Author: Nalchajian Markos

TURKEY WANTS ARMENIA TO SHOW DETERMINATION

Today.Az
olitics/54235.html
July 30 2009
Azerbaijan

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Wednesday that Turkish
government was still resolute to normalize relations with neighboring
Armenia, Turk.net reported.

"But at the same time, it is important for us to see the same
determination from the international community and especially from
Armenia on the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan," Davutoglu
told a press conference after his meeting with Bosnian Foreign Minister
Sven Alkalaj.

"We believe that the most extensive normalization would be seen in
our region in the coming period," Davutoglu said.

US ARMENIANS BEGIN CAMPAIGN AGAINST CHEVRON

APA
July 28 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku – APA. US Armenians began campaign against Chevron Oil Company
accusing it in lobbying against the so-called "Armenian genocide"
resolution at the Congress. The Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Dashanksutyun’s youth organization started campaign to inform the
public community about the Chevron’s lobbying activity against the
recognition of the so-called "Armenian genocide". On July 22, they
held protests actions outside the Chevron’s headquarter in San Ramos,
California and its fuel stations. Pro-Armenian Congressman Adam Schiff
also accused Chevron: "No American company should provide lobbying
against this resolution".

Chevron said recognition of the "Armenian genocide" would have negative
impact on the Armenia-Turkey relations.

KRIKORIAN: Manny is my new best friend

Long Beach Press-Telegram (Long Beach, CA)
07/27/2009

By Doug Krikorian, Sports Columnist ([email protected])

It was Manny Being Manny – with me.

Honestly, we might now even soon be having shish kebab, pilaf, sarma,
keufta, dolma, cheese berag, lahmahjoon, basterma, tabooleh, paklava
and various other Armenian delicacies together if ol’ Manny keeps his
promise to me.

My New Best Friend was lolling around his Dodger clubhouse locker late
Sunday morning a couple of hours before his team faced the Florida
Marlins, and a few of us reporters were lolling around in the middle
of the room exchanging banalities and being totally oblivious to
Mr. Ramirez’s presence.

Since the others were Dodger Stadium regulars and I’ve been an
irregular one, I decided it was a journalistic imperative to say hello
to a gentleman who has inspired a passionate cult following in the Los
Angeles basin since arriving here under the darkest of clouds from
Boston last summer.

So, somewhat sheepishly in light of the less than glowing words I’ve
penned about Ramirez for his ignoble Red Sox exodus and for his
50-game suspension for violating major league drug policy, I went up
and introduced myself to Ramirez.

And Manny Ramirez immediately charmed me right out of my moccasins.

He couldn’t have been nicer, friendlier, or more gracious as we
discussed a variety of subjects, none of which included his alleged
dabbling with a female fertility drug, which he has stated repeatedly
to previous reporters he won’t discuss.

"I’m just blessed with what has happened to me out here. … I’ve
never been happier in my baseball career," he said. "The people out
here are more laid back than they are back East, much nicer."

He went on to say what you would expect – he likes playing for Joe
Torre, he likes all his teammates, he just wants to contribute in any
way he can to bringing the Dodgers a World Series title, etc., etc.,
etc.

I asked him where he now lives, and he told me Glendale.

"There are a lot of Armenians in Glendale," I replied. "Have you tried
any of the Armenian restaurants?"

"No, but I hear Armenian food is very good," he said. "I had a close
Armenian friend in Boston, and he always bragged about it. Do you have
any recommendations?"

"Sure," I replied.

"Look, write your phone number down," he suddenly implored to my
astonishment. "When I have an off day here, I’ll call you and you can
take me to your favorite Armenian restaurant."

So, I dutifully scribbled down my cell number on a piece of paper,
handed it to Ramirez, who carefully inserted it into his safety box.

"I’m going to call you," said Ramirez after we shook hands and I
started to walk away from my newest pal…

Isn’t it ironic that one of David Beckham’s minders at the recent
Galaxy-A.C. Milan match at the Home Depot Center was, of all people,
Long Beach’s very own celebrity bodyguard, Mike (The Hammer) DiMarzo,
who himself was quite a soccer hero at Mayfair High.

While Mr. DiMarzo never has quite reached the marital and financial
heights of Beckham – The Hammer never has even been married, for
crimneysakes! – he has reached a plateau not even Beckham will be able
to attain – mythical status at Joe Jost…

Joe Gordon was quite a major league second baseball who deserves to be
in the Baseball Hall of Fame, only not ahead of Maury Wills, whose
impact on the sport during his 14-year, 2,134-hits, 534-stolen bases
career – he played on four Dodger pennant winners and three world
champions – was far more compelling…

They keep saying Roy Halladay would be the perfect fit for the
Philadelphia Phillies, but I’m trying to figure out for which
contending team he wouldn’t be a perfect fit? Actually, the Angels
need him most…

Never realized that the second-story batting cage at Diane Lewis’
School of Softball in Signal Hill has been used in the off-season by
such major leaguers as Chase Utley and Garrett Atkins…

Incidentally, those in attendance for the recent workout of the
University of Florida All-American softball pitcher and Los Alamitos
High graduate, Stacey Nelson, included the retired and still quite
well-nourished Long Beach fireman, Craig (Five Bellies) Vestermark,
and the area’s most famous plumbing contractor, the well-cologned
Mankind Mark (Pretty Boy) Edmondson…

Honestly, saw a guy artfully twirling a baton at the northwest corner
of Willow and Cherry the other sweltering afternoon as an advertising
gimmick for AT&T…

I never trusted a guy with an initial before his first name until I
got to know the Boy Wonder Long Beach State president, F. King
Alexander…

Mike Scioscia was right and I was wrong – Kendry Morales has turned
out to be a better hitter than Casey Kotchman…

I usually always make up with people with whom I’ve had some sort of
falling out, so help me John Robinson, Isiah Robertson, Howard Cosell,
Reggie Smith, Tim Belcher, Steve Sax, Vic Cegles, ad nauseam. And now
I consider myself buds with Manny Ramirez. Who can figure?

Phil Trani spends at least 16 hours a day, seven days a week laboring
at his Long Beach Blvd. establishment. But on those rare occasions
when the famed restaurateur goes out on the town, he does it in style,
as he did last Friday night when he made the rounds in his limousine
with six lovelies in tow.

"Phil’s become the Hugh Hefner of Long Beach," cracked His Gray
Eminence, John Morris, fresh as ever…

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OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRPERSONS PREPARE RENEWED VERSION OF MADRID DOCUMENT

Noyan Tapan
July 28, 2009

YEREVAN, JULY 28, NOYAN TAPAN. The OSCE Misnk Group Co-Chairpersons
prepared the renewed version of the Madrid document at the July 25-26
working meeting taken place in Krakow. According to Minsk Group
American Co-Chairman Metthew Bryza, it creates basis for bringing
the fundamental principles of the Karabakh settlement to the final
appearance.

"The Co-Chairmen had an effective and creative discussions in
Krakow during the past few days. We most carefully thought over the
positions expressed by the two sides starting from November 2007, since
presentation of the Madrid document. Then, based on the instructions
presented by our three Presidents on July 10, 2009, we prepared the
renewed version of the Madrid document," M. Bryza said on July 27 in
the interview to Radio Liberty correspondent.

The OSCE Co-Chairpersons expressed gratitude to former President of
Armenia Robert Kocharian and former Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian
owing to efforts of whom it was managed to lay down the foundations of
the Madrid document. "We are also thankful to President Sargsyan and
Foreign Minister Nalbandian for the considerable progress which was
reached during difficult but constructive discussions. Owing to it, we
managed to leave the Madrid document behind. We now have a possibility
to bring the Fundamental Principles to the final appearance," M. Bryza
mentioned. In his words, Azerbaijan also had a constructive position,
though "President Aliyev and Foreing Minister Mamedyarov protect
their national interest just as their Armenian counterparts do."

The CIS countries heads’ regular meeting is envisaged in Chisinau
in early October during which the next meeting of the Presidents of
Armenia and Azerbaijan is possible to take place. The OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chairpersons’ regional visit is expected in September during which
the circle of issues to be discussed during Sargsyan-Aliyev October
negotiations will be defined.

ARMENIA HAS NO EXTERNAL DEBT SERVICE PROBLEM

ARKA
July 22, 2009

YEREVAN, July 22. /ARKA/. Armenia will not have any external debt
service problems, RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan told reporters.

According to him, all the debts the Armenian Government has
accumulated are with a long grace period at an annual interest rate
of 0.75%. Armenia can repay them for 45 years.

"We are trying to form a soft credit portfolio easy to serve in the
future," Sargsyan said.

He reminded the journalists that Armenia attracts funds from the
WB, IMF, ADB, as well as from Russia. The Russian credit has been
attracted at the highest annual interest rate (LIBOR+3%), with a
4-year grace period.

"At present Armenia has a number of agreements: with the IMF on the
attraction of US $620mln credits during the coming 3-4 years, with the
World Bank on US $540mln for four years, with Russia on US $500mln,
and with the Asian Development Bank on US $500mln," Sargsyan said.

According to him, the funds will allow the Government to improve the
country’s infrastructures and carry out reforms in various areas as
they are purpose loans.

The Premier stressed that Armenia has a rather "light" external debt,
which allowed of increase this year for the Government to carry through
anti-crisis reforms and temper the negative impact of external economic
factors on the country’s economic.

"Since the Armenian external debt is within 50% of the country’s GDP,
and Armenia has borrowed long-term low-interest credits, we are not
afraid of any problems with external debt service. Moreover, even if
we have any fears, we will not be able to attract external funds,"
Sargsyan said.

The Premier pointed out that, in cooperation with the WB and the IMF,
Armenia is implementing reforms and making long-term forecasts of
the macroeconomic situation in the country to assess possible risks.

As of March 31, 2009, Armenia’s national debt totaled 754bln AMD
against 563.5bln AMD on March 31. The country’s foreign debt totaled
US $1,778.8mln (657.9bln AMD) – an increase of US $237.1mln or 15.3% .

ADVICE TO SERGE SARGSYAN

Lragir.am
13:25:12 – 21/07/2009

On July 21, one of the founders of the "Miatsum" initiative,
Jirayr Sefilyan noted that the government, which he described as an
"anti-Armenian regime" rents intellectuals, academicians, artists,
who propagate that concessions should be made in the Nagorno-Karabakh
issue.

"I would like to advise Serge Sargsyan to stop this campaign, which
he started against the Armenian people. If he does not follow this
advice, we are going to prevent this campaign in some untraditional
way", stated Jirayr Sefilyan. What these non-standard ways are going
to be, Jirayr Sefilyan did not mention.

SERZH SARGSYAN: MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE IS NAGORNO KARABAKH STATUS, WHICH SHOULD BE DECIDED BY FREE WILL AND HAVE COMPULSORY LEGAL FORCE

Noyan Tapan
July 21, 2009

YEREVAN, JULY 21, NOYAN TAPAN. On July 20, RA President Serzh Sargsyan
receiving the European Union Troika led by Foreign Minister of
Sweden Carl Bildt, said that since its independence Armenia has always
attached importance to relations with the European Union and today also
considers them an important component of its foreign policy. Giving
assurance that the Eastern Partnership bases will become stronger
under Sweden’s chairmanship in EU, President Sargsyan said that the
Partnership gives possibilities to deepen relations not only with the
European Union, but also to carry out cooperation with the Eastern Six.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA President’s Press Office, at the
meeting, the sides had a detailed discussion over regional cooperation
issues, in particular, over the Nagorno Karabakh settlement.

S. Sargsyan said that he had discussed the problem with Azerbaijan’s
President three days before. In his words, the discussion was
held in a little different conditions as the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-chairs had already informed the public around what principles the
negotiations proceed. S. Sargsyan also considered it assistance to
some extent. "Unfortunately, the sides not always presented society
with the issues spoken about during the negotiations. In spite of this
circumstance, after Moscow discussions also our neighbor Azerbaijan
tries to present the agenda and meaning of the negotiations in another
way. Nevertheless, I can say that though with difficulty, there is some
porgress. You know that now we discuss the basic principles separated
from Madrid Principles, then we are to start elaboration of the main
agreement on their basis. I think it should become clear for everybody
that the most important issue is the Nagorno Karabakh status, which
should be decided by free will and should have a compulsory legal
force. When we are able to give a proper formulation to this problem
that will not cause any doubt, then I think the negotiations will
continue much more smoothly," S. Sargsyan said.

The meeting participants also discussed the issues on the EU-Armenia
agenda, in particular, touched upon the possibilities of signing an
agreement on associated membership, prospect of economic partnership,
agreement on deepened free trade, as well as democratic reforms
carried out in Armenia.

The possibilities of facilitation of granting entrance visas to EU
countries was also spoken about.

According to the report provided to Noyan Tapan by the RA Foreign
Ministry Press and Information Department, the same day RA Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian received the European Union Troika
delegation.

The Minister expressed satisfaction with the further expansion and
deepening of Armenia-EU cooperation year by year. Emphasizing the
importance of EU’s assisting Armenia’s development, E. Nalbandian
mentioned that Armenia will continue its foreign political course
of rapprochement with the European family and is going to carry out
proper steps and reforms in that direction.

Issues regarding Armenia-European Union relations, ways of
strengthening and expanding cooperation and joint steps to be
undertaken for that purpose were discussed at the meeting. The sides
emphasized with satisfaction that efficient cooperation in a number of
formats proceeds between Armenia and the European Union. The Foreign
Ministers also discussed issues related to deepening Armenian-Swedish
cooperation and mentioned with satisfaction that the contacts of the
two countries’ businessmen have become considerably active lately.

In connection with the normalization process of Armenian-Turkish
relations it was mentioned that the European Union supports steps
undertaken in that direction. Touching upon the Nagorno Karabakh
settlement negotiations process, the interlocutors reaffirmed that
problem’s settlement is only possible in a peaceful way, on the
basis of norms of international law, self-determination, territorial
integrity and principles of non-use of force or threat of force.

E. Nalbandian’s and C. Bildt’s joint press conference took place
after the meeting.

GEORGE OVASHVILI’S "THE OTHER BANK" WINS GOLDEN APRICOT FILM FESTIVAL

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
20.07.2009 12:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Golden Apricot 6th International Film Festival has
finished in Yerevan. The international jury announced the names of
the winners.

In the feature film competition Golden Apricot’s main prize went to
George Ovashvili for his "The Other Bank" (Georgia). Special Prize
Silver Apricot went to Michal Rosa for his "Scratch" (Poland). A
special prize from the head of Jury went to Ozcan Alper for his
"Autumn" (Turkey / Germany).

In the documentary competition Golden Apricot’s main prize went to
Anders Ostergaard for his "Burma VJ – Reporting from a Closed Country"
(Denmark). Special Prize Silver Apricot went to Sergey Bukovsky for
his "The Living" (Ukraine). Jury Special Prize went to Faiza Ahmad
Khan for his "Supermen of Malegaon"

In Armenian Panorama competition Golden Apricot’s main prize went to
Arka Manukyan for his film "With Love and Gratitude" (Armenia). Levon
Kalantar for his "Caucasian Niece" (Armenia) and Frédéric Balekdjian
for his "A World of Our Own" (France) were awarded Diplomas.

FIPRESCI award was given to Ozcan Alper for his "Autumn" (Turkey /
Germany). Ecumenical Jury award went to George Ovashvili for his
"The Other Bank" (Georgia), gaiff.am reports.

Today.Az, Azerbaijan
July 18 2009

Azerbaijani, Armenian presidents debated issues not touched upon so
far: Russian co-chair

18 July 2009 [10:48] – Today.Az

`Unfortunately, we can’t boast of any success in Moscow meeting of
presidents," said OSCE Minsk Group Russian co-chair Yuriy Merzlyakov
after the meeting between Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents Ilham
Aliyev and Serzh Sargsyan on July 17 in Moscow.

`However we think that there was considerable rapprochement on other
issues at the meeting’.

Merzlyakov said the presidents began to discuss the issues not toughed
upon so far.

`The presidents and we got an impression that it is possible to make a
decision and therefore the negotiations will be continued’.

The diplomat said US co-chair Matthew Bryza plans to visit the region
in August and French co-chair Bernard Fassier in early September and
joint visit of the co-chairs expected to take place in late September.

`As a result of these meetings we look forward to organize new meeting
in October’.

Merzlyakov said participation of the break-away Nagorno-Karabakh
republic in the negotiations was not discussed.

`We discussed only the issues on agenda related to the Basic
Principles only. The participation of Nagorno-Karabakh in the
negotiations was not on agenda today. We think that the participation
of the Nagorno Karabakh representatives in the negotiation can be
discussed after the agreement is reached on the Basic Principles’.

/APA/

URL:

Interfax, Russia
July 17 2009

Armenia-Azerbaijan summit on Nagorno-Karabakh opens

YEREVAN July 17

Armenia and Azerbaijan have begun their sixth summit on the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenian media said on Friday.

The Armenian and Azeri presidents, Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev,
are being accompanied by their foreign ministers at the meeting, held
in Moscow. The co-chairmen of the Minsk Group, an Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe body mediating in the conflict, are
present at the summit.

Sargsyan and Aliyev plan to hold one-to-one talks thereafter.

as rp