ASTROPHYSICIST VICTOR HAMBARDZUMYAN’S MEMORIAL TO BE UNVEILED IN YEREVAN DEC.15
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
14.12.2009 16:01 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Renowned Armenian scientist, astrophysicist Victor
Hambardzumyan’s memorial will be unveiled nearby Yerevan’s observatory
tomorrow, on December 15.
The event is dated to the 100th birth anniversary of Hambardzumyan,
the founder of the universally known Byurakan observatory.
MILITARY SHOWDOWN IN NKR IS ALWAYS REAL: SAFAR ABIYEV
NEWS.am
14:33 / 12/12/2009
If Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is not settled within Azerbaijani
territorial integrity, the war is inevitable, Azerbaijani Defense
Minister Safar Abiyev stated, December 12.
"The military showdown in Karabakh conflict is always real,
and everybody should know this. All will depend on outcomes of
negotiations, that we currently expect," he said. According to him,
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry always keeps army at constant readiness
state.
Meanwhile, Abiyev outlined that specific steps will be launched in this
direction based on the follow-up to the talks. "OSCE MG Co-Chairs put
forward new initiatives, hold consultations, which means negotiation
process progresses," he concluded.
ARMENTEL OPENS 81ST SALE & SERVICE OFFICE IN YEREVAN
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
10.12.2009 19:31 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Beeline sale & service offices are offering qualified
assistance in a wide range of issues.
"Over the last months we’ve opened dozens of new offices, with the
framework of service quality improvement policy," Armentel (Beeline
trademark) Director General Igor Klimko reported.
Currently, 81 Beeline sale & service offices are operating in Armenia,
25 of them in Yerevan. The new office is located at Erebuni 18/5
address.
DARCHINYAN VOWS TO KEEP SUPER FLYWEIGHT BELTS
(AFP)
10/12/09
RANCHO MIRAGE, California – Australia’s Vic Darchinyan vowed to defend
his super flyweight world titles in a desert duel with Mexico’s Tomas
Rojas on Saturday.
The Armenian-born Darchinyan, disappointed in a bamtamweight title
bid in July, said there’s no way Rojas will take his World Boxing
Council and World Boxing Association super flyweight belts.
"I am a fully loaded gun and will shoot him down with my boxing
skills," Darchinyan said.
Darchinyan is the favorite, despite dropping a unanimous points
decision to Ghana’s International Boxing Federation bantamweight
champ Joseph Agbeko.
In his super flyweight comfort zone, Darchinyan has already won once
this year, punishing Mexico’s Jorge Arce for 11 rounds before the
fight was stopped on doctor’s advice.
A battered Arce was hospitalized overnight in the wake of that fight
in Anaheim, California, in February.
Darchinyan, who boasts a record of 32-2-1 with 26 knockouts, had
unified the super flyweight titles before moving up to fight Agbeko.
He scoffed at Rojas’ assertion this week that the belts would go to
the challenger.
"Team Rojas can believe what they want to believe," Darchinyan said.
"They say they are going to take me out and take my belts?
"How does he figure that when I have beaten every opponent he has
fought?"
That includes, perhaps most notably, Arce – who posted a technical
knockout victory over Rojas in 2007. Rojas brings a record of 32-10
with 22 knockouts to the bout.
The fight at Agua Caliente casino is on the undercard of the light
welterweight clash between unbeaten Timothy Bradley and Lamont
Peterson, for Bradley’s lightly regarded World Boxing Organization
title.
"I’m willing to die for that title," said Bradley, who brings a
record of 24-0 (11 KOs) to the fight just outside his hometown of
Palm Springs, California. "I’ve got to have it.
"I know I’m going to hell and back to get it because Lamont Peterson
(27-0, 13 KOs) is a great fighter."
The hard-working Bradley burst to prominence in 2008 with a light
welterweight title victory over Junior Witter.
He followed with a gritty decision over Kendall Holt – in which he
survived two knockdowns – and an impressive display against Nate
Campbell that was eventually classed a no contest because of a
head-butt that caused a cut.
PHILIP GORDON: NAGORNO KARABAKH IMPORTANT INDEPENDENTLY OF ANY OTHER ISSUES
PanARMENIAN.Net
10.12.2009 12:18 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Nagorno Karabakh is important independently of
any other issues, said Philip H. Gordon, U.S. Assistant Secretary of
State for European and Eurasian Affairs.
"As a co-chairing country of the OSCE Minsk Group, the U.S. is
engaged in the process of resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict," he said. "It’s important not only because we see it as a
link to Turkish-Armenian relationship, but also because it could be a
contribution to peace and stability in the region, that both Azerbaijan
and Armenia would benefit from. It is something we care about."
Mr. Gordon said Washington supports the Turkish-Armenian reconciliation
process. "We would like to see the protocols ratified, since it will
help establishment of peace and stability in the region."
"Successful accomplishment of both processes will be a historic
breakthrough for the region," he said, Trend.az reported.
TURKISH PM DODGES GENOCIDE RESOLUTION ISSUE
Tert.am
11:16 ~U 08.12.09
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday met with
President Barack Obama at the White House.
"Turkey and the United States enjoy a special partnership," Erdogan
told reporters after meeting with Obama. "Terrorism is our common
enemy, and we are doing everything in our capacity to ensure success
in our joint struggle."
Speaking through an interpreter, in an ornate hotel room crowded with
Turkish reporters, Erdogan sidestepped questions about whether he
explicitly raised the Armenian Genocide resolution issue with Obama,
reports
Repeatedly, though, Turkish officials have stressed through diplomatic,
political and economic channels that they would react viscerally
to passage of a congressional genocide resolution. The White House
meetings Monday further underscored the multi-faceted nature of
relations between the two countries.
Obama and Erdogan talked about Turkey’s role in NATO and in
Afghanistan, where Turkey currently has 1,750 soldiers helping train
Afghan police. The president and prime minister also discussed Turkey’s
cooperation in stabilizing Iraq and working with Iran, two countries
with which Turkey shares borders.
"I am incredibly optimistic about the prospect of stronger and stronger
ties between the United States and Turkey," Obama said.
"The meeting was based on mutual trust and mutual sincerity,"
Erdogan said.
Obama said Monday that he "encouraged" Erdogan to continue along
the path of normalizing relations with Armenia. The Turkish and
Armenian foreign ministers signed a protocol setting out the stages
for normalizing relations, but so far neither country’s parliament
has ratified the protocol.
Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Dec 6 2009
Experts focus on Karabakh as top issue in Obama-ErdoÄ?an talks
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Å?AFAK TÄ°MUR
ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News
Turkey will ask the United States to push Armenia to withdraw from
Karabakh during a meeting between the U.S. and Turkish leaders,
international relations experts told the Hürriyet Daily News &
Economic Review.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an and U.S. President Barack
Obama will meet Monday in Washington, D.C.
The experts were asked about Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and
Turkey-Armenia relations. Most of them emphasized that Turkey would
ask the United States to push Armenia on the Karabakh issue, while
other said ratifying protocols is also a critical matter.
SABRİ SAYARI ` Professor, Sabancı University
Afghanistan: `It is clear that both the government and the parliament
are against Turkey sending combat troops, but contributions to other
fields might be possible,’ said Sayarı, recalling that the National
Security Council, or MGK, had decided not to send combat troops to
Afghanistan. But it is difficult to estimate the content of Turkey’s
contributions to other fields, Sayarı said, adding, `It can be
logistical help.’
Iraq: The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq will be an issue, Sayarı
said: `It is understood that the U.S. will pull out its forces through
next August, and a significant part of this withdrawal would be over
Turkey. This is a serious issue for the United States. [ErdoÄ?an] might
give messages of support.’ Kirkuk was another possible topic of
discussion, according to Sayarı.
Iran: `This is the most sensitive issue because the views of the two
countries are not in harmony. Turkey would say it would help [the
U.S.] if it negotiates with Iran rather than using military means, and
the U.S. would not approve of that.’
Armenia-Turkey relations: `Turkey would say that we agreed on
protocols, but for its approval in the Turkish Parliament, an
improvement in Karabakh is needed. The U.S. would say they would work
on it, but Turkey would need the protocol to be approved in
Parliament.’
Ä°LTER TURAN ` Professor, Bilgi University
Afghanistan: `Turkey already made significant contributions to the
NATO mission in Afghanistan. Maybe an increase in the number of
non-fighter forces will constitute a topic of discussion. A broadening
of the description of the Turkish forces’ mission may be possible, but
only on the condition that this does not include combat duties.’
Iran: `Turkey has made it clear that it is against military
interventions and sanctions that it considers to be ineffective.
Nevertheless, the prime minister will probably have to concede that
Turkey will abide by the decisions of the U.N. Security Council
concerning Iran.’
Iraq: `The effective cooperation against the PKK [Kurdistan Workers’
Party] should be continued and advanced further. The status of Kirkuk
as part of Iraq should be maintained. Turkey would continue to
cooperate with the U.S. and do its best to contribute to the
maintenance of peace and stability and the enhancement of Iraq’s
economic prosperity.’
Armenia-Turkey relations: `Turkey wants to continue its opening
policy. The continuation of this policy is contingent on Armenia’s
initial withdrawal from Azerbaijani territories, which it has invaded.
U.S. support is needed to persuade Armenia to agree on a plan to
withdraw from occupied regions.’
SEMIH Ä°DÄ°Z ` Columnist, Milliyet
Afghanistan: `Turkey is ready for a contribution to Afghanistan but
will not send combat troops there. Turkey wants to have a role in
training and passive security duties. It cannot come out of this
format; there is a Security Council decision and also other
statements.’
Iran: Turkey will be slightly passive about Iran, although it will say
the doors of dialogue should not be closed, according to Ä°diz, who
said Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has raised the bar so high
that there is nothing left to discuss. `The prime minister might
receive demands [from the U.S] to convince Iran. I do not think that
ErdoÄ?an will be able to have a proactive approach about Iran,’ Ä°diz
said. `Ahmadinejad did not help his friend [ErdoÄ?an] that much on this
issue.’
Iraq: `The message saying, `We should continue working together.
Iraq’s territorial integrity and stability is important,’ will be
given to the U.S.’
Turkey-Armenia relations: `ErdoÄ?an is going to say that Turkey is
serious and the government is determined [about the Armenian opening.]
He declared this to the public a couple of times as well. He is also
going to say that an improvement on the Karabakh issue will have a
positive impact [on Turkey] and accelerate the process.’
MEHMET YEGÄ°N ` Expert, International Strategic Research Organization
Afghanistan: `Turkey is going to insist on not sending combat troops
to Afghanistan,’ Yegin said. As a country trying to increase its soft
power in the region and do business in the region by hiding its
military aspect, he added, sending combat troops would be a serious
departure from Turkey’s policy.
Iraq: Turkey’s cooperation on Iraq will increase, according to Yegin,
as its reservations about the PKK are eliminated. `Especially about
northern Iraq, Turkey was standing back even about naming [that
region], but now Turkey has close relations and contact on diplomatic
grounds. Opening a consulate in the northern Iraqi capital is being
debated,’ he said.
Iran: `Turkey has close relations with Iran, and after this it is
difficult to move with the United States. An intermediary role for
Turkey? Both sides and especially Iran had not accepted this. So an
intermediary role again for Turkey for now, I do not know. What is for
Turkey’s benefit is to reduce the tension between Iran and the U.S.
and to prevent any harm for itself in case of a possible conflict.’
Turkey-Armenia relations: `ErdoÄ?an should give a message to the U.S.
to push Armenia to withdraw from Karabakh. If this is done, peace will
come. If not, all of the improvements will stop.’
JAMES H. HOLMES ` President, American-Turkish Council
Afghanistan/Pakistan: `Turkey has a lot of experience in the region
and is already making numerous valuable contributions, but the needs
are huge. If Turkey would accept a larger responsibility for the
security training objectives, that would be a huge assist to the
president and his plan, and an acceptable alternative to the priority
preference of combat forces.’
Iraq: `Here, too, Turkey has made substantial contributions through
its diplomatic, training and economic efforts in both Baghdad and
Arbil. Truly a remarkable turn-around in Turkey-Iraq diplomacy and
relations in the past 18 months. The U.S. needs to reaffirm to Turkey
that as it draws down its forces in Iraq, it remains sensitive to the
premier requirement of leaving behind a unitary Iraq.’
Iran: `The U.S. believes Turkey when it says that it is no less
concerned about a nuclear Tehran, and that Ankara speaks very directly
and candidly with Tehran about those concerns. But the optics of this
have been all wrong from Washington’s perspective. Washington probably
does not object to Ankara developing good relations with Tehran, and
likely even sees some advantages to it. But the PR proportions have
been wrong: Ankara cannot put its arm around Ahmadinejad and say he is
the victim of nuclear gossip when all the world knows [from the IAEA
report] that he’s thumbing his nose at the U.N. and the enormous
efforts being made by others to resolve the matter diplomatically.’
Turkey-Armenia relations: `Find some way to keep making progress on
the protocols. The U.S. also doesn’t want to lose Azerbaijan in the
process and will accelerate its efforts in the Minsk process. It will
require some political courage, but Washington is convinced that
diplomatic normalization can lead to speedy progress on
[Nagorno-Karabakh] issues. Step-by-step, because the `big bang’
solution would not work.’
Steve Larrabee ` Senior Political Scientist, Rand Corporation
Iran: `Obama will try to persuade ErdoÄ?an of the need for tougher
sanctions against Iran if Tehran continues to reject the offer to ship
its nuclear fuel for processing outside Iran and comply with IAEA
regulations,’ Larrabee said, adding that this is the most critical
issue between the two countries. He said a refusal by ErdoÄ?an to
support tougher sanctions against Tehran on such an important
international security issue could seriously damage Turkey’s relations
with the U.S. and European allies.
Afghanistan: `Obama will try to persuade ErdoÄ?an to increase Turkey’s
commitment in Afghanistan, but knowing Turkey’s reluctance to send
more combat troops, he will probably settle for an increase of other
forms of non-combat support.’
Iraq: `Obama would express support for Turkey’s recent efforts to
improve relations with the Kurdish regional government as well as the
domestic `Kurdish opening,’ encouraging ErdoÄ?an to continue both,’
Larrabee said, adding that Obama would also encourage Turkey to
increase its cooperation with the new Iraqi government. According to
Larrabee, Obama will reiterate his commitment to withdraw the bulk of
U.S. forces from Iraq by 2011 but leave open the possibility of
maintaining a small residual force to train Iraqi military and police
forces if the Iraqi government wants such a U.S. force to stay.
Turkey-Armenia relations: Obama will express strong support for
Turkey’s effort to improve relations with Armenia, Larrabee said. At
the same time, he added, the U.S. president will emphasize the
importance of closely coordinating future steps with Baku in order to
avoid a serious deterioration of relations with Azerbaijan.
p?n=push-armenia-to-withdraw-from-karabakh-2009-12 -06
Turkish PM Erdogan makes a condition to White House in terms of
resolution of Turkish-Armenian issue
04 December 2009 [18:29] – Today.Az
`We have announced to the U.S. representatives since the beginning
that if you want to resolve Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, you should also
resolve the Turkish-Armenian issue. Otherwise, you will fail to
resolve it,’ Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in his
interview with Azerbaijan’s local ANS TV channel.
Erdogan said the conflict will be resolved if the members of OSCE
Minsk Group, U.S., France and Russia make more efforts to resolve it.
He noted that Karabakh issue will also be discussed at a meeting with Obama.
`This is because the Turkish-Armenian issue and the Nagorno-Karabakh
problem are interrelated. I told it to Barack Obama and Dmitry
Medvedev, to which they replied: "We will accelerate this question.’
`If Mr. Obama and Medvedev show will and the Sargsyan-Aliyev
negotiations mark progress, I believe there will be a positive result.
If the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is settled, the Turkish-Armenian
problem will also be finally resolved,’ Erdogan said.
3 Armenian Wushu fighters become World Cup champions
05.12.2009 17:36 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ 4 sportsmen represented Armenia in Wushu World Cup
in Sao Paulo (Brazil). As Tigran Chobanyan, president of the Judo
Federation of Armenia told a PanARMENAIN.Net reporter, he is pleased
with the results of the championships. ”Three out of four our
athletes won gold medals. The champion of Europe Sasun Hayrapetyan
(w/c 65, Yerevan) was unable to continue the fight due to injury,”
Tigran Chobanyan said.
The following athletes won gold medals in World Cup:
w/c 48 Garik Tevanyan (Armash)
w/c to 56 Karen Sahakyan (Vanadzor)
w/c to 70 Haroutyun Simonyan (Armenia).
O Tata!
By Tamar Kevonian
Asbarez
Dec 4th, 2009
The cluster of young women, dressed in their logo-ed shirts and black
skirts look sleek and professional. They are here to promote a
magazine. A few minutes before the floor manager is ready to open the
house, they rush past the guests waiting in line and make their way
towards the tables set up for them. Excitement is high. Over three
thousand Armenians have made the 250 mile trip to Las Vegas, Nevada to
hear the greatest Armenian pop star of today.
The room, lit by candles and the wash of lights from the stage, is a
sea of tables. Waiters, with glowing white napkins slung over their
arms, stand at attention next to each table and face the doors. The
women quickly prepare their wares and, mimicking the waiters, stand at
their post in anticipation. All is ready.
The guests begin to filter in through the doors and soon the room is
full. Excited voices are drowned out by the music playing overhead.
The women on duty, all in their twenties, smile at the guests hoping
to be given the opportunity to tell them about their wonderful
product, but alas, they are thwarted. Although the patrons look at the
poster next to the table and glance at the beautifully arranged
magazines, they quickly look away when eye contact is made.
`Don’t worry, this is going to be a better crowd,’ one of them says,
referring to the evening before when half the number of people
attended the concert of yet another Armenian singer.
`Yeah, this crowd is better dressed,’ the other girl responds. `Last
night they couldn’t even speak English.’ She says it jokingly but
there is a truth in her statement and it is telling. A mere
twenty-four hours before, with the same level of preparedness and
enthusiasm, the women made the same presentation. As the evening wore
on, their energy ebbed away and was replaced by frustration and
disdain for the attendees.
`I can’t believe these people,’ one of them exclaimed at the end of
the evening the night before. `They walk right past us and ignore us.’
`Especially the women.’
`And the men come up with stupid excuses. Do they think we’re stupid?’
`To avoid buying the magazine, they tell us they don’t speak English,
in English!’
`One guy even claimed to have dropped out of school in the fourth
grade to avoid subscribing. But he kept telling other people that it
was great and they should subscribe.’ They all shook their heads in
disbelief.
`Tonight is a much more mixed crowd,’ chimed in one of the women as a
form of encouragement, `I see a lot of Barsgahyes
(Persian-Armenians).’
In contrast to attendees of the night before who were predominantly
Hayastansti (those from Armenia), tonight’s crowd was a more of a
mixture of a variety of Diasporan Armenians. Although many were still
from Armenia, there was a healthy representation of Armenians with
roots from Iran or the Middle East.
The next day, during the long drive home, the subject of the
differences amongst the various Armenians became the topic of a lively
discussion. The women themselves hail from the various corners of the
Diaspora -Armenia, Europe, the Middle East and the United States.
`Some people were so rude. One woman even turned her back to me while
I was talking to her.’
`Yeah, but some were really nice. One woman bought copies of the
magazine for everyone on her table.’
`The ones really interested were not Hayastansti,’ observed one of the
women and in fact, the majority of subscription sales were done by the
Diasporan Armenians in the audience.
`Growing up in Europe where there were so few Armenians, anytime an
Armenian event took place, everyone flocked to it. And if anything
Armenian was being sold, we all bought everything. I still do that
today.’
`Here it’s almost like they don’t care.’
`I think Hayastansti’s approach is that they are Armenian and don’t
have the need to prove it. While the rest of us, who were born and
raised in the Diaspora and are children of Diasporans, always feel a
need to define ourselves,’ one of the women says. She is describing
the collective feeling of being identified as an `other’ in the
countries in which Armenians have attempted to set down roots –
starting in the Ottoman Empire, then onto the post Genocide Middle
East and finally into Europe. `Armenians from Muslim countries are
like that more than anyone else.’
`Hayastansti’s don’t feel they need to participate in the structure of
the community,’ remarks one of the women. What she means is that
organizations, that Hayastansti’s shun, have sustained the community
while instilling the spirit of being Armenian into the next
generation. They established the foundation that makes the
re-establishment into the newly adopted countries a much easier
process for the new arrivals. Cities such as Glendale, California,
with its predominantly Armenian population, allows for the luxury of
conducting the daily business of living without uttering a single word
of English.
But like all great cities of the Diaspora, Glendale too shall pass and
become a footnote in the long history of Armenians. All who took their
ethnic identity for granted will find themselves in a new land
creating a new community and hungrily seeking out all the things that
reflect their culture while struggling to keep the next generation
engaged in the Armenian issues of the day. This we know will happen.
Just look at the current state of such historical cultural centers
such as Tbilisi, Istanbul, Calcutta or Beirut where the community,
culture, literature and art reached the apex of their relevance but
within a couple of generations declined into the sparsely populated
communities they are today.
`They [Hayastansti’s] will realize the importance of the Diasporan
communities and what they have done in a couple of generations when
their grandchildren no longer speak Armenian and have moved away from
the community,’ concludes one of the women and they all express their
agreement.