Author: Nalbandian Eduard

Sargsyan-Aliyev meeting likely in November
07.11.2009 17:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs (Ambassador Yuri
Merzlyakov, the Russian Federation; Ambassador Bernard Fassier,
France; Ambassador Robert Bradtke, United States) visited Azerbaijan
and Armenia November 4-6. They met Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
November 5 in Baku before traveling to Yerevan November 6 to meet
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan. They returned to Baku November 6
for a second meeting with President Aliyev.

In Baku and Yerevan, both presidents reiterated their commitment to
continue their discussions, with the objective to make further
progress toward reaching an agreement on the basic principles for the
peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. They accepted
the proposal of the Co-Chairs to organize their next bilateral
meeting, the sixth such meeting this year, before the end of November
at a time and place to be confirmed, the OSCE communication unit
reported.

Grand opening of Cafesjian Center for the Arts takes place in Yerevan
07.11.2009 20:52 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Cafesjian Cultural Center for the Arts was
inaugurated November 7 in Yerevan. The opening ceremony was attended
by the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, minister of culture Hasmik
Poghosyan, minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan, as well as
representatives of diplomatic missions in Armenia, artists and
political figures.

"I am very pleased such a modern center for culture in Armenia
established, the center may surprise connoisseurs of art, as well as
any person of any nationality," minister of culture Hasmik Poghosyan
said at the opening ceremony.

People’s architect Jim Torosyan, the author of the Cascade, which
housed Cafesjian Center for the Arts, expressed his satisfaction with
the opening of the center saying that the Cascade has found a new
breath with the Cafesjian Center for the Arts.

"The significance of the work of the Cafesjian Center for the Arts in
Yerevan is obvious today, however we attain its importance more and
more with every other day," Raffi Hovhannisian, Heritage party leader
said.

Cafesjian Museum Foundation was established in April 2002 in Yerevan
under the auspices of the RA Government and the Cafesjian Museum
Foundation of America. The Armenian government provided the Foundation
with an half-constructed "Cascade" complex with the surrounding area.
Gerard L. Cafesjian is American businessman of Armenian origin,
founder of the Cafesjian Museum Foundation of America, invested 35
million dollars to complete the reconstruction of Cascade and donate
his art collection to the Armenian people.

ROBERT P. FINN: IT’S HARD TO SAY THERE WILL BE A SOLUTION SOON BETWEEN AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA

news.az
Nov 6 2009
Azerbaijan

Robert P. Finn Finn is the Ertegun visiting professor in the Near
East Studies Department of Princeton University.

He was the U.S. ambassador to Tajikistan in 1998-2001. His other
diplomatic postings include Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir in Turkey,
Lahore in Pakistan and Zagreb in Croatia.

Finn opened the U.S. embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 1992. He has
received numerous awards from the U.S. government, including one
for heroism.

Do you think real soon progress in Karabakh settlement?

The Karabakh problem has been going for so long, it’s hard to say
there will be a solution soon.

Do you think that war in Georgia had influence on Azerbaijan and
Karabakh settlement and (if yes) what kind of influence it is?

Obvious, the relations between Georgia and Russia will have some
effect on how people look at this, as well as the relations between
Turkey and Armenia.

Does misunderstanding between US and Russia in security sphere makes
problems in Karabakh settlement?

The bilateral relations between Russia and the U.S. may have some
effect on Karabakh, but will not determine the settlement. That has
to be done among the people of the region. And, as you know all of
these things are in a state of change right now.

Could the radiolocation station in Azeri Gabala be useful for US-
Russia cooperation?

The Gabala station became part of the dialogue about protection, but I
honestly don’t know if it’s technically up to the level that’s needed.

And again, the larger question of U.S.-Russian relations is the issue,
rather than Gabala itself.

Do you share thoughts that there is big threat coming from Iran to
whole world including its neighbors, especially Azerbaijan?

I think that Iran needs to find itself and its place in the world,
and the world community needs to help it do so. In this context,
acting honestly and making positive commitments in different areas
could help Iran to create a better image for itself, so that other
nations perceive it as a partner and not as a threat.

NATO NOT A RIVAL TO RUSSIA IN ARMENIA – ENVOY

Interfax
Nov 6 2009
Russia

Robert Simons, Special Representative to NATO Secretary General for
the South Caucasus, does not think NATO is Russia’s rival in Armenia.

NATO does not see these relations as competition, he said at a
news conference in Yerevan on Friday. Moscow makes such statements
sometimes, but NATO does not think so, he said.

Armenia can develop relations with NATO, with the Collective Security
Treaty Organization and with Russia, and there is no competition here,
Simmons said.

On the process of building Armenian-Turkish relations, Simmons said
that a positive outcome of the talks would stimulate stabilization
in the region.

Armenian-Turkish protocols have to do with bilateral relations, he
said. NATO supports relations between Armenia and Turkey, but cannot
support either of the sides, Simmons said.

Hopefully, the protocols will be ratified by the Armenian and Turkish
parliaments, he said.

ARMENIA, NATO DEVELOPING COOPERATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.11.2009 11:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia-NATO cooperation is successfully developing.

New events in the framework of the Individual Partnership Action Plan,
said Robert Simmons, NATO special representative for Caucasus and
Central Asia.

"We are continuing cooperation with the Armenian Defense Ministry.

NATO assists implementation of reforms and development of strategically
important documents," he told a news conference in Yerevan.

Mr. Simmons said the Alliance is thankful to Armenia for participation
in peacekeeping missions in Kosovo and Afghanistan.

He also informed that NATO is negotiating establishment of anti-crisis
reaction center with the RA Ministry of Emergency Situations.

2009 MARKS DANIEL VARUZHAN’S 125TH BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARY

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.11.2009 15:19 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ 2009 marks the 125th birthday anniversary of
outstanding Armenian poet Daniel Varuzhan. A number of events will
be held on the occasion throughout Armenia and abroad.

Deputy head of modern and folk art at RA Ministry of Culture Karo
Vardanyan commented on the events to be held, "The events will
feature a performance at Gabriel Sundukyan Theater, an exposition
at the Literature and Arts Museum and publication of collection of
Varuzhan’s poems."

Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan heads the state organizational
committee.

"A conference dedicated to Daniel Varuzhan will be held in Yerevan
State University on November 11. We also plan to publish a book with
the assistance of foreign organizations," said Zhenya Azizyan, head
of all-Armenian projects at Diaspora Ministry.

Daniel Varuzhan was born in Brgnik (a village in Sebastia) in 1884.

>From 1896 to 1902 he attended the school of Mkhitarist fathers. He
pursued his higher education at University of Ghent, Belgium, where
he studied economics and social sciences. Then he returned to his
native village and taught Armenian in a school. Varuzhan was among the
intellectuals arrested by the Turkish police on the night of April 24,
1915. He was deported to Cankiri and murdered.

YEGHISHE SARGSYAN’S ST. ECHMIADZIN RELIGIOUS SEMINARY PUBLISHED

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.11.2009 15:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ By the consent of Catholicos of All Armenians
Karekin II, senior clergyman Yeghishe Sargsyan’s St. Echmiadzin
Religious Seminary was published.

Funding was provided by "Sargis Gabrielyan" foundation. In his book,
the author, who worked in seminary for many years and was one of its
first graduates, introduced the entire chronology of St. Echmiadzin
Religious Seminary, referring to archive materials.

The book is intended for teachers and individuals interested in the
history of Armenian Apostolic Church.

TURKEY’S ‘FAITH INITIATIVE’ LOOKS EAST

Hurriyet Daily News
Nov 5 2009
turkey

Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Ministry says the Surp Hac Church on
Akdamar Island in Lake Van and the Monastery of Sumela in Trabzon will
be open for prayer once a year. Minister Gunay says that a cross will
be erected atop the roof of Surp Hac, just as it had been originally

Mainly spearheaded by efforts to bring prayers back into churches,
Turkey’s cultural initiatives are set to accelerate in 2010, according
to the Culture and Tourism Ministry.

The ministry said it is preparing to open the recently renovated,
historical Surp Hac Church for prayer once a year and affix a cross
to its roof in its original place. Also, the Monastery of Sumela in
Trabzon will be opened for prayer once a year.

Armenia pleased by developments

The protocols signed between Turkey and Armenia for the normalization
of relations has started to bear fruit. Minister of Culture and Tourism
Ertugrul Gunay, who has reached out to his Armenian counterpart through
the Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Review in the past, reiterated a
standing offer: "Let Armenian and Turkish experts restore the ruins
of Ani together."

The Ani excavation site, near the Armenian border in the Arpacay
District of Kars, was the capital of the Armenian Kingdom of Bagratunis
between 961 and 1045. The Daily News spoke to the International Council
on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Armenian President Gagik Gurcuyan
about the offer. Gurcuyan expressed pleasure at the developments and
said that the organization will contact the Culture Ministry and will
happily work together to restore the site.

Gunay: ‘I may visit Armenia’

The Ani ruins caused a diplomatic crisis between Turkey and Armenia
years ago. Turkey filed a complaint to ICOMOS, an organization
affiliated with UNSECO, saying that explosions at Armenian stone
quarries are damaging the site. Gunay said the explosions have since
stopped, much to his relief. "Ani is a common legacy of humanity," he
said. "We must do all we can to pass it on to the future generations."

Gunay also told the Daily News he might visit Armenia. "As you
remember, President Gul has visited Armenia. If our President has
visited, there is no reason at all why I would not go, also," he said.

The dialogue began with Surp Hac

It is widely assumed that the dialogue process between Turkey and
Armenia started with the national football match last year. However,
the actual contact began with the restoration process of the Surp Hac
Church on Akdamar Island in Lake Van. Former Culture Minister Atilla
Koc contacted Gagik Gurciyan and invited the Armenian expert to visit
Turkey. Although coordinated efforts were realized despite the two
countries’ closed borders, heavy criticism was levied in Armenia and
among the diaspora following the church’s opening as a museum.

As it was initially reopened as a museum, no cross was placed on the
roof of the church. A replica of the original cross, made according
to the traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Church, was brought to
Istanbul by Armenian experts and delivered to Armenian Patriarch of
Turkey Mesrob Mutafyan. The cross is waiting at the Turkish Armenian
Patriarchate to be placed atop the restored church.

Legal problems

Minister Gunay spoke about the latest developments and delays.

"Unfortunately, there were some hitches with the laws that did not
allow historical churches to be opened for prayer," he said. "That
was the reason for the debates over the cross."

Gunay said the ministry is in the final stage of working out the
legal hitches and that similar problems will not be experienced in
Turkey in the future. Gunay said the cross would be placed atop the
church shortly and the building will be opened for prayer once a year,
if there is demand.

Prayer will also be allowed in Sumela

Along with Surp Hac Church, the Monastery of Sumela in Trabzon
will also be opened for prayer once a year. Last year, a group of
500 tourists from Greece, among them Thessaloniki Mayor Panayotis
Psomyadis and Russian Deputy Ivan Savidis, sought to light candles
at the monastery but were interrupted by Nilgun Yılmazer, museum
director of Trabzon. When reminded of this incident, Minister Gunay
said they would not allow such things to be experienced in Turkey
again and "all believers in these lands will follow their faiths’
requirements freely."

‘A late decision’

Architect Zakaria Mildanoglu, who was assigned by the Turkish Armenian
Patriarchate to the renovation of Surp Hac, evaluated the developments
as a late decision. Mildanoglu said former Minister Koc transferred
the matter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the time. "The
Ministry of Foreign Affairs deals with foreigners. Minister Koc saw
the citizens of his own country as foreigners, but we have lived on
these lands for hundreds of years; we are not foreigners."

Sarkis Elbe, a prominent Armenian figure in Istanbul, said: "This is
a political decision. If only they had not waited for the signing of
the protocols just to make this decision."

Osman Köker, researcher and owner of Birzamanlar publishing, had
a different take on the developments. "Turkey is trying to play a
leading role in the region and to develop good relations with its
neighbors," he said. "Turkey also protects the rights of minorities
in the country."

Köker added that the process should be supported. "Opening religious
buildings of historical importance to visitors would boost the number
of tourists visiting our country."

NUMBER OF PEOPLE AVOIDING CONSCRIPTION HAS DECREASED: GAGIK HARUTYUNYAN

Tert
Nov 5 2009
Armenia

During this autumn’s call to military service, those avoiding
conscription comprise 25% of the total pool of individuals required to
serve in the army, Colonel Gagik Harutyunyan, head of the conscription
department, stated at a press conference today. He said the number
of those avoiding military service decreased by 50% as compared to
previous years. As an aside, women do not have to undergo compulsory
military service in Armenia.

The colonel’s explanations on why young people are less often avoiding
military service is quite interesting. Harutyunyan said that this
is first and foremost conditioned by the fact that today our country
has a steady army and secondly, today young people realize quite well
that military service is very important for them, especially if they
have serious future plans.

At Tert.am’s request, Harutyunyan explained why those who have
completed their mandatory military service are periodically called
to the military recruitment offices. According to him, individuals
who have already served in the army remain registered until the age
of 50 and are called to the military offices and undergo training
exercises during a time of peace. They are considered to be conscripts
in reserve.

ARMENIA SUCCEEDS ON THE AZERBAIJANI FRONT OF THE INFORMATION WAR
Alisa Gevorgyan

"Radiolur"
04.11.2009 17:21

The information war is a continuous process and it’s useless to
hope that peace will once be concluded in the field. Therefore, we
must always be ready to resist any assault, which gets more active
especially during the summer rest, the New Year celebration and
on Fridays.

Experts of the sphere Arman Saghatelyan and Aram Mkhitaryan state
that we have registered great achievements in the information war,
especially on the Azerbaijani front.

According to Arman Saghatelyan, fortunately today we have an
information security doctrine ratified by the President of the
republic, which is another guarantee of success.

On the whole, both experts assert that the Armenian side still manages
to defend its positions in the information war with Azerbaijan and
register tangible progress. However, the same cannot be said about
the Armenian-Turkish front. Many journalists insist that the lack
of official information from Armenian sources makes us apply to
Turkish media.