will use
all possible means to fight voter buying and to hold fair, transparent
elections. According to G. Galstian, BH has a stable electorate and
does not need to take away or to buy people’s vote. And he called
Yerevan residents for being free and voting of their own free will and
with their own conscience if even they take a bribe.

Speaking about the vacant ministerial posts as a result of ARFD’s
leaving the coalition K. Galstian said that BH has well-prepared
specialists, who are able to head those ministries. According to him,
they will also consider normal the circumstance if only RPA
representatives take those posts. "Gagik Tsarukian has never fought to
take any post and BH does not pretend on any post," he assured.

WILL TEZGOR BE APPOINTED TURKISH AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA?

A1+
03:12 pm | April 29, 2009 | Politics

Turkish Ambassador to Georgia, Ertan Tezgor will likely be appointed
Turkey’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia,
reports tumgazeteler.com webiste.

Before the appointment to the new post, Ertan Tezgor will represent
Turkey’s interests in Armenia ensuring the direct coupling between
the Foreign Ministries of the two countries under question.

The issue of the Armenian Ambassador to Turkey will be decided
after Serzh Sargsyan’s visit to Turkey in October, reports Sabina
Freizer, the Project Director of the International Crisis Group (ICG)
on Caucasus.

Spokesman for the RoA Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Tigran Balayan
says it is no use speaking about the appointment of an ambassador
until diplomatic relations are established between Armenia and Turkey.

Today, all documentary issues between the two countries are regulated
through Armenian and Turkish embassies of Georgia. Actually, Ertan
Tezgor de facto links the two countries.

With regard to the ambassador’s safety, signaled by some forces,
Tigran Balayan said the sides are obliged to guarantee the security
of the diplomatic corps under the Vienna agreement.

AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON "SEXUAL HEALTH" TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 29, 2009
YEREVAN

An international conference on "Sexual Health" will be held May 7-8 in
the Yerevan State Medical University after M. Heratsi dedicated to the
10th anniversary of the Chair of Sexology of the medical university.

Doctor, sexologist, responsible secretary of the conference Vrezh
Sahramanian told Armenpress that such a conference is being organized
for the first time not only in Armenia but also in the whole South
Caucasus. The conference aims at improvement of the general health
level and informing the public about the sexual health.

It will also give an opportunity to obtain a holistic and true
information on this sphere as not only sexologists but also
representatives of other spheres of the medicine – psychiatrists,
endocrinologists, psychologists, neurologist, urologists and others
will deliver reports.

V. Sahmarian noted that nearly 25 reports will be read, 5 of which
will be presented by specialists of other states – Russia, Ukraine,
Australia and Belarus. In parallel to the conference an exhibition
of modern medicine and medical devices will be held.

GOGOL’S 200TH ANNIVERSARY CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.04.2009 16:03 GMT+04:00

On Apr. 29 Yerevan State Linguistic University will host "Nikolai Gogol
and modern historical cultural environment" international conference
to celebrate 200th anniversary of the great Russian writer.

The conference will also feature performances drawing on Gogol’s
plays, staged by Russian Language and Literature and Foreign Languages
Department students.

The conference will be attended by YSLU Rector, Professor Suren
Zolyan, Kutaisi State University Lecturer Nino Kvirikadze, Literature
Institute Director Manuk Abegyan, Doctor of Philology, Professor Azat
Eghyazaryan, YSLU Literature Department Head, Doctor of Philology
Elena Karabegovna.

Wall Street Journal
April 27 2009

‘We Are All Armenians’
Obama was right not to jeopardize reconciliation between Ankara and Yerevan.

By HUGH POPE From today’s Wall Street Journal Europe
ISTANBUL

President Barack Obama trod a fine moral line this month between his
past campaign promises to use the word genocide to describe the World
War I massacres of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire and his present
opportunity to nurture normalization between Armenia and Turkey. But
his compromise was no capitulation to the realpolitik of U.S.-Turkish
strategic interests, as some Armenians may suspect and some Turks may
hope. It is actually a challenge to both parties to move beyond the
stalemates of history.

APThe opportunity could hardly be better. After a decade of civil
society outreach and growing official engagement, Armenia and Turkey
jointly announced on Wednesday a Swiss-mediated deal to establish
diplomatic relations and open borders. The two sides will also set up
a bilateral commission to study what Armenians commemorate each April
24 as the beginning of a genocide against their people by the Ottoman
Turks in 1915, and what Turkey says were forced relocations, uprisings
and massacres during the chaos of World War I.

Before implementing the deal, however, Turkey is now seeking an
Armenian commitment to withdraw from territory in Azerbaijan that
ethnic Armenian forces occupied in the 1992-94 Nagorno-Karabakh
war. But Ankara would be ill-advised to hold up rapprochement with
Yerevan because of protests from its ally, Azerbaijan. In fact,
normalizing relations with Armenia is the best way for Turkey to help
its ethnic and linguistic Azerbaijani cousins. It would make Armenia
feel more secure, making it perhaps also more open to a compromise
over Nagorno-Karabakh.

The border closure these past 16 years has done nothing to force a
settlement over the contested region. The fragility of the 1994
cease-fire truce suggests that a new way forward is
imperative. Armenian normalization with Turkey will not be sustainable
in the long run, though, unless Yerevan and Baku agree to the ongoing
international Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, leading to Armenian
troop withdrawals.

It is this complex situation that explains Mr. Obama’s diplomatic
language. In this year’s April 24 memorial statement, the
U.S. president chose not to use the word "genocide" to describe the
events of 1915. The Turks resent this term partly because they want
their view of the events to be taken into account and partly because
the term genocide has potential legal implications involving possible
demands for reparations and compensation. The Swiss-brokered deal will
include an Armenian recognition of Turkey’s borders, banishing the
shadow of long-lingering territorial claims.

Instead, President Obama chose the Armenian term for the atrocities,
"Mets Yeghern," meaning "Great Man-Made Catastrophe." The
U.S. Congress, where a resolution to recognize the Armenian genocide
was introduced on March 17, may want to follow the president’s lead
and avoid confrontation in order to give the current Turkey-Armenia
normalization process a chance.

Armenians have a point when they argue that the past decade of
international resolutions and statements recognizing the Armenian
genocide have forced Turkey to end its blanket denial of Ottoman
wrongdoing. But such outside pressures have got no closer to making
Turkey accept the term genocide itself, especially when the bills
before Congress and other parliaments are clearly the result of
domestic political calculations rather than high-minded deliberation.

On the Armenian question, many Turks, including government officials
now publicly express regret over the loss of Armenian life. After more
than eight decades of silence, when any open discussion of what
happened in 1915 was considered taboo, the Turkish public is digesting
an onrush of new facts and opinions about those past events.

The past decade has seen much convergence between Turks and Armenians
in understanding the history of 1915 as academic exchanges have grown
and information become widely available. A 2005 conference on the
Armenian issue by the front ranks of the Turkish intelligentsia
demonstrated that the country’s academic and cultural elite wants to
do away with the old nationalist defensiveness. In the east of Turkey,
efforts have begun to preserve the surviving Armenian heritage. Far
from worsening Turkish-Armenian relations, the murder of
Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink in 2007 by a shadowy
nationalist gang triggered a march of 100,000 people in Istanbul
carrying signs saying "We Are All Armenians."

Opinion polls show two-thirds of Turks supported President Abdullah
Gül’s decision in September to accept his Armenian counterpart Serzh
Sarkisian’s invitation for a World Cup qualifier soccer match and to
become the first Turkish head of state to visit Armenia. Then in
December, 200 leading Turkish intellectuals began a signature campaign
to apologize for what they called the "Great Catastrophe" of the
Armenians. Nearly 30,000 people have signed it so far.

Overall, Turkey’s efforts with Armenia also fit into decade-long
efforts to improve ties with other neighboring countries. Ankara has
successfully normalized its once tense relations with Syria, Greece
and Iraqi Kurdistan. Ankara also tried its best to bring about a
reconciliation between Turkish and Greek Cypriots.

New trends are visible in Armenia too. As pride and security in the
new Armenian statehood grows, genocide recognition no longer overrides
all other national interests. Issues such as the need for more
economic opportunities, a broader-based regional strategy and an open
Turkish border that can be a direct gateway to the West are taking
center stage. Armenians increasingly spend their vacation in Turkish
resorts.

Change is also evident in the diaspora, which outnumbers the
population in Armenia and has a strong influence on Yerevan. The
Armenian community in France led an international campaign, joined by
Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan and more than 100 public intellectuals,
to say "Thank You" for the Turkish apology efforts. Armenian-French
intellectuals are increasingly seeking to reconnect with their
heritage by cultivating their links to Turkey and Turks and visiting
Istanbul.

As President Obama has recognized, it is this trend of convergence
that offers the best chance in decades to open the borders between
these two states, moving beyond nearly a century in which Turks and
Armenians have been held hostage to frozen conflicts, nationalist
confrontation and the ghosts of the past.

Mr. Pope, author of "Turkey Unveiled: A History of Modern Turkey," is
the Istanbul representative of International Crisis Group.

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