Author: Jilavian Emma

ARKADY GHUKASYAN ASCRIBED COMMENTS HE DIDN’T MAKE

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
17.11.2009 15:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In a recent publication, USA Armenian Life Magazine
ascribed to Ambassador at Large, former NKR President Arkady Ghukasyan
comments he did not make.

"The publication in USA Armenian Life Magazine is a feeble attempt
to ascribe distorted quotations and ignorant assessments to Arkady
Ghukasyan," said Eduard Atanesyan, the assistant to Amb. Ghukasyan.

"Ambassador Ghukasyan has always announced his position publicly but
he could never permit himself remarks regarding political figures,
whom he respects profoundly," he said.

USA Armenian Life Magazine publication, Amb. Ghukasyan labeled RA
Foreign Minister as "weak and unprepared" and described President
Serzh Sargsyan’s efforts for normalization of relations with Turkey as
"incorrect."

ARMENIA FACING MORE AND MORE CHALLENGES DUE TO LEADERSHIP’S POLICY

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
16.11.2009 16:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia is facing more and more challenges due to
the policy its leadership pursues, according to Vahan Shirhanyan,
member of the board of Hnchak Social Democratic Party.

"To resist challenges, the nation should unite and trust authorities,"
he said.

For his part, RA NA member Vardan Khachatryan remarked that talks
for normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations and Karabakh conflict
resolution need arguments and proofs.

NKR PRESIDENT MEETS SCIENTISTS AND ACADEMICIANS

armradio.am
14.11.2009 13:38

President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan received a
group of scientists and academicians who arrived in Stepanakert in
the framework of celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Artsakh
State University, Central Information Department of the Office of
the NKR President reported.

Welcoming the guests, the Head of the State extended his gratitude to
them for accepting the invitation of the NKR President to visit Artsakh
and noted, that the goal of invitation was to devise a cooperation
program with scientific and educational institutions of Armenia. Within
the framework of this cooperation it’s supposed to study problems in
different spheres of the Republic’s vital activity and work out ways to
solve them with involvement of the scientific potential of Armenia. At
the same time the President underlined the importance of the detailed
preparation of the program and its consecutive realization.

The participants of the meeting expressed readiness to support further
development of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in every way possible.

TURKEY LAUNCHES PEACE PLAN TO END CONFLICT WITH KURDS

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.11.2009 10:52 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish Government has formally launched a peace
plan to try to end the conflict in the mainly Kurdish south-east of
the country. Reform package, including freedom to use the Kurdish
language. was submitted to Parliament by Interior Minister BeÅ~_ir
Atalay.

"We want everyone in this country to be treated equally," he said,
but then warned that there would need to be a complete change in the
mindset of the Turkish people to achieve that goal.

But throughout his half-hour speech, Mr Atalay refused to refer
specifically to the Kurds, whose resistance to the Turkish state is
the real reason for these reforms.

Instead he chose to describe them as primarily for combating terrorism
and preserving national unity. The ferocious criticism the government
has received over its initiative has clearly made it nervous, despite
its commanding majority in parliament.

Turkish nationalists claim that changes pose threat to Turkey’s unity.

The leader of one nationalist party accused the government of lacking
the courage to fight terrorism head-on, BBC reports.

Kurdish minority’s fight for independence has lasted 30 years, taking
lives of more than 40 thousand people.

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS LEAVES FOR DAMASCUS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
12.11.2009 19:14 GMT+04:00l

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II at the
invitation of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and the local Armenian
community went to Syria. Meetings with Syrian president, chief mufti,
Prime Minister and National Assembly speaker are scheduled during
the three-day visit of Garegin II. Catholicos of All Armenians will
visit the national educational centers, meet with representatives of
Armenian community in Syria and serve the liturgy.

ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS NOT TO BE RATIFIED SOON: EXPERTS

Trend
Nov 12 2009
Azerbaijan

Ratification of the Armenian-Turkish protocols will be delayed for
a long time, Azerbaijani political scientists believe. They note
that it is a long and complicated process and Azerbaijan’s position
is important.

According to foreign and local experts, unlike its neighbors, Turkey
does not act emotionally and determine its foreign policy in the
Caucasus and Middle East in a volatile manner.

Meanwhile, independent Azerbaijani expert Rasim Agayev said "signing
the Armenian-Turkish protocols and making steps to improve relations
with Armenia is a tremendous victory for Turkish diplomacy, but not
without considering Azerbaijan’s policies."

Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers Ahmet Davutoglu and Edward
Nalbandian signed the Ankara-Yerevan protocols in Zurich Oct. 10.

Turkey and Armenia in the talks mediated by Switzerland reached an
agreement to launch "domestic political consultations" Aug. 31 to
sign the "Protocol on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations and
Protocol on the Development of Bilateral Relations," the Turkish
Foreign Ministry reported.

According to Agayev, Turkey will not take emotional steps in its
foreign policy.

The experts agree upon that it is wrong to negatively assess Ankara’s
actions.

"Because Turkey builds its foreign policy based on changes in the
region and strengthening the Islamic factor," Agayev said.

"Turkey’s rapprochement with Iran and Syria and improving relations
with Russia are a signal to the West that Ankara could become a serious
force in the Middle East and strengthen its position in the region,"
political scientist Fikret Sadikhov said. "Given Ankara’s possible
turning into an influential regional player, Turkey’s role in the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict increases."

Sadikhov expressed doubt that the protocols will be ratified soon. He
believes the Turkish government is well aware of this fact.

"This process [establishment of the Turkey-Armenia relations] may
positively impact the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. Documents may
be ratified, but with amendments that will take much time," he added.

Turkey’s position in the Caucasus after the August 2008 only
intensified as Ankara is a vital ally for regional countries,
independent Azerbaijani political scientist Zardusht Alizadeh said.

Regarding Ankara’s convergence with Iran and Syria, he said Turkey
wants to show the West that it can consolidate its position in the
Islamic world based on the sentiments of Muslim society.

According to political scientist Rashad Rzaguliyev, Ankara thought
out and analyzed its relations with Syria and Iran in the context of
the overall Western policy.

"The West wants to build a lighthouse in the Islamic world, which
can be oriented as a model of a secular Islamic society," he said.

NAGORNO-KARABAKH RECOGNITION LAW INAPPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME: ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT

Tert
Nov 12 2009
Armenia

During today’s session, the Armenian government found it inappropriate
in this phase to discuss and pass the Republic of Armenia draft law on
Recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh’s Independence, presented by a group
of MPs as a legislative initiative, informs the press and information
department of the Government of the Republic of Armenia.

The draft law was submitted by members of parliament of Heritage
party’s parliamentary faction.

ASSEMBLY WELCOMES SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN’S SUPPORT OF ARMENIA’S APPROACH TO NORMALIZE RELATIONS WITH TURKEY

armradio.am
13.11.2009 10:58

In a letter sent today, the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly)
thanked Senator John McCain (R-AZ) for affirming the historical truth
regarding the Armenian Genocide and for his support of a new chapter
in Armenia-Turkey relations.

During Senator McCain’s interview with Voice of America’s Georgian
service, Senator McCain acknowledged the Armenian Genocide and also
expressed his support for the Armenia-Turkish rapprochement.

"We strongly believe that U.S. affirmation of the Armenian Genocide
should not be held hostage to the normalization process and as such
welcome Senator McCain’s remarks," stated Assembly Executive Director
Bryan Ardouny. "The Assembly has also consistently expressed its
support for normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey
without preconditions," added Ardouny.

In the Assembly’s letter to Senator McCain, Ardouny highlighted the
need to redouble America’s efforts to reaffirm the Armenian Genocide
in the face of continued campaign to deny its very occurrence and
quoted Archbishop Desmond Tutu who has stated: "It is sadly true what
a cynic has said, that we learn from history that we do not learn
from history. And yet it is possible that if the world had been
conscious of the genocide that was committed by the Ottoman Turks
against the Armenians, the first genocide of the twentieth century,
then perhaps humanity might have been more alert to the warning signs
that were being given before Hitler’s madness was unleashed on an
unbelieving world."

The Assembly letter also urged McCain to cosponsor S. Res. 316, the
Armenian Genocide Resolution introduced by Senators Robert Menendez
(D-NJ) and John Ensign (R-NV).

RA MINISTER OF DIASPORA HRANUSH HAKOBYAN’S ADDRESS ON THE OCCASION OF THE "JUNIOR EUROVISION-2009" SONG CONTEST

Noyan Tapan
11.11.2009

I am calling out to all Diaspora Armenians who are filled with the
Armenian spirit, are proud of their Homeland, who are thinking about
Armenia and have their eyes set on the Homeland.

I am calling out to you with love, faith and hope. Our Laura
Hayrapetyan from Astrakhan is a young, bright and beautiful Armenian
girl who has the honor of representing our historical Armenia at the
"Junior Eurovision-2009" song contest and transmitting the spirit
and strength of the Homeland to Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora.

Like the "Barcelona" football team, now is the time for Armenia and
Diaspora to unite as one and achieve only victory.

I am confident that our elderly and all Diaspora Armenians will
definitely unite on that day and prove our unity by voting for our
ravishing Laura. I am certain that our men, who proudly represent
Armenians in all corners of the globe, will find the time to call
and vote for our wonderful singer. I believe that Armenian girls and
women will show solidarity and vote for their sister Laura.

Dear Laura, win, but to win you must first win with soul and spirit.

Your victory will strengthen the sense and pride of being Armenian
among Armenian youth, as well as the spirit of our collectiveness.

Dear Laura, Armenia and the Diaspora are by your side as a strong
army of supporters. The Spirit, the moral stamina and warmth of all
Armenians are also by your side.

We believe in your talent. Be strong, win and make us strong, dear
Laura. The enthusiasm, love and faith of all Armenians are with you
as well.

Dear fellow Armenians, we are a spiritual nation. Our spirit has
been the driving force throughout the centuries. Laura Hayrapetyan is
currently working to fulfill her mission of achieving victory. Let us
transmit the moral stamina and love, faith and strength of 10 million
Armenians to our beautiful Laura and celebrate that victory together.

We believe that November 21 will be the day of unity and victory.

Sincerely,

RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan

HERITAGE PROPOSES CHANGES IN LAW "ON TELEVISION AND RADIO"

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.11.2009 21:58 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The bill proposed by Heritage faction MPs Anahit
Bakhsyan and Armen Martirosyan on introducing changes to RA law "On
Television and Radio" did not receive approval by NA Standing Committee
on Science, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport and will be included
in parliament’s four-day session agenda as extraordinary issue.

Pro-opposition MPs propose that Section 14, Article 15 (prohibiting
organization of TV and radio broadcasting contest till July 20,
2010) of the above law be declared null and void, RA NA press service
reports.