Author: Chavushian

TURKEY EXPECTS U.S. ADMINISTRATION TO EXERT EFFORTS AGAINST ARMENIAN RESOLUTION

Journal of Turkish Daily
March 2 2010

Ahead of the March 4 vote in the U.S. House foreign affairs committee
regarding a resolution on Armenian allegations related to the incidents
of 1915, Turkey expects Obama administration to exert more efforts
against the resolution.

A group of Turkish lawmakers arrived in Washington D.C. on Monday to
meet with U.S. Congressmen to lobby against the resolution.

Turkish lawmakers led by Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission
Chairman Murat Mercan voiced their expectations from the U.S.

administration at a press conference in Washington D.C..

Mercan said that the resolution would not serve the interests of
Turkey and the United States. He said the resolution would harm
bilateral relations.

In 2007, the U.S. committee approved a similar resolution 27-21,
even though the former U.S. president George W. Bush and other key
figures from the U.S. administration lobbied against it.

"National assemblies can never make a decision or a judgement on
so-called genocide. This is, of course, a decision that international
courts can make," Mercan told reporters.

Another Turkish lawmaker Sukru Elekdag, who is also a former Turkish
ambassador to United States, said that U.S. administration should
not lose Turkish people’s trust.

"What we will tell our interlocutors is ‘do not lose this trust’. And
this is not an empty talk," Elekdag said.

RUSSIA AND FRANCE TO COOPERATE ON KARABAKH PEACE PROCESS

news.am
March 2 2010
Armenia

Russia and France intend to continue cooperation on Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict settlement, French President Nicolas Sarkozy stated at the
joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev,
RF presidential website reports.

"Russia and France will cooperate to assist Armenia and Azerbaijan
to work together and achieve mutual understanding," Sarkozy said.

As NEWS.am reported previously, March 1-3, RF President Dmitry Medvedev
is on state visit to France.

ON 28 FEBRUARY THE ARMENIANS OF CYPRUS INAUGURATED A NEW HALL IN AYMA-HMEN’S PREMISES

Noyan Tapan
March 1, 2010

NIKOSIA, MARCH 1, NOYAN TAPAN-ARMENIANS TODAY. On February 28 the
Armenians of Cyprus inaugurated a new Hall in AYMA – HMEM’s premises.

The ribbon-cutting was conducted by Armenian MP Vartkes Mahdessian. On
behalf of the AYMA-HMEM committee Mayda Neshanian made the opening
remarks, while after Archbishop Hergelian’s blessings, the festive
ceremony continued with speeches by the President of the AYMA-HMEM
committee responsible for the renovations Arto Tellalian.

ANKARA PLAYS AFGHANISTAN, IRAQ CARDS
Fulya Ozerkan

Hurriyet
/n.php?n=turkey-regrets-genocide-resolution-2010-0 3-01
March 1 2010
Turkey

Ankara has threatened that U.S. expectations from Turkey regarding
Afghanistan and Iraq may not be fulfilled if the U.S. Congress passes
the controversial Armenian "genocide" resolution, which will be voted
on this week.

Rep. Howard L. Berman, who chairs the U.S. Foreign Affairs Committee
and is backing the resolution, plans to bring the resolution
categorizing the killings of Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman
Empire as "genocide" before the panel Thursday. If the bill passes
the committee, then it could go to a full vote in the House.

While Ankara has conveyed its concerns over the resolution to
Washington at various levels, it also plans to play the Afghanistan
and Iraq cards, warning that the passage of the genocide resolution
would harm the Turkish-U.S. partnership and cause Ankara to not
fulfill U.S. requests on the two challenging issues.

Washington is satisfied with Turkish diplomacy and soft power in
Afghanistan, with U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan
Richard Holbrooke praising Turkey for knowing "how to speak with
Afghans like Afghans." Washington also wants the country to be more
engaged in the war-torn country, it has been learned. Washington also
needs Turkish support for withdrawal from Iraq.

Turkey regrets the vote

The Turkish Foreign Ministry expressed regret Monday about the U.S.

Foreign Affairs Committee readying to put the resolution to vote this
week, calling on the members to act responsibly.

"We expect the [U.S.] House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs
Committee to reject the draft resolution that would harm the
relationship between Turkey and the United States and put a dent
in the normalization of Turkish-Armenian ties," Foreign Ministry
spokesman Burak Ozugergin said in written response to a question.

Turkey’s concerns over such a resolution have been conveyed to U.S.

officials at various levels, the spokesman said.

"We want to believe the members of the Foreign Affairs Committee are
aware of the harm that will be caused by the adoption of the draft
resolution to Turkish-U.S. relations, as well as the efforts for
peace and stability in the South Caucasus, and that they will act
with a feeling of responsibility," he said.

Two groups of Turkish deputies are visiting the United States to
prevent the adoption of the controversial resolution.

The first group is led by Turkish Parliament Foreign Affairs
Commission head Murat Mercan and includes opposition and ruling party
deputies. The second group, meanwhile, includes Turkish Parliament
U.S. Caucus head Suat Kınıklıoglu of the ruling Justice and
Development Party.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned a wrong step
would harm efforts to normalize Turkish-Armenian relations.

"If a wrong step is taken there [in the U.S.], that will deal a blow
to the process," he said, referring to the government efforts to
engage with Armenia. "We are in contact. A group of Turkish deputies
is currently in the U.S. A wrong step on March 4 and on April 24 will
sabotage the process. I hope the members of the Congress will observe
this sensitivity."

ArmRosgasprom: currency variations in Armenia will not bring to gas
price increase

YEREVAN, February 26. /ARKA/. `ArmRosgasprom’ will not apply to
Regulatory Commission of Public Services (RCPS) in case of dollar rate
change, said Karen Karapetyan, Chairman of the Board and General
Director of the company.

Today RCPS reviewed the application of `ArmRosgasprom’ and carried out
decision on the increase of gas prices – current 96 drams will
increase up to 132 drams for 1 thousand cubic meters. People who use
more than 10 thousand cubic meters will pay $243.13 for 1 thousand
cubic meters instead of former $215.

`ArmRosgasprom’ applied for gas price increase as the price of
imported gas to Armenia will be $180 versus current $154 for 1
thousand cubic meters since April 1, 2010.

The company itself is not intended to change gas prices and make the
consumers lives unhappy. `We only react to market changes and it’s not
our fault’, said Karapetyan.

`Even if dollar rate will increase instead of current 386 drams up to
420 drams or decrease up to 320 for 1 dollar, we will not change the
price. We want to create business environment for our upcoming
strategy’, he said.

Some experts expect that in 2010 there will be devaluation in Armenia
but not as abrupt as in March 2009 when decrease of Armenian dram by
66.36 points to US dollar was 372.11 drams for 1 dollar.

`ArmRosgasprom’ gives choice opportunity to the consumers – whether
use gas or other energy resources. `We don’t say that our services are
cheap but they will be cheaper than other services’, he said.

World financial-economic crisis influenced on the reduction of gas
consumption in Armenia. `We expected market increase by 12% but due to
crisis it was reduced by 20 %’, he said.

CJSC `ArmRosgasprom’ is a monopolist in the internal market of
Armenia. Gas enters Armenia by transit through Georgia. The company
was established in 1997. The share of Open JSC `Gasprom’ is 80% in the
charter capital of the company, the share of the Government of Armenia
is 20%. ($1 – 384.37 drams). –0 –

Trend, Azerbaijan
Feb 27 2010

Deputy Speaker: Adopting resolution on `Armenian genocide’ to have
negative impact on U.S democratic image
27.02.2010 12:19

Submission of the so-called "Armenian genocide" to the U.S. Congress
for discussions will have a negative impact on this country’s
democratic image in the world, Azerbaijani Parliamentary Deputy
Speaker said.

"The U.S. as a super power should not put the serious global problems
aside and become a representative of Armenians’ interests. This
situation damages the U.S. prestige. It also has a negative impact on
the U.S. democratic image, their role in the development of the world
democracy," Azerbaijani Parliamentary Deputy Speaker Bahar Muradova
said in an interview to the ruling New Azerbaijan Party’s website.

Claims on the "Armenian genocide" represent allegation on the mass
extermination of Armenians residing in Anatolia during World War I.
Turkey considers these events as the Armenian-Turkish confrontation.

If the Congress adopts the resolution on the "Armenian genocide", it
will have a negative impact on the U.S.-Azerbaijani relations. "As one
of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, the United States in this issue
should adhere to a neutral position. It is wrong to take such a step,
guided only by the Armenian electorate. Many of the candidates give a
promise to recognize the so-called "Armenian genocide" during the
presidential elections in the U.S., and then become hostage of these
promises. I think that the Obama administration should take important
decisions in this regard," Muradova said.

She believes that every Azerbaijani citizen should express his own
opinion on this issue. "I’d like to note the fact that the Armenians
try to prevent the activities taking place abroad, which are devoted
to the Khojali genocide. I witnessed this fact in Austria, so we must
intensify our struggle. Azerbaijani Parliament’s position on the
so-called "Armenian genocide" is known to all. We express our strong
protest in connection with its discussion," Muradova said.

A. ARZUMANYAN: "I AM A POLITICAL PRISONER"

010/02/25/arzumanyan
08:22 pm | February 25, 2010

Politics

Armenia"s ex Foreign Minister Alexander Arzumanyan doesn’t care
whether people consider him a political prisoner or not.

"A person decides his status himself. If you think that you are a
political prisoner and a hostage of your soul then you declare it to
the world. You don’t care whether others agree with you or not. I
consider myself a political prisoner and I am not interested what
others think of it. It gives me an impetus in my future struggle,"
says Mr. Arzumanyan.

Alexander Arzumanyan is convinced that the European Court of Human
Rights will reject none of the claims on election fraud of the 2008.

"But this is a shame for Armenia. We long for an independent country
at the same time begging justice outside Armenia."

During today’s discussion entitled "Political Persecutions in Armenia:
Inward Look" Commander of Shushi special battalion Jirayr Sefilyan
dwelt on the general atmosphere in Armenian jails.

"If in foreign countries inmates are corrected in jails in Armenia
we witness the opposite. An innocent person turns into a criminal in
Armenian prisons," he said.

GOT NERVOUS

February 25, 2010

During yesterday’ press conference of the RA minister of economy
Nerses Yeritsyan the journalists had attempted to get comments on the
rumors of the possible resignation of prime minister Tigran Sargsyan,
the evidence of which is the latter’s absence (because of disease) in
important government sessions. According to these rumors the government
will be headed by Robert Kocharyan. The question undoubtedly stressed
Yeritsyan and he refused to answer the questions.

"There are limits of ethics and I wouldn’t like to cross those,"
he responded. And when the journalist persisted by saying that the
response to the question would be in the norms of ethics, Yeritsyan
advised the latter to address the question to the assistants of the
prime minister.

WORLD BANK DOWNPLAYS ARMENIAN RECOVERY
Sargis Harutyunyan

le/1969421.html
26.02.2010

A senior World Bank official on Friday downplayed Armenia’s renewed
economic growth and said its government is still not doing to enough
to tackle "oligopolies" which the Washington-based institution believes
hamper the country’s development.

According to government statistics, the Armenian economy grew by 2.4
percent last month after contracting by 14.4 percent in 2009. Trade
and Economic Development Minister Nerses Yeritsian seized upon the
figure on Monday to declare the end of a serious economic downturn
that gripped the country more than a year ago.

Aristomene Varoudakis, head of the World Bank office in Yerevan,
questioned this claim, saying that the January growth only means that
"the acute phase of the crisis is over." "But it doesn’t necessarily
mean that the crisis is over because the economy contracted by 15
percent last year," he said.

"If it grows by 2 percent this year and perhaps 3 or 4 percent next
year, it will take three to four years for the economy to come back to
the income level of 2008," Varoudakis told a news conference. "So it
is very likely that the economy will remain weak for quite a prolonged
period of time."

Armenia’s Gross Domestic Product increased at an average annual rate of
around 10 percent in the decade preceding the recession. The Armenian
government forecast late last year a GDP growth rate of 1.2 percent
for 2010. A senior official from the International Monetary Fund said
last week that it could exceed 2 percent.

Varoudakis stood by the World Bank’s view that renewed robust growth
is contingent on a greater diversification of the Armenian economy
that in turn requires a radical improvement of its investment climate.

He said the authorities in Yerevan have taken some "steps in the
right direction."

"But I think what is missing there is some bold initiatives, bold and
ambitious steps to reduce the role of oligopolies in the economy,"
stressed Varoudakis. "As long as some important markets, especially
for imports, are dominated by oligopolistic players, this reduces the
possibility for other market entrants, especially small enterprises
to grow and make money and invest in other sectors of the economy."

"Also, it will be very important to have transparency regarding
possible linkages between dominant businesses and public officials,"
he said, clearly referring to the widely held belief that the so-called
"oligarchs" enjoy high-level government patronage.

The World Bank’s managing director, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, issued
a similar warning, in blunter terms, when she visited Yerevan last
October. She said Armenia can not attain a higher level of development
unless its leadership improves tax administration, creates a "strong
and independent judicial system" and combats government corruption
in earnest.

Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian has publicly acknowledged the need
for such reforms. Addressing parliament in November, he said the
oligopolistic structures "pose a very serious challenge" to the state.

Some observers believe, however, that he lacks the power and political
clout to take on them.

Varoudakis commented on the economic situation as he announced the
disbursement of two fresh World Bank loans to Armenia worth $12
million. One of the loans worth $7 million is designed to finance
infrastructure projects in 35 mostly rural communities across the
country.

The bank already financed such projects last year as part of its
efforts to help the authorities mitigate consequences of the crisis.

Its overall anti-crisis lending to Yerevan totaled $280 million
in 2009.

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

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Watch our latest videos on YouTube here:

"THE CHURCHES OF INDIA PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN THE ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT"
HIS HOLINESS ARAM I

"The ecumenical movement owes a great deal to the churches of India. With
their theological input, active participations in ecumenical discussions,
and firm commitment to the ecumenical vision they played a significant role
in the formation and expansion of the ecumenical movement", said His
Holiness Aram I on his arrival to Cochin, India, on Wednesday 24 February.

Speaking about his visit to India, Aram I said that although he is invited
by His Holiness Catholicos Moran Mor Baselios Marthoma Didymos I of Indian
(Malankara) Orthodox Church, he considers his visit ecumenical: "Ecumenism
is not out there; it is a local reality. We must be ecumenical primarily on
the local level. How can the churches manifest concretely the ecumenical
spirit through joint ventures, by sharing their joy and problems, and
addressing together common concerns? This must become a permanent concern
and challenge for the churches" according to Aram I.

In response to a question regarding the prevailing conflict within the
Indian Orthodox Church, Catholicos Aram I said that "he has not come to
India with a mission of reconciliation". He also added that "he cannot
remain indifferent in view of the division in the same church. Working for
unity and reconciliation is at the heart of Christian vocation".

His Holiness stressed the vital importance of interreligious dialogue. In
his view, "interreligious dialogue is no more an academic exercise, it is
integral to our daily life in this globalized world. India is a model of a
pluralist society in which dialogue is an existential reality. Hence, we
must take this dimension of Christian life and witness very seriously". His
Holiness, who has a rich experience in the area of interreligious dialogue,
pointed out that Indian theologians have brought, out of their concrete
experiences, a significant contribution to many initiatives of dialogue on
the global level.

The visitation program of Aram I will include meetings with the leaderships
of the churches of India, meeting with the holy synod of the Indian Orthodox
Church, public lectures on ecumenical topics and visits to the churches and
church-related institutions.

His Holiness is accompanied by H.E. Arch. Sebouh Sarkissian, Prelate of
Tehran, H.E. Nareg Alrmezian, Ecumenical officer, and his secretary V. Rev.
Mesrob Sarkissian.

##
View the photos here:
c/Photos/Photos441.htm
http://www.ArmenianOrthodox Church.org/v04/doc/Photos/Photos442.htm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities 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.