Author: Jabejian Elizabeth

CTV Montreal

Disgraced financier case delayed until December

Updated: Fri Oct. 02 2009 6:28:27 PM

ctvmontreal.ca

A 68-year-old former real-estate agent from Montreal’s Armenian
community could face additional fraud charges.

Leon Kordzian is already on trial for fraud and weapons possession,
but the case is being delayed while Montreal investigators conduct
another fraud investigation.

Kordzian is accused of defrauding dozens of people by recruiting
investors for real-estate transactions with promises of 18 to 24%
returns.

He was supposed to appear in court on Friday, but his lawyer Daniel
Lighter convinced the judge to delay the case.

"We postponed the case until December because we’ve been advised by
the Montreal Police department because there might be, might be
several more accusations coming down within the next several weeks,"
said Lighter.

Ali Reza Pedram was one of the original whistleblowers, saying he lost
$10 000 to Kordzian.

He thinks more people have agreed to talk to police.

"He comes as a friend to you and then convinces you he has something
in return as a friend. And you trust him," said Pedram.

Many alleged victims were too scared or too embarassed to come
forward, while two say they received death threats.

Kordzian promised his Ahuntsic triplex collateral for his investors,
but the building is legally registered in the name of his sister.

He is due back in court on December 15th.

CATHOLICOS KAREKIN II ISSUES ANNOUNCEMENT ON PROTOCOLS

licos-karekin-ii-issues-announcement-on-protocols/
Sep 30, 2009

ETCHMIADZIN (A1plus)-His Holiness Catholicos Karekin II convened a
special meeting of the Supreme Spiritual Council of the Holy Sea of
Etchmian on Wednesday where he issued an announcement on the ongoing
Turkey-Armenia normalization process and the two protocols that will
establish diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Below are his remarks:

The Supreme Spiritual Council welcomes the process to establish
diplomatic ties free of preconditions between Armenia and Turkey and
the process to normalize Armenian-Turkish relations, for the sake
of regional security, preservation of peace and the development of
regional cooperation. The Supreme Spiritual Council positively assesses
the pan-Armenian discussions currently taking place surrounding
this process.

The Supreme Spiritual Council considers as natural and understandable
the concerns of Armenians living in Armenia, Artsakh and the
Diaspora, within the context of the bitter historical experience
of our people with Turkey, Turkey’s official policy of denying the
Armenian Genocide, Turkey’s intolerant position expressed toward the
Republic of Armenia, as well as the formulations contained in the
yet to be signed protocols regarding Armenian-Turkish relations that
have caused various interpretations, and the unacceptable statements
coming from the Turkish side associated with this process.

In this regard, the Supreme Spiritual Council reconfirms that
the Armenian Genocide is an indisputable fact, as is the right
to independence for the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh and the
self-determination of the Armenians of Artsakh. Our people and
authorities shall never abdicate the pursuit and defense of our
just national rights. The Supreme Spiritual Council exhorts all sons
and daughters of our nation to show utmost vigilance and reason to
avoid nation-damaging polarization, and united together, to face the
challenges before our people.

The Supreme Spiritual Council appeals for the assistance of our Lord
Jesus Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit for the authorities of
the Republic of Armenia, so that they lead the process of normalizing
Armenian-Turkish relations to a successful conclusion, for the sake
of our people’s cherished and vital interests.

COMMENTARY OF THE NKR MFA PRESS SERVICE

30-09-2009

Despite Baku’s ballyhoo in connection with the Turkish NTV film
crew visit to the NKR and the Azerbaijani pressure on the political
leadership of Turkey apropos of this, Turkish journalists keep on
making a request for the NKR authorities to grant them entry visas
to the republic for covering the current events here.

Following the democratic principles and treating with understanding
the journalists’ aspiration to fulfill their professional duty by
getting information from the primary sources, the NKR leadership does
not only raise difficulties, but even support their activity. The
Nagorno Karabakh Republic is open to journalists, irrespective
of the country they represent. The NKR authorities also proceed
from the fact that an objective and detailed presentation of the
situation in the republic to the world will only contribute to
the peaceful settlement of the conflict with Azerbaijan and to
the international recognition of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic

DIALOGUE URGED FOR NAGORNO-KARABAKH

United Press International

Emerging Threats

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 29 (UPI) — The lingering conflict over the
Nagorno-Karabakh region can be resolved if Azerbaijan and Armenia
refrain for undermining dialogue, Armenian officials said.

War broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh
in the early 1990s, and the regional fallout from that row remains
tense despite a 1994 cease-fire.

Yerevan claims ethnic Armenians are deprived of their basic rights
in the territory, while Baku argues those solutions lie in annexing
Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenian and Azeri foreign ministers exchanged heated words as the
conflict gained attention during the U.N. General Assembly Meeting
in New York.

Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said Armenia needed to
pull its forces from the region and return internally displaced
persons. Edward Nalbandian, his Armenian counterpart, struck a
conciliatory tone, saying, "The parties should commit to refrain from
steps that could hamper dialogue and the peace process."

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in her meetings on
Nagorno-Karabakh expressed her "strong support" for a resolution,
saying the dispute negotiating process should move forward without
preconditions, said Philip Gordon, the assistant secretary of state
for European and Eurasian affairs.

Turkey in a confidence-building measure said it would open its border
with Armenia in time for a World Cup qualifying match in October.

FIGHT AGAINST XENOPHOBIA: ARMENIAN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER NALBANDIAN AT UN

Tert.am
29.09.09

Foreign Affairs Minister of the Republic of Armenia Edward Nalbandian
was in attendance at the 64th session of the UN General Assembly,
held in New York this week.

In his speech, Nalbandian said that Armenia regards genocide prevention
as a fundamental principle in the overall security of humankind,
and that Armenians are in favour of all efforts which prevent and
fight racism and xenophobia.

In his words, Nalbandian said:

"We regard the principles of Prevention of Genocide and Responsibility
to Protect as the key principles, cornerstones of the overall human
security system. In this respect we commend the report of the Secretary
General on ‘Implementing the Responsibility to Protect,’ which charts
a course for the United Nations to prevent genocide, war crimes,
ethnic cleansing through bolstering the capacities of the Organization.

"As it is rightly stated, in the Report, genocides do not happen all
of a sudden. The instigators propagate intolerance and hatred, setting
grounds for violence. As survivors of genocide, we, Armenians welcome
all efforts to prevent and combat racist and xenophobic attitudes. We
have been and will be doing everything to provide for a continuous
advocacy for prevention of genocide. The international community
must be vigilant over the development of such situations and events,
and demonstrate its ability to act timely to prevent future tragedies."

THOUSANDS GATHER IN GLENDALE TO PROTEST PROTOCOLS

2009/ 09/28 | 11:28

Thousands of Armenians gathered in Pelanconi Park, Glendale, on Sunday
to protest the protocols for talks between Armenia and Turkey. People
came from all over California as well as neighbouring states to rally
against the document they say isn’t fair to Armenia.

The event was organized by the Social Democrat Hnchak Party, the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation, the Armenian Democratic Liberal
Party and the Unified Young Armenians. Leaders from the organizations
met following the announcement of the protocols and joined together
in opposing them.

Tert.am

EU Assistance to Armenian-Turkish Process Reconfirmed

12:56 ¢ 26.09.09

Yesterday, President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan
welcomed EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Peter
Semneby.

During the meeting, the broadening agenda of Armenia-EU cooperation
was discussed. Both sides were of the same opinion that the Eastern
Partnership Project has significant potential for cooperation and will
provide new aspects to their relations.

Sargsyan and Semneby referred to the process of establishing
Armenian-Turkish relations. The Armenian president once again
emphasized that from the beginning the sides held negotiations and
came to agreements with the mutual understanding that the relations of
the two countries must be established without preconditions and an
attempt to step back from this principle may put the whole process at
risk.

Semneby reconfirmed EU’s support for the process of negotiations in
establishing Armenian-Turkish relations and expressed a hope that this
historical initiative for Armenia will be crowned with success,
announced the press office of the President of the Republic of
Armenia.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT TO START HIS ALL-ARMENIAN TOUR OCTOBER 1

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS: A one-week All-Armenian tour of the
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to Armenian communities will kick
off October 1. The deputy head of the Armenian president’s staff Vigen
Sargsyan told today to reporters that it is necessary to single out
the goal of the tour and its symbol: the goal is to listen to the
opinion of Diaspora and its approaches toward such important issue as
the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations. And here the
important thing is the symbol of the visit: for the first time the
president is making such an all-national tour the goal of which is to
be in all the Armenian-populated communities where the public opinion
of Diaspora and its approaches are being formed.
Armenian president will visit Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Beirut
and Rostov on Don where he will have regional meetings.
The Armenian side has not asked political meetings in any of the
visiting countries as the goal of the visit is only contacts with
Diaspora. In each of the cities the president will spend not more than
24 hours which is not enough for conducting any other additional
event. The only exclusion is Los Angeles where the president is going
to give an extended interview to one of the Armenian channels
functioning there.

FM NALBANDIAN RECEIVES MIKOLAJ DOWGIELEWICZ

/23/edward-nalbandian
September 23, 2009

On September 23, Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian received
Polish State Secretary for European Integration Mikolaj Dowgielewicz.

Greeting the guest, Minister Nalbandian attached importance to
the development of friendly relations between the two countries,
intensification of the high-level political dialogue, as well as to
the promotion of cooperation in the cultural field.

The interlocutors dwelt on the cooperation between Armenia and
the European Union and the steps to be taken in that direction. The
parties attached importance to the launch of the Eastern Partnership
Programme and the full utilization of the existing potential.

At the guests’ instance, Minister Nalbandian presented the process
of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations. Mikolaj Dowgielewicz
welcomed the steps in that direction and voiced hope that they would
yield tangible results in the near future.

Edward Nalbandian presented the latest developments in the process
of the Karabakh conflict resolution.

DR.VARTAN GREGORIAN TO BE HONORED AS THE PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

Asbarez
-vartan-gregorian-to-be-honored-as-the-professiona l-of-the-year/
Sep 23, 2009

LOS ANGELES-Dr. Vartan Gregorian, President of the Carnegie Corporation
of New York, will be honored by the Armenian Professional Society on
November 7 at the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Los Angeles, California.

Dr. Gregorian will be in Los Angeles to discuss the economic
challenges of obtaining higher education in the United States and
possible solutions.

As President of The Carnegie Corporation of New York, Dr. Gregorian
strives to help students obtain a higher education. In a recent
interview with PBS correspondent Bill Moyer, Gregorian proposes a
twenty-year plan to help re-engineer and re-ignite its workforce by
educating its leadership.

Dr. Gregorian has worked diligently "to promote the advancement
and diffusion of knowledge and understanding by providing grants to
support programs of higher education" through the Carnegie Corporation.

Dr. Gregorian has recently been appointed by President Barack Obama
to the Commission on White House Fellowships and is responsible for
recommending exceptional young men and women as White House Fellows
who will ultimately gain experience working in the federal government.

Dr. Gregorian is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts of
Sciences. Gregorian is the author of The Road To Home: My Life And
Times, Islam: A Mosaic, Not A Monolith, and The Emergence of Modern
Afghanistan, 1880-1946.

The Armenian Professional Society was formed in 1958 for the
advancement of education and fellowship among Armenians.

The APS acknowledges the achievements of outstanding individuals,
encourages students who have attained university education to proceed
to post-graduate studies, and has awarded scholarships to graduate
students in the United States and grants to institutions of higher
learning in Armenia.