Author: Nahapetian Lilit

ARMENIA INTERESTED IN EXPANSION OF RELATIONS WITH POLAND: RA PRESIDENT

News.am
March 3, 2010
Armenia

March 3, the newly appointed Polish Ambassador to RA Zdzislaw Raczynski
presented his credentials to RA President Serzh Sargsyan.

Congratulating the Ambassador on the appointment to the new position,
Sargsyan said that Armenia is interested in the development of
bilateral and multifaceted relations with Poland. Emphasizing that
cooperation with EU is one of the priorities of Armenia’s foreign
policy, RA President expects active efforts in this direction, RA
Presidential press service informed NEWS.am.

Armenia is sincerely interested in the enhancement of relations with
Poland and EU, Raczynski noted.

According to him, Poland is one of the initiators of Eastern
Partnership Project which can serve as a basis for active mutual
cooperation. Armenia seeks to take all advantages the project offers,
RA President outlined.

The officials also discussed possible trends of Armenia-Poland
collaboration in economic projects. Sargsyan attached significance
to the expansion of bilateral ties in humanitarian field. The parties
made a point of the Armenian community in Poland as a linking bridge
between the states.

CONGRESSMAN MICHAEL MCMAHON: ADOPTION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION WILL "HARM KARABAKH ISSUE"

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.03.2010 21:19 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ I respect the memory of victims of tragic events
in Ottoman Empire; I also support Armenia-Turkey rapprochement and
Karabakh conflict settlement, Congressman Michael McMahon stated.

As he noted at the hearing of U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs,
adoption of resolution will seriously harm US’ efforts in Afghanistan.

"Adoption of Armenian Genocide resolution will harm Armenia-Turkey
rapprochement as well as Karabakh issue. "I support withdrawal of US
forces from Afghanistan. In case Turkey’s territory becomes closed
to US, we will be induced to withdraw forces through more dangerous
routes," he stressed.

Based on the above, Congressman urged the Committee to vote against
the resolution.

The Armenian Genocide (1915-23) was the deliberate and systematic
destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during
and just after World War I. It was characterized by massacres, and
deportations involving forced marches under conditions designed to
lead to the death of the deportees, with the total number of deaths
reaching 1.5 million.

The majority of Armenian Diaspora communities were formed by the
Genocide survivors.

To date, twenty countries and 44 U.S. states have officially recognized
the events of the period as genocide, and most genocide scholars and
historians accept this view.

EASTERN PARTNERSHIP TO AFFECT POSITIVELY KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

news.am
March 4 2010
Armenia

Once EU obtains improvement of relations between South Caucasian
states through Eastern Partnership program, it will affect positively
Karabakh conflict settlement, Ed Kronenburg Secretary-General of the
Netherlands Foreign Ministry said at the opening ceremony of country’s
embassy in Azerbaijan.

According to him, Netherlands as EU member welcomes all efforts in
solution to Karabakh conflict settlement, including OSCE Minsk Group.

"I sincerely hope that eventually conflict will be resolved,"
Kronenburg stated.

The Eastern Partnership aims at improvement of political and economic
ties of the six post-soviet states – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia,
Moldova, Ukraine and Belarus with EU.

EU will pay these countries â~B¬600m by 2013 intended for enhancement
of state institutions, border control and aid to small businesses.

CONGRESS EMBROILED IN DEBATE BETWEEN ARMENIA AND TURKEY: THE WASHINGTON POST

news.am
March 4 2010
Armenia

Popular American newspaper The Washington Post comments on the Genocide
Resolution scheduled for a vote in the U.S.

Congress for March 4. The document calls on President Obama to label
the events of 1915 as genocide and "use the term during an annual
address on the topic next month," reads the article by Dan Eggen.

According to him, the bill will disclose whether Armenians were "target
for campaign ethnic cleansings." Thereby, Congress gets involved in
a heated debates between Turkey and Armenia," the author emphasizes.

The author recalls that Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton also backed terming of 1915 events as genocide.

Commenting on powerful Turkish lobby that urges to reject resolution,
Eggen brings an example of Fleishman-Hillard public relations firm
that had contract with Turkey estimated at over $100.000 a month or
country’s "current lobbyist" the Gephardt Group that gets $70.000
each month.

The author notes that unlike Turkey, Armenian government does not have
"a U.S. representative on file." However, he names some organizations
such as Armenian National Committee and Armenian Assembly of America
lobbying Armenia’s interests in the U.S.

TOURISTS FROM MOZAMBIQUE, GUYANA, MAURITANIA, VENEZUELA VISIT KARABAKH

news.am
March 2 2010
Armenia

The number of foreign tourists to Nagorno-Karabakh increased by 10%
in first, second and third quarters of 2009 compared with the same
period in 2008, NKR Foreign Ministry issued a statement.

"Last year tourists from Mozambique, Guyana, Mauritania and Venezuela
visited Karabkh for the first time. Majority of the visitors are
from the U.S., France, Iran, Great Britain, Netherlands, Switzerland,
Canada, Italy, Poland, India, Russia and Turkmenistan.

These figures prove that interest of foreign citizens in Artsakh
Republic grows. The world mass media’s information on Karabakh peace
process, the country’s history, the establishment of democracy
principles in Nagorno-Karabakh contribute to this process," the
statement reads.

PEACE CORPS WEEK IN YEREVAN

Aysor
March 1 2010
Armenia

Peace Corps Week commemorates the occasion when President John
F. Kennedy, in a speech at the University of Michigan, outlined
his idea for a program that would send thousands of young Americans
overseas.

It is a week to celebrate not just the accomplishments of Peace Corps
Volunteers, but to recognize the efforts of all people who give their
time and support to address community needs.

Today, the third annual Volunteer Recognition ceremony was held in
honor of Peace Corps week at the US Embassy.

Ambassador Marie L. Yovanovitch and Peace Corps Armenia Director
Lee Lacy kicked off Peace Corps Week in Armenia by recognizing and
presenting certificates of appreciation to exceptional Armenians
who have exhibited excellence in volunteerism and service within
their communities.

This year, once again, Peace Corps Armenia staff and volunteers will
be promoting the Peace Corps and the value and merit of national
service and volunteerism across Armenia through a variety of events
and activities designed to raise public awareness.

PRESS RELEASE
Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
Governmental Buiding 3, Yerevan, RA
Contact: Hasmik Grigoryan
Tel: +(3741) 56 01 06 ext. 105
Fax: +(3741) 52 15 05
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

02 March, 2010

Hayastan All-Armenian Fund begins reconstruction of Delivery Ward at Abovian
Maternity Hospital

Yerevan, March 02, 2010 – The Maternity Hospital of Abovian, in Armenia’s
Kotayk Region, became the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s latest beneficiary
this month, as the fund began to rebuild the facility’s Delivery Ward. The
initiative is sponsored by the fund’s Canada (Montreal) affiliate, with
financing by local benefactors Vrej and Imasdouhi Nigoghossian.

With demolition work already completed, construction crews are currently
building new partitions at the Delivery Ward. The other components of the
project include the renovation and retiling of the floors as well as the
replacement of all doors and windows.

Commenting on the much-anticipated reconstruction, Dr. Larissa Madoyan,
chief physician of the Maternity Hospital, said that the 25-year-old
facility’s grave disrepair has had an adverse effect on the quality of
healthcare. "In terms of inspiring a sense of security and confidence among
expectant mothers, the improved conditions of the ward will be of foremost
importance," Dr. Madoyan explained. "In turn, a mother’s well-being is
crucial equally to her newborn and the medical staff caring for her." Dr.
Madoyan added that already this year 193 babies were delivered at the
hospital.

In 2009 there were 1,422 births at the Delivery Ward. In addition, 247
walk-in patients received care, 347 women underwent various surgical
procedures, and 17,656 pregnant women were provided with medical
consultation at the Maternity Hospital, which serves seven urban areas and
close to 60 rural communities of Kotayk.

"Every parent seeks to ensure the healthiest and most comfortable
environment possible for their newborn child," said Ara Vardanyan, executive
director of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund. "With this in mind, the
renovation and, in this case, reconstruction of our homeland’s aging
maternity wards is an area of high priority for the fund."
"Perhaps the most heartwarming testament to the benefits of such projects is
the marked increase of new births in a given community," Vardanyan
concluded.

Apart from the Abovian Maternity Hospital initiative, the Hayastan
All-Armenian Fund is currently implementing several healthcare-development
projects in Armenia. They include the construction of the Zangezur
Cardiology Center in Goris and the reconstruction of the Noyemberian
Hospital, the Delivery and Postnatal Department of the Maternity Ward at
Surb Astvatsamayr Medical Center in Yerevan, and a wing of the Nork-Marash
Medical Center, also in Yerevan.
Hayastan All Armenian Fund

12:18 26/02/2010 » Economy
Armenian President signs decree on D. Harutyunyan’s resignation

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree on the resignation
of Chairman of the RA Commission for Protection of Economic
Competition David Harutyunyan February 25, President’s press service
reported.

Panorama.am recalls that the Chairman of the RA Commission for
Protection of Economic Competition handed in his resignation to the RA
President over assuming another post.

David Harutyunyan was appointed as Commission Chairman on October 23,
2009 on a five-year term.

Source: Panorama.am

DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE PHILIP GORDON REAFFIRMS WASHINGTON’S SUPPORT FOR NORMALIZATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

ARKA
Feb 25, 2010

YEREVAN, February 25, /ARKA/. Deputy Secretary of State Philip
Gordon has reaffirmed today Washington’s support for the process of
normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations during a meeting with
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan in Kiev, Ukraine, the press office
of Armenian president reported.

He was quoted as saying that he assesses highly the constructive
position of Armenia at all stages of the process. He also said that
unconditional ratification of Turkish-Armenian protocols by the
parliaments of both countries is important for normalization of
their resolution.

President Sargsyan for his part presented once again Armenia’s position
over the current state of the process, saying that Armenia remains
committed to improving its relations with Turkey.

President Sargsyan was in Kiev to attend the inauguration ceremony
of its new president Viktor Yanukovic.

DEVELOPMENT OF ARMENIAN-ITALIAN RELATIONS DISCUSSED

91587/lang/en
2010-02-24

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 24, ARMENPRESS: Armenian ambassador to Italy Ruben
Karapetyan met February 22 with the deputy chairman of the Italian
Council of Ministers, vice prime minister Janni Letta.

Armenian Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information Department told
Armenpress that during the meeting the ambassador pointed out the
interest of the Armenian government in multi-sided development of
Armenian-Italian relations. "All the opportunities exist today for
Italy to become one of the prior partners of Armenia," the ambassador
noted.

Ruben Karapetyan informed Janni Letta about the scheduled visits of
the running year and about important events. The ambassador asked to
convey to the Italian prime minister the invitation of the RA prime
minister to visit Armenia.

Janni Letta noted that Italy too highlights development of relations
with Armenia and promised to contribute to giving new impetus to the
cooperation between the two countries.