Author: Toganian Liana

‘Why Award Ahmadinejad with Honorary Degree?’ Sargsyan Responds

14:07 – 20.03.10

We cannot oblige our neighbours to think as we do, said Serzh Sargsyan
in an interview with Euronews TV channel late yesterday evening,
responding to the interviewer’s question as to why Yerevan State
University would award Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad an
honorary degree in 2007.

`One should not narrow things down to a single person. To bestow upon
the leader of a country an honorific reward signifies an expression of
gratitude and recognition towards the people of that country. The
Iranians have been our neighbours for centuries and they are very
important to us,’ Sargsyan continued.

Asked whether he would consider the university’s decision `Armenian
`realpolitik’,’ Sargsyan said:

`I would consider it as a particular approach by the State University
of Yerevan towards a particular issue, an approach quite current in
Europe and in the democratically developed countries of the world.’

Tert.am

Serzh Sargsyan to deliver a lecture in University of Damascus

20.03.2010 14:35 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan will be paying an
official visit to Damascus on invitation of his Syrian counterpart
Bashar Al-Assad on March 22-24.

The delegation, headed by the RA President, will include Ministers of
Foreign Affairs, Diaspora, Culture and Agriculture.

The ceremonial reception will be followed by Armenian-Syrian
negotiations between the Presidents, and subsequently by enlarged
talks. Upon completion, the Presidents will hold a press conference.

During his stay, President Sargsyan is also to hold a meeting with the
Speaker of Syrian Parliament and the Prime Minister. He will also
attend University of Damascus to deliver a lecture on Armenian-Syrian
relations, as well as meet with representatives of the Armenian
community in Damascus.

The President will also visit Aleppo and Deir ez Zor, where he is to
meet with local authorities and the Armenian community, RA leader’s
press office reported.

FRANK ENGEL: IT IS NOT ARMENIA THAT KEEPS THE BORDER CLOSED

PanARMENIAN.Net
19.03.2010 18:34 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ If Turkey is serious about normalizing formal
relations – opening the border, re-establish diplomatic relations –
I don’t see how this process would not be significantly beneficial
to both countries, and their peoples, according to Frank Engel,
a member of the Europe-Armenia Advisory Council.

"There are encouraging signs that relations between Turks and Armenians
don’t have to remain strained forever. The existing transport links,
the presence of a sizeable Armenian community in Turkey, for instance,
tell me that ordinary Turks and Armenians essentially aspire to
normal relations. However, with borders closed and no diplomatic
missions, this aspiration is rather difficult to fulfill. The more
extreme populist stances on both sides don’t help either. Parts of
the Armenian diaspora should start by recognizing this," he told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

Asked whether an Turkey open the border this year, Mr. Engel said,
"Of course it can. This is not a matter of feasibility, but of
willingness to do it. Of course, potent internal Turkish interests
still oppose this move, and as I said, extremist Armenian views are
not helpful at all on the other side. The question is if Turkey wants
to break the deadlock through a powerful gesture. It is not Armenia
that keeps the border closed."

AGBU Press Office
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Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
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PRESS RELEASE

Friday, March 19, 2010

Golden Age Committee of AGBU Montreal Celebrates 35th Anniversary under
Presidency of Christine Kouyoumdjian

On October 18, 2009, the Golden Age Committee of AGBU Montreal
celebrated its 35th anniversary in the Jirair and Elise Dervishian Hall
of the AGBU Alex Manoogian Center. It began under the auspices of Bishop
Bagrat Galstanian, Primate of the Diocese of Canada, and the
chairmanship of Christine Kouyoumdjian. Renditions of the Canadian,
Armenian and AGBU anthems were followed by opening remarks by Rahel
Ourfalian. Hagop Melkonian, chairman of the Golden Age Committee,
expressed gratitude to the event’s organizing committee for making the
day pleasant and memorable.

A group of talented artists volunteered their participation in the
celebration, including Mesrob Berejikian, Silva Amadooni-Tokatlian,
Hilda Libarian-Okoomooshian, Razmig Barbarian, Arthur Apkarian and even
Hagop Melkonian himself. The program was enhanced with a slide show
depicting events of the recent past, prepared by Golden Age Committee
secretary and emcee of the day’s event, Rahel Ourfalian.

Armen Bechakjian, chairman of the executive committee of the AGBU
Montreal chapter, invited Christine Kouyoumdjian to cut the 35th
anniversary cake and then remembered Lucy Kestekian, founder of Golden
Age. He also called up the members of the Golden Age Committee on stage
to receive plaques of appreciation. Fr. Vazken Boyajian, representing
Bishop Galstanian, read the Primate’s congratulatory message and blessed
everyone.

Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU
preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through
educational, cultural and humanitarian program, annually touching the
lives of some 400,000 Armenians around the world.

For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please visit

MOSCOW HOSTED CONSULTATIONS ON KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
18.03.2010 17:26 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Wednesday, March 17, Secretary of State, Deputy
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Grigori Karasin met with the US
Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip
Gordon in the framework of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s
visit to Russia.

The meeting focused on the situation around Georgia, perspectives of
Russia and US’s relations with Ukraine, Belarus and Moldavia. Special
attention was given to Karabakh conflict settlement, reported the
press service of Russian Foreign Ministry.

ARMENIA PROMISE TO REFORM ELECTORAL SYSTEM BY END OF 2010

Tert.am
18:57 ~U 18.03.10

According to a timetable submitted to the Monitoring Committee of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the Armenian
authorities have taken on the responsibility of making reforms to
the country’s electoral system by the end of this year in order to
make it possible to be prepared for the next elections from 2011.

Davit Harutyunyan, head of the PACE Armenian delegation, has told Radio
Liberty that the first steps will have already been taken before the
PACE April session.

Referring to other reforms included in the timetable, Harutyunyan
said: "The concept of appealing police actions and those of other law
enforcement bodies, in general, has already been presented to the
Council of Europe for discussion, and we hope we will soon, within
a month, receive an expert opinion on the concept, after which will
start the legislative work itself. I’m referring to the new law on
freedom to gather [for rallies] but we will present the timetable of
this law before the [PACE] April session."

PACE co-rapporteur Georges Colombier has has also asked Armenian
officials for a timetable on reforms to the judicial system.

The proposals on the reforms made by the Armenian National Congress and
Heritage Party faction were not discussed yesterday, though according
to Harutyunyan, they will further be considered in the framework of
the presented proposals.

It’s expected that after the first steps on the declared reforms
have been taken, supposing in April, PACE co-rapporteurs on Armenia
Georges Colombier and John Prescott will visit Armenian and discuss
the "roadmap" to implementing those reforms.

EDWARD NALBANDIAN: AZERBAIJAN ACCEPTS THE MADRID PRINCIPLES WITH CERTAIN RESERVATIONS
Anna Nazaryan

"Radiolur"
18.03.2010 16:39

The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Slovakia Edward Nalbandian and
Miroslav Lajcak held a meeting in Yerevan today. The two Ministers
signed an agreement on Air Communication and a Memorandum of
Understanding in the field of European integration.

"Azerbaijan has not been recognizing the Madrid Principles for a
long time and if at last Baku has decided to take the documents as
a basis for negotiations we can only welcome this fact," RA Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian said at the joint press conference with
his Slovak counterpart.

"However, Baku’s statements show that the Azerbaijani side accepts
the Madrid Principles with certain reservations. There are more
reservations than points acceptable to Baku, which mainly refer to
the elimination of conflict consequences," Minister Nalbandian added.

He also informed that the sides keep on making working proposals
on Madrid Principles. "Baku’s statements concerning the documents
are just a smoke screen," FM stated, stressing that Armenian side
continues to take Madrid Principles as basis for the peace process.

Nalbanidan also noted that his Paris meeting with OSCE Co-Chairs
was constructive.

The Slovak Foreign Minister said they support and welcome the signing
of the Armenian-Turkish protocols and they would like the two countries
to ratify the protocols as they are without linking them to other
issues and without any preconditions.

"Turkey is a candidate for EU membership, which gives a certain
status to that country. However, on the other hand, Turkey needs to
meet all requirements and commitments in order to succeed," he said.

As for the Karabakh issue, the European Union closely watches the
process and supports the Minsk Group and the negotiations held on the
basis of the Madrid Principles. He added that the European Union does
not intend to join the process, since it’s an issue addressed by the
Minsk Group.

Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Lisa Kalustian, Chief Deputy Director
300 South Spring Street, Suite 16701
Los Angeles, CA 90013
Tel: 213-897-0322
Fax: 213-897-0319
Email: [email protected]

Gov. Schwarzenegger Announces Appointments

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today announced the following appointments:

Larry Zarian, 72, of Los Angeles, has been reappointed to the
California Transportation Commission, where he has served as a member
since 2006. Zarian has owned Zarian Enterprises since 1999. He was a
board member for Metrolink from 1996 to 2004, a member and chair of
the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority from 1993
to 1997 and member and vice chair of the National Highway Safety
Commission from 1986 to 1990. He served as member of the Glendale City
Council from 1983 to 1999, where he also served four terms as
mayor. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation
is $100 per diem. Zarian is a Republican.

###

COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST SWEDISH PM FOR SPEAKING OUT AGAINST GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

Tert.am
12:55 â~@¢ 17.03.10

Sweden’s opposition Social-Democratic Party has issued a formal
complaint against the country’s Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt,
accusing him of acting out against Swedish law.

According to Turkish news agency Anadolu Ajansi, Social-Democratic
Party deputy Svend Erik Osterberg said that Reinfeldt’s statement
that the resolution recognizing the genocide of Armenians, Assyrians
and Chaldeans is a non-binding document for Swedish authorities and
is not a legally binding document (that is, it cannot be enforced by
law) runs counter to Swedish law.

"In a phone conversation with Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, Fredrik Reinfeldt said that the decision made by the riksdag
will not matter and apologized [for the decision], which runs counter
to our laws. Such an approach means that the authorities are going
against the people’s decision. For this reason, we have filed a
complaint against Fredrik Reinfeldt in the Supreme Court of Sweden,"
said Osterberg.

BY THE END OF 2010 ACRA’S CREDIT REPORTING BASE WILL COVER 46% OF THE ARMENIAN POPULATION

ArmInfo
17.03.2010

ArmInfo. By the end of 2010 ACRA’s credit reporting base will cover
46% of the Armenian population, Director of ACRA Credit Reporting
CJSC Artak Arzoyan said in an interview to ArmInfo.

As of today the company has credit information on 43% of the
population.This is a low figure as compared with developed countries.

However, in Armenia each family consists of 3-4 people, so, if, at
least, one of them is a borrower, it means that each Armenian family
has access to credit resources.

At the same time, he said that today ACRA receives information on the
borrower’ debts only from banks and credit companies, but the expected
governmental decision currently being worked out by the Central Bank
will allow the bureau to work with the state departments individually,
enhance the accuracy of data association, collect complete data on
borrowers’ debts from various sources.

"From the technical point of view, we are already ready to receive the
whole information. The full package of information plays an important
role in assessing the credit risks as provides additional information
about the solvency of borrowers",- he said.