Author: Zakarian Garnik

ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS DISCUSSED IN RA NAS

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.09.2009 14:10 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Academy of Sciences (RA NAS) hosted a
hearing on the Armenian-Turkish relations. Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian and Education Minister Armen Ashotyan were invited as
guest speakers.

Director of the RA NAS Institute of Oriental Studies, Professor
Ruben Safrastyan, academicians Gevorg Brutyan and Vilen Hakobyan,
historians Babken Harutyunyan, Ashot Melkonyan and Alexander Manasyan
gave reports.

In his speech, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian emphasized that
retreat from the principle of "normalization of relations without
preconditions" can jeopardize the entire negotiation process.

EU IMPOSES ANTI-DUMPING TARIFFS ON CHINESE ALUMINUM FOIL

2009-09-24 21:56:26

BRUSSELS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) — The European Union decided Thursday
to impose five-year duties on aluminum foil imported from China,
Brazil and Armenia over alleged dumping charges.

The EU said in its decision that the duties were up to 30 percent as a
punishment to Chinese exporters for selling the product at below cost,
or dumping. Reports say that Shanghai-based Alcoa Aluminum Products
Co. was affected by the punishment.

The tariffs on Brazilian products are 17.6 percent, Armenia’s are
13.4 percent.

The EU accepted an offer by Brazil’s Companhia Brasileira de
Aluminio to sell at a minimum price in return for an exemption from
the anti-dumping duty. It rejected a similar proposal by Armenia’s
Rusal-Armenal company.

The five-year duties came after six-month provisional duties expired
and will go into effect once being published in the EU’s Official
Journal by Oct. 8. The six-month levies were up to 42.9 percent.

The EU staged a probe into the products from the three countries
began in July 2008 after receiving a dumping complaint by the European
Association of Metals.

The measure covers aluminum foil in rolls as wide as 650 millimeters
and a weight exceeding 10 kilograms, with a thickness between 0.008
millimeter and 0.018 millimeter.

On the same day, the EU decided to slap tariffs as high as 39.2percent
on Chinese steel seamless pipes and tubes.

ANC NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN PROTOCOLS’ HEARINGS

Information-Analytic Agency NEWS.am
Sept 23 2009
Armenia

Armenian National Congress (ANC) will not take part in Oct. 1 hearings
on Armenia-Turkey Protocols, Levon Ter Petrosyan’s Press Secretary
Arman Musinyan stated on Sept. 23, 2009.

"ANC will not participate as these hearings are absolutely aimless and
of imitative nature." There is no need of amendments in the Protocols,
the only point is ratification. The Parliament, being under a thumb
and non-political body, conducts mere formal hearings. In aany case
it will approve the decision dictated from Baghramyan 26, President’s
residence," Musinyan said.

Meanwhile, Musinyan added that Serzh Sargsyan seeks to be validated
abroad at a cost of concessions, having no resources in Armenia except
for force structures, that made him to compromise with his conscience.

On October 1, 2009 Armenia-Turkey Protocols hearings will be held
in RA National Assembly, that according to the oppositional forces
contain unacceptable preconditions.

ALEPPO GOVERNOR AND HEAD OF BAAS PARTY OF ALEPPO PROVINCE RECEIVES ARMENIAN CHIEF CONSUL TO ALEPPO

ARMENPRESS
Sep 22, 2009

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Chief Consul to Aleppo
Ashot Manukyan visited September 20 the center of BAAS party of
Aleppo province on the occasion of the Muslim Easter and the finish
of Ramadan in the Islamic world and congratulated head of the party
Abdel Kader Msri and Aleppo Governor Ali Ahmad Mansura.

Public relations department of RA Foreign Affairs Ministry told
Armenpress that the latter has expressed gratitude for the visit and
noted that in Syria a great importance is attached to the friendship
of Arab and Armenian people, which is contributed by the Armenian
community.

At the meeting Aleppo Governor stressed that Syrian President Bashar
al-Asad’s visit to Armenia has given a new impetus to the multilateral
relations between Syria and Armenia. In this context o RA President’s
visit to Syria has also been stressed as important.

On September 21 Armenian Chief Consul visited the central mosque
and congratulated Sheikh of the Syrian Chief Mufti Ahmad Badr ad-Din
Hasunon on the occasion of the Muslim holiday. The Syrian Chief Mufti
welcomed the Consul and congratulated on the Armenia’s Independence
Day noting that he greatly likes Armenia, its diligent people, who
are the friends of Arab people and Syrian state.

HANDING OVER LANDS IS TREASON

irayr-sefilyan
07:33 pm | September 22, 2009

Politics

Member of the "Miatsum" initiative Jirair Sefilyan considers the
demand for current RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan’s resignation
as unfounded.

"If there is anyone who must resign, that is Serzh Sargsyan along
with his pack of wolves. The time has come for us to heal the wounds
and there is no need to make more errors," said Jirair Sefilyan.

He recalled that "Miatsum" has never demanded Nalbandyan’s
resignation. "We demand a reception to transmit what we have to say."

Sefilyan unfortunately sees only one issue in the Turkish-Armenian
relations.

"The issue is handing over the territories that we liberated during
the Artsakh war to Turkey. We must realize this and prevent it from
happening."

Touching upon Sezh Sargsyan’s consultation about Turkish-Armenian
relations and the positions of the political parties, Sefilyan assesses
that as a show.

"There is no such thing as Turkish-Armenian relations, but a
Turkish-Armenian conflict. How can we talk about relations when we
have a neighbor like Turkey, which has had and still has the intention
to eliminate Armenians? The guarantee of the Armenian people is the
unity of Armenians and the Armenian army with its national values,
which we unfortunately don’t have."

Tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. the "Miatsum" national initiative will express
its protest against Serzh Sargsyan’s policy on Turkish-Armenian
relations at the presidential residence. All protests will be ongoing
in different sites.

"Handing over lands is treason and they must not forget what may
happen to traitors."

What may happen to traitors? In response, Sefilyan said: "The people
will take adequate steps in order to keep the traitors away from the
peak of the political pyramid in a short amount of time."

Sefilyan promised the people that he and others like him who are
against the current regime will not stay silent and will bring the
people out of the swamp.

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN’S ADDRESS ON THE OCCASION OF THE 18TH ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA

armradio.am
21.09.2009 19:49

"Your Holiness,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Dear Compatriots,

I cordially congratulate you on occasion of the 18th anniversary of
Armenia’s independence.

This is a holiday all the generations of the Armenian nation coveted
and sensed deep in their hearts. I emphasize: all the generations
without exception.

No matter where the battle was fought: at the River Aratsani, in the
fields of Avarayr or Dzirav, on the strongholds of Cilicia, under
the walls of Van, at Sardarapat or at Shushi, we were guided by the
same vision.

Regardless of whether we decorated manuscripts in monastic cells, or
casted letters of Mashtots to print books and journals from Vienna
to Calcutta, and from Echmiadzin to Venice, we were guided by the
same vision.

No matter whether the Armenian was a successful merchant whose private
fleet ranged the oceans, or a hungry and humiliated exile immolated
in the Der Zor Desert, he was guided by the same vision.

No matter how much territory we occupied on the world map, and even
when altogether swept away from the map, we were nevertheless guided
by the same vision: the vision of Independent Armenia that epitomizes
freedom, human and national dignity and, ultimately, the right and
historical ability to create good and beauty.

Th at is what makes this holiday great, precious and sacred for us.

Dear Compatriots,

This day 18 years ago, during the all-national referendum, millions
of hands reached out to ballot boxes to say "YES". Thereafter, we
joined hands to withstand big and small hardships, we overcame and
continue to overcame big and small challenges. However, the main
choice is already made.

>From now on independence is our fortune and destiny, our onus and
responsibility, our weapon and instrument, our might and right,
from now on, irrevocable and eternal.

What does Armenia preach after having reemerged on the international
political arena? Pure and simple concepts: peace, stability, good
neighborly relations, multilateral economic and other kinds of
cooperation in all spheres. We have been sufficiently patient and
wise to take that approach even towards those who for years have
attempted and still attempt to hinder our progress by all kinds of
blockades and Armenophobic propaganda.

What does Armenia preach to its offspring all over the world after
having resurrected from the genocidal hell? Pure and simple concepts:
unity, collective will and effort, the state’s determination to pursue
and protect the interests and goals of Armenians, filial love of and
dedication to the homeland of all Armenians, and a happy possibility
to build up the Armenia of our dreams by joint efforts. And Armenia
says them: "Welcome back to n ative home."

What does Armenia preach to its multinational citizens after
having delivered itself from the clutches of all types of tyrannies,
caliphates and empires? Pure and simple concepts: liberty, democracy,
a rule-of-law state, civil society, and the European system of values.

It also says that economic and other crises are transient, but homeland
is everlasting. Armenia’s able and hard-working citizens also can and
will overcome these obstacles on our way. We are grateful for the aid
provided nowadays to Armenia, however, our century-long experience
prompts us that the foundation of wellbeing is one’s own work.

What does Armenia preach to the ones who menace us with war? Pure and
simple concepts: we have more than once crossed swords with great and
powerful nations that once upon a time mastered the fate of the world,
but nowadays are mentioned only in history textbooks. And we say:
"We want no war, but we are ready for victory"; at the same time we
point out to the possibility of peaceful and political settlement of
the Artsakh problem.

Dear Compatriots,

I once again congratulate all of us on occasion of the great
holiday. The well-established, enhanced and virile Armenian state is
now a reality.

It is a faithful and loyal to its word ally for its allies, dependable
and loyal to its word partner for its partners, an opponent arguing
with weighty arguments again st its opponents.

But above all, it is a sunlit land inhabited by hearty people for
its friends and guests.

It exists and will last as long as the sun shines, and will get
powerful enough to become the embodiment of the vision our great ones
from Khorenatsi to Tumanian, and from Komitas to Aram Khachaturian had.

Long live independence expressed and achieved by all-national will!

Long live the Republic of Armenia!"

THE RA NA CHAIRMAN’S CONGRATULATING MESSAGE

Aysor
Sept 21 2009
Armenia

The Public Relations department of the Armenian National Assembly
informs that the Chairman of the NA of the Republic of Armenia Hovik
Abrahamyan congratulated his compatriots on the Independence Day. The
message particularly says:

"Dear compatriots,

Today we celebrate the Day of Independence of Armenia. This significant
day is a good opportunity for giving a meaning to the process of
establishment of our independent statehood.

The Armenian nation established its third republic by announcing
about its independence by the referendum and affirmed its joint will
of creating a free and independent modern statehood. After a pause of
long years the reestablishment of the Armenian independent statehood
was the result of the ascent and unity of the Armenian nation.

I congratulate us all on this significant day.

I am sure that in the future too the gratified spirit of freedom
will be seen in the creative ascents of the Armenian nation, and our
unity will open ways for the new victories of the Armenian nation. I
wish us all success, well-being and happiness for the welfare of the
Armenian independent statehood."

Aysor, Armenia
Sept 19 2009

Pan Armenian Forum of Lawyers’ first day

Yerevan hosts the first Pan Armenian Forum of Lawyers on `Armenian
legal thought and the challenges of 21st century’ which has opened
today and where for about 100 Armenian lawyers from different
countries including Artsakh partake.

Armenia’s Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan opened the conference
and spoke about country’s after-independence-declaration years noting
that Armenia wanted to build a civil society and democratic state. And
on this path world’s Armenian lawyers’ help is needed.

Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan, Catholicos of All Armenians
Garegin II and Nagorno-Karabakh Rebublic’s President Bako Saakyan have
sent their greetings to participants.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan welcomed the lawyers and said the Forum
was a good matter to solve in joint strivings those problems that
Armenia faced.

After today’s conference the lawyers will attend Armenian Diaspora
dramatist Manvel Adamyan’s staging at Theatre aft. Gabriel
Sundukyan. For tomorrow’s program participants will meet with the
Catholicos at Holy Echmiadzin Cathedral, and for September 21 they
will go to Lake Sevan, Dilijan and Goshavank and will attend President
Serzh Sargsyan’s receiving in honor of Independence Day.

Tert, Armenia
Sept 19 2009

Levon Ter-Petrossian Will Not Announce His Candidacy If¦
16:36 ¢ 19.09.09

In the concluding part of his speech yesterday, touching upon the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue, Levon Ter-Petrossian expressed a way out of
the situation.

`The events, of course, would have developed quite differently, had
Nagorno-Karabakh’s leadership, in response to the alarm call the
Armenian National Congress (HAK) had made at one time, protected
Karabakh’s status as a negotiating party (based on a decision made at
the OSCE Summit in Budapest) and prohibited Armenia’s governing
authorities to act in its name. But that didn’t happen, and in order
to come out of an awkward situation, Nagorno-Karabakh’s leadership, in
the conflict settlement process, found it sufficient to make
statements on the necessity of its participation, which were
statements of principle only outwardly; in reality, they were
empty. Nagorno-Karabakh’s officials and political figures like
repeating, without rhyme or reason, that they believe Serzh Sargsyan
and that they are convinced he will not sign a document or, in their
words, will not give up Nagorno-Karbakh. Belief, of course, is a
feeling worthy of respect, but, unfortunately, it is not a political
category,’ Levon Ter-Petrossian said.

The opposition leader stated Serzh Sargsyan couldn’t have presented
the entire contents of the settlement plan to Nagorno-Karabakh’s
leadership in detail.

`Therefore, if in the instance of being informed, Nagorno-Karabakh’s
leadership doesn’t take any serious steps to prevent the undesirable
solution of their own issue, that means they agree with the
solution. If, however, they don’t agree, and at the same time, they
don’t want to be opposed to Serzh Sargsyan, that’s worse; it means
what’s more important for them is not Karabakh’s fate, but rather
preserving Karabakh’s clan authorities in Armenia.’

In Levon Ter-Petrossian’s opinion, Serzh Sargsyan’s resignation, the
reinstating of constitutional order in Armenia and forming a
legitimate government would have much more significance in changing
the unfavourable course of settling the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

`A change of authority may occur in two cases. The first, and the
least harsh, way is Sargsyan’s resignation of his own will. There are
rumours floating around among Armenian and Nagorno-Karabakh official
circles that, irrespective of how Sargysan behaves and what he says,
he won’t sign a single document. If, nevertheless, he is obliged to
sign, he will hand in his resignation. Some people insist that
Sargsyan himself has stated numerous times in his talks his intention
to resign in case of an unacceptable settlement of
Nagorno-Karabakh. All the same, those rumours have no basis, in my
opinion, and are circulated only with the purpose to dispel the fears,
if only temporarily, of those concerned with Karabakh’s fate. Sargsyan
has got so tangled up in his net of responsibilities before the
international community so that they may recognize his legitimacy,
that even with the greatest will [in the world], he cannot but sign
the final agreement put before him.

`The other way for a change in government is Serzh Sargsyan’s
compulsory resignation, which may take place in the case of a
nation-wide immense and long-lasting protest. As I tried to explain by
thorough analysis on September 21, 2008, the Armenian National
Congress (HAK) is unable to solve the issue alone. It is a fact that
HAK is the only political organization in Armenia which has clearly
stated and consistently demanded Serzh Sargsyan’s resignation and
extraordinary parliamentary and presidential elections should be
held. No one else has come forward with such a demand yet. It could be
understood in some way, in so far as the change in authority was only
viewed as an inner political issue aimed at reinstating the
Constitutional order, with which many could disagree. But it is
completely incomprehensible when Nagorno-Karabakh’s fate is directly
dependent on it. So, it remains to conclude, the other political
forces neither need democracy nor
Nagorno-Karabakh,’ Levon Ter-Petrossian said.

At the end of his speech, Ter-Petrossian answered the question why in
such a situation the Congress’s critics don’t incite the nation in
order to put an end to the doubts once and for all. His response?

`A. The Armenian National Congress doesn’t need an authority gained by
losing Nagorno-Karabakh.

B. I am not going to announce my candidacy in case Sargsyan resigns as
president, excluding the case that Kocharian announces his
[candidacy].

C. I have considered myself only an instrument in recovering
Constitutional order in Armenia and I am ready to play that role till
the end.’

Tert.am

ANKARA NOT TO RATIFY PROTOCOLS UNTIL YEREVAN AND BAKU DO NOT SIGN AGREEMENT OVER KARABAKH

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
17.09.2009 20:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia has never stated about its territorial claims
against Turkey at the official level, but the official Yerevan has
never stated that it has no claims, Giro Manoyan , head of the Hai
Dat office told a news conference in Yerevan today.

"By signing protocols on normalization of the Armenian- Turkish
relations, we endanger our tomorrow’s requirement. These protocols
satisfy all three preconditions of Ankara, it sought to achieve since
1991, " he said.

He added, that these documents are not international agreements that
require ratification by the parliaments of the two countries.

"I suppose the Armenian authorities have made such a step to to
impose a burden on country’s parliament. Ankara, in turn, will use
this to postpone the process. That is why no specific dates for the
ratification of these documents are fixed in the protocols," Giro
Manoyan stressed.

He expressed confidence that the Protocols will not be ratified by the
Turkish parliament untill Yerevan and Baku sign the basic principles
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement.

"I think this process is delayed until the end of the year, since
Ankara is interested in the process itself. Turkey may sign the
Protocols, but to delay their ratification, " Mr. Manoyan stressed.

Responding to a question, whether it was coincidence that the
promulgation of the "road map" happened the day before the April 24,
and six weeks for internal consultation in Armenia and Turkey will
expire on October 13 – the day of signing the Treaty of Kars, the
head of "Hay Dat" stressed that this two facts could seem accidental
to those people who are unfamiliar with Turkish diplomacy.