Author: Vardapetian Ophelia

IN OPINION OF TURKOLOGIST RUBEN MELKONIAN, CC GAVE LEGALLY COMPETENT RESPONSE TO SPECULATIONS REGARDING ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS

Noyan Tapan
Jan 15, 2010

YEREVAN, JANUARY 15, NOYAN TAPAN. The Constitutional Court gave a
legally competent response to various speculations and interpretations
regarding the Armenian-Turkish protocols in Turkey’s political and
legal system. Turkologist Ruben Melkonian expressed such an opinion
at a January 15 press conference. In his words, the Armenian-Turkish
protocols launched certain processes in both countries.

According to his evaluation, Turkey’s ruling party is guided by the
notion of controllable chaos. That is, causing a chaotic situation in
Turkey’s home political life they bring a number of problematic issues
on the political agenda and try to control that chaos. "Arranging
the Armenian and Kurdish problems back and forward thet try to find
a field for manoeuvring. That controllable chaos also gives Turkey a
possibility to delay ratification of the Armenian-Turkish protocols,"
the Turkologist said.

He also mentioned that there is a wrong opinion in Armenia that the
Commission of Foreign Relations of Turkey’s parliament was to have
discussed the issue of ratification of the protocols within 45 days.

"If we look at the history we will see that the Commission of Foreign
Relations of Majlis never kept that 45-day term due to some legal
and political circumstances," R. Melkonian emphasized. Therefore
it is unpredictable when the Turkish parliament will ratify the
Armenian-Turkish protocols. As a proof of his words the Turkologist
mentioned that the Commission of Foreign Relations of Turkish
parliament has not examined so far some documents remaining from
the 80-s. According to him, Turkey ratified the protocols signed
with Syria only 3 years after signing. R. Melkonian mentioned that
Turkey can ratify the protocols only in case Armenia makes certain
concessions in the issue of Nagorno Karabakh.

According to the Turkologist, the provision of the protocols on a
historic subcommittee caused difference of opinions between Armenian
and Turkish sides. The Turkish side asserts that it should be an
instance to discuss the issue of Genocide and the Armenian side
considers that the Genocide cannot be a subject of discussion.

USD120 MILLION TO BE DIRECTED TO NORTH-SOUTH CORRIDOR CONSTRUCTION IN 2010.

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.01.2010 17:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Government of Armenia approved "Investment
Program on North-South Road Corridor Construction" at the 14 January
meeting .

The total cost of the investment program, financed by Asian
Development Bank, will reach USD 500 million and involves
construction of Agarak-Kapan-Yerevan-Gyumri-Bavra highways and the
road infrastructures. The construction of the corridor will improve
the road link with Iran and Georgia, providing access to international
destinations and markets.

USD 120 million worth construction works are projected to implement
in 2010. .

RUSSIAN, ARMENIAN DEFENCE MINISTERS DISCUSS DEVELOPMENT OF MILITARY COOPERATION

ITAR-TASS
Jan 13 2010
Russia

MOSCOW, January 13 (Itar-Tass) – Russian Defence Minister Anatoly
Serdyukov has held a working meeting with his Armenian counterpart
Seyran Oganyan, the Russian ministry’s spokeswoman, Irina Kovalchuk,
told Itar-Tass on Wednesday.

"The parties discussed prospects for the development of military
and military-technical cooperation between Russia and Armenia as
well as regional security problems. Moreover, they focused on the
preparation of Armenian servicemen in higher schools of the Russian
Defence Ministry," she said.

"Russian-Armenian relations in the military sector are strategic
partnership," Serdyukov said.

MASSACRES OF BAKU: 20 YEARS PASSED

Aysor
Jan 13 2010
Armenia

It is 20 years already that Mrs. Sonya tries to forget this terrifying
day and the several months that followed it. They were drinking tea
with their family, she tells, when their Azerbaijani neighbor entered
their home hardly breathing and asked them to gather their staffs
and to leave the city quickly.

"Why?- I am asking her, and she keeps crying", – 80 year old Mrs.

Sonya told to the Aysor.am reporter and treated her a cup of tea.

On 13 January in 1990 the Armenian massacres in Baku started. On
January 19 when the Armenian massacres ended they announced an
emergency situation in Baku. The Soviet Army reached the capital city
when the violence against Armenian people had already finished and
no Armenian was left there in the city.

After 20 years Mrs. Sonya meets another Armenian neighbor who has
also escaped from the massacres in Baku.

Mrs. Anya was a professor of ethics in one of the colleges in Baku.

She says she will never forget the day when after classes she was
walking home calmly and saw a scene opening in front of her eyes in
the center of the city which horrified her.

"Thousands of Armenians were being loaded into the tracks and driven
away every day. There was an order to kill at least 30 Armenians from
each track. Today I do not even know how it happened that I stayed
alive", – told Mrs. Anya to the Aysor.am reporter through tears.

Then the two neighbors looked at each other, and said that today,
and especially today, they are not able to answer any question,
then they added that even on usual days they do not speak about that
horrible day. They remember it only by saying "Let the dog that killed
our kids be coursed."

While the refugee old women are sitting at home and try to forget the
disaster the younger generation hurries to the work, as they can’t
allow their grannies and grandpas to live with the pension only,
but deep in their hearts they have scars of massacres too.

"Yes, we do work everyday, we gain money, and try to survive somehow.

And you know, though in Baku our life was much better we have not
preserved any good memories", – told Asya who was hurrying to work.

On Garegin the massacres have left painful influence. It is 20 years
already that he is packing his bags, is going to the station and is
waiting for the bus which will take him to Khojalu "It didn’t arrive
today too. There is every kind of bus here, but none of them is taking
to Khojalu, I didn’t return home today too. But, never mind I will
go home tomorrow."

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Studies Program
Ms. Ingrid Peterson, Administrator
1080 S. University, Suite 3633
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1106
Tel: (734) 763-0622
Fax: (734) 763-4918
Email: [email protected]

FELLOWSHIP S FOR VISITING SCHOLARS
IN ARMENIAN STUDIES
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, ANN ARBOR

The Armenian Studies Program (ASP) at the University of Michigan, Ann
Arbor, is pleased to announce the 2010- 2011 competition for Manoogian
Simone Foundation (MSF) Fellowships for Visiting Scholars.

The purpose of these fellowships is to diversify the Armenian studies
curricular offerings to undergraduate and graduate students at the
University of Michigan. Visiting Scholars will be asked to teach two
classes per term, and to participate in ASP sponsored events including
presenting two public lectures. Preference will be given to candidates
outside the disciplines of history, language, and literature. Armenian
Studies Fellowships for Visiting Scholars will be awarded for one
academic term (fall or winter). Fellowships can also be offered for
mini-courses to be taught over three or four weeks. The scope and
number of fellowships awarded is contingent on the availability of
funds.

Fellowship applications for Visiting Scholars must be received by
February 5, 2010. Applicants will be notified in early April.

Application materials should include;
1. Current CV
2. Copy of work published or pending publication (if publications are
not in English please provide a writing sample/paper in English)
3. Statement regarding proposed research (maximum 2 pages)
4. Description of possible courses the applicant proposes to teach
(maximum 1 page per course)
5. Two letters of recommendation

Application materials and questions should be forwarded directly to:

Ms. Ingrid Peterson, Administrator
Armenian Studies Program
1080 S. University, Suite 3633
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1106
Tel: (734) 763-0622
Fax: (734) 763-4918
Email: [email protected]

SERGEY LAVROV TO VISIT ARMENIA

news.am
Jan 12 2010
Armenia

January, 13-14 Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will pay
a visit to Armenia at the invitation of his Armenian counterpart
Edward Nalbandyan.

RA President Serzh Sargsyan will also receive Lavrov, RA MFA Press
Service informed NEWS.am.

In the course of the visit Foreign Ministers will hold talks, followed
by a joint press conference.

The officials will discuss Armenia-Russia inter-allied dynamic
relations, South Caucasian regional issues, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
settlement, as well as a wide range of cooperation issues on politics,
military, trade, economy and humanitarian spheres between Armenian
regions and Russian Federation.

PETROS MAKEYAN HAS BEEN BEATEN

Lragir.am
10/01/10

The first half of the electoral day for the parliament passed normally
but during the second ‘half’ the calm situation of the first half
of the day changed and the election began to show ‘traditional’
phenomenon.

In particular, at the polling station 10/09 one of Nikol Pashinyan’s
trustees from the Armenian National Congress was attacked. Attackers
were about two dozen Pashinyan’s campaign headquarters recorded the
license plates of cars and handed them to the police. As a result of
the raid to which the police by the way have not responded supporters
of Nikol Pashinyan were beaten, some were hospitalized. Among them
there was a member of the HAK, the leader of the "Democratic Homeland’
party Petros Makeyan.

Recall that at the 10-th constituency besides Nikol Pashinyan,
the Marxist, David Hakobyan, as well as a member of the National
Unity Party Ara Simonyan are running, the latter, incidentally,
is a relative to the mayor of Yerevan Gagik Beglaryan.

Times of India, India
Jan 10 2010

India hold Armenia, joint third after fifth round

PTI, 10 January 2010, 08:16pm IST

BURSA: Krishnan Sasikiran continued with his impressive run and beat
highly rated Levon Aronian, but India slipped down to joint third
after they drew with Armenia in fifth round of the world team chess
championship.

It was a remarkable performance by Sasikiran. With his win over
Aronian, the highest rated player in the event, the Indian has now
scalped for the top two rated players in the event including Vugar
Gashimov Azerbaijan.

For highest rated Indian P Harikrishna, however, it was a tough day as
he lost a wild game against Vladimir Akopian on the second board.

On the third board, several times National Champion Surya Shekhar
Ganguly played out a draw with Gabriel Sargissian, while after a
marathon battle G N Gopal drew with Tigran Petrosian on the final
board and gave India a moral boosting draw against the Olympiad
champions.

India and Armenia now share the third spot with seven match points
each, while Azerbaijan and Israel are next in the standings having six
match points apiece in their kitty.

India was sharing the lead jointly with Russia, Armenia, Israel and
the United States after the fourth round.

Sasikiran won his third game in a row outsmarting Aronian in what
should have been a drawn. It was a Slav defense by the Armenian who
played black and Sasikiran won a pawn to enter a rook and pawns
endgame that should have been a draw according to the theory.

But Aronian missed his chances and Sasikiran’s King marched up in
quick time to get a wining position. The game lasted 69 moves.

Harikrishna, playing the black side of another Slav of the day, could
not find correct resources in a volatile situation and Akopian’s
pieces created havoc around black king to force resignation in 36
moves.

Ganguly played out a draw in just 17 moves against Sargissian but
Gopal had to sweat it hard before he could get a draw against
Petrosian. It was a level position for a long time but the Armenian
agreed to split the point only after 104 moves.

Russia and the United States now share the lead with eight match
points after the end of the fifth round. Russians have an edge as they
have 13 game points against America’s 12.5.

Greece stands seventh on four points, while Brazil and Egypt share the
eighth spot on two points each. The hosts Turkey are yet to open their
account.

Russia had it easy against Turkey in the fifth round as they
registered a fine 3.5-0.5 victory, while Azerbaijan trounced Egypt
3-1.

In other matches of the day the United States defeated Israel 2.5-1.5,
thanks to a brilliant game by their top board player Hikaru Nakamura
against World cup champion Boris Gelfand, and Greece scored a 3-1
victory over Brazil.

Four rounds still remain in the elite team event played on a round
robin basis between 10 sides.

Results (Round V):
India (7) drew with Armenia (7) (Krishnan Sasikiran beat Levon
Aronian, Vladimir Akopian beat P Harikrishna, S S Ganguly drew with
Gabriel Sargissian, Tigran Petrosian drew with G N Gopal); Russia (8)
beat Turkey (0) 3.5-0.5; Israel (6) lost to United States (8) 1.5-2.5;
Egypt (2) lost to Azerbaijan (6) 1-3; Brazil (2) lost to Greece (4)
1-3.

s/chess/top-stories/India-hold-Armenia-joint-third -after-fifth-round/articleshow/5431091.cms

Petros Makeyan beaten near 10/09 precinct by unknown people
10.01.2010 16:06 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today, December 10, elections into RA National
Assembly are being held in 10th precinct. Parliamentary candidates
are: Ara Simonyan (National Unity party), David Hakobyan (Armenian
Marxist Party leader) and Haykakan Zhamanak newspaper editor, Nikol
Pashinyan (currently under arrest).

As of 2 p.m. 6126 of electors (11%) cast their votes.

At 3 p.m., 3 trustees of parliamentary candidate Nikol Pashinyan were
beaten up by the unknown people. Among the victims of the attack was
oppositional politician, Democratic Homeland party leader, Petros
Makeyan.

Press Secretary of Armenian Defense Minister: Armenia has never had
any problems with conscription

2010-01-08 20:13:00

ArmInfo. Armenia has never had any problems with conscription, Seyran
Shakhsouvaryan, Armenian Defense Minister’s Spokesman, told ArmInfo
when commenting on statement by Eldar Sabiroghlu, Head of the
Azerbaijani Press Service, saying that Armenia has allegedly faced
problems with conscription.

The autumn 2009 call-up was fulfilled by 100%, he said. Maybe
Sabiroghlu has faced some problems that make him think of the Armenian
army even during holidays, S. Shakhsouvaryan said.