Author: Chavushian

ANC ACCUSES DASHNAKTSUTYUN OF COLLUSION WITH AUTHORITIES

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.12.2009 12:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian National Congress (ANC) accused ARF
Dashnaktsutyun of collusion with the authorities.

"The ARFD plans a protest action on January 12. Meanwhile, the ANC has
learned that Armen Rustamyan, Hrant Margaryan and Vahan Hovhannisyan
had a meeting with Constitutional Court chairman Gagik Harutyunyan.

This means that Dashnaktsutyun coordinates all actions with the
authorities," said Levon Zurabyan, representative of the ANC.

He also informed that opposition plans rallies next year but the
starting date is not known yet. "I can say for sure that we will not
join Dashnaktsutyun’s protest actions," Zurabyan said.

ARAM D. FARISHIAN RECEIVED NASA CITATION FOR MISSION CONTRIBUTIONS

The Star-Ledger (Newark, New Jersey)
December 22, 2009 Tuesday

Aram D. Farishian, a resident of Leonia for 63 years, passed away Dec.,
21, 2009, at the age of 96.

Funeral services are 11 a.m. Wednesday at Sts. Vartanantz Armenian
Apostolic Church, 461 Bergen Blvd., Ridgefield, N.J. 07657. Visiting
is on Tuesday from 3 to 7 p.m. at the William G. Basralian Funeral
Home, 559 Kinderkamach Road, Oradell.

Born in Aleppo, Syria in 1913, Mr. Farishian immigrated with his
family through Ellis Island at age seven.

He worked at Lawrence Aeronautical during World War II and retired
from Bendix in 1979 after 31 years of service. During this time, he
received a citation from NASA for his contributions to the Mercury,
Gemini and Apollo space missions.

An active member of Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church in
Ridgefield, Mr. Farishian was a trustee and served in many other
capacities.

Aram was a fine gardener and champion backgammon player.

His cherished wife, Victoria, and sisters, Arax Hintlian and Lucille
Damergy predeceased him. He is survived by his loving sons, Richard and
his wife, Barbara, and Gary and his wife, Elizabeth, and dear sister,
Seran Kazazian. He was a proud and treasured grandfather to Victoria
Ann, Deanna and Ryan, and had a host of many loving relatives and
friends who will miss him.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Sts. Vartanantz Armenian
Church or St. James Episcopal Church, Ridgefield.

LITHUANIA ‘HOSTED AT LEAST TWO SECRET CIA PRISONS’

press tv
Tue, 22 Dec 2009 17:04:24 GMT

This Thursday, November 19, 2009 picture shows a former riding school
outside the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, which allegedly housed a
CIA prison.

A Lithuanian inquiry has found that the US Central Intelligence Agency
set up and used secret prisons on its soil following the September 11,
2001 terror attacks in the US.

Lithuania’s intelligence agency assisted the CIA-run secret prisons,
which were used to hold at least eight al-Qaeda suspects, the
parliamentary panel in charge of the probe said in a report on Tuesday.

The National Security Committee report records instances in 2005
and 2006 when chartered planes were allowed to land in Lithuania,
adding that all the Lithuanian officials, including President Dalia
Grybauskaite, were kept in the dark about the aircraft’s passengers.

The report, which is based on testimony of top politicians and
intelligence officials, also sought to close the door on any charges
of human rights violations on the grounds that no official was ever
aware of exactly what was happening in the US-run prisons.

It said Lithuania’s State Security Department provided two facilities
to the CIA.

A single detention cell was set up to house one suspect in 2002 and a
former riding school on the outskirts of the capital Vilnius was turned
into a larger facility in 2004, big enough to hold eight suspects.

Since August 2009, the US media reports have accused Lithuania,
Poland and Romania, of hosting to secret CIA interrogation centers,
reigniting concerns over the exact number of these facilities and
the extent to which the spy agency used its questionable tactics.

They have contributed to straining Washington’s relations with some of
its key allies during former president George W. Bush’s administration.

One such former ally, Britain, is now under increasing pressure to
investigate whether its own agents were involved in the alleged CIA
torture of the British citizens in Pakistan.

Lithuania’s spy chief, Povilas Malakauskas, resigned last week as
controversy mounted over the secret jails. A lawmaker said the
resignation was "partly" because of the government’s efforts to
investigate the details surrounding the CIA facility.

According to the conclusions of a 2007 probe conducted on behalf of
the Council of Europe, 14 European governments are accused of having
permitted the CIA to run detention centers on their soil or to carry
out rendition flights between 2002 and 2005.

AGGREGATE ASSETS OF ARMENIAN CREDITING ORGANIZATIONS GROW BY 15.35% FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR

ARKA
Dec 22, 2009

YEREVAN, December 22, /ARKA/. The aggregate assets of Armenian
crediting organizations grew by 15.35% from the beginning of the year
or by 10.2 billion Drams standing at 76.8 billion Drams at the end
of September. 2009.

Out of 25 crediting organizations Norvik, whose assets stood at 20.6
billion Drams, was the largest. Its assets grew by 5.31 percent from
the beginning of the year, constituting 26.8% of the aggregate assists
of all Armenian crediting organizations.

The second, in terms of assets size, was Aregak (11.3 billion Drams),
followed by Finka (10.05 billion Drams), ACBA Leasing (7.5 billion
Drams) and the National Mortgage Company (6.1 billion Drams).

Card AgroCredit posted a 100 percent assets growth in the first 9
months, Farm Credit Armenia said it assets grew by 75%, those of ACBA
Leasing grew by 32%. There are 25 crediting organizations in Armenia
with 57 branches. ($1 – 373. 97 Drams).

NK GETS PARLIAMENTARY GROUP

Lragir.am
22/12/09

On Thursday 3rd December 2009 , a new "British-Nagorno Karabagh
All-Party Parliamentary Group"was launched in Committee Room 2 of
the House of Lords , British Parliament.

The instigator is Viscount John Desmond Waverley , a former member of
the British-Armenian All-Party Parliamentary Group , who is engaged
now in creating a Parliamentary Group for a country to which he cannot
gain entrance but was able to visit in 1996 ONLY when he posed as
a dedicated member of the British-Armenian All-Party Parliamentary
Group and was welcomed by the Karabagh Authorities , upon the Armenian
Group`s recommendation .

In the British Parliament , hundreds of Parliamentary Groups are
founded by Parliamentarians who declare their interest in the most
varied issues : slimming , whiskey , ageing , cancer, retail ,
digital TV , mental health … the list is unexhaustible . But one
factor remains invariably common to all these Groups : the subject
about which a Parliamentary Group can be founded MUST EXIST ! and by
initiating the British-Nagorno Karabagh All-Party Parliamentary Group ,
Lord Waverley and Baroness Symons have acknowledged the existence of
the Republic of Nagorno-Karabagh , obviously aware of the fact that
during a Referendum in 1991 the people of Nagorno-Karabagh declared
their independence and have , since then , held five presidential
and four parliamentary elections confirmed by International Observers
to be in compliance with International Electoral Standards and with
utmost transparency .

It is of grave concern to the Armenian Group that Baroness Symons and
Lord Waverley have contacted neither the Elected Representatives of
Nagorno Karabagh , nor the Armenian Embassy in UK nor the Committee
Members of the Armenian Parliamentary Group to receive accurate
information about the situation in that country . By not including
the Karabagh Authorities participation , all their future statements
will lack accuracy and will create a unique precedent in the annals
of the British Parliament : initiating a Parliamentary Group without
its subject being involved in the process!

Lord Waverley and Baroness Symons must bear full responsibility
and face the consequences of the great danger that any inadequately
informed statement by their Group might harm , delay or jeopardise the
current process of peaceful settlement advocated by the International
Organisations who are engaged in the possible resolution of this very
complex conflict . Organisations to which Britain is an active and
concerned Member.

The Armenian Group would welcome the cooperation of this newly
formed Group with its Members, with the Members of the Parliament of
Nagorno-Karabagh and the Diplomatic Corps of the Armenian Embassy
and would encourage active correspondence , exchange of policy
and information by facilitating a visit to Karabagh of British
Parliamentarians ( including Members of the Karabagh Group), where
they will be able to obtain the true understanding of that country ,
its culture , history and aspirations .

TURKISH JOURNALISTS CONFESS THEY WOULD LIKE THE US TO RECOGNIZE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Anna Nazaryan

"Radiolur"
21.12.2009 18:35

The meeting between the Armenian and Turkish journalists was useful,
since it changed the impressions of Turks about our country. According
to Turkologist Artak Shakaryan, before the visit Turks thought Armenia
was a poor and deprived country. However, at the end of the visit they
said to be impressed by the Armenian hotels and the beauty of Yerevan.

At the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute the Turkish reporters asked
a number of questions to its Director Hayk Demoyan. Artak Shakaryan
says that unlike aggressive Azerbaijanis, Turks are interested in
understanding what really happened in 1915.

>From the discussions in Armenia Turks have concluded that Armenia
will refuse to establish relations if the Turkish Parliament drags
the ratification of the protocols, the Turkoligist says.

"Let Ankara know that January is not the deadline, but after January
every day is going to be harder for ratification. Ankara is waiting
for January 12, when the Armenian Constitutional Court is set to
issue a conclusion on the protocols. I think Turkey will consider
the protocols by the end of February. Psychologically, April 24
is the latest deadline. As a gesture from Armenia Turkey expects a
declaration like the one issued in Moscow," Artak Shakaryan said.

Therefore, this gesture is necessary to demonstrate to Baku that the
Karabakh issue is not ignored in the process of normalization of the
ties between Armenia and Turkey.

According to Artak Shakaryan, the Turkish journalists sincerely
confessed that they would like the US to recognize the Armenian
Genocide, because this would end the pressure.

WILL FIRST SERVICE BE HELD IN ARMENIAN CHURCH ON AKHTAMAR ISLAND ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2010?

PanARMENIAN.Net
21.12.2009 12:01 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Church of Holy Cross on Akhtamar island
will start functioning from September 2010.

"The first service will be held on September 12. After opening, the
church will become a pilgrimage shrine for Armenians living across
the world," Van Mayor Munir Karaoglu said.

"Van will become one of Turkey’s tourism centers. After opening of the
border with Armenia, Iranian tourists will also have an opportunity
to arrive, as our current border with Iran lies though mountains,"
he said, 1news.az reported.

Hurriyet, Turkey
Dec 20 2009

New Year’s message from the Minister of Culture ErtuÄ?rul Günay

Saturday, December 19, 2009
VERCÄ°HAN ZÄ°FLÄ°OÄ?LU
ISTANBUL ` Hürriyet Daily News

Culture Minister ErtuÄ?rul Günay underlines that 2010 will be a very
special year for Istanbul as it proudly becomes European Capital of
Culture

Culture Minister ErtuÄ?rul Günay

Istanbul has spent many months preparing to be the 2010 European
Capital of Culture for many months, but it also will soon welcome the
Far East with the Japanese Cultural Year in Istanbul.

Talking to the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review, Culture Minister
ErtuÄ?rul Günay highlighted Turkey’s initiatives in domestic and
foreign cultural policy, adding that the Turkish Parliament will also
celebrate the 90th anniversary of its foundation this year. `I hope
that Turkey will enter this special year in a peaceful way.’

In keeping with the Christmas spirit, Günay said the ministry was
ready to take all kinds of responsibility to ensure a peaceful future
for Turkey.

Referring to statements he made to the Daily News in recent months, he
said: `Legal arrangements have been made to open the historic Armenian
Surp Haç Church [also known as the Cathedral Church of the Holy Cross]
on Akdamar Island in Van and Sümela Monastery in Trabzon for prayer
once a year. All believers in these lands will be free to follow their
faiths.’

Culture agency disputes

The Istanbul 2010 agency, which opened last year to conduct the
European Capital of Culture project, is being kept meticulously
independent from the ministry, according to Günay.

`As a ministry, we made a special law for the agency; a coordination
assembly consisting of experts and civil society representatives was
formed and I am just a member of this assembly,’ he said.

Referring to news about impropriety and resignations from the agency,
Günay said: `There were many rumors about the agency ` some people
resigned, unfair speculations were made about the budget, some
projects were not accepted because they were too expensive or
inefficient and as a result, some groups were offended. From time to
time, we encounter such problems but we are not detered.’

Calendar full of events

Two big cultural initiatives will open the 2010 events agenda. The
Japanese Cultural Year will begin in Turkey in the early days of
January.

On Jan. 16, celebrations for the European Capital of Culture will be
held. `We enter the new year with a lively culture and arts calendar,’
said Günay, adding that the ministry would continue to organize
activities in the fields of culture, art and tourism.

`Our aim is to introduce the historical and cultural richness of
Turkey to the whole world,’ he said. `I wish everyone a happy,
peaceful and artful new year.’

Meneshian: Javakhk: Summer Fun, Christmas Dream
By Knarik Meneshian

9/meneshian-javakhk-summer-fun-christmas-dream/
De cember 19, 2009

Campers studying.

Snow has fallen. It is the last day of September, and Javakhk’s
landscape is white again. In the village of Heshtia, Sisters
Haguintha, Datevik, and Serpouhi smile at the beauty before them.
They touch the shimmering, powdery softness and look around their
convent grounds, surrounded with trees, and at the meandering, icy
stream nearby which flows towards the river Kur. They remember the
laughter and excitement of their 300 young charges, ages 6-14, and the
tents pitched and filled with camaraderie, fun, and learning right
here on these very same grounds. Sister Haguintha explains, `Just a
few weeks earlier, the tents – our makeshift summer day camp called the
Cardinal Aghajanyan Camp – were filled with children. For three months,
June, July, and August, the days passed with such joy for them, for
all of us. We had two sessions, one for the younger and one for the
older children, and the hours were from 8am to 3pm. The children
studied religion, Armenian language and grammar, computer, drawing,
Georgian language, music, needlework, psychology, and sports. We went
on hikes, played games, and took our meals together. On August 30th,
the last day of camp, the campers, our volunteers (nine village
schoolteachers and older teenagers), and we, the Sisters, played our
final games. To celebrate the occasion, we dressed the children in
matching tee shirts and hats with the name of our camp printed on
them. That evening after mass, we had a bonfire and great merriment,
thus ending this year’s camp season. On September 2, we Sisters took
36 of our teenagers, who had helped us during the entire camp season,
to Batum to enjoy five days at the Black Sea. The boys and girls had
never seen the sea before. They had never even been outside of the
village before, so you can imagine what an absolutely wonderful time
they had!’

Preparing bonfire.
It is November now, and the Sisters have been busy with their duties
of assisting the villagers in any way they can, as well as traveling
back and forth to five schools in the area to teach religion. They
regularly visit the sick and the elderly and spend time with the
children. The youth choir they’ve established is growing. In a
recent e-mail to me, Sister Haguintha wrote, `We Sisters have begun
preparing for Dzmer Bab (Father Winter). Oh, how the children look
forward to this special time of the year! For the seven villages in
this vicinity, we are already preparing gifts for the children, some
handmade, some shuga-bought. But the best gift of all that we can
give them, and to everyone in Heshtia and the surrounding villages in
Javakhk, is a medical clinic. We have no such facility in this area.
So, we have been working very hard to make this – our Armenian peoples’
dream here – come true. Already, with the kindness and generosity of
donors, brick by brick, the walls are forming. I hope and pray that
one day their dream will come true.’

Photos courtesy of Sister Haguintha Mouradian

Armenian Second TV Channel
Dec 8 2009

Armenian Kurds rally to defend Ocalan

[Presenter over video of a protest] Armenia’s Kurdish community has
staged yet another protest. The Kurds call upon Turkey to stop
violence against them which is aimed at suppressing their national
liberation struggle. At the same time, the protest is aimed at drawing
the attention of the international community and European human rights
bodies to their problems and especially to Abdullah Ocalan. About
three weeks ago the leader of the Kurdish people was transferred to a
prison cell, which is twice as small as the previous one, is in a
basement, and there is no sunlight in it. Ocalan’s health has worsened
again.

Meanwhile, the Turkish authorities have promised the international
community to improve the prison conditions for their [Kurdish] leader
[Ocalan]. At the same time, there was a promise of speedy solution of
the Kurdish issue, which the Turkish authorities broke the same way as
the previous one.

[Video shows a protest, about 200 hundred people gathered in the
centre of Yerevan, swaying flags – a red flag with a yellow circle
that has a red star inside; green flag with a yellow sun which has a
red star inside; a two-coloured flag with an upper red line, a green
bottom line and a yellow sun in the middle; holding portraits of a
moustached man in a blue shirt against a yellow background.]

[Knyaz Hasanov, the head of the council of the Kurdish community in
Armenia, speaking to journalists near the site of the protest] In
Turkey, millions of Kurds take to the streets to defend their leader,
where they demand that the Kurdish issue be solved peacefully. Clashes
took place in all Kurdish-populated cities [in Turkey] yesterday [7
December] and many people were wounded and died in the clashes. Today
we, representatives of the Kurdish community, have gathered here to
defend our leader and to say that we call upon the Turkish authorities
to stop the bloodshed and pointless violence.

[translated from Armenian]