Author: Karagyozian Lena

DISCUSSING 1915 ISSUE SIGN OF SELF BELIEF: GUL

Hurriyet
Dec 19 2008
Turkey

ANKARA – Remarks by a main opposition party deputy over the Turkish
president’s stance on free discussion of the 1915 events drew reaction
from the presidential office.

Canan Arıtman of the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, criticized
President Abdullah Gul for supporting the initiative of a group
of Turkish intellectuals who launched a campaign to make a public
apology for what they call "the great catastrophe" of 1915. Gul said
the initiative was proof that everything could be openly discussed
in Turkey.

"It seems Gul supports the campaign. Gul should be the president of
the Turkish nation, not the president of his ethnic origin. A further
examination of Gul’s ethnic origin on his mother’s side will reveal
the truth that he is of Armenian origin," Arıtman said on Wednesday.

"We all knew from the beginning that Gul’s mother was of Armenian
origin. He has to protect the rights and dignity of the nation whatever
his origin," she said.

Meanwhile, a written statement released yesterday by the presidential
office said the Turkish president had voiced and defended Turkey’s
opinions and proposals concerning the 1915 incidents everywhere. "Free
discussion of the 1915 incidents is a clear indication of a
more democratic atmosphere in Turkey than elsewhere, and of the
self-confidence of the Turkish nation and its peace with its history,"
read the statement.

–Boundary_(ID_BxXQzCtXWB9eiAtfXP08xQ) —

CONGRESSMAN KIRK NAMED CO-CHAIR OF THE ARMENIAN CAUCUS

armradio.am
18.12.2008 15:45

Congressman Mark Kirk (R-IL) was elected incoming Co-Chair of the
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues. Congressman Kirk succeeds
Co-Chair Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), who will be retiring at the end of
the 110th Congress.

"After 20 years of working with the Armenian-American community
to advance U.S.-Armenia issues, I am honored and excited to serve
alongside Congressman Pallone as co-chair of the Caucus on Armenia
Issues," Kirk said. "The Caucus on Armenian Issues is well-known for
its work to strengthen the U.S.-Armenia relationship and recognize
the Armenian Genocide. I look forward to working with Congressman
Pallone and all members of the Caucus to advance the U.S.-Armenia
relationship in the 111th Congress."

First elected to the House of Representatives in 2000, Congressman
Kirk succeeded John Porter (R-IL), who served as the first Republican
Co-Chair of the Caucus. Rep. Kirk represents the 10th district of
Illinois, which is located north of Chicago, along Lake Michigan
and is home to St. George Armenian Apostolic Church. Congressman
Kirk serves on the Appropriations Committee and sits on the State,
Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee, responsible
for determining crucial funding to Armenia, and Financial Services.

During his tenure in Congress, Rep. Kirk has co-sponsored numerous
Armenian Genocide resolutions and made several statements in support
of reaffirmation. In addition, he has supported resolutions calling
for Permanent Normal Trade Relations with Armenia, and was a cosponsor
of H.Res.

3361, which prevented tax-payer funding of a rail bypass of Armenia.

Jim Keledjian, ARAMAC Illinois State Chair said, "We are extremely
happy to have Rep. Kirk Co-Chair the Armenian Caucus. He has been a
strong advocate of Armenian interests throughout his tenure in the
House of Representatives and even prior as staff of former Caucus
Co-chair, Rep. Porter."

"The Assembly congratulates Congressman Kirk on this new role
and extends its sincere appreciation to outgoing Caucus Co-Chair
Knollenberg," said Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. "Nearly
90 percent of the Caucus is returning in the 111th Congress and we look
forward to working with Representative Kirk and the entire Caucus. The
Assembly’s 2009 Advocacy Conference and Banquet in Washington, DC
next March will help ensure continued success in the 111th Congress."

An Illinois native, Representative Kirk attended the Universidad
Nacional Autonoma de Mexico before graduating cum laude in History
from Cornell. He holds a Masters Degree from the London School of
Economics and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown.

ARTHUR AGHABEKIAN: IF BLACKMAIL POLICY GOES ON, BAKU WILL BE VIEWED AS AN UNSERIOUS PARTNER

DE FACTO
DEC 17, 2008
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, 17.12.08. DE FACTO. Azerbaijan cannot blackmail the world
community any more as if the blackmail policy goes on, Baku will
be viewed as an unserious partner, Chairman of the parliamentary
Commission on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs,
ex-deputy Defense Minister of Armenia Arthur Aghabekian told ArmInfo.

"Some lull in the Azerbaijani military and aggressive rhetoric during
the last month is the evident confirmation of my words’, he said.

Aghabekian thinks the policy of Azerbaijan with respect to the Karabakh
conflict settlement was in continuous threat towards Armenia along
with holding of negotiations within the frames of the OSCE Minsk
Group. Moreover, according to the Azerbaijani party, if no consensus
is achieved, it will resolve the conflict in a military way.

"If the threats towards us in the beginning of the conflict were only
a product of internal consumption, now the situation has principally
changed, and Baku permanently blackmails the world community, in
particular, the OSCE MG countries, with its threats", A. Aghabekian
resumed.

FIGURE SKATING SCHOOL OPENS IN ARMENIA
Marianna Gyurjyan

"Radiolur"
16.12.2008 17:40

In 2009 a Figure Skating School after Olympic Champion Yevgeni
Plyushchenko will be opened at the Sport and Concert Complex after
Karen Demirchyan. Here Armenian children will be able to train with
the help of Russian specialists, which means that Armenian figure
skaters will participate in international competitions more frequently.

Shareholder of "Bamo" Company Hovik Muradyan assures that the second
skating-rink will be created within the coming two years. On New
Year’s Eve, on December 27 and 28 world known figure skater Yevgeni
Plyushchenko and famous Hungarian composer Edwin Marton will perform
the luxurious "Stradivarius’ golden ice" for Armenian spectators.

ONE OF FIDE GRAND PRIX TOURNAMENTS TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN, IN 2009 AUGUST

Noyan Tapan

Dec 16, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The first tournament from FIDE
Grand Prix series is held on December 14-29 in the capital city of
Kalmykia, Elista.

Grand master from Yerevan, double champion of World Chess Olympiad
Vladimir Hakobian will perform in the tournament. His rivals will
be Peter Leko (Hungary), Alexander Grushchuk, Dmitry Yakovenko,
Ernesto Inarkiyev, Yevgeni Alexeyev (all of them from Russia),
Shahriyar Mamediarov, Teymur Rajabov, Vughar Hashimov (all of them from
Azerbaijan), Pavel Elyanov (the Ukraine), Ivan Cheparinov (Bulgaria),
Rustam Kasimjanov (Uzbekistan), Vang Ju (China), and Etienne Bakro
(France).

By the decision of the International Chess Federation, one of the
Grand Prix tournaments will be held in Yerevan, on August 8-24, 2009.

OSCE SECRETARY GENERAL EXPRESSES HOPE THAT NEGOTIATIONS ON NAGORNO KARABAKH SETTLEMENT WILL PROCEED AT HIGH LEVEL

Noyan Tapan

Dec 15, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 15, NOYAN TAPAN. The statement of OSCE Minsk Group
Co-chairs adopted at the OSCE Foreign Ministers’ Helsinki meeting
gives the hope that the conflict settlement negotiations will continue
at the high level, OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut
stated at the December 15 press conference.

As to conflict settlement terms, the OSCE Secretary General said that
"practical flexibility is needed here, which is an issue of mutual
confidence, mutual respect." Marc Perrin de Brichambaut also said that
the situation in the Nagorno Karabakh settlement is rather complicated
and we should contribute to the settlement of the formed situation.

In response to Armenian opposition’s assertion that OSCE observers’
conclusion on presidential elections in fact gave a green light to
violence by the authorities, the OSCE Secretary General said that
many do not imagine clearly OSCE observers’ mission. In his words,
observation reports’ goal is not to estimate the situation as good
or bad. "A report on elections is not an instrument of statements on
the bad, but means of democratic transition, and the OSCE observation
mission follows that way."

MONEY TRANSFERS BY ANELIK SYSTEM TO ALL DIRECTIONS EXCEPT TO ARMENIA DECREASING

ArmInfo
2008-12-15 15:49:00

ArmInfo. Turnover of Anelik transfer system in Armenia keeps on
growing, Bagrat Chzmachyan, Vice Chairman of Anelik Bank Board told
ArmInfo.

He said the bank intends to ensure $150 million transfers to Armenia
via Anelik money transfer system instead of $145 million as of Dec
1 2008 (including $132 million, 61 million rubles and 2 million
euro). The ratio of transfers to and from Armenia is 75%-25%. Money
transfers to and from Armenia keep on dynamically growing and even
exceeding last year’s indicators, B. Chzmachyan said.

At the same time, total turnover of Anelik to all destinations will
total about $1.7 billion till the end of 2008 instead of predicted
$2 billion.

Bagrat Chzmachyan said transfers to all destinations are decreasing
due to the economic situation in the world markets, except transfers
to Armenia.

The turnover of Anelik system totaled $1.5 billion on 1 December 2008.

Anelik international transfer system has 63000 points in 90
countries. The system transfers money in US dollars and euro, as well
as in national currencies including Armenian drams and Russian rubles.

"INFORMATION WARS" INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF "ARMENPRESS" NEWS AGENCY TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN

ARMENPRESS
Dec 11, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS: International Conference "Information
Wars" dedicated to the 90th anniversary of "Armenpress" news agency
will be conducted in Yerevan December 18-19 organized by the state
commission of 90th anniversary of "Armenpress", YSU Department of
Journalism and "Armenpress" news agency.

Heads of leading foreign news agencies as well as heads of
Armenian mass media will participate and deliver speeches at the
conference. Particularly heads of Russian ITAR-TASS, Georgian HGN,
Belarus’ BELTA, Ukrainian Ukrinform, Moldavian MOLDPRES, Bulgaria’s
BTA news agencies will refer in their speeches to the contemporary
methods of information wars, their peculiarities, goals and their
impact on public opinion.

Chairman of the Armenian National Assembly’s Science, Education,
Culture, Sports and Youth Affairs permanent commission Armen Ashotian,
deputy foreign minister of Armenia Arman Kirakosian, general director
of "Armrusgasard" Karen Karapetian, chairman of the Armenian Union of
Manufacturers and Businessmen Arsen Ghazarian, director of "Noravank"
scientific-educational foundation Gagik Harutyunian, director of
Microsoft RA Grigor Barseghian, head of public relations service of
"ArmenTel" company Anush Beghloyan, head of the IREX-Armenian Mass
Media Support Program Robert Evans, YSU professors, experts will
deliver speeches at the event.

Within the frameworks of the conference "90 Years with Armenia"
photo exhibition will kick off.

The foreign participants will have meetings with heads of a number
of ministries and business institutions.

As part of celebrations dedicated to the 90th anniversary of
"Armenpress" a number of other events are also expected to be held.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER DOUBTS AZERBAIJAN’S READINESS TO SETTLE KARABAKH

Armenian Public TV
Dec 9 2008
Armenia

[Presenter] The talks between Armenia and European Union were held
in Brussels with participation of Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard
Nalbandyan. The European Commission presented the new proposals under
Eastern Partnership plan.

[Passage omitted: several documents were signed.]

[Correspondent] The issue [Karabakh conflict] was on agenda of
Nalbandyan’s lecture at Belgium Royal Institute for Foreign Relations
yesterday [8 December], where diplomats serving in Belgium, the
Belgian state minister, Robert Simmons and Peter Semneby, NATO’s
special representative in our region were present.

[Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan, addressing the audience,
in English, with Armenian voice-over translation] This is not the
first time that Azerbaijan, after making a step – I would say,
half a step – forward, makes two steps back. And a question arises:
Is Azerbaijan really ready today for a settlement of the issue?

[Correspondent] Speaking about Turkey, the minister said that both
countries are equally interested in establishing diplomatic relations
and open the border, so it makes sense to normalize the relations
without preconditions. Contacts with Turkey will continue.

U.S. AID TO ARMENIA FOR RECOVERY FROM SPITAK EARTHQUAKE TOTALED $51 MILLION

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.12.2008 19:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On December 5, U.S. Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch
opened a photo exhibit at the Moscow Cinema in Yerevan that tells
a visual story of the 1988 earthquake and the international relief
effort that followed. The exhibit entitled "From Survival to Revival"
highlights U.S. government assistance to the disaster zone, starting
with humanitarian and immediately following the earthquake and
continuing the story to the present-day developmental programs that
foster sustainable growth in the region.

"The U.S. was one of 74 countries which extended a helping hand
to Armenia. The U.S. aid to Armenia totaled $51 million," the
U.S. Ambassador said.

Mr. Steve Anlian, former chief of party of USAID’s $35 million
Earthquake Zone Recovery Program (200-2004). Gave a presentation
explaining how the program helped over 7 000 households living in
temporary shelters find permanent housing.

"I am confident that we are close to complete elimination of the
consequences of the 1988 calamity although we have a great deal of
work yet. All families should be provided with homes," he said.