WORLD BANK LOAN WILL INCREASE BY 20 MILLION
LRAGIR.AM
23:13:40 – 17/04/2009
Today, during the meeting with the Armenian Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan, the head of the World Bank Armenian office Aristomene
Varudakis stated that another 20 million dollars will be added to the
loan of 525 million dollars allocated to Armenia. Aristomene Varudakis
said willful to cooperate with the donor countries and international
organizations which will express their wish to give loans to Armenia.
RAFFI HOVHANNISYAN NOT GOING TO LEAVE ARMENIA FOREVER
Lena Badeyan
"Radiolur"
17.04.2009 15:15
Leader of the "Heritage" Party Raffi Hovhannisyan is not going to leave
Armenia forever. The rumors started after Raffi Hovhannisyan first
refused form the chairmanship of the parliamentary faction, yielded
his places in the Armenian delegations to PACE and NATO to Zaruhi
Postanjyan and Styopa Safaryan, and disagreed with the decision of
the Party’s Board on the elections to the Yerevan City Council. Raffi
Hovhannisyan is assured that the Party was to participate in the
elections of May 31.
Speaking about the Armenian-Turkish relations, Raffi Hovhannisyan said:
"It’s their affair. Let them open if they want so. I think the Armenian
people have enough self-confidence to continue their struggle towards
solution of national issues, towards democracy and civil society even
under the regime of open borders. But we should not allow the opening
of the border to be used for extra concessions. They have closed the
border, and now let them think whether to open it or not."
ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVED TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER
AZG Armenian Daily
April 16 2009
Armenia
Armenian President Serzh Sargsian received Turkish Foreign Minister
Ali Babacan, who has arrived in Armenia to participate in the 20th
session of the foreign ministers’ council of the Black Sea Economic
Cooperation member countries, RA President’s press service reported.
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and Turkish Deputy Foreign
Minister Ertughrul Apakan also participated in the meeting.
Issues of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations were discussed
during the meeting.
UZBEKISTAN HAS NO PLANS TO QUIT CSTO – SECRETARY GENERAL
RIA Novosti
April 16, 2009
YEREVAN
The Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization
(CSTO) dismissed reports on Thursday that Uzbekistan was going to
pull out of the post-Soviet regional security group.
There are no grounds to say that Uzbekistan will quit the CSTO,"
Nikolai Bordyuzha said at a meeting of CSTO foreign ministers in
Yerevan. "I don’t see any reasons for it."
Uzbekistan refused to send a high-ranking diplomat to the meeting
in Yerevan "on procedural issues." The country had earlier suspended
its membership in the organization.
The CSTO comprises Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia,
Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
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From: [email protected]
Subject: Uzbekistan has no plans to quit CSTO – secretary general
Uzbekistan has no plans to quit CSTO – secretary general
20:09 | 16/ 04/ 2009
YEREVAN, April 16 (RIA Novosti) – The Secretary General of the
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) dismissed reports on
Thursday that Uzbekistan was going to pull out of the post-Soviet
regional security group.
There are no grounds to say that Uzbekistan will quit the CSTO,"
Nikolai Bordyuzha said at a meeting of CSTO foreign ministers in
Yerevan. "I don’t see any reasons for it."
Uzbekistan refused to send a high-ranking diplomat to the meeting in
Yerevan "on procedural issues." The country had earlier suspended its
membership in the organization.
The CSTO comprises Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia,
Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
_________________________________ _______________________________________
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GEORGIA’S FOREIGN MINISTER: TURKEY-ARMENIA BORDERS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO REOPEN – EXCLUSIVE
APA
April 15 2009
Azerbaijan
Washington. Zaur Hasanov – APA. Georgia’s Foreign Minister Grigol
Vashadze met with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during his visit
to Washington.
The Secretary of State said that the United States would continue
supporting Georgia’s steps towards independence and democracy.
After the meeting, to the question of APA’s US bureau about the
probability of the reopening of Turkey-Armenia borders and its impact
on Georgia’s trade turnover Vashadze said: "Turkey-Armenia borders
are not expected to reopen."
Asked how much Turkey-initiated Caucasus Stability and Cooperation
Platform served the cooperation in the region, Georgian Minister
said: "There are no relations between Georgia and Russia, between
Azerbaijan and Armenia. Despite this, Turkey wants everybody to
be reconciled. But it is impossible to achieve peace within this
format. Such issues require serious preparation, long and complicated
work. Another important issue is that each party of the negotiations
should realize that there will be no peace in the Caucasus unless the
norms of the international law are obeyed. Our region is very small,
there is no place for a 3rd, 4th, 18th state here."
ARS Armenian Private School
50 Hallcrown Place
Willowdale, ON M2J1P6
Raffi Sarkissian, Guidance Counselor
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 647-206- 4769
Armenian Students Against Genocide in Darfur
The students of A.R.S. Armenian Private School work to end genocide by
participating in a 24 hour fast.
Toronto, ON. (April 7, 2009) – On April 17, more than 45 students from the
A.R.S. Armenian Private School will be participating in 24 in April for
Darfur, a twenty four hour fast dedicated to raising funds for and
awareness about the ongoing genocide in Darfur and to simultaneously
commemorate the 94th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide which is normally
marked on April 24, thus the significance of the 24 hours.
1.4 million young people are directly affected by the Darfur crisis in
Sudan, Africa, a devastating conflict beginning its 6th year in April 2009.
Because of the resulting violence and instability, more than half of all
children cannot attend school, and there are few other opportunities
available to them. They are also at high risk for severe malnutrition,
violence and being recruited into armed groups. Fundraising proceeds will
support War Child Canada’s projects on the ground, and Save Darfur Canada’s
advocacy work here at home.
WHAT: The A.R.S. Armenian Private School 24 in April for Darfur
WHEN: Friday April 17, 2009 (starting at 5pm) to
Saturday April 18, 2009 (ending at 5pm)
WHERE: A.R.S. Armenian Private School
50 Hallcrown Place
Willowdale, ON
M2J1P6
All the students participating are the decedents of the survivors from the
Armenian Genocide and have vowed to work collectively to insure the
atrocities and consequences of the crime of genocide are not experienced by
any other community. Nareh Galustiants the Vice President of the club said
`As Canadian Armenians we are obliged to strive to establish a society free
from discrimination and a world free from the horrors of genocide. It is not
only never again for us but never again for the world’ The event is
organized by the school’s Humanitarian Club which is comprised of students
from various grades.
Throughout the twenty four hours, the students will participate in various
workshops, seminars, and activities geared towards equipping them with the
knowledge and skills required to become a positive contributor in the
Toronto community at large. Certain students from the Eleventh Grade will
also share with the group their experiences from the newly developed TDSB
course Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity.
If you would like to set up an interview or would like more information,
please contact:
Raffi Sarkissian
Guidance Counselor
[email protected]
(647) 206- 4769
LAST REMNANT OF THE IRON CURTAIN SET TO FALL IN VICTORY FOR FOOTBALL DIPLOMACY: ARMENIA
by Tony Halpin
The Times
April 14, 2009 Tuesday
London
A potholed road runs through the village of Margara into a barbed-wire
fence that marks Europe’s last Cold War frontier. All that separates
Armenia and Turkey is a narrow bridge across the River Araks and
almost a century of enmity that began with the massacres of Armenians
in Ottoman Turkey in 1915 and continued with the Iron Curtain that
divided the Soviet Union from the West.
The Soviet legacy in the Caucasus and the painful burden of history
have conspired to keep the border closed long after the end of the Cold
War. Now more than 70 years of separation may be only weeks from ending
as relations between Turkey and Armenia undergo a remarkable thaw.
The opening of the border is being seen as a pivotal moment in
Turkey’s rise as a major force in the Caucasus and beyond to Central
Asia. With Russia also resurgent in the Caucasus after last summer’s
war with Georgia the stage is being set for an intensified struggle
for control of the region’s energy resources.
Russian and Turkish troops eye each other warily from observation
towers on either side of the bridge. The Russian Army patrols the
border under a security agreement with Armenia and, with Turkey in
Nato, this is the last place where
the former Cold War foes still confront each other across a sealed
border.
Turkey refused to establish diplomatic relations with Armenia
after it became independent in 1992 because of a dispute over border
recognition. Ankara denies Armenian charges of genocide and is fearful
of a claim for land in eastern Turkey once occupied by Armenians.
Turkey briefly allowed trucks to cross the border in 1992 to
deliver wheat to Armenia, where the population risked starvation
as its Soviet-era economy collapsed. It sealed the border in 1993
in protest at Armenia’s war with Azerbaijan for Nagorno-Karabakh,
a Soviet enclave populated largely by Armenians.
Repeated negotiations, often secret, failed to end the stand-off but
a bout of "football diplomacy" brought a breakthrough in September
when President Sargsyan of Armenia invited President Gul of Turkey to
watch the two countries play a World Cup qualifying match in Yerevan,
the capital.
Mr Gul accepted and invited Mr Sargsyan to watch the return match in
Turkey in October. Mr Sargsyan has said that he wants to cross the
land border to go to the game.
Ali Babacan, the Turkish Foreign Minister, is expected in Yerevan
on Thursday for a meeting of the Black Sea Economic Co-operation
Organisation, only nine days before Armenia traditionally marks the
anniversary of the genocide.
He is not expected to announce a date for the opening of the bo rder
but all sides believe that it is close.
Richard Giragosian, director of the Armenian Centre for National
and International Studies, said that he expected the opening of the
border to be followed by diplomatic recognition and an agreement to
establish joint commissions dealing with everything from trade and
transport issues to the genocide.
"This is the first time that both sides have been ready and willing
at the same time and this, combined with Russian support, makes me
optimistic," he said.
"It’s a Turkish effort but also part of a Russia-Turkish warming that
I think is only temporary because they are inherently rivals in the
long term."
The West views the Caucasus as a key channel for pipelines to link
Central Asia’s massive oil and gas reserves with Europe, bypassing
Russia. The opening of the border has special resonance in Margara,
however, an impoverished village 40km (25 miles) from Yerevan, where
refugees crossed the river to safety.
The snow-capped peak of Mount Ararat also stands tantalisingly out
of reach, rising majestically above farmland 40km inside Turkey. The
biblical resting place for Noah’s Ark is sacred to Armenians, who
were the world’s first state to adopt Christianity.
Kostan Piliposyan, 75, told The Times that he was eager to visit
Ararat and to see his mother’s birthplace in nearby Igdir when the
border opened.
Then he dissolved into tears as he recal led how she had left behind
her dead parents as she fled the genocide.
"Of course, Turkey doesn’t want to talk about this question," he
said. "But it will be good for Armenia that the border is open. The
Turks are also people and we need to talk and trade with each other,
so let them come."
Thawing relations
1915 Armenia claims that the Young Turks, the dominant party in the
Ottoman Empire, arranged the killing of 1.5 million Armenians
1920 Armenia invaded by Turkey and Russia. An agreement with the
Bolsheviks leads to Armenia proclaiming itself a socialist republic
1993 Turkey shuts its border with Armenia after separatists fight
for independence in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh
2001 Armenia becomes a full member of the Council of Europe.
France ignores Turkish objections and introduces a law stating that
Ottoman Turks committed genocide against Armenians in 1915
2005 Turkey says that it is ready for political relations with Armenia
and proposes joint commission to investigate the 1915 killings
2008 Talks accelerated after Turkish President attends a Turkey-Armenia
football match in Yerevan
MANOYAN: DIALOGUE WITH TURKEY COULD HURT ARMENIA
n-dialogue-with-turkey-could-hurt-armenia/
April 14, 2009
YEREVAN (Combined Sources)-Dialogue with Turkey could hurt Armenia,
said ARF political director Giro Manoyan on April 13 during a press
conference.
Manoyan emphasized that any agreement made on opening the
Turkey-Armenia border must come with documents on the establishment
of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Speaking at a news conference on April 10, President Serge Sarkisian
said Armenia would "emerge from this process stronger" because the
international community would have no doubts about its commitment to
an unconditional normalization in Turkey-Armenia relations.
"In a sense, we share the president’s opinion," said Manoyan, "but it
all depends on how long those negotiations will continue and whether
or not we will lose something else in the process."
Until now, he said, Armenia has successfully avoided the inclusion of
the Nagorno-Karabagh peace process in its discussions with Turkey. Yet,
the recent vocal opposition to any agreement between Armenia and
Turkey by Azerbaijan could compel Turkey to take a second look.
In the event that Turkey yields to Azeri demands, the talks will
crumble, Manoyan said.
Turkey has entered into this "normalization" process because of its
regional interests, he added, and talk of an impending agreement was
strategically planned to ward off any possible recognition of the
Armenian Genocide by President Barack Obama, who had made a campaign
pledge to properly characterize the events of 1915 as genocide.
"One of the reasons why Turkey began the negotiations is to prevent
Obama from uttering the word ‘genocide’ on April 24," he told
journalists. "And if the Turks succeed in doing that, I think we will
not emerge stronger, whatever the outcome of the negotiations."
Obama avoided using the term during his visit to Turkey in early
April, saying he did not want to undermine Turkish-Armenian talks,
which "could bear fruit very quickly, very soon."
However, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has since twice
stated that Turkey will not establish diplomatic relations with
Armenia nor open the Turkish-Armenian border before a resolution of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "We will not sign a final deal with
Armenia unless there is agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia on
Nagorno-Karabagh," Erdogan said on April 10, according to the Anatolia
news agency.
In his press conference, Manoyan repeated that any agreement between
Armenia and Turkey should not call into question the veracity of
the Armenian Genocide. He also said that the ARF would publish
its assessment of the political and economic implications on of an
Armenian-Turkey agreement Armenia in the near future.
"ECONOMIC CRISIS" CONFERENCE – POVERTY LEVELS TO RISE IN ARMENIA
hetq.am/en/society/7653/
2009/04/14 | 13:58
Society economy
A conference entitled "Social Impact of the Global Economic Crisis on
Armenia" kicked-off today in Yerevan. The objective of the conference
is to discuss consequences of the global economic and financial crisis
and find measures to mitigate its impact on vulnerable groups. The
conference brought together around 120 participants to debate the
issue and to come up with possible avenues to mitigate the impact.
Organized by the Ministry of Labor and Social Issues, the United
Nations (UN), World Bank (WB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF)
offices in Armenia the conference brings together some 120 participants
from Armenia and abroad.
Representatives from international organizations warned that the
global economic and financial crisis could have a serious impact on
the Armenian economy and affect the country’s ability to achieve the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. UN, WB and IMF officials
stated that while the effects on the Armenian economy are already being
felt, the population is now starting to feel the social impact as well.
The exposure and impact of the crisis varies across countries and
sectors, but it is becoming clear that what started as an economic
crisis is now turning into a human development crisis. During the first
two months of 2009 the unemployment rate in Armenia has increased,
while the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has decreased by 3.7 percent
compared to the same period in 2008. Moreover, non-commercial private
transfers dropped by about 35 percent in February 2009 compared with
a year earlier.
According to the World Bank report on "Implications of the Global
Economic Crisis for Poverty in Armenia," the current crisis could
push 172,000 more people below the poverty line in 2009-10, increasing
the total number of poor to an estimated 906,000 people, out of which
297,000 people will be "in extreme poverty". A large part of Armenia’s
gains in reducing poverty over the last years would be erased.
"In many developing countries, the consequences of the crisis could be
a possible reversal of the gains in human development and progress
towards the achievement of the MDGs, especially in the areas of
healthcare, including reduction of child mortality, improvement
of maternity health, and education," said Ms. Consuelo Vidal, UN
Resident Coordinator.
Acknowledging the government’s commitment to maintain the current
level of funding for the social sector, including salaries, pensions,
family and other benefits, UN Agencies will support the government’s
efforts in devising solutions that will draw together all stakeholders,
including international organizations, private sector and the civil
society. In addition, the UN in Armenia is in the process of tailoring
its current programmes to address the needs of those most affected
by the crisis.
"We need to be fast and flexible and seek cost-effective solutions to
emerging problems, particularly, focusing on bringing international
experience and knowledge to help in developing recovery mechanisms,"
Ms. Vidal emphasized.
"Economic growth in Armenia has led to substantial poverty reduction,
but these achievements are now at risk. The global economic crisis
will have potentially serious implications for poverty and this
calls for significant responses by the Government of Armenia and its
development partners," said Aristomene Varoudakis, World Bank Armenia
Country Manager.
PanARMENIAN.Net
Intermediate resumes of the Armenian foreign policy
Karine Ter-Sahakyan
Armenia is not determined to yield to Turkey or to any other country
in the issue of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide or
to compromise with regulation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
09.04.2009 GMT+04:00
The year since inauguration of the third Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan introduced some changes in foreign policy of the country,
without changing at the same time the priority directions, stipulated
in the Declaration of Independence of Armenia. And if summits were, to
some extent, expected, two events were utterly significant both for
Armenia and for the entire region.
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ However it should be noted that but for the August
war between Georgia and South Ossetia and the subsequent aggravation
of Russian-Georgian relations, there would possibly be neither the
Meindorf Declaration, nor all the more, the historical visit of the
Turkish President to Yerevan.
The first step towards the resume of Armenian-Turkish dialogue was
taken during the celebration of the 10th anniversary of Astana, the
capital of Kazakhstan, where Serzh Sargsyan and Abdullah Gul in rather
an unrestrained situation exchanged a pair of words, which in its turn
caused a storm of `indignation’ in the Azeri press¦ It was quite
expected that concrete steps might follow the meeting, and they really
did. The President of Armenia invited his Turkish associate to the
football match between the teams of Armenia and Turkey in Yerevan. Let
us directly say that Abdullah Gul simply could not refuse, otherwise
the image of Turkey would suffer in the world arena. As for Armenia,
the President’s initiative gave her a considerably great number of
dividends. After Gul’s arrival, Armenian-Turkish talks, which before
then used to be held in the atmosphere of secrecy, became more
open. In the end, the negotiations may not even lead to the opening of
the Armenian-Turkish border, but the fact of conducting negotiations
is already good. And what is probably most important – Armenia for
some obscure economic benefits is not going to yield to Turkey or to
any other country in the issue of international recognition of the
Armenian Genocide or to compromise with regulation of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. With the help of President Sargsyan the
term `football diplomacy’ took roots in the world policy, just like
the term `ping-pong diplomacy’ which marked the beginning of
restoration of American-Chinese relations in the 70’s of last century.
The second significant event was the signing of the Meindorf
Declaration on peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
although both these events are interconnected. Let us not forget that
it was Turkey that proposed the `Platform of Stability and Cooperation
in the Caucasus’, while signing of the declaration was simply Russia’s
answer. It is also appropriate to recall that signing of the
declaration took place directly before the Presidential Elections in
the United States. A month later a similar declaration was issued at
the summit of OSCE Foreign Affairs leaders. However, none of the
declarations drew nearer the solution of the Karabakh conflict the way
it is seen to the `arbiters’ of the fate of Karabakh Armenians, who
actually do not understand why to solve what was already solved in
1994. Thus, all the words on `golden opportunity’, `window’ and
`advance’ are simply diplomatic figures called to conceal inaction
and, in majority of cases, to simply hide the reluctance to examine
the labyrinths of the Caucasian policy.
As far as the Karabakh problem is concerned, according to the
President of Armenia, the happiest day in his life will be the one,
when Azerbaijan will recognize the right of Nagorno- Karabakh people
to self-determination, and Karabakh will either become an independent
country or it will join Armenia. `On that day I will resign and will
give up politics. But the process of resolution of Karabakh conflict
is not at a deadlock. I believe there is a possibility of peaceful
resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Otherwise I would not
have run for the post of the RA President,’ said Serzh Sargsyan.
We shall only add to the aforesaid that in the past year the relations
Armenia-EU, Armenia-NATO grew stronger, to say nothing of bilateral
relations with the USA, Russia, Iran, France and Germany. And lastly,
Armenia became a participant in the program of the European Commission
`Eastern Partnership’.