Author: Varosian Antranik

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Sisters Academy
440 Upper Gulph Road
Radnor, PA 19087
Contact: Susan Pogharian
Tel: 610-757-7090
Fax: 610-687-2450
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

With memories of the winter Olympic games fading in their heads, seventh
and eighth graders at the Armenian Sisters Academy, Radnor, PA competed
in a Olympiad of a different sort. Hosted by local Cabrini College, the
Science Olympiad is a team science competition which allowed Academy
students to stretch their minds beyond the school’s annual science
fair.

Students competed in the pentathalon which combined athletic events with
challenging questions on a large range of science knowledge. Seventh
grade student Evan Mazmanian competed in the trajectory event where
catapulted a ball in a specific direction and distance to hit a target.
Eighth grade classmates Cariné Megerian and Kathleen Andonian competed
in "Write it, Do it", a program in which Cariné created an object out
of provided materials and then wrote directions for Kathleen to recreate
the object at a remote location. There were also competitions on
forces that change our planet and fossils, as well as a bioprocess lab
competition where the students created an experiment and collected data
from provided materials.

Academy students have consistently provided positive feedback from this
annual event and enjoy participating in a large competition with other
area schools. They find the day challenging yet fun and like the freedom
of moving around the campus in small groups and teams. As testimony to
this, all students who participated last year volunteered to compete
again this year.

JOINT BRIEFING OF REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARGSYAN AND REPUBLIC OF POLAND PRIME MINISTER DONALD TUSK

gov.am
March 15 2010
Armenia

Good afternoon, dear colleagues. This visit of Poland’s Prime
Minister is a twofold pleasure for us because, on the one hand,
we discuss economic cooperation and, on the other hand, we reaffirm
the deeply-rooted traditional ties of friendship between Armenia and
Poland. It may create a favorable environment for the furtherance
of bilateral relationship. Signed by the two deputy ministers, the
economic cooperation agreement will promote mutual investments and
strengthen the private sector. An intergovernmental commission will
be established to deal with our economic, political, financial and
cultural agenda. Arrangements have been made for specific business
projects under the responsibility of the intergovernmental commission.

We are convinced that Mr. Tusk’s visit will strike a new chapter in
the history of bilateral relations.

RP Prime Minister Donald Tusk – Thank you, Mister Prime Minister.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish to note that this is my first ever visit
to Armenia which is sure to deepen friendship at both official and
informal levels. The Prime Minister of Armenia reminded of our two
peoples’ centuries-old shared history which is a political capital
as well. I mean Armenians and Poles have a solid base of reciprocated
confidence. This urged my country to design and initiate the European
Partnership Program. Armenia has a good record of contribution under
the program. I am pleased very much that we were able to identify
a few fields of beneficial interaction during these talks. Not only
will there be established a joint panel, but we will also collaborate
in chemical, industrial sectors and perhaps in electronics. We expect
to adopt some nuclear energy-related know-how from Armenia. Today’s
signing is just the start-up of cooperation rather than the conclusion
of previous endeavors.

PARLIAMENT DECISION TO AFFECT TURKISH-SWEDISH RELATIONS

news.az
March 15 2010
Azerbaijan

Goran Lenmarker The decision of the Swedish parliamentary committee
to recognize the "Armenian genocide" will affect the Turkish-Swedish
relations.

Commenting on the decision of the committee, deputy of the Swedish
parliament and co-rapporteur on the Karabakh conflict of the OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly, Goran Lenmarker, noted that the parliaments
should not assess the historical events.

"My position coincides with the position of the Swedish government
that condemns the decision of the parliament and considers that
this will affect the bilateral relations between Turkey and Sweden",
Lenmarker told reporters in Baku.

Today, Azerbaijan
March 12 2010

Azerbaijani ruling party official: Delays in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
create dangerous situation

12 March 2010 [18:57] – Today.Az

Delays in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict creates a dangerous situation
and there is a risk that it could lead to great wars, Deputy Executive
Secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP), MP Mubariz
Gurbanli said.

"All this has forced OSCE to act. Visit of the OSCE Parliamentary
Assembly President and the OSCE Special Representative for the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem to the region is a result of this intensive
diplomacy," he told to the NAP’s official web site.

There is an increasing intensity in the negotiation process on the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "It is not accidental. These all base on
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s policy that has a flexible and
offensive character. Of course, OSCE, which is required to comply with
mediation in the settlement of the conflict, observed Aliyev’s recent
statement on changing the status quo," he added.

"These visits are important in terms of a detailed study of the
situation in the region in connection with the conflict by OSCE
official," he said.

Recalling the statement of special representative Goran Lennmarker
that "the Karabakh issue should be resolved soon, otherwise this
conflict can lead to large-scale war in the region" Gurbanli said this
is some kind of warning.

"Breach of peace in the region and beginning of the war opposes the
OSCE basic principles and in general, does not correspond to the steps
taken towards establishing peace and security worldwide. The
international community should take serious steps to stop the
aggressive policy of Armenia," he noted.

/Trend News/

URL:

ANSAmed – Italy
March 12, 2010 Friday 12:19 PM CET

TURKEY: ARMENIAN MASSACRES; SWEDISH AMBASSADOR REASSURES

ANKARA

(ANSAmed) "The good and friendly relations that exist between Turkey
and Sweden are very solid and will remain so forever," said the
Swedish Ambassador to Ankara, Christer Asp, while leaving the Turkish
Foreign Ministry today. The diplomat had been summoned there this
morning following the diplomatic crisis which arose last night between
Ankara and Stockholm, following the approval by the Swedish Parliament
of a motion in which the massacres of Armenians are defined as
"genocide", reports private network Ntv.

"And these good relations," added Asp, "become increasingly important
at times like these. Yesterday’s decision (by the Swedish Parliament)
will have no effect on the Swedish government and Sweden, which will
continue to provide its support Turkey’s European Union membership
process".

AZERBAIJANI, TURKISH MUSLIMS TO PROTEST RECOGNITION OF "ARMENIAN GENOCIDE"

news.az
March 11 2010
Azerbaijan

The Azerbaijani and Turkish Muslims will hold joint protests over the
decision of the Committee of the US Congress on so-called "Armenian
genocide".

"The Caucasus Muslims Department and the Turkish Department on
Religious Affairs will hold joint actions over the decision on the
so-called "Armenian Genocide", chief of the Caucasus Muslims Department
sheikh Allahshukur Pashazade told journalists Thursday.

He noted that on March 4 when the Committee on foreign affairs of the
US Congress approved the resolution on the recognition of the so-called
"Armenian genocide" with 23 votes for and 22 votes against, he had a
telephone call with chairman of the Turkish Department on Religious
Affairs Ali Bardakoghlu during which they discussed holding several
events as a sign of a protest against this decision.

BACKING VOCALISTS CHOSEN!

esctoday.com
March 11 2010

Eva Rivas, the Armenian participant in Eurovision Song Contest 2010,
is currently working on the new version of "Apricot Stone." Meanwhile,
the backing vocalists are already chosen.

Miriam Merabova, who was the back vocalist of Dima Bilan (2006),
Dima Koldun (2007), and Ani Lorak (2008) during the Eurovision Song
Contest, confirmed that she will be one of the the backing vocalists
of Eva Rivas, the Armenian hopeful in Oslo. Miriam Merabova, born in
Armenia, sings for her own jazz-band called "Miraif"

As Miriam says "I am going to be on the Eurovision Song Contest stage
again, and finally with the Armenian team. I am very happy to accept
the invitation to be the backing vocalist of Eva Rivas. I have missed
the Eurovision Song Contest very much and it is also a big honour for
me to be a part of the Armenian team in Oslo, as far as I am Armenian
and I feel my roots better now."

Meanwhile a new version of the Armenian entry is rumoured to be
released soon in March.

COORDINATOR OF ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS: ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES AND OSCE HAVE A DEAL

ArmInfo
2010-03-12 13:12:00

ArmInfo. The OSCE Office on Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
(ODIHR) and the Armenian authorities have a deal. The delay of the
report on the legal proceedings in Armenia by OSCE ODIHR allows such
a conclusion, Levon Zurabyan, ANC Coordinator, told media on Friday.

He called the report rather important, but belated. It was ready yet
several months ago. If it were published earlier, Zurabanyan said,
it might have an impact on the domestic political processes in Armenia.

Nevertheless, the report was published only after the proceedings
on the case of Nikol Pashinyan, editor-in- chief of Haykakan
Zhamanak Daily. "All these concessions are done to get concessions
by Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan in the Armenian-Turkish and
Karabakh processes. Therefore, they reckon with certain demands by
the ruling regime in Armenia. In addition, the report lacked any
political assessment of violations in the legal procedures," he said.

AIR FRANCE COMPLAINS TO EU AGAINST RYANAIR

Tert.am
16:09 ~U 12.03.10

Air France-KLM (AF.FR) has filed a complaint with the European
Commission over alleged illegal state aid received by Ireland-based
low-cost airline Ryanair (RYA.DB), the company said Thursday, reports
The Wall Street Journal.

The complaint which was lodged with the commission, Europe’s highest
antitrust authority in November 2009, concentrates on financial
aid Ryanair "receives from French regional and local airports,"
the airline said in a statement.

Ryanair’s agreement to serve regional French airports is conditional
on the airport authorities’ financially aiding the operations in the
form of reduced airport taxes, preferential ground handling rates at
certain airports or marketing aid.

Air France alleges these measures are contrary to European laws on
giving regional aid as they are not temporary nor do they decrease
over time. "On the contrary, they are considered to be permanent,"
the company said.

Ryanair spokesperson Stephen McNamara said the filing was a "another
waste of time from Air France, which was last year found by the
commission to have received illegal state aid."

McNamara pointed out that Ryanair hasn’t yet been found guilty of
receiving illegal state aid once, while Air France was in 2009 ruled
to have exclusively benefited from reduced airport charges on domestic
routes in France.

According to the European Commission’s guidelines on giving aid to
regional airports, the aid must be linked to the start of activity at
the airport such as covering installation costs, said the commission’s
competition spokesperson Amelia Torres. Any possible aid must also
be progressively reduced and limited in time, she added.

RA NA WILL RATIFY PROTOCOLS AFTER TURKEY: ABRAHAMYAN

news.am
March 11 2010
Armenia

RA Parliament will ratify Armenia-Turkey Protocols only after Turkey
does do, said RA NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan at the NATO PA Rose-Rot
seminar opened today in Yerevan.

According to him, Armenia considers reconciliation with Turkey with
no preconditions, which is stipulated by the Protocols.

Abrahamyan reckons that normalization between the countries will
assist the expansion of regional cooperation.

Speaking of Armenia-Turkey rapprochement, OSCE PA Special
Representative on Nagorno-Karabakh and Georgia Goran Lennmarker
emphasized necessity of early bilateral relations’ normalization,
expressing hope that Armenian Parliament will ratify the Protocols.