Author: Ekmekjian Janet

RASIM MUSABAYEV: RUSSIA IS KEEN ON CAPTURING OUR ARMS MARKET

Milaz.info
12:26 18-08-2009

Milaz regularly interviews local experts on several pressing issues,
particularly matters concerning Azerbaijan-NATO cooperation. Interview
with Rasim Musabayov, a well-known political analyst, is below:

– How do you estimate the current level of cooperation between
Azerbaijan NATO?

– I would grade it at 3 on the 5-point scale.

– Do you think Azerbaijan fulfils military and political reforms
specified in cooperation plans agreed with NATO?

– I think military-technical and organizational issues are met but with
regard to political and legal aspects, they have not been completely
fulfilled and remain delayed.

– Today, Azerbaijani officials state that the country is pursuing a
well-balanced policy. Can we say this policy is really balanced?

– This policy is not balanced, it would be more accurate to call it
a diversified one.

– How do you see Azerbaijan’s recent inclination to military-technical
cooperation with Russia? Do you think this is in line with the
country’s military-political and economic priorities?

– Azerbaijan and Russia have before been in military-technical
cooperation as well. Azerbaijan-based manufacturing plants give
military hardware components worth of up to $20 million to Russia a
year. Gabala Radar is in Russian use. Rental plus payments for water,
electricity, gas and food supply may amount to $15 million to $20
million. In the past, Russia also used to supply Azerbaijan with a
range of combat equipment (armored infantry vehicle), spare parts, and
dual-purpose vehicles instead of these funds. The sides are discussing
the possibility of expanding military-technical cooperation. Russian
military industry complex is keen on entering our arms market because
we plan to upgrade and rearm our army and we have the capacity to pay
for this. This issue is hindered by Moscow’s support and free-of-charge
arms shipment for Armenia which continued to occupy our lands. In
fact, capturing our arms market could create an incentive for the
change of Russia’s position in the conflict (Nagorno Karabakh) and
positive influence on the settlement of this conflict.

– Azerbaijan’s Military Doctrine and Defence Outline have not been
adopted yet. What do you think delays these?

– The reason is that Azerbaijan doesn’t want to openly and explicitly
state the presence of military threats from the North – Russia, and
from the South – Iran. It would be an incomplete approach to point
to Armenia alone as the source of such a threat. I am of the opinion
that they don’t want to make public the Military Doctrine lest it
could lead to political complications.

– NATO’s new secretary general crossed out the probability of Georgia
and Ukraine’s soon membership. He is set to mainly focus on relations
with Russia and situation in Afghanistan. How do you see Azerbaijan
in this policy?

– In essence, NATO’s new policy in the issue of expansion is a
response to the careful policy pursued by Azerbaijan over the recent
years. Therefore, other than this, there is nothing new for us,
and there will be no need to make correction to the plans.

– How do you think the prospect of Gabala Radar will be? Do you have
outlook for the period after 2012 when the current lease expires. Who
will use this radar?

– Without all-encompassing and expensive upgrading, this radar
is old and makes no sense in terms of its use for its initial
purpose. Russia may aspire to keep this radar as its only militancy
presence in Azerbaijan. Moscow had understood that it wouldn’t be
capable of using it after 2012, therefore, suggested the joint use
of this radar with the United States. This offer still stands for
the future, but the likelihood is not that high. MILAZ

Milaz.Info is an Azerbaijan-based independent military news website

_________________________________________ ________________________ What
goes online, stays online Check the daily blob for the latest on what’s
happening around the web

Brad Pitt (Finally) Speaks About Moneyball

Screen Rant
August 14, 2009

by Jacob Waldman

Let’s run the bases real quick and recap the whole Moneyball
fiasco(cue the movie-montage):

Oscar winner Steve Zaillian spun a script from Michael Lewis’s book
about Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane’s successful attempt to
put together a baseball club on a budget. Sony picked it up, Brad Pitt
and Steven Soderbergh hopped on board, Soderbergh retooled the script
into something more along the lines of a documentary with `if it
didn’t happen in real life, it won’t happen on the big screen’ running
through its veins. Sony bucked, the head of Sony, Amy Pascal pulled
the plug the morning of the first day of shooting. There. Now we’re
all on the same page (for more details, go here).

Today we have new details on Moneyball’s current status and a few
words from its (almost) star, Brad Pitt.

So Soderbergh turned in this new script that was (allegedly) some kind
of bastardization of Sony’s original vision for Moneyball. At the
outset, the movie was reported to capture the essence of Billy Beane
and his frantic energy that revamped the professional baseball
recruiting process. The movie reportedly would’ve resembled something
akin to Major League, only based more in reality and without Charlie
Sheen (unfortunately). But once Soderbergh got his hands on it, what
was once a sure thing became a fakakta mess, so Pascal put the kibosh
on the project.

However, rumors are circulating that maybe it wasn’t Soderbergh and
Pascal’s difference of opinion after all that caused Moneyball to
strike out – maybe it was Pitt’s pits! You see, Brad Pitt is notorious
for a few things: having nineteen visible abdominal muscles, liking
`dahgs,’ buying kids in six packs, being able to rock an outfit that
would make the rest of us look like D.J. Qualls¦ and pulling out at
the last minute (of projects, that is).

Let’s look at his track record, shall we? The actor dropped out of The
Fou scenarios. So it wouldn’t be surprising to find that he once
again suffered the morning-of jitters and decided to leave the bride
at the alter, so to speak. Now mind you, this is all speculation
based on a few whisperings here and there on the Interwebs, but
still, it seems like a rumor worth considering.

Now consider this: new reports are surfacing that in fact, Pitt was
whole-heartedly behind the project, and still is. Pitt was rocketed
questions rapid-fire regarding Moneyball during a walk-by on a red
carpet. Granted, this isn’t the best time for an in-depth interview
regarding the outlook of future projects, however The Playlist reports
that Pitt spoke out about the project for the first time in public
since the whole fiasco went down. When asked if he thinks Moneyball
can recovered, or if it’s going the way of the dodo, Pitt responded
with:

`My gut says yes. It’s a weird climate right now. But we’re still
trying to re-mount it. I hope we get to do it soon.’

Wow, Pitt, you couldn’t be more vague if you were running for public
office (consider that option, pal). But still, it’s something, right?
What’s more, Soderbergh is off the project, but Pitt, Sony,
screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (who is writing a new draft of the script)
and producers Mike DeLuca are still trying to keep the film alive and
bring aboard a new director.

So whaddya think? Will the American public dig a flick about baseball
recruiting, starring Brad Pitt (especially if he doesn’t take his
shirt off)? Is there a large enough demographic that justifies making
a movie about one dude and his strategies for picking players? And, if
you could choose, who would you get to direct Moneyball? Does this
film have what it takes to – here it comes – hit a home run? ZING!

Source: The Playlist

ll-jake-21704/

WD Newsletter
3325 North Glenoaks Blvd. Burbank, CA 91504
Tel: (818) 558-7474 Fax: (818) 558-6333
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

Western Diocese e-Newsletter

His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the
Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, on
August 28-29, 2009, will ordain and consecrate Dn. Martin
Zakaryan to the Priesthood, in Palm Desert.

*The Calling Ceremony *for Dn. Martin Zakaryan will be held
on Friday August 28, 2009, starting at 7:30 PM, at the
Armenian Church of the Desert located at 38900 Vista Dunes,
Rancho Mirage, CA 92270.

*The Ordination and Consecration* to the Priesthood of Dn.
Martin Zakaryan will take place on Saturday August 29, 2009,
starting at 10:00 AM, at St. George Greek Orthodox Church in
Palm Deseret. Mr. and Mrs. Greg and Seta Tcherkoian are the
designate Godfather family for the Ordination to the
Priesthood rite of Dn. Martin Zakaryan.

St. George Greek Orthodox Church
74-109 Larrea St.
Palm Desert, CA 92260

A reception will be held after the completion of the
Ordination and Consecration to the Priesthood ceremonies at
the Armenian Church of the Desert, located at 38900 Vista
Dunes, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270. For more information please
contact the Very Rev. Fr. Dajad Dz. V. Yardemian at
(818)558-7474 or Varoujan Mkrtichian at (818)317-9094.

Dn. Martin Zakaryan will resume his graduate level
education at Claremont School of Theology following his
ordination and consecration to the Priesthood.

Upon ordination and consecration to the Priesthood, Dn.
Martin Zakaryan will begin his service at the Armenian
Church of the Desert as the new Parish Priest.

The Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North
America, providing spiritual guidance and leadership to the
Armenian Apostolic community, is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit,
tax-exempt organization comprised of more than 50 churches
in 16 western states. It was established in 1898 as the
Diocese of the Armenian Church encompassing the entire
United States and Canada. In 1927 the Western Diocese was
formed to exclusivly serve the western United States.

TURKISH MINISTER MET ARMENIAN TOURISTS IN VAN

News.am
13:38 / 08/15/2009

Turkish State Minister Cevdet Yilmaz and other officials visited
Akhtamar church once arrived in Van (Turkey), Turkish Cihan agency
reports.

The Minister stated the region is of great importance for tourism
development. Cevdet Yilmaz answered journalists’ questions, mentioning
that this church is vitally crucial for Armenians and looks more
attractive after restoration.

"This region is a historical and cultural preservation. Tourism
development is the main potential of Eastern Anatolia, that will be
strongly supported in this area," Minister said.

As to the question whether there is a possibility of services to be
held in the church, Yilmaz answered that there is no analysis on the
matter, and current conditions and legal status should be reviewed.

"Turkish Republic is a secular state and all religions are equally
distanced from the state. That is why we have a respect for all
religions and do not have any problems in this regard," Yilmaz
underlined.

While visiting Akhtamar, Minister met tourists from Armenia and spoke
with them in English. Tourists said they liked the island and thanked
the Minister for preserving it.

AZERBAIJAN IS A MERE TOOL IN TURKEY’S HANDS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
14.08.2009 20:54 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Perhaps, Azerbaijan lost the war with Armenia,
but Armenia has suffered a devastating defeat in the information war
" Vahan Shirhanyan , member of the "Hnchak" Social Democratic Party
of Armenia told reporters today.

According to him, Azerbaijani mass media won the information war due
to their work with Azerbaijani authorities.

"The Azerbaijani media have presented Armenia as an aggressor,"
Vahan Shirkhanyan said. However, he noted that Azerbaijan is not a
national country, but merely a tool in the hands of Turkey, because
Turkey coordinates the whole information war.

COME HOME PROGRAM: SECOND STAGE: AUGUST 10, 11

Noyan Tapan
Aug 13, 2009

YEREVAN, AUGUST 13, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Visits to Khor
Virap, then Toumanian’s, Charents’ and Parajanov’s museums

The young people participating in the Come Home program of the RA
Ministry of Diaspora visited Khor Virap on August 10. The young
people reached the monastery at the moment when the priest carried
out the ceremony of christening, and the young people do not lose
the possibility to take a photo.

The program participants’ good mood was preserved also on the way from
Khor Virap to Artashat, in the center of the marz of Ararat. A concert
of Armenian songs and dancing was organized on the Ararat Regional
Governor’s initiative, in the yard near the Regional Council. The
Diasporan Armenian young people at once received the invitation to
dance under the sounds of Kochari and Ver-veri (Armenian national
dances). Milena who arrived from Tbilisi surprised with her dancing
in the style of rep. Recitation of the young people arrived from the
Czech Republic and Tbilisi was also impressive.

According to the hayernaysor.am electronic newspaper, August 11 was of
great cognitive meaning for the youth. The day started with the visit
to Hovhannes Toumanian’s museum. Some boyes and girls who were still
not aware of his holiness Armenian poet’s life and works listened
Director Narine Tukhikian’s and guide’s comments with interest. Some
of them stood for a long time in front of the view picturing the
village of Dsegh, some of them looked at the pictures on the walls
where heroes of the great poet’s tales were pictured.

Anna Sahakian from Moscow was especially interested in the room
moved from the Vernatun (Armenian literary study groop, collective
of writers in Tiflis) to Yerevan and kept with the same furnishing,
in the role of the Vernatun in the affair of development of the
Armenian intellectuals and literary life.

At eminent poet Yeghishe Charents’ museum all of the recited in unison
the poem entitled "Yes im anush Hayastani," (For My Sweet Armenia),
got acquainted with other works of the poet which became the soul of
the time, saw the room from the doors of which the policemen took
away and arrested Charents. And the Come Home program participants
uniterruptedly took photos at the Sergei Parajanov’s museum. The
represented 1400 exhibits, collages, pictures, hats, dools a part
of which the famous artist created during the years passed in the
prison, were a real discovery for Narek Aslikian who has arrived from
Moscow. Sorbonne University student, French Armenian Kewin Sevak
Kerteshian was too interested in collages: "I has only known about
Parajanov’s films entitled Colour of Pomegranate and Sayat-Nova, this
museum opened a new world before me," he said and it seemed that new
world was opened for all the participants.

INTELLECTUAL GAME ‘WHAT? WHERE? WHEN?’ RESTART IN ARMENIA

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
14.08.2009 17:13 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Television will restart its intellectual
game show entitled ‘What? Where? When?’, Armen Ashotyan , RA minister
of education and science of Armenia told press conference in Yerevan
today devoted to South Caucasus championship on intellectual games.

According to the minister, the government allocated money to purchase a
license to run this game. Minister of science and education recalled
that TV version of the game once was broadcast on Armenian TV and
enjoyed great popularity of the audience. According to him, the
game has greatly contributed to the intellectual development of the
Armenian society.

Vice-President of the ‘What? Where? When?’ Yerevan club Ara Avetisyan
mentioned that most likely the game will be broadcast in the Armenian
language, which is more understandable to local population.

ACADEMICIAN IVAN AGHAJANYAN AWARDED WITH RA NA ORDER OF HONOR

ARMENPRESS
Aug 13, 2009
Yerevan

YEREVAN, AUGUST 13, ARMENPRESS: A real member of Armenian Medical
and Surgery Academy, head of the Urology Chair of Scientific-Research
Institute of the Armenian Health Ministry, Chairman of the Armenian
Association of Urologists, Professor Ivan Aghajanyan has been awarded
today with RA NA Order of Honor in the National Assembly.

NA public relations department told Armenpress that handing the
award NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan noted that it is given to Professor
Aghajanyan as an appraisal of his medical and scientific-pedagogical
activity of many years in health sphere. The head of the parliament,
highly assessing Ivan Aghajanyan’s contribution, wished him strong
health, new successes and achievements.

Academician Ivan Aghajanyan expressing gratitude for the award highly
assessed the role of the Armenian legislative power in reforms and
improvement of health sphere. He noted that the Order of Honor given
to him is not only his achievement, but of the all people involved
in urology in Armenia.

NA Deputy Speakers Samvel Nikoyan and Arevik Petrosyan, the heads
of the permanent commissions and factions of the parliament, members
of parliament, Health Minister Harutyun Kushkyan, representatives of
health sphere were present at the award giving ceremony.

SERGE SARGSYAN IN JERMUK

Lragir.am
hp?id=country&pid=14886
14:37:04 – 10/08/2009

On August 8-9, Serge Sargsyan paid a working visit to Jermuk. He
discussed the process of the fulfillment of the projects on the
development of Jermuk as a tourist and resort center. In particular,
the Deputy Minister of Urban Development, Chief Architect Narek
Sargsyan presented to the president the projects of reconstruction
of the non-functioning airport of Jermuk and construction of a SPA
hotel complex.

At the place of the non-functioning airport and in the 120 hectares of
its adjacent area, a rest house, hotel, residential and administrative
houses, as well as a cultural center are planned to be constructed.

The chief architect informed Serge Sargsyan that the construction
of the SPA hotel complex is started and will terminate in 2011. The
investments of the complex are 15 million.

Serge Sargsyan visited the ropeway of the city and got acquainted
with the reconstruction works of the area.

Serge Sargsyan participated in opening ceremony of FIDE "Grand Prize"
Jermuk 2009 dedicated to Tigran Petrosyan’s 80th anniversary and held
a welcoming speech. The chess games started on August 9.

Sunday’s Zaman, Turkey
Aug 9 2009

Increasing transparency brings Turkey’s `unreal’ face to light

As Turkey has grown more transparent and embraced a relatively free
atmosphere to discuss the deficiencies of state and private
establishments, we have come to realize that many of those
establishments do not indeed work as they are supposed to.

Analysts believe recent developments have shown that Turkey is far
from the position the world espouses on a number of issues.

`Indeed, what has recently transpired has proven that Turkey stands in
a much different position from the rest of the world. We have smoothed
over the cracks so far. Now it is time to face up to our deficiencies
and problems. Even if a certain group strongly opposes such a move, we
should head forward with great determination,’ stated Ã`mit
Fırat, a prominent Kurdish intellectual.

It was with the ongoing probe into Ergenekon — a clandestine
terrorist organization accused of plotting to overthrow the government
— that the nation started to fully realize for the first time that
the military was engaged in activities not related to national
security or the territorial integrity of the country.

The probe exposed plots by some senior members of the Turkish Armed
Forces (TSK) to interfere in politics and take full control of the
state through coups d’état. The military stood, however, as the
country’s most trusted institution according to various opinion polls
conducted in the past.

The Ergenekon investigation showed that the military was interested
more in engaging in politics than in pondering ways to protect the
country against outside threats. `In our country, a certain group
insists on returning Turkey to its atmosphere of the 1930s, when
policies determined by the military used to rule the society. It is
what we call the pro-status quo mindset. However, the world has turned
its face to international integration. And Turkey has to fall in step
with that trend,’ Fırat noted.

According to Mehmet Metiner, a columnist at Star daily, recent
discussions on Turkey’s prominent establishments, including the TSK
and the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK), have shown
that Turkey has serious problems with the structure of its state.

`The anti-democratic role of the military in the state system is well
known by many. However, we should realize that many other
institutions, among them the HSYK and the Higher Board of Education
[YÃ-K], have controversial structures. I believe the Turkish state
is in urgent need of restructuring,’ Metiner stated.

The columnist stressed that the needed restructuring cannot be
achieved through partial moves.

`For instance, the current Constitution should be completely
changed. It is a compilation of laws which place the state above
individuals and nullify the rights and freedoms of individuals before
the state,’ he noted.

Metiner also touched upon recent debates over the structure of the
HSYK, which were stirred up after a recent attempt by one of its
members to replace judges and prosecutors conducting Turkey’s top
judicial cases.

Most analysts said the controversial attempt has revealed that the
judiciary is weakened by members of the judiciary themselves. They
also called for a restructuring of the HSYK, which could be achieved
through the establishment of an institution to monitor the modus
operandi of the board.

`It is very apparent that the judiciary is not independent in our
country. Judicial bodies are more bound to ideologies than the rule of
law. This shows that Turkey is a state of ideologies. Thus, this state
needs a complete restructuring. We may not succeed with this as a
whole but may start from one side,’ Metiner added.

Developments in the past few years have also shown that the Turkish
media does not stand at a position it is supposed to. Some press
organs favor anti-democratic acts and side with clandestine
organizations against the government. For example, some news stories
either consciously do not find their way into some newspapers or are
presented to readers in a very different style, which generally ends
up as misinformation.

The third indictment into Ergenekon, a clandestine gang charged with
plotting to topple the government, suggested that the gang had members
in prominent press organs, which enabled it to dissipate its
propaganda very easily.

Similarly, Ergenekon had many members from universities, including
academics and rectors. Most of them are currently in jail pending
trial on charges of aiding an illegal organization attempting to
destroy the government or blocking it from performing its duties.

The close links between senior academics and the terrorist
organization have revealed that universities have turned into
institutions which work to produce the desired atmosphere for
anti-democratic attempts.

Analysts believe Turkey will face troubling times as it fights to
restructure its fundamental establishments and institutions.

`Some circles insist on living in the 1930s. When you gear up for a
change, they strongly oppose it. This is the result of being
pro-status quo. However, Turkey has discovered its problems. It can no
longer return to the past. We have to get rid of all disorder and
injustice. We will face Ergenekon, the Kurdish problem, the Cyprus
issue and the Armenian question, but in time,’ Fırat stated.

Metiner agreed, adding that all who attempt to change the structure of
an existing body or institution are faced with a strong reaction from
supporters of the status quo.

`State bodies should be restructured. The state should get rid of any
unit which supports anti-democratic initiatives,’ the columnist noted.

09 August 2009, Sunday
BETÃ`L AKKAYA DEMÄ°RBAÅ? Ä°STANBUL