Author: Kharatian Ani

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

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

NYSEC Showcases Young Performing Artists at Carnegie Hall, Raises Close
to $40,000 for AGBU Scholarships

On Saturday, October 24, 2009, the AGBU New York Special Events
Committee (NYSEC) held its second AGBU Performing Artists in Concert,
which showcased the talents of a group of outstanding young Armenian
musicians. The sold-out event was held at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital
Hall in Manhattan.

As with the inaugural concert held last year, this celebration of music
saluted the impressive artistic achievements attained by the various
performers in their respective fields. The featured musicians were all
recipients of AGBU scholarships towards their studies in the performing
arts, which has allowed them to be educated at some of the world’s most
well-respected and prestigious conservatories and universities,
including the Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, Komitas State
Conservatory, Yale University, Mannes College of Music, Boston
Conservatory, the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and the
Royal College of Music. The success of last year’s Debut Concert allowed
NYSEC to contribute to future Performing Arts grants. Thanks to the
generosity of AGBU’s family of friends and the Armenian community at
large, this year’s benefit performance raised close to $40,000 for the
newly established AGBU Performing Arts Fellowship Program. "It gives me
great pleasure to contribute to your organization and to actually
experience the talented musicians it helps support and promote. Bravo!"
expressed notable benefactor Paul Khoury.

Under the artistic direction of brothers Hrant and Kevork Parsamian,
twelve performers collaborated to prepare a distinguished repertoire of
music celebrating Armenian and other classical composers, including
Babajanian, Khachaturian, Shostakovich, and Schumann. The concert also
featured the US premiere of 19-year-old Gevork Badalian’s composition
based on five folk songs from the Armenian Genocide, compiled by Verjine
Svazlian. Residing in Armenia, the young Badalian has won the top prize
at the Ghazaros Sarian Competition, and his works have been performed at
various Armenian festivals. Svazlian is an ethnographer and folklorist
who has dedicated her life to finding and documenting memoirs and songs
of historical characters narrated by eyewitness survivors of the
Armenian Genocide.

The twelve performing artists were comprised of three violinists: Monika
Chamasyan of Virginia, Nazig Tchakarian of New York, and Viktoria
Tchertchian of Massachusetts; two cellists: Hrant and Kevork Parsamian,
both of New York; two violists: Aleksandr Nazaryan of New York and
Anoush Simonian of New Jersey; two pianists: Marina Chamasyan of
Virginia and Varta Tchakarian of New York; a flutist: Stepan Dadourian
of New York; a marimbist: Sylvie Zakarian of Massachusetts; and an opera
singer: soprano Natalie Aroyan of Sydney, Australia.

The event was organized by the AGBU NYSEC Committee, chaired by Nila
Festekjian and Sossy Setrakian, and included Anita Anserian, Carol
Aslanian, Betty Cherkezian, Maral Hajjar, Hilda Hartounian, Maral
Jebejian, Gacia Mangassarian, Vesna Markarian, and Vera Setrakian.
Performing Artists in Concert contributors included graphic designer
Alex Basmagian and coordinator Natalie Gabrelian of the AGBU Central
Office.

NYSEC committee member and AGBU Central Board Member Carol Aslanian
noted the importance of the concert in raising awareness about AGBU’s
Scholarship Program and the AGBU Performing Arts Fellowship Program in
particular. "I think the audience was thrilled to see the range of
talent among these extraordinary students." She continued to comment on
the overall evening and audience, which was attended by AGBU President
Berge Setrakian and his wife Vera, as well as Ambassador Garen Nazarian,
Permanent Representative of the Republic of Armenia to the United
Nations, and his wife Siranoush. "I think it was a wonderful opportunity
to have such an extraordinary audience. We had many leaders of the
Armenian community and people active in various organizations, and I
think these young people were very proud to display their talents to
such a prestigious audience, who in turn will want to find and develop
further ways to assist talented and motivated youth. So to them, this
really was a gesture of future opportunity."

In addition to its mission to raise awareness among the public, the
event also offered a rare opportunity for performers to work with fellow
musicians and reconnect with their cultural roots. Performer Sylvie
Zakarian, who plays the marimba and is originally from Bulgaria, shared
her sentiments on the evening. "It’s always very exciting to play in
front of an Armenian audience, and since my instrument is not very
popular among Armenians, I was so grateful for the opportunity. I felt
the audience was coming along for the experience. It was so wonderful to
be on stage in front of such a receptive group of people." She also
commented on the AGBU Scholarship Fund, adding, "AGBU was instrumental
in helping me with the scholarship and with my decision on whether I
could make it in the United States. I am entirely grateful to AGBU, they
have been wonderful, and there are so many others who have similar
stories to mine and feel the same way."

For decades, AGBU scholarships have been awarded to tens of thousands of
talented students of Armenian descent who are studying in the performing
arts and have demonstrated excellence in their chosen fields. These
awards enable recipients to reach their potential, laying the foundation
for their future, as they celebrate their heritage and identity. Those
who would like to make a contribution to the AGBU Performing Arts
Fellowship Program to help sustain and support the enhancement of future
Armenian musicians may contact AGBU by phone, 212-319-6383, or email,
[email protected].

Established in 2003, NYSEC is committed to upholding AGBU’s mission to
preserve and promote the Armenian identity and heritage in the Greater
New York region through educational, cultural and humanitarian programs.

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.

PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN WILL BE LEAVING FOR A THREE-DAY STATE VISIT TO THE REPUBLIC OF HUNGARY

president.am
Nov 8 2009
Armenia

On November 8, President Serzh Sargsyan will be leaving for a three-day
state visit to the Republic of Hungary.

The Presidential delegation comprises the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Edward Nalbandian, Minister of Justice Gevork Danielian, Minister
for Diaspora Affairs Hranush Hakopian, Minister of Culture Hasmik
Poghossian, Minister of Agriculture Gerasim Alaverdian, Chairman
of the Parliamentary group Armenia-Hungary, MP Gagik Melikian, and
other officials.

The President of Armenia will arrive to Budapest in the evening of
November 8.

On November 9, the official ceremony of welcoming the President of
Armenia will take place at the residence of the President of Hungary,
which will be followed by a tête-a-tête meeting of Presidents Serzh
Sargsyan and Laszlo Solyom. Later, the Presidents will be joined
by their delegations. The Governments of the two states will sign a
number of documents on bilateral cooperation.

After the signing ceremony the President of Armenia and the President
of Hungary will make a joint statement for the press. In the afternoon,
the President of Armenia will meet with the Speaker of the Hungarian
Parliament Bela Katona.

President Sargsyan will visit the Heroes’ Square in Budapest and
will lay a wreath at the memorial. In Petefi Square the President of
Armenia will lay a wreath at the khachkar dedicated to the memory of
the victims of the Armenian Genocide.

In the evening, the President of Hungary Laszlo Solyom will give a
state dinner in honor of the President of Armenia.

On November 10, President Sargsyan will meet with Cardinal Peter
Erdo and Prime Minister of Hungary Gordon Bajnai, as well as the
participants of the Armenian-Hungarian business forum.

In Budapest President Sargsyan will also go for sightseeing. Together
with the President of Hungary, he will tour the Budapest Museum of
Military History.

In the second half of the day, at the invitation of the Governor
of Kaliningrad region of the Russian Federation Georgi Bross,
the President of Armenia will leave from Budapest for Kaliningrad
on a working visit. He will meet with the Governor of the region
as well as with the representatives of the Armenian community. In
Kaliningrad, the President of Armenia will attend the official ceremony
of inauguration of the Armenian Cultural Center and will lay flowers
at the khachkar-monument.

On November 11, the President of Armenia will return to Yerevan.

THIRD A/H1N1 SUSPECTED CASE REGISTERED IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.11.2009 21:42 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The third suspected case of A/H1N1 pandemic (swine
flu) has been registered in Armenia, and patients’ analysis samples
have been sent to London laboratory. One of suspects is an Iranian
citizens who arrived in Armenia after receiving relevant treatment.

The other two are young people who have flied from Moscow. They too,
are receiving relevant treatment.

Vaccines currently available in Armenia will suffice for 10 thousand
people. First of all they will be administered to individuals below
age 24. Health Minister Haurutyun Kushkyan has issued recommendation
for accelerating the process of receiving vaccines.

As noted by chief infectiologist Ara Asoyan, A/H1N1 is no more
complicated than ordinary seasonal flu, in terms of contagiousness
and lethal outcome as well. The only threat is the possible mutation
that may weaken serum effect. Besides, the incubation period in
case of this pandemic may last up to 7 days in contrast to ordinary
flu whose incubation lasts no more than 4 days. The main symptoms of
A/H1N1 are diarrhea, headache and temperature up to 370C. As possible
preventive measure, chief infectiologist recommended population to
use more liquid, dress warmly, wash hands several times a day and
observe all rules of hygiene, Armenian TV channels report.

ATALAY: COUNCIL OF STATE ATTACK WAS A PROVOCATION

Today’s Zaman
Nov 9 2009
Turkey

In a speech delivered at the Justice and Development Party’s (AK
Party) Academy of Politics on Friday, Interior Minister BeÅ~_ir Atalay
said the Council of State attack was a provocation orchestrated by
a single organization.

Recently established by the AK Party to enhance the awareness of
politics in Turkey, the academy hosted Atalay in its fourth session
on Friday to speak about politics in Turkey. During his speech, Atalay
touched on the issues that have been largely debated among the public
and developments in Turkey in the past six months, recent democratic
initiatives, Turkish-Armenian relations, the fight against terrorism
and the ruling government’s strict policy on revealing criminal acts
and assassinations.

Atalay said light has been shed on the darkness of previous periods
and that the AK Party will not leave anything in doubt during its
tenure. Noting that the Council of State attack was revealed to be
an organized provocation against the AK Party in 2006, Atalay said
everything during their term will be very open and transparent. "We
will leave no criminals unidentified," Atalay stated.

In addition, speaking about terrorism, Atalay said the Kurdistan
Workers’ Party (PKK) terrorist organization’s financial resources and
extensions in Europe have been largely undermined. "Even France has
started arresting [people connected with the PKK]. The PKK is no longer
able to get any resources from European countries." Atalay said their
only goal is to put an end to terrorism and establish brotherhood.

He said that although they have conducted cross-border operations over
the last two years, terrorism, which has both political and commercial
aspects, has not yet come to an end. Atalay stressed the damage
caused by terrorism, saying: "Twenty-five years have passed. Tens
of thousands of people have died. The cost has been enormous. Our
resources will be exhausted in fighting against terrorism,"

Asserting that Turkey’s two big problems are the Armenian diaspora
and the PKK terrorist organization, Atalay said Turkey and Azerbaijan
are the same. "No steps will be taken unless a development is seen
in Nagorno-Karabakh [a disputed territory between Azerbaijan and
Armenia]," Atalay said.

SERZH SARGSYAN MEETS WITH NEW GEORGIAN AMBASSADOR

News.am
Nov 6 2009
Armenia

The newly appointed Georgian Ambassador to Armenia Grigol Tabatadze
presented his credentials to RA President Serzh Sargsyan.

"Our long history and relations commit us to closer cooperation. Our
cooperation is at a high level, but its can always be improved. In
this context, our countries’ ambassadors must carry out intensive
activities. I do not think we have not fully unlocked the potential
for our cooperation, and new prospects can always be found," President
Serzh Sargsyan stated, addressing the Georgian Ambassador.

Ambassador Tabatadze assured the Armenian leader that Georgian
President Mikhail Saakashvili attaches special importance to
relations with Armenia and believe that bilateral cooperation has
no alternative. The Georgian authorities view Serzh Sargsyan as a
far-sighted statesman, who looks forward without forgetting the past.

The sides were of the unanimous opinion that the two states have no
problems that cannot be resolved by means of dialogue. The side also
discussed the activities of the Armenian-Georgian Intergovernmental
Commission, President Sargsyan expressed hope that the newly appointed
Georgian Ambassador will contribute to bilateral cooperation in various
fields. Ambassador Tabatadze promised to actively contribute to the
bilateral relations.

CIS LEADING LAW FIRMS TO FORM CIS LEADING COUNSEL NETWORK

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.11.2009 15:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Nine leading law firms from the countries of the
CIS economic region announce the launch of a new alliance, CIS Leading
Counsel Network, which aims to transcend the national boundaries and
offer clients a seamless advice across these fast developing markets.

The CIS Leading Counsel Network (LCN) brings together the following law
firms: in Armenia – Ameria, in Azerbaijan – FINA, in Belarus – Vlasova
Mikhel & Partners, in Kazakhstan – Aequitas, in Kyrgyzstan – Kalikova &
Associates, in Moldova – Turcan & Turcan, in Russia – Egorov Puginsky
Afanasiev & Partners, in Turkmenistan – ACT and in Ukraine – RULG –
Ukrainian Legal Group. The network, chaired by a rotating chairperson
from participating firms, aims to combine the highest international
professional standards with a unique local insight in these regions,
which are increasingly attracting international investments.

LCN members have a long history of successful collaboration. The
alliance takes to a new level their time-tested relationships and
offers clients integrated teams in these dynamic and challenging
jurisdictions.

LCN will offer members a platform to pull resources to get the latest
in law firm technology, training and knowledge management systems. The
network will also offer annual training programs for the associates
of the participating law firms and regular seminars for clients,
giving unique perspective on the local markets across the CIS.

Member law firms of the LCN are not exclusively bound and are free
to work with non-member firms.

Founded in 1998, Ameria is a leading advisory firm in Armenia. It acts
as a financial, legal and strategic development counsel and partner
to the public and private sectors, as well as to international
organizations in Armenia and the South Caucasus. Ameria advises
its clients through an effective structure of five advisory units
comprising Management Advisory Services, Legal Practice, Assurance
and Taxation, and Investment Banking.

ARTSVI BAGHRAMYAN: NO INCIDENT WAS OBSERVED ON ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN BORDER

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.11.2009 19:43 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "There has been no incident on Armenian-Georgian
border," Press Secretary of National Security Service Artsvi
Baghdasaryan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. According to him, some
disagreements arose during engineering activities on border, but
they were quickly settled. "Reports about the incident are untrue,"
Baghramyan noted.

Media today disseminated information on alleged incident between two
countries’ frontier guards on Armenian-Georgian border. Armenians
attempted to put frontier posts, but they were met with Georgian
side’s resistance.

INCIDENT OVER ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN BORDER DEMARCATION

news.AZ
Nov 5 2009
Azerbaijan

Armenian-Georgian border An incident has occurred on the
Georgian-Armenian border, as the Armenian side tried to install
border posts.

The Armenian National Security Service has confirmed that the
incident occurred as the result of technical work connected with
border demarcation.

"The sides argued over the measuring process. It often happens when
border demarcation is at issue," National Security Service spokesman
Artsvin Bagramyan said. At the same time he dismissed reports in
Armenian newspaper Hayk that Georgian troops had been deployed to
the border and that the heads of the Armenian and Georgian border
services had arrived at the scene.

Bagramyan did not give any further details about the incident.

LOTS OF SUCCESS FOR IRAQI STAMP AUCTION

Agence France Presse
Nov 6 2009

BAGHDAD — Reckoned to be Iraq’s top expert on cement, Anis Amjad
does the rounds of factories during the week but nothing can stop
him conducting the stamp auction in old Baghdad every Saturday.

On that day the 56-year-old chemical engineer takes off his white
coat and raises his auctioneer’s gavel. The lots are knocked down in
an old Ottoman building dating from 1908 which, nine years later,
became the first British Post office and where a traditional red
letter box still adorns the facade.

"I am head of the inspection department at the industry ministry and
I supervise Iraq’s cement works. But I have always declined foreign
assignments so as not to miss this meeting," says the confirmed
bachelor, who first ran the auction 12 years ago.

Interest is reviving fast at the Iraqi Philatelic and Numismatic
Society, founded in 1951, which has only recently resumed meeting
after three years of suspension because of a violent struggle between
Iraq’s Shiite and Sunni populations and a strong Al-Qaeda presence
in the neighbourhood.

Official membership stands at more than 2,000, though only around 80
are active buyers and sellers.

Stamp prices are rising sharply, in particular any ones showing Saddam
Hussein, the dictator overthrown by the US-led invasion in 2003.

"Before 2003, the country was closed in on itself and we were cut
off from the international market. But now business is going well.

American and British collectors snap up stamps with Saddam on them,"
says Kamal Kamel, 46, who runs a stall in the Bab al-Muazzam district
where the society meets.

"Unlike us, they couldn’t get enough of him — they could not buy the
stamps, because of the embargo," he said, referring to UN sanctions on
trade with Iraq introduced after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990.

"A series showing Saddam Hussein which was worth 200 dinars sells
today for 5,000 dinars (4.3 dollars). My monthly revenues have passed
from 200 to 1,500 dollars. Prices really have risen," Kamel said.

"Only Iraqis come into my shop but I have an intermediary with access
to the Green Zone who sells a lot to American soldiers and diplomats,"
he added.

Sitting round a long table, 30 or so dealers and collectors examine the
stamps, bank notes and coins which comprise the lots on offer that day.

Anis livens up the sale with auctioneer’s patter but all the bids
are below prices given in foreign catalogues.

Festooning walls of the room are photocopies of letters from the
British Philatelic Association dating from 1917, along with many
stamps from Iraq and other Arab countries.

Since Iraq’s first stamp in 1917, the postal service has issued 1,824
series of stamps, including 24 from after the fall of Saddam.

Garo Manaskan, a 51-year-old Iraqi of Armenian origin who is an
accountant and runs a well-known Baghdad restaurant, is selling
several items from his collection of three million stamps.

"I started at the age of six. It is my passion — when some cease to
please me I sell them to buy others. As I am unmarried, I will leave
my collection to the Armenian church," he says.

Next to him, Haqqi Abdel Karim, a 45-year-old coin enthusiast, is at
the auction for the first time in three years since seeking exile in
Syria to avoid intercommunal violence.

"Today things are better and I am thinking of coming back but the
association should move. This is not a safe district," Karim said.

Members come from a range of religious and ethnic backgrounds, but
old animosities have prevented the election of a committee for the
past six years.

"Two thirds of the people around this table made a lot of money
by taking part in or even leading the looting of post offices which
happened in the wake of the American invasion," confides Mohammed Dhia,
an active member of the society.

"When you accuse them, some go silent and others promise to give them
back without having any intention of doing so. Then there are those
who try to convince you the stamps are better off in their hands than
with philistines knowing nothing of philately," he added.

His point is illustrated by the society’s location at al-Koshla
("clock" in Turkish) post office, in Seraglio Street in Bab al-Muazzam
neighbourhood, where the stamp museum stood before 2003. The museum’s
collections were all stolen and sold… to stamp collectors.

REDEVELOPMENT OF SEVAN-MARTUNI-GETAP HIGHWAY

Aysor
Nov 5 2009
Armenia

Paying a visit to Armenian region of Gegharkunik, Armenia’s
President Serzh Sargsyan also attended Lchashen village where watched
Sevan-Martuni-Getap highway construction works of a 2.5 kilometers
long-length.

The 2009 budget directed 1.4 billion dram towards road redevelopment
spending, said Armenia’s Minister of Transport and Communications
Gurgen Sarkisyan. According to minister, the most planned highway
construction works are over and adjoining to Lchashen village roads
will be completely restored to 2010 spring time. 378 million dram has
already been spent on construction works, and 592 million dram more
is expected to spend, stated Gurgen Sarkisyan and added that spending
on restoring roads in area of Sevan Lake stand by 4.4 billion dram
in total.