Author: Harutyunian Christine

VISIT OF DELEGATION OF RA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE TO ARTSAKH
Svetlana Khachatryan

Azat Artsakh NKR
November 23, 2009

On the invitation of NKR Ministry of Education and Science On November
14-15 the minister of RA Education and Science Armen Ashotyan paid a
working visit to Artsakh. Together with the representatives of the
republic’s authority, rectors of Armenian-slavonic universities
and Artsakh State University, the teaching stuff and students
he participated in tree seedling taken place in Karvachar then in
meeting with local inhabitants. "There is a problem to recognize
NKR fully: paricularly in armenian students’ circle, and students’
stream to Artsakh should be one of manifestations of homerecognition".-
said A. Ashotyan. "This process will be continuous.That’s not to say,
that they get information about our historical homeland in auditorium
or classroom, that’s to say, that the youth, crossing the threshold,
see and feel personally",- added minister of NKR ES Vladik Khachatryan.

Next day meeting of the minister of RA ES with the workers of the
system took place in the hall of NKR Ministry of Education and
Science. Besides executives of the Mnistry, managers of education
departments of Stepanakert and regions, directors of the capital’s
schools and high schools, rectors of the universities, leaders of mean
professional educational and pre-school institutions were also present.
The minister of NKR ES V.Khachatryan make a report on the process
of improvements of educational system in NKR and in that direction
the main problems of collaboration of RA Ministry of Education and
Science and corresponding structures.He represented the developments
in all the circles of the sphere stopping on obstacles.

The minister of RA ES A.Ashotyan also represented today’s situation of
education in Armenia and forthcoming programs. At the end he answered
the present’s questions. A contract of collaboration of education
of RA-NKR was signed A program of collaboration has functioned
between RA and NKR Ministries of Education and Science still 1999,
the claims of which have been realized till today, said the minister
of NKR ES V. Khachatryan.But the sphere of science has quited from
these programs, the overt of which was filled on November 15 by the
contract signed between state committee of science of RA Ministry
of Education and Science and NKR Ministry of Education and Science.
The chairman of state committee of RA science attached a great
importance to the contract, as it was the first step in the field of
science for solving Karabakh-Armenia integration problems. According
to him, in future this program will broaden.

Proceeding from the thing, that for NKR, first and foremost, scientific
and applied programs will show an interest, which immediately may
have their influence upon the development of different branches of
economy, spheres of agriculture, military art, environment-friendly,
construction have been marked. Computers for Askeran school In the
circles of the visit the minister of RA ES A.Ashotyan accompanied
by the minister and vice-minister of NKR ES was in high school of
Askeran by name of Ed. Barseghyan.

Though it was Sunday, but all the teaching and pupil bodies were
waiting perfectly ready for high-ranking guests, whom they met
with bread and salt and flowers. They went round the classrooms,
got acquainted with conditions of educational hearth, talked with
pupils and teachers. Then a pleasure event took place – an openning
of computer cabinet. Ten computers of new generation were the gift
for the school by the minister of RA ES. The event is the result
of collaboration between RA MES and NKR MES, said A.Ashotyan. He
noted also that the program would be continuous, and generally,
a spacious assistance would be shown for the development of NKR
education and science. The director of the school R.Grigoryan on
behalf of pupils and teachers expressing gratitude to the minister
of RA ES for the assistance, said, that with such chances an eager
of learning and teaching in school would increase. The visit of the
minister of RA ES was celebrated also by tree seedling. A. Ashotyan
planted his fir tree in the yard of the school.

CYPRUS HAS ALWAYS BEEN PRESENT TO THE IMPORTANT HISTORIC TIMES OF THE ARMENIAN PEOPLE

armradio.am
24.11.2009 16:32

President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias has underlined
that efforts to reunify Cyprus and its people will continue with
persistence and good will.

In an address at a mass at the Armenian Church in Nicosia, read out
by Deputy Minister to the President Titos Christofides, President
Christofias stressed "we remain committed to our goals for the creation
of a peaceful, united and prosperous homeland for all its citizens,
Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, Maronites, Armenians and Latins."

He reiterated that "efforts to reunify Cyprus and its people will
continue with persistence and good will, asserting our rights based on
principles. We pursue a bizonal, bicommunal federation with a single
sovereignty, citizenship and international personality as well as
unified economic institutions".

Referring to the Armenian people living in Cyprus, he said that "tight
bonds of friendship and common struggles describe the historic paths
of Greek Cypriots and Armenians in our country".

"Cyprus and its people have always been present to the important
historic times of the Armenian people", he said.

The Cypriot President recalled that Cyprus was the first European
state, which adopted a resolution recognising the Armenian Genocide,
the Famagusta Gazette reports.

GOLDEN GLORY
By Eric Francis

The Toronto Sun
November 22, 2009 Sunday

Returning last month from Pittsburgh where he delivered the
championship rings every NHLer craves, Miran Armutlu fielded a call
from Florida Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria.

"One of his players (Hanley Ramirez) won the league batting
championship so he wants to make him something special," said Armutlu,
a fifth-generation Armenian jeweler who founded and owns Calgary-based
Intergold.

Oh, and it will be special.

The last time Loria, one of the world’s biggest art dealers, ordered
bling from Armutlu it came in the form of a 2003 World Series ring
that featured 250 diamonds, 150 grams of gold and was the weight of
a baseball.

"He also collects watches so he wanted me to make a couple dozen for
him that flipped open to reveal a clock," smiled Armutlu, holding
the ornate flip-top bauble.

"No one had ever tried that before. So we did."

Going where no championship jeweler has gone before is what has put
Armutlu’s small company on the map, landing him contracts to design
and make most of the World Series, Stanley Cup, NBA Championship and
Grey Cup rings for the last decade.

So, in a billion dollar high school, college and championship ring
business generally dominated by three major players stateside —
Jostens, Balfour and Herff Jones — how does a Calgary-based company
with 63 employees become King of the Rings?

"We’re the best," smiled Armutlu, grabbing a national title ring he
made for Florida State’s football team in 1999.

"When we introduced that ring everybody was taken aback because before
that the typical ring had a big synthetic stone and logo and that’s
it. No flare and no uniqueness. The reason for that was that the big
three are not really jewelers — they’re tool and die companies. When
we’re competing against hundred-year history, their size and the fact
they’re American and we’re foreigners, the only way you’re going to
win is by being different. If the competition is fair we have never
lost. When they compare all the rings side by side, we don’t lose."

Armutlu admits he got a big break in 1994 when Michael Jordan quit
hoops to play baseball, allowing the Houston Rockets to ascend to
NBA champs and opening the door for little-known Intergold to woo an
inexperienced winner devoid of ring allegiances. It gave him a solid
reference to add to the long list of Grey Cup winners, leading to a
relationship with the Detroit Red Wings.

"Everything changed when we did the Red Wings rings in 2002 — it
changed the whole industry — the big three had to catch up," he said.

"Custom cut stones, round and princess cut diamonds, 11 custom cut
rubies in the winged wheel — stunning. It was named, along with
the Boston Celtics ring we did in 2008, the best championship ring
every made."

Although obviously biased, Red Wings GM Ken Holland agreed.

"We met with several companies and asked if such and such was possible
and he came back a couple weeks later with the goods," said Holland,
holding the ring intertwining the Wings logo with the Stanley Cup.

"Once we saw it it was a slam dunk. He did some things other companies
couldn’t do. Everyone was blown away."

Armutlu figures Sid and his Kids’ Stanley Cup rings represent the next
step in changing the industry, given he used 23 different dies. The
typical Cup ring involves five or six dies. The Penguins’ rings include
two mottos inscribed inside: "The Pen is in our hand" and "Ya hungry."

Adamantly against providing players rings for anyone else ("Shaq’s
agent didn’t win anything so why should he get a ring?" said Armutlu),
Intergold also does slightly smaller rings for players’ friends and
family members. Kevin Garnett was so impressed he ordered $250,000
worth after his crowning achievement in Boston two years ago.

"NHLers don’t have as much of an entourage — guys are quieter and
more subdued so they take care of family members and people who helped
them get to where they are," smiled Armutlu, whose southeast Calgary
factory outlet will soon open a retail arm.

"Some of them buy rings for their young kids to put away. A common
question is ‘what size should I make for my four year old?’ It’s a
good way for them to get their Christmas shopping out of the way."

The company has also rolled out a fan program allowing teams like
the Penguins to sell a modified version of their Stanley Cup rings
to team diehards. The Calgary Stampeders have a similar program.

While Armutlu relished the challenge of continually going where no
jeweler has gone before, the longtime Calgarian admits one of the
toughest rings he ever had to make was for the Tampa Bay Lightning in
2004. It included 138 diamonds — one for each regular season point and
two for every playoff win — as well as coach John Tortorella’s motto:
"Safe is death and good is the enemy of great."

"That was hard for obvious reasons," smiled the Flames fan who at
least got to include a Flames logo as part of the teams Tampa beat
en route to the crown.

"When I got there the Tampa paper had a story saying ‘the jeweler
from the city that lost the finals is here to deliver the Stanley
Cup rings."

GAS PRICE MAY GO UP IF AZERBAIJAN AND TURKEY REACH ACCORD

news.am
Nov 23 2009
Armenia

Azerbaijan and Turkey will reach an agreement on gas supply this
December. Presently, the sides already agreed on a number of issues
and the signing of a treaty is expected, where the gas price for the
next year will be set, 1news.az reports.

"The talks with Turkish Botas Company continue and in case the
agreement on gas price is reached, the experts do not rule out the
possibility that price will increase by 70% in domestic market. If
gas is purchased at U.S. $250-260, the price in domestic market will
go up to U.S. $280-290," the website reads.

Azerbaijan started claiming about the increase of gas price after
Armenia-Turkey Protocols signing, though it says not a single word
of Karabakh issue.

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:

PRESS RELEASE

Monday, November 23, 2009

Welcome Reception Held by AGBU Lebanon for Newly Appointed Armenian
Ambassador

On November 11, 2009, the AGBU Lebanon District Committee hosted a
welcome reception in honor of His Excellency Ashot Kocharian, the newly
appointed ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to Lebanon. The
reception took place at the Demirdjian Center and was attended by
Lebanese ministers and members of parliament, ambassadors,
representatives of leading organizations, and AGBU benefactors.

AGBU President Berge Setrakian delivered a welcoming speech, in which he
emphasized the importance of Armenia-Diaspora cooperation. He also
outlined the many projects that AGBU administers and contributes to in
Armenia. Anita Lebiar, executive director of AGBU Lebanon, also welcomed
the guest of honor and guests on behalf of the AGBU Lebanon’s District
Committee. She gave an overview of the mission of AGBU and the numerous
educational, cultural and humanitarian programs it runs on six
continents. She wished great success to the new ambassador on his
endeavors in Lebanon.

Ambassador Kocharian expressed his gratitude to the AGBU leadership for
the warm welcome and hospitality he has received personally and, more
importantly, for the continued support that AGBU extends to Armenia.
Ambassador Kocharian also thanked AGBU Lebanon President Gerard
Tufenkjian and presented him with a souvenir plate as an expression of
his gratitude. All attendees joined the AGBU District Committee in
wishing the best to the ambassador and his wife, Kohar Kocharian, and
hoping that they will enjoy the rich Lebanese tradition of warmth and
hospitality in the coming years.

Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU
preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through
educational, cultural and humanitarian program, annually touching the
lives of some 400,000 Armenians around the world.

For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please visit

Pressure for progress at talks on rebel Karabakh
Sun Nov 22, 2009 6:32am EST

* Turkey wants progress before opening border with Armenia

* Azeri leader warns of last chance talks, possible force

* Nagorno-Karabakh heart of Caucasus energy transit region

By Anna Holzer

MUNICH, Germany, Nov 22 (Reuters) – The presidents of Azerbaijan and
Armenia met for talks on Sunday on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, with
Azeri ally Turkey pressing for progress before sealing a historic
rapprochement with Armenia.

Azeri President Ilham Aliyev has raised the stakes, warning the
meeting in Germany will be "decisive" and that Azerbaijan’s military
is ready to take back the mountain territory by force.

Aliyev and Armenia’s Serzh Sarksyan met at the French Consul General’s
residence in Munich, their sixth encounter this year.

In comments broadcast on Saturday, Aliyev warned Azeri patience was
running out, a statement analysts say reflects rising tension over the
prospect of Turkey opening its border with Armenia, which
oil-producing Azerbaijan vehemently opposes.

"If that meeting ends without result, then our hopes in negotiations
will be exhausted and then we are left with no other option," Aliyev
said. "We have the full right to liberate our land by military means."

Backed by Christian Armenia, ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh
threw off rule by Muslim Azerbaijan in fighting that erupted as the
Soviet Union headed towards its 1991 collapse. Some 30,000 people died
before a ceasefire in 1994.

The territory of 100,000 people wants recognition as an independent
state, but 15 years of mediation have failed to produce a peace deal.
Sporadic exchanges of fire continue to threaten war in a key oil and
gas transit region to the West.

LEVERAGE

A bid by Turkey and Armenia to bury a century of hostility stemming
from the mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks has thrust the
Caucasus conflict back into the diplomatic spotlight.

Ankara and Yerevan have signed accords to establish diplomatic ties
and open their border, which Turkey closed in 1993 in solidarity with
Azerbaijan during the war.

The deal carries huge significance for Turkey’s diplomatic clout in
the strategic Caucasus region, for its bid to join the European Union,
and for landlocked Armenia’s crippled economy.

But Azerbaijan has reacted angrily, fearing it will lose leverage over
Armenia in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Stung by the backlash and facing touch talks over Azeri gas supplies,
Ankara says it wants progress on Nagorno-Karabakh before it ratifies
the Armenia deal. Armenia rejects the link.

Azerbaijan, courted by Europe to supply the planned Nabucco gas
pipeline, often threatens force to take back the region.

U.S., Russian and French mediators say they are making progress in
intensified talks, but Western diplomats say neither side appears
ready to commit to painful concessions.

The principles of a deal would see ethnic Armenian forces give back
most of seven Azeri districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh that they
captured during the war. The rebel territory would be granted greater
international legitimacy before a popular vote in the future to decide
its final status.

(Writing by Matt Robinson; editing by Michael Roddy)
(([email protected]; +995 32 999 370))

APA, Azerbaijan
Nov 22 2009

Fassier: The presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan made important
progress in talks about Nagorno-Karabakh on Sunday, but some
difficulties were identified

[ 22 Nov 2009 22:39 ]

Baku. Viktoria Dementyeva-APA. The presidents of Armenia and
Azerbaijan made important progress in talks about Nagorno-Karabakh on
Sunday, but some difficulties were identified, French OSCE mediator
Bernard Fassier said. Reports APA citing on Reuters.

"Some important progress has been reached," B. Fassier told reporters
after more than four hours of talks in Munich. "At the same time, we
identified some difficulties."

Fassier said he and his co-mediators from the United States and Russia
would prepare the next meeting, without specifying when it would take
place.

Today the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia had next meeting on
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution with participation of ministers
of foreign affairs and Minsk group co-chairs. The meeting was held in
Munich and lasted more than 4 hours.

KTVB , Idaho
Nov 22 2009

Armenian-Americans honor genocide victims in Twin Falls

Credit: Liyah Babayan/KTVB First Person
by KTVB.COM

Posted on November 21, 2009 at 9:35 PM

TWIN FALLS — Saturday, members of the Armenian-American community
gathered together to honor victims of the Armenian Genocide.

The Twin Falls City Council voted September 28 to approve the donation
of a memorial plaque and tree by the Twin Falls Armenian Memorial
Project.

Community members looked on as the tree was planted and the plaque was
installed at the Twin Falls City Park. The plaque honors the victims
of the Armenian Genocide and the contributions Armenian-Americans have
made to the Twin Falls community.

ricans-honor-genocide-victims-in-Twin-Falls-707307 87.html

news.az, Azerbaijan
Nov 21 2009

Turkey makes recommendations on Karabakh to OSCE Minsk Group
Sat 21 November 2009 | 08:38 GMT Text size:

OSCE Minsk Group US, Russian and French representatives have completed
technical work to measure the Lachin corridor, a mountain pass within
the official borders of Azerbaijan that is the shortest route
connecting Armenia with Nagorno-Karabakh.

The foreign ministries of the countries have informed Ankara about the
completion of the work.

Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reports with reference to diplomatic
sources that Turkey has intensified its diplomatic activity on the
settlement of the Karabakh problem. Though the protocols signed
between Armenia and Turkey do not mention Nagorno-Karabakh, the issue
is the only stumbling block in the normalization of relations between
the two countries. Ankara has clearly said to Yerevan that
normalization of ties is out of the question without progress on
Karabakh, Hurriyet said.

Turkey has presented its recommendations on normalizing ties with
Armenia to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s
Minsk Group, which is mediating a settlement of the conflict:

1) The liberation of all seven occupied districts of Azerbaijan. At
the first stage, Armenia should withdraw its troops from Agdam,
Gubatli, Zengilan, Jebrail and Fizuli, while Kelbajar and Lachin
districts, lying between Karabakh and Armenia, will be liberated after
the status of the Lachin corridor has been settled and Azerbaijani
refugees have returned there.

2) The start of talks on peacekeeping forces and the status of
Nagorno-Karabakh.

3) The signing an interim agreement on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh.

All these issues will be discussed during negotiations between Turkish
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his Armenian counterpart Eduard
Nalbandyan in Athens on 1-2 December within the framework of the OSCE
summit, and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov in
mid-December in Ankara. The newspaper also stresses the importance of
the meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents in Munich on 22
November.

Hurriyet

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MEMORIAL DEDICATED SATURDAY

Twin Falls Times News
Nov 20 2009
Idaho

The Armenian Memorial Project’s Armenian Genocide memorial and tree
will be installed in Twin Falls City Park at 2 p.m. Saturday.

The plaque will include text for the remembrance and acknowledgement
of Armenian immigrants’ contribution to the Twin Falls community. The
public is welcome to attend.

The project has funded the project on its own, and donations will
be welcomed at Saturday’s installation. Money left over after the
installation will be donated to the Twin Falls Public Library to
purchase books related to the subject.

The memorial was approved by the Twin Falls City Council on Sept. 28.