Author: Vardanian Garo

SOUTH-CAUCASIAN RAILWAYS SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH ARMENIAN TRAFFIC POLICE

ARKA
March 10, 2010

YEREVAN, March 10. /ARKA/. Shevket Shaidullin, director general of
the South-Caucasian Railways, and Samvel Asatryan, chief of Armenia’s
traffic police, signed an agreement on Wednesday, the company’s press
office reports.

The document will regulate official relations between the railway
and the traffic police.

Under this agreement, cargoes and passengers should be transported
by trains under escort.

Contacts between the traffic police and railway workers are frequent
because of traffic accidents and efforts to prevent them.

The South-Caucasian Railways administration has repeatedly expressed
willingness to make its cooperation with the police closer.

The South-Caucasian Railways CJSC is concession manager of the Armenian
Railway Company. South-Caucasian Railway, fully owned by the Russian
Railways Company, listed in its fixed assets the rolling stock of
the Armenian Railway on June 1, 2008, under a concession contract of
February 13, 2008.

Armenian Railway has been handed over to the South-Caucasian Railways
CJSC for 30 years with a right for one-decade prolongation.

PURCHASE AND SALE TRANSACTIONS OF MILLION 750 THOUSAND CONDUCTED AT NASDAQ OMX ARMENIA OJSC ON MARCH 10

Noyan Tapan
March 10, 2010

YEREVAN, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN. Purchase and sale transactions of
million 750 thousand at the weighted average exchange rate of 391.37
drams per dollar were conducted at NASDAQ OMX Armenia OJSC on March
10. According to the press service of the Central Bank of Armenia,
the closing price was 390.75 drams.

MISSION TO TURKEY ISSUES GRANTS NOTICE ON ‘UNIVERSITY PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM FOR TURKEY, ARMENIA’

US State News
rships_program.html
March 9, 2010 Tuesday 8:58 AM EST

WASHINGTON, March 8 — Mission to Turkey issues grant opportunity to
enable post-secondary institutions in the United States, Turkey and
Armenia with similar educational missions to develop and broaden
institutional cooperation through exchange of students, faculty
members and administrators for the purposes of study, teaching,
research and outreach.

The funding opportunity number PRMTR-10-GR-001-EUR-022510 was posted
on March 8, 2010 with an application closing date of June 1, 2010.

Category of Funding Activity is Education.

Eligible Applicants: Independent school districts, Public and State
controlled institutions of higher education, Private institutions of
higher education

Additional Information on Eligibility: Eligible Foreign Institutions
Foreign institutional partners may be recognized institutions
of post-secondary education, state-supported universities,
independent universities, research institutes, relevant educational
authorities, and other public or private non-profit organizations
with project-related educational missions.

The description of the Grants Notice is "Award Information: Type
of Award: Grant Fiscal Year Funds: 2010 Approximate Total Funding:
$470,000 (contingent on funding) Approximate Number of Awards:
1 Anticipated Award Date: Pending the availability of funds,
grant activities should begin on or about September 1, 2010 for a
28-month period. Anticipated Project Completion Date: December 31,
2012 Additional Information: Eligible Foreign Institutions Foreign
institutional partners may be recognized institutions of post-secondary
education, state-supported universities, independent universities,
research institutes, relevant educational authorities, and other public
or private non-profit organizations with project-related educational
missions. III. Eligibility Information: III.1. Eligible applicants:
Applications must be submitted by accredited U.S. post-secondary
educational institutions meeting the provisions described in Internal
Revenue Code section 26 USC 501 (c)(3). III.2. Cost Sharing or
Matching Funds: There is no minimum or maximum percentage required
for this competition. However, the Department encourages applicants
to provide maximum levels of cost sharing and funding in support
of its programs. When cost sharing is offered, it is understood and
agreed that the applicant must provide the amount of cost sharing as
stipulated in its proposal and later included in an approved grant
agreement. Cost sharing may be in the form of allowable direct
or indirect costs. For accountability, you must maintain written
records to support all costs which are claimed as your contribution,
as well as costs to be paid by the Federal government. Such records
are subject to audit. The basis for determining the value of cash and
in-kind contributions must be in accordance with OMB Circular A-110,
(Revised), Subpart C.23 – Cost Sharing and Matching. In the event you
do not provide the minimum amount of cost sharing as stipulated in
the approved budget, the US Department of State’s contribution will
be reduced in like proportion.

III.3. Other Eligibility Requirements: a.) Technical Eligibility:
All proposals must comply with the following or they will result in
your proposal being declared technically ineligible and given no
further consideration in the review process. 1. It must adhere to
the guidelines established in this document and in the Solicitation
Package; 2. It must be submitted by the U.S. partner; 3. The U.S.

applicant organization must be eligible; 4. Eligible post-secondary
educational institutions in both Turkey and Armenia must be included.

Program Overview The Educational Partnerships Program enables U.S.

colleges and universities and their Turkish and Armenian counterpart
institutions to pursue objectives cooperatively through exchange visits
of faculty, students and administrators. The Educational Partnerships
Program is not designed to support degree programs for undergraduate
or graduate students. U.S., Turkish and Armenian universities that
have hosted Fulbright and other State Department sponsored grantees
or alumni as professors, students, or administrators are especially
encouraged to develop proposals that build on the achievements of
these individual grantees and that extend their impact. Proposals
must directly or indirectly make enduring contributions to the
normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia. These might
consist of partnerships that focus on English teaching, secondary or
post-secondary educational administration, business administration,
regional development and tourism and hospitality management, but are
not limited to these areas. Purpose: The Educational Partnerships
Program has the following purposes: – To enable post-secondary
institutions in the United States, Turkey and Armenia with similar
educational missions to develop and broaden institutional cooperation
through exchange of students, faculty members and administrators for
the purposes of study, teaching, research and outreach. – To increase
understanding between the United States, Turkey and Armenia through
cooperation in higher education. – To reinforce the impact of other
State Department programs, including the Fulbright Program. – To
support the current foreign policy priorities of the Department of
State, especially efforts to promote the normalization of relations
between Turkey and Armenia in the civil society sector and to improve
educational outreach to non-elite populations."

COMMANDER OF INTERIOR TROOPS: AZERBAIJANI SOLDIERS ARE ABLE TO LIBERATE THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

APA
March 9 2010
Azerbaijan

Baku. Rashad Suleymanov – APA. "The combat readiness of the Interior
Troops is perfect. The troops have been supplied with the most modern
arms and military equipment.

We can now compare the logistics of the Interior Troops with the
logistics of the similar bodies of the leading states," commander of
the Interior Troops, Lieutenant-General Zakir Hasanov told journalists,
APA reports.

Commander of the Interior Troops spoke about the reforms carried out
in the troops, readiness and social provision of the personnel.

According to Zakir Hasanov, Azerbaijani soldiers are able to fulfill
all the tasks, liberate the occupied territories. Zakir Hasanov noted
that the officers of the Interior Troops attended trainings in the
teaching and training centers of the leading states.

Zakir Hasanov said using the experience of the leading states the
Interior Troops had established the most modern education system in
Azerbaijan. New hostel, canteen, military camps have been constructed
for the soldiers of the Interior Troops. According to Zakir Hasanov,
the soldiers of the Interior Troops are given national meals at
least three times a day, there has never been a problem concerning
the nutrition of the soldiers. The Interior Troops has a lab meeting
modern standards to test the quality of the food.

AZERBAIJANI POLITICAL ANALYST: IT WOULD BE TOO BIG MISTAKE FOR U.S. TO LOSE TURKEY FOR SAKE OF ARMENIA’S WHIMS
A. Hasanov

Today
3560.html
March 9 2010
Azerbaijan

Day.Az interview with Director of Azerbaijan-based Center for Political
Innovations and Technologies Mubariz Ahmadoglu.

What are your comments on a statement by U.S. Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton that the U.S. Congress will not consider the "Armenian
genocide" resolution?

To begin with, the fact that the Committee on Foreign Affairs of U.S.

House of Representatives adopted the resolution on the so-called
"Armenian genocide" is not only erroneous, but also harmful to the
national interests of the United States. But the resolution has been
adopted, and now the White House is in agony, trying to neutralize
the consequences of this erroneous decision, which threatens loss of
Turkey, as an important strategic ally.

What is especially important for the United States is that Turkey
quite successfully undertook mediation mission between the United
States and Iran. In general, it is extremely difficult to overestimate
Turkey’s importance for the U.S. Hillary Clinton’s statement, that the
U.S. Congress will not consider a resolution on "Armenian genocide"
shows that the U.S. leadership is well aware what consequences
pre-existing resolutions by the Committee on Foreign Affairs as well
as further raising of the theme of the mythical "Armenian genocide"
may have for the United States. Fortunately, Turkey’s reaction to
that "comedy", which was set up during the vote on the resolution on
"Armenian genocide" left no doubt on this country’s determination to
reconsider its relations with the United States.

After the U.S. Congress committee passed the above-said resolution,
Armenian FM Edward Nalbandian said this is another sign of American
people’s devotion to universal values. A number of Armenian politicians
and political scientists were in the same mood. What will they do when
it becomes evident that U.S. congressional committee will not be able
to further move the "Armenian genocide" resolution? Will they lose
faith "in the devotion of the American people to universal values"?

Temporary bouts of euphoria, which have ultimately caused severe
disappointment, had already taken place in the life of Armenians
around the world. Remembering, that on Oct. 11, 2007 the Committee
on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives approved 27 votes
to 21 a draft resolution that recognized the "Armenian genocide"
with two abstentions, which, back then, caused a great merry-making
among world’s Armenians. But after former U.S. President George Bush’s
intervention, this resolution did not even reach a vote in the House
of Representatives.

I am confident that the same thing will happen this time. Turkey is
of great importance to the national interests of the U.S.

The Armenians around the world will be strongly disappointed and
they will receive "assurances" that "not now, but some time in future
historical justice will finally be restored."

But all these talks will be an attempt to display a good face on
a bad game. That would be the price paid for the conviction of the
Armenian government that it spreads in the Armenian society.

How do you see future of Turkish-Armenian reconciliation?

On the backdrop of a sharp cooling of the Turkish-American relations
caused by the U.S. Congress Committee’s adoption of the resolution
on so-called "Armenian genocide", it is difficult to even talk about
future process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations.

I am convinced, that now Turkey has every reason to demand U.S. to
stop speculation about the mythical "Armenian Genocide" through which
Turkey has faced pressure in recent years. Moreover, Turkey has every
reason to demand from the U.S. to increase pressure on Armenia in
terms of liberation of the occupied Azerbaijani territories.

Only in case Washington gives such assurances to Turkey, it will be
possible to say current cooling in the Turkish-American ties is fully
eliminated and think about future of Turkish-Armenian reconciliation,
on which the United States insists.

How do you assess Azerbaijan’s position on U.S. Congress committee’s
approving the "Armenian Genocide" resolution?

The position of Azerbaijan is worthy of respect. For example, I highly
appreciate the protest against the decision by the Congress committee
voiced by Baku. Milli Majlis took very correct, wise and fair position
on this issue protesting against the adoption of the resolution.

In general, the entire political elite of our country, regardless of
affiliation to the authorities or the opposition, took an unequivocal
position on this matter, expressing indignation at the decision of
U.S. congressmen and declared its support to the brotherly people
of Turkey.

It is quite possible, that Azerbaijan’s unequivocal position will
play a role in future U.S. policy in regard to Turkey and to the
issue of so-called "Armenian genocide". It would be too big mistake
for the U.S. to lose Turkey and Azerbaijan for the sake of whims of
impoverished Armenia.

COMMENTARY: THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AND OBAMA’S LACK OF CULTURIST SENSIBILITIES

2010 /03/08 | 12:31

world

The following opinion piece by John Press appeared in the March 8,
issue of the "Global Politician".

This week the House of Representatives debated a resolution that
would have given official recognition to the attempted genocide
of Armenians at the hands of Turks. Speaking through Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton, the Obama administration said it "strongly
opposes" the designation of the massacres as genocide. Obama’s strong
opposition tells us a lot about truth claims and Obama’s lack of
culturist sensibilities.

President Obama says he does not want to offend Turkey. The fact
that he does not care if he offends Armenia lays implicit in this
declaration. Thus President Obama is bending truth to accommodate raw
power relations. As such he could be said to be making policy based
on an objective analysis of the situation.

Unfortunately, the world is made of subjective interpretations. As
the controversy suggests, everyone has a side in this debate and
the outcomes have political implications. President Obama admitted
as much when he went to Egypt and Turkey and apologized for alleged
western crimes in the Islamic world.

Being generous, we could accept that President Obama’s hopes lie in
mutual revelation of sins leading to forgiveness and international
understanding; open dialogue from this view could lead to the end of
nations taking sides. However, his unwillingness to discuss Islamic
sins and eagerness to discuss western ones shows an imbalance in
this generous narrative. Unfortunately, it shows a willingness to
completely buy into the Muslim narrative.

Whether you denounce the American bases in Iraq or Islamic attacks
upon India, we can agree that the non-Islamic world and the Islamic
world are in competition. When we take a "human rights" perspective
and deny sides exist, we end up pouring money into enemy nations,
such as Afghanistan, in the name of nation building and supporting
Islamic nations, such as Kosovo, in the western sphere. We end up
taking the Turk’s side as easily as we take the Armenian’s side.

In foreign policy we should side with our friends and understand that
some folks are our foes. Armenia, as a Christian nation, falls within
the sphere of western related powers. We should back them. In terms
of narrative, it would run against our values to never admit wrong.

However, to only admit to our faults and deny Islamic nations’ crimes,
feeds into a narrative whereby attacking us is justified and adopting
our values is corrupt.

A culturist approach assumes that sides and competition exist. It
also recognizes narrative’s great impact on public and international
opinion, and the geo-political implications such narratives have. As
such a culturist approach would have us singing our virtues overseas
and condemning the Armenian genocide in the strongest terms possible.

John Press is an adjunct professor at New York University and author of
"Culturiam: A Word, A Value, Our Future".

DE ZAYAS BOOK ON LEGAL ASPECTS OF GENOCIDE PUBLISHED BY HAIGAZIAN UNIVERSITY

08/de-zayas-book-on-legal-aspects-of-genocide-publ ished-by-haigazian-university/
March 8, 2010

The Genocide Against the Armenians 1915-23 and the Relevance of the
1948 Genocide Convention

By Alfred-Maurice de Zayas, with a preface by the International
Commission of Jurists, Geneva On the occasion of the 95th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide

***

Dr. Alfred de Zayas is a renowned legal expert and professor of
international law at the Geneva School of Diplomacy in Switzerland. He
has served as a senior lawyer in the Office of the UN High Commissioner
for Human Rights and as secretary of the Human Rights Committee.

In this concise, 106-page book, de Zayas argues that the Genocide
Convention did not create the rights of the Armenians to reparation,
nor the obligation of Turkey to assume its erga omnes responsibilities
to the Armenians and the world. These rights and obligations existed
from the outset and were recognized in Articles 144 and 230 of the
Treaty of Sevres. The non-implementation of the provisions of this
treaty by Turkey does not affect the rights and obligations derived
from the historical fact of the genocide, argues De Zayas.

De Zayas shows how the Genocide Convention strengthened the
pre-existing rights of the Armenians-rights that have not diminished
because of a lapse of time. He further outlines the issues of state
succession and the continuing Turkish obligation to make reparations
to the descendants of the victims.

Beyond restitution and compensation, the book focuses on the right
of the Armenian people to their cultural heritage, including their
churches and monasteries in what is now Turkey, as the human right
to one’s cultural heritage is stipulated in international law and
relevant UNESCO resolutions.

Finally, the problem of denial is addressed from the human rights
perspective as a violation of human dignity, because all human beings,
including the Armenians have, the right to truth, to their identity,
and to their history.

The Genocide Against the Armenians 1915-23 and the Relevance of the
1948 Genocide Convention is available in the U.S. by contacting
the Armenian Missionary Association of America (201-265-2607,
[email protected]); in France by contacting the Librairie Orientale H.

Samuelian (01-43-26-88-65); or in Lebanon by contacting Haigazian
University (961-1-349230/1, [email protected]).

EuroNews – France
March 5, 2010 Friday

Turkey angered by US vote

Reaction in Turkey to the US House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs
Committee vote recognising a "genocide" of Armenians in the early 20th
century has been swift, and hostile.

Turkey’s prime minister has already said he fears the vote will harm
US-Turkey relations, and many ordinary people say they resent the word
"genocide" and the way it equates their ancestors with the Nazis.

"Turkey has already called its ambassador for consultations and I
think the most important consequence of this decision by the House
Foreign Relations committee is that it will spell the end," said the
former ambassador to the US, Faruk Lologlu.

But the end of what? Turkey plays too vital a regional role for
Washington to want to alienate Ankara, and President Obama tried up to
the last minute to prevent the vote, despite Armenian-Americans being
in the main solid Democrat voters.

"Damaging these relations for the small interests of local politics
will not harm Turkey, it will harm the strategic vision of the United
States," said Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

Turkey does not deny hundreds of thousands of Armenians died in 1915,
but rejects the accusation it was deliberate genocide, and is keen to
remind people large numbers of Turks died in the same period of
conflict.

Azg, Armenia
March 5 2010

AZERBAIJANI SPECIALISTS TO TEACH ARMENIAN TO TURKS

By Hasmik Harutyunyan

In one of the universities of Turkey’s Nevsehir province the
preparatory works of opening of an Armenian language and Armenological
faculty come to an end.

According to the university’s professor Mehmed Metin Hulagu, the
faculty will serve as a bridge in relations of the two countries. He
noted that people should know the language of their neighboring
country, with which they have relations. That is why Armenian language
will be taught at the university. According to him, specialists from
Azerbaijan are going to teach Armenian to Turks, as the number of
Armenian language specialists in Turkey is small, while they are many
in Azerbaijan.

"The Azerbaijani specialists have already given their consent, and
undoubtedly, the faculty will open in 2010", Hulagu said.

Armenian armed forces neutralize an Azeri subversive group

2010-03-06 13:25:00

ArmInfo. A subversive group of 5-6 people infiltrated into the
territory of the village of Koti, Tavoush region, Armenia, from
Azerbaijan Mar 3-4 night. They were engaged in robbery and cattle
lifting.

The press service of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia reports that
the group was neutralized. Some of the men were killed: one of the
killed is in the Armenian territory, another is probably in the
neutral zone, one more died when being taken to hospital.

The rest managed to escape. The Armenian army sustained no casualties.