Author: Nahapetian Lilit

MINISTERS OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, DEFENCE OF REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA VISIT NATO HEADQUARTERS

US State News
May 12, 2010 Wednesday 11:54 AM EST

BRUSSELS, Belgium, May 12 — NATO issued the following press release:

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Defence of the
Republic of Armenia, Mr. Edward Nalbandyan and Mr. Seyran Ohanyan will
visit the NATO Headquarters and meet the Deputy Secretary General,
Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero. They will also address the North
Atlantic Council.

There will be no press opportunity. Still and video footage will be
available on the NATO website.

BEST FOR THE SOUL: EMPIRE DAZE
By Neel Chowdhury

TIME Magazine
s/article/0,28804,1988463_1989006_1989000,00.html
May 13 2010

Before the ascendancy of Singapore and Hong Kong, Penang, a 285-sq-km
island off Malaysia’s northwest coast, was the fulcrum of trade in
Asia. It was extracted under a spurious offer of military protection
by Captain Francis Light, a British merchant looking to get rich,
from the sultan of Kedah in 1786. By the time the sultan realized
he’d been hustled, it was too late. Penang was declared a British
crown colony, and some 34 years before modern Singapore was founded
its harbor was where China clippers could repair their sails, stock
up on hard tack and grog, and catch the monsoon winds that blew them
between Calcutta and Canton with hulls full of tea and opium.

Penang grew so prosperous that in 1885 two Armenian entrepreneurs
built the luxury Eastern & Oriental Hotel, e-o-hotel.com, along the
promenade of Georgetown, the state capital. Based on its success,
the duo founded Raffles in Singapore two years later. In architecture
and history, the onetime sister properties — and that other great
colonial hotel, the Peninsula in Hong Kong — have much in common,
but there is one poignant difference. While Raffles and the Peninsula
are in thriving centers of commerce, by the early 20th century Penang
had been eclipsed as a trading force. A late burst of investment
in electronics manufacturing in the early 1980s has also sputtered
out. For travelers, though, that’s a good thing. It means that guests
of the 101-room E&O can enjoy genteel pleasures, like breakfast on
the seaward veranda, at prices a fraction of those in hotels that
are in luckier locations — and without any diminution of romance.

VARDAN KHACHATRYAN N’ATTEND AUCUNE PERCEE DANS LA DETERMINATION DU STATUT DU KARABAKH
par Stephane

armenews
jeudi13 mai 2010
ARMENIE

Le depute Vardan Khachatryan trouve difficile de prevoir comment les
evenements regionaux affecteront le processus de règlement du conflit
du Karabakh. Cependant, il y aura un peu de clarte après la visite
du President russe en Turquie. Selon lui, Cela est aussi lie avec
le conflit du Karabakh, puisque la question est a l’ordre du jour
des discussions.

Il serait incorrect de dire que l’Azerbaïdjan est d’accord avec les
Principes de Madrid mis a jour et que c’est au tour de l’Armenie de
repondre a dit Vardan Khachatryan lors d’une conference de presse.

" Nous n’entrons pas qualitativement dans une nouvelle etape
aujourd’hui, c’est la suite de la phase precedente. L’Azerbaïdjan
a consenti aux Principes de Madrid mis a jour avec une exception –
la determination du statut du Nagorno Karabakh. Il n’y aura aucune
percee a cet egard "a dit Vardan Khachatryan.

UN HOLDS ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING

Tert.am
13:18 13.05.10

United Nations Armenia Office Department of Public Information (UN
DPI), the International Organization for Migration Mission (IOM)
in Armenia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of
Armenia hold on May 14 a discussion titled Round table Discussion
on criminal justice responses to trafficking in persons: links to
transnational organized crime.

The round table is organized to mark the 55th anniversary of UN
Congresses on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice and to follow up on
the Twelfth UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (held
on 12-19 April, 2010, Brazil) and the related situation in Armenia.

Among other issues, the round table aims to discuss the implementation
of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime
in Armenia in light of the preparation of the 2010 – 2012 National
Plan of Action to Combat Human Trafficking in Armenia

DMITRY MEDVEDEV: RUSSIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS ADVANCED TO THE LEVEL OF MULTIDIMENSIONAL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 11, 2010 – 11:05 AMT 06:05 GMT

Turkey and Russia will discuss plans to introduce a visa-free regime
and ways to deepen cooperation in energy, economy, agriculture and
security, in addition to political ties, during Russian President
Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to Turkey, which begins today, May 11.

Turkish-Russian ties have predominantly expanded on an economic basis,
with gigantic energy deals and projects constituting the backbone
of the growing cooperation. But Medvedev’s visit is likely to be a
cornerstone in introducing a political and strategic dimension to the
growing ties, with the two countries formally creating a high level
cooperation council.

"We can confidently say that Russian-Turkish relations have advanced
to the level of a multidimensional strategic partnership," Medvedev
wrote in an article he penned for Today’s Zaman ahead of his visit. He
described the council as a new mechanism for intergovernmental
cooperation and said:

"The purpose of this council is to develop a strategy on basic ways
to develop Russian-Turkish relations, coordinate the implementation
of critical projects and provide incentives for businessmen in both
countries to cooperate with each other. Moreover, it aims to create
synergy between foreign policies to ensure international peace,
stability and safety."

Medvedev also described Turkey as "one of our most important partners
with respect to regional and international issues." Officials from
the two countries are expected to discuss the situation in the South
Caucasus, with a special focus on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict,
during Medvedev’s two-day visit.

Most of the discussions, however, will still be focused on energy,
which Medvedev says comprises the main axis of Russian-Turkish
cooperation. The planned South Stream and Blue Stream-2 natural gas
pipelines, the construction of the Samsun-Ceyhan oil pipeline and
a nuclear power plant to be built by Russia on Turkish soil are the
most critical items of the talks.

The two countries will also discuss ways to boost the mutual trade
volume. Russia is Turkey’s single biggest trading partner and provides
two-thirds of its gas. The two countries have bilateral trade ties
totaling some $40 billion. Medvedev said they should aim to increase
trade three to fivefold during the next five years, not only in raw
materials but also through cooperation in hi-tech fields and mutual
investment.

The Russian president is expected to kick off his meetings in Turkey
on Tuesday after visiting the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. In
Ankara, Medvedev is scheduled to meet with President Abdullah Gul
and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Medvedev’s wife, Svetlana
Medvedeva, will also accompany the Russian president during the visit.

According to Turkish diplomatic sources, during Medvedev’s visit a
deal initialed between the two countries envisaging the elimination
of visa requirements may be signed without waiting for the domestic
confirmation process. Nearly 3 million Russian tourists flock to
Turkey every year and the visa-free regime would largely affect Russian
tourists, for whom Turkey is highly attractive destination for tourism.

Medvedev will be accompanied by a large number of businessmen
and officials, and various agreements regarding energy, economy,
agriculture and security are expected to be signed during the historic
visit. The two countries are also expected to discuss regional and
international issues and bilateral relations in particular, Today’s
Zaman reported.

EU TO AGREE ON ASSOCIATION WITH ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN AND GEORGIA

news.az
May 11 2010
Azerbaijan

Catherine Ashton ‘I look forward to launch of negotiations on these
ambitious and comprehensive agreements with Armenia Azerbaijan and
Georgia’, Catherine Ashton said.

Foreign Ministers Council of 27 EU states has approved the negotiation
frames issuing mandate on conduction of talks on bilateral agreements
on association between EU and Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign
Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission, made
the following statement: on the adoption of negotiating directives
for Association Agreements between the EU and Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Georgia.

‘I welcome the adoption by the General Affairs Council on 10 May
of the negotiating directives for the future Association Agreements
between the EU and Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. The adoption of
these negotiating directives is a clear sign of our strong commitment
to further deepen the relationship between the EU and the countries
of the South Caucasus, on the basis of shared values and principles,
including democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights.

Successful implementation of the Eastern Partnership with the active
engagement of the partner countries both in its multilateral and
bilateral track will strengthen relations on the basis of shared
values and will help advancing political and economic reforms,
consolidate governance and foster regional stability, prosperity and
confidence building. I look forward to the launch of negotiations on
these ambitious and comprehensive agreements with Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Georgia’.

The Ministry Of Nature Protection Of RA Confirms That Deno Gold Mining Company Doesn’T Have Any Passport And Classification For Waste Accumulating.

ArmInfo
2010-05-07 14:31:00

ArmInfo. The Ministry of Nature Protection of RA confirms that Deno
Gold Mining Company doesn’t have any passport and classification for
waste accumulating.

As Ecolur told ArmInfo, in its reply to Kapan-based "For Ensuring
Ecological Safety and Developing Democracy" NGO inquiry sent to the
Minister of Nature Protection of RA Aram Harutyunyan, the Ministry
particularly says that the passport submitted by the company was
not confirmed as it had some drawbacks. "The Ministry has warned the
company for several times the passport for slime waste formed as a
result of ore dressing is lacking in the documentation submitted," says
letter 5/08/50661 signed by Samvel Amirkhanyan, Head of Ministry Staff.

WORKS OF THE FORUM SUMMED UP AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE

National Assembly of RA
May 7 2010
Armenia

The two-day works of the 23rd Forum of the European Region of the
Parliamentary Assembly of Francophonie (PAF) were summed up at the
press conference on May 5.

The Head of RA NA delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly of
Francofonie Armen Rustamyan highlighted the conduct of the forum in
Armenia with respect to giving understanding to our society about the
role and importance of the organization. Considering an important
event in our political life the decision on recognizing Armenia as
associated member of the Parliamentary Assembly of Francophonie by
the resolution adopted in Paris last year, Armen Rustamyan drew
the journalists’ attention to the opportunity of the perspective
programmes and to Armenia’s role in that structure. He opined that
the name Francophonie consolidates not only the people with general
linguistic way of thinking, but also the bearers of the same system
of values. As common values the speaker pointed out the democracy,
the protection of human rights. The head of the Armenian delegation
also talked about the exchange of experience and proposals during
the two-day discussions over the very important for our society and
the main theme of the forum, educational problems. Armen Rustamyan
ensured that the Armenian side would pursue an aim of implementing
the proposals in the conclusion.

The Head of the Mission of the European Region of the Parliamentary
Assembly of Francophonie Jean-Paul Wahl and the President of the
French-speaking delegation of the French Parliament also assessed the
discussions useful and constructive. The French-speaking guests are
impressed by the level of mastering the French language, qualitative
education in the Armenian schools and universities and documented
that Armenia, which obtained status of associated member, has been
integrated into the Francophonie organization and has its role there.

The participants of the press conference also answered the journalists’
questions. Jean-Paul Wahl detailed for the journalists the content
of the adopted conclusion. There the importance of the qualitative
education is also stressed once again, the unacceptability of
inequality and discrimination in the fixed educational institutions
and the necessity of preserving the principle of justice.

ARMENIAN AMERICANS LOOKING FORWARD TO ONE-DAY WORSHIP AT AKDAMAR

Today’s Zaman
May 7 2010
Turkey

Turkey will open up the Armenian church in the east of the country for
a one-day worship on September 12 and Armenians living in California
are looking forward to take part at the worship, a Turkish diplomat
said.

Hakan Tekin, Turkey’s Consul General in Los Angeles where around 1
million Armenian Americans live, said that Turkey’s decision to open
up the Akdamar Church on an island on Lake Van for a one-day worship
caused a stir among Armenian American community in Los Angeles.

"A large number of reservations have been made already," Tekin said.

The 1,100-year-old Akdamar Church was opened in 2007 at a ceremony
that hosted officials from Armenia and Turkey after it was restored
by the Turkish government. The restoration costed some 1.7 million USD.

"I hope our recent constructive policy toward Armenia yields reciprocal
steps," he said.

"If normalization process goes on its course, I believe that
it would have significant effects on our relations with Armenian
diaspora, especially with Armenians living in California who are the
hard-liners," Tekin said.

The Akdamar Church was constructed by architect bishop Manuel between
915 and 921 A.D. under the supervision of King Gagik I. Among the
important pieces of Armenian architecture, the church draws attraction
with its stone workmanship and the relieves on its walls.

Earlier this March, Turkish government gave permission that a religious
rite may take place once every year at the church upon a proposal by
the Van Governorship and approval by the Turkish Minister of Culture
and Tourism Ertugrul Gunay.

The rite at the Akdamar Church will take place each year in the second
week of September, officials said. Turkish officials believe it would
boost religious tourism in the region.

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT TO TRAVEL TO TURKEY MAY 11-12

armradio.am
06.05.2010 14:54

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will pay an official visit to Turkey
on May 11-12, the Kremlin press service reported.

"The first meeting of a new mechanism of interstate consultations –
the Council of cooperation of the highest level headed by Medvedev
and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is the central event
of the Russian-Turkish summit," the press service specified.

Many issues, including the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement,
in which Russia participates as a mediator, will be discussed during
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s Turkey visit, Russia’s Ambassador
to Azerbaijan Vladimir Dorokhin told journalists yesterday.