Russian wheat seeds treads cautiously delivered to on question of Armenian Page 3 past PAGE 4 ARMENIA HIGHLIGHTS

Weekly Digest of the

SEPTEMBER 24-29 2010 THEMA

Armenia’s virtual “Quote of exhibition hall the week” awarded prize for in- “ contin- novative solution at ues to reject the pro- Expo 2010 Shanghai posal to come to an agreement on nonuse of force or threat of force. This goes against the underpinning princi- plesof the United Na- tions.”

EDWARD NALBANDYAN RA FOREINGN MINISTER

Upcoming Events

rmenia’s virtual exhibition hall Armenian pavilion, featuring mod- Aat Expo 2010 Shanghai was els of famous architects world- October 5: Armenia marksTeachers awarded a special prize for inno- wide, aims to invite people to day vative solution established by the construct the City of the World. chief sponsor of the exhibition, Das- In Apricot Garden, visitors can em- October 8: Prime Minister of Leba- sault Systemes S.A., a leading com- brace the blossoming apricot trees, non visits Armenia pany specializing in 3D software. taste the unique apricots of Arme- Armenia-projected virtual exhi- nia and enjoy the magical sounds October 11: President of Slovenia bition hall will be available on of Armenian Duduk flute made Danilo Türk Visits Armenia the internet for years to come. of wood from the apricot tree. To mark the Independence Day In Gold & Silk, visitors can dis- October 16: Armenia Celebrates the of Armenia, the Armenian flag cover many interesting facts about Day of Alphabet and Translation was raised at Shanghai Expo ancient trade relations between Ar- 2010 exhibition on September 21. menia and China, enjoy the unique Following the ceremony, the Ar- mastery of Armenian jewellers. USEFUL LINKS menian delegation, led by Prime Over 2 million visitors have been • www.president.am Minister was in- welcomed into the Armenian pa- • www.gov.am vited to the official reception hall. vilion since the exhibition launch. • www.parliament.am At Expo 2010, Armenia was rep- • www.mfa.am resented by the City of the World September 27, 2010 • www.armenpress.am pavilion, featuring Apricot Gar- www.panarmenian.net • www.panarmenian.net den and Gold & Silk highlights. • www.matenadaran.am ARMENIA HIGHLIGHTS

CHRONICA Headlines of the week Aram Isabekyan’s personal exhibition in Artists’ Union of • September 24: Ratna Sahay Armenia gives high assessment to implemen- menia” party , many cul- tation of IMF program in Armenia tural and public-political figures attended the AH exhibition. Armenian Prime Minister Tigran • SEPTEMBER 25: RA NSC dis- Sargsyan, congratulating the guests on open- cusses border security issues ing of Aram Isabekyan’s personal exhibi- AH tion, noted that Aram Isabekyan is an artist • September 25: OSCE MG and intellectual with distinct civic position, a Field Assessment Mission sched- person who brings up generations. “Visiting uled for October 4-14, 2010 this exhibition you will be sure, too, that the AH upbringing of our young people is in trust- • SEPTEMBER 27: Armenia, Belarus worthy hands and his art will encourage all to boost cooperation in various fields of us in that regard,” Mr. Sargsyan noted. AH Karen Aghamyan, chairman of Armenian • SEPTEMBER 28: RA budget expen- he personal exhibition of Aram Isabeky- Artists’ Union, noted that today is a holiday ditures grew 7.1% in January-August Tan, rector of RA State Academy of Fine for everybody, as a very interesting exhibi- 2010 as result of state debt servicing Arts, opened today in the Armenian Artists’ tion opens. Artist Aram Isabekyan noted that AH Union. About 106 paintings and 30 graphic the works painted over 42 years are exhib- • SEPTEMBER 28: Bako Sahaky- works were exhibited., ited. He expressed gratitude to all those who an: NKR independence and secu- speaker of the National Assembly, Armenian have supported him to hold this exhibition rity are not subject to compromise Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, Armenian and issue his album. The exhibition will be AH Healthcare Minister Harutyun Kushkyan, open till October 6. • SEPTEMBER 29: 25-year-old NA member, Chairman of “Prosperous Ar- September24 2010, www.panarmenian.net Armenian Marina Avetian wins Miss TourismAH pageant in Turkey

• SEPETEMBER 29: Armenia’s food in- New terminal to open in Zvartnots Airport in 2011 dustry can presentAH its traditions to world

“Air transportation volumes in- • SEPTEMBER 29: Hen- creased 10% over the past 8 months. rikh Mkhitaryan makes debut As of September 22, passenger flows in UEFA Champions League increased 13.5% compared with the Ban Ki-moon: withdrawal of same period in 2009,” Hakobyan told snipers will strengthen truce reporters in . between Karabakh and He also informed that a new terminal Azerbaijan meeting all international standards rmenian Foreign Minister Ed- will open in Zvartnots Airport in 2011. Award Nalbandian met with UN Asked to comment on the Airport’s Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on recent ban on Armavia national car- the sidelines of the 65th session of the The civil aviation in Armenia is dy- rier’s flights, Hakobyan said state UN General Assembly in New York. namically developing, according to agencies are not empowered to inter- At the request of the UN General Secre- Sahak Hakobyan, head of the General fere into a conflict between two enti- tary, Mr. Nalbandian briefed on recent Department of the Civil Aviation. ties. trends in the Karabakh conflict settle- September 29, 2010 www.panarmenian.net ment, the RA MFA press service reported. Ban Ki-moon noted that he supports the withdrawal of snipers from the contact Tigran G. Martirosyan World Weightlifting Champion line, what will considerably strengthen the rmenia’s Tigran G. Martirosyan truce between the parties to the conflict. Aclaimed double gold in both clean Edward Nalbandian said he is of the same and jerk and total in men’s 77kg cate- opinion, expressing hope that Azerbai- gory at the World Weightlifting Cham- jan will accept the offer made repeatedly. pionships in Antalya, Turkey. Marti- Referring to developments around the rosyan combined 173kg in the snatch Armenian-Turkish normalization with- and 200kg in the clean and jerk to in a year, Nalbandian expressed grati- win gold with a total weight of 373kg. tude to Ban Ki-moon for the UN’s China’s Lu Xiaojun won silver with unbiased assistance in this process. 370kg. Egypt’s Tarek Yehia finished Edward Nalbandian left New York for Boston third with 356kg. to deliver a speech at the Fletcher School of September www.panarmenian.net Law and Diplomacy and to meet with repre- sentatives of the Armenian community there. September 26, 2010 www.panarmenian.net 2 AH ARMENIA HIGHLIGHTS RES PUBLICA Yerevan hosts 8th award ceremony timed to Freedom of Azerbaijan asks Catholi- Information Day cos of All Armenians to Freedom of Information Center (FIC). assist return of Azeri Golden Key nomination was subversive dead body set to award organizations, me- dia and citizen who abode by their right to receive information. Rusty Lock award was extend- ed to organizations and media whose work lacks transparency. At the ceremony, the head of FIC Shushan Doydoyan specifically noted the progress in information freedom re- ported over the last 5 years in Armenia. Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sarg- n September 28, Yerevan hosted syan, who also participated in the cer- atriarch of Moscow and All Rus- Othe 8th award ceremony timed emony, emphasized the importance Psia Kirill conveyed Chairman of to the Freedom of Information Day. of openness and transparency in the the Caucasus Muslims Clerical Of- The ceremony was organized by the work of governmental institutions. fice Sheil-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pa- September 28, 2010 www.panarmenian.net shazade’s request to Catholicos of All Armenians His Holiness Karekin II to Nalbandian, Zbogar discuss Slovenian President’s assist return of the dead body of Azeri upcoming visit to Armenia serviceman Mubariz Ibrahimov, who was killed at Chaylu settlement during an Azerbaijani subversive attack. rmenian Foreign Minister Edward ANalbandian met with his Croatian “His Holiness Karekin II informed counterpart Gordan Jandrokovic on the Armenian President sidelines of the 65th session of the UN about the request,” head of the infor- General Assembly in New York. The mation services of Holy Etchamiadzin, two men noted that the two countries Rev. Father Vahram Melikyan said. Presidents’ mutual visits last year have “Unlike Azerbaijan, Armenia observes created good prerequisites for devel- humanitarian law norms and transfers opment of the Armenian-Croatian bodies to the opposite side. It stands economic, political and cultural coop- ready to consider any request of the eration. The same day, Minister Nal- kind,” he said. bandian met with Slovenian Foreign At Mr. Zbogar’s request, the Armenian September 27, 2010 www.panarmenian.net Minister Samuel Zbogar to discuss Minister briefed on latest develop- details of Slovenian President Danilo ments in the Karabakh conflict settle- Turk’s official visit to Armenia next ment process, RA MFA press service Russian wheat seeds delivered to month. reported. Armenia September 23, 2010 www.panarmenian.net

Armenia's Independence Day marked in Kuwait and India

On September 23, Kuwait hosted a reception with participation of repre- sentatives of the Foreign Ministry of Kuwait, Armenian community, as well as ambassadors to this country and diplomats, the RA MFA press service reported. 000 tons (16 vans) of Russian wheat seeds On September 21, Calcutta hosted an 1have been already delivered to Ayrum event dedicated to the 19th anniversary station in Armenia. By 8 pm, the cargo of Armenia's independence. Besides, will reach Masis station, Railvneshtrans an exhibition of works by students of press service told PanARMENIAN.Net Armenian gymnasium was organized The Armenian government has ap- rmenia's Independence Day was and a film about Armenia screened. proved the seed farming pro- Amarked in Kuwait and India. September 25, 2010 www.panarmenian.net gram for 2010-2014 in July 2010. September 27, 2010 www.panarmenian.net

3 AH ARMENIA HIGHLIGHTS PRO PATRIA turkey treads cautiously on LAs vegAS—Scott Ashjian ‘Imperfect Harmonies’ question of Armenian past is one of those Vegas Surges Ahead he Turkish government wants to im- characters. Tprove relations with Armenia, but is it eparting further from the well-known ready to leave behind decades of nationalist Dsounds from his band System of a dogma and fully confront the country’s past? Down, ’s “Imperfect Harmo- From the vantage point of the ancient cas- nies” is a personal adventure. The orches- tle, perched atop a rocky outcrop, you can tral album has strong jazz and electronica see the whole of the city of Van, spread elements, and is very experimental in na- out between the dazzling blue of the great ture. lake and the jagged mountains to the east. “Imperfect Harmonies” sounds something It is a featureless sprawl of ugly apartment like an amalgam of Tankian’s voice and blocks that you might find in any provincial e wears a platinum Rolex and slicks the Trans-Siberian orchestra. The album Turkish city. Nothing suggests that it has any Hhis hair back, Mad Men-style. He got relies heavily on strings and other orches- history going back more than a few decades. his start in car washes, went into asphalt and tral instruments. It can get a bit repetitive If you then look to the south, directly be- now has a company that floods the Internet at times and it’s not something too many neath you is an area of rough grass, criss- with flattering information about people listeners may be immediately fond of. But crossed by a maze of paths, with just a worried they look bad in Google searches. if you give it a few listens, you’ll uncover few fragments of buildings still visible. He keeps a Playboy-themed pinball ma- the catchy melodies and solid songwriting People walking on the street in Van chine in his office, drives a $160,000 black in the album. The story of how the Armenians van- Mercedes with a night-vision system, and The album opens with “Disowned, Inc.” ished is not discussed in Van today carries a pistol under his suit jacket. The song starts strong with an upbeat, an- This is Old Van, a city that, until its de- And he just might be the man who deter- struction, had been continuously in- mines the outcome of the highest-profile habited for more than 3,000 years. Senate race in the country. So volatile is And a large part of the people who inhab- the mood of the electorate, and so strong ited it were Armenians - it had once been the anti-establishment anger, that Mr. at the heart of a great Armenian empire. Ashjian—a political unknown who barely Today there are almost none. bothers to campaign—may well tip the The only two buildings still stand- scales in favor of beleaguered Senate Ma- ing there are mosques. Of the doz- jority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat, in en or so churches, there is no trace. his race with Republican challenger Shar- The story of how the Armenians ron Angle. vanished from their historic home- September28, 2010 land is not discussed in Van today. full story online.wsj.com The city proudly describes the waves of in- Paet discussed visa-free gry string and guitar-driven melody. Then, vaders who have passed through - Parthians, movement for Estonians it quickly fades into a jazzy verse, with lit- Greeks, Romans, Persians, Seljuk Turks - tle electric sounds here and there. The song but the Armenians who dominated the city with Armenian and Thai is an excellent demonstration of the varied just a century ago are hardly mentioned. colleagues music to come, and is immediately catchy. At least half of the original popula- aet and minister Piromya signed a “Borders Are…” begins with a piano and tion died in what many historians call Pco-operation protocol between the string intro that picks up with a fast beat the modern world’s first genocide ministries of foreign affairs of and gradually builds up to an intense, fast- This is not surprising really, when you and Thailand. According to Paet, Estonia paced string driven climax fit for a car consider that the Ottoman Empire’s big- also wishes to conclude with Thailand an chase. As the song picks up, the instru- gest minority was driven out of Ana- agreement on avoiding double taxation ments begin to meld together well and cre- tolia in 1915 on ghastly death marches. and a partnership agreement on culture and ate a genuinely epic mood. At least half, maybe much more, of the orig- education. “It is also important for Estonia “Deserving?” begins with a somber acous- inal population died, in what many histori- to reach the state where Estonian citizens tic guitar and string intro. The song eventu- ans call the modern world’s first genocide. would be released from the obligation to ally picks up pace, and the beat — com- Today the inhabitants of Van are main- hold visas in travelling to Thailand,” said bined with Tankian’s vocal melody and ly Kurdish, some probably the de- Paet, adding that according to his Thai col- signature style — begins to make the song scendants of those who killed and league, the Government of Thailand will take on a Muse-like nature. Once more, seized the property of the Armenians. soon discuss the option. Minister Piromya the song has another catchy melody and is The current Turkish government is also displayed interest in partnership op- well-executed. the first one to seek some kind of ac- tions with Estonia’s IT sector and with “Beatus” is a quirky electronic-based track. commodation with its Armenian past. Estonian ports and railroads. During the The first half of the song is mellow, with It needs to if it is to fulfil its am- meeting with the Armenian minister of for- piano, guitar and recorder-based melodies. bition to be a regional power and eign affairs, Paet proposed that Estonian Though catchy, it’s a track that listeners to be part of the . citizens be waived of the visa obligation. may easily forget. September 25, 2010 September 24, 2010 September 28, 2010 Full stroy www.bbc.co.uk Full stroy 2010 www.baltic-course.com Full story www.newuniversity.org

4 AH ARMENIA HIGHLIGHTS DIASPORA Security Tightened at the Welsh National Turkish Nationalists To Pray In Medieval Armenian Church Assembly building for Armenian Genocide Exhibition ecurity measures have been put in tees. The total number of resulting Arme- Splace at the Welsh National Assembly nian deaths is generally held to have been building (Senedd ) to protect an exhibition 1-1.5 million. It is acknowledged by many of the Armenian Genocide. The exhibition historians to have been one of the first is the first of its kind to be held at any leg- modern genocides, with scholars point- islature in the world, and is being hailed by ing to the systematic, organized manner in the Armenian diaspora as a major step for- which the killings were carried out. ward in their campaign to get international John Torosyan, a leading member of the recognition for the Genocide. In 2007, Welsh Armenian community, said: “There embers of Turkey’s main na- Hrant Dink, the editor of a Turkish Arme- is no doubt that Wales is leading the rest of Mtionalist opposition party are re- nian newspaper, was assassinated in Istan- the UK in the long overdue recognition for portedly planning to gather in an 11th bul after writing articles that were critical the Armenian genocide. century Armenian cathedral Friday for of Turkey’s failure to come to terms with “That is clearly demonstrated by the un- a politically motivated Islamic prayer its past. veiling of the Khatckar [memorial cross] at that is bound to infuriate Armenians, A year later, a memorial cross erected the Temple of Peace in Cardiff – the only RFE/RL reported. outside Cardiff’s Temple of Peace was monument in the UK on public grounds – Turkish newspapers reported on Tues- smashed the night before a gathering to in November 2007, the Holocaust Memo- day that authorities in the northeastern commemorate the first anniversary of rial Day event in January 2010 in which Kars region have received a formal Dink’s murder. the Armenians were mentioned for the first permission application from the local On Saturday, the photographic exhibition time in 10 years, the message of sympathy branch of the Nationalist Movement about the dark moment in European history we received from First Minister Carwyn Party (MHP). opened on the first floor in the Senedd. Jones in April this year, and now this exhi- They said its chairman informed doz- Usually, such exhibitions are unmanned, bition.” The exhibition, which is sponsored ens of local MHP activists and sup- but because of the perceived threat from by Plaid Cymru AM Dai Lloyd, has been porters that the prayer service will take Turkish opponents, those wanting to see put together by Armenian historian Vardan place at the Holy Virgin Cathedral in it will have to be accompanied by security Tadevosyan. He said: “This is an exhibi- Ani, the ruined capital of a medieval volunteers. tion about the genocide which took place, Armenian kingdom located near the The events involved massacres and depor- but also tells of the links between Armenia city of Kars, on the existing Turkish- tations in forced marches under conditions and the UK.” Armenian border. Built in 1001 A.D. by designed to lead to the death of the depor- September 27, 2010 www.massispost.com one of the most celebrated architects of medieval Armenia, Trdat, the church Remembering the Battle of Arara: September was the largest building in the walled and once prosperous city. It is one of 19, 1918 the few surviving examples of the an- rmenians throughout the world remem- cient Armenian civilization that existed Aber August 5, 1920 as the 90th anniver- in what is now eastern Turkey until the sary of the short-lived independent Arme- 1915 Armenian Genocide. According to nian republic formed in Cilicia under French some historians, it was converted into mandate. During the same period, Armeni- a mosque after Armenia was invaded ans memorialize the 92nd anniversary of the by the Seljuk Turks in the late 11th cen- Battle of Arara, on September 19, 1918, when tury. Official Turkish sources still refer the Armenian soldiers who comprised the to it as Fethiye Mosque. Some Turkish Legion Armenienne (Armenian Legion) de- newspapers suggested that the MHP’s feated a combined German-Turkish force to part of the combined Anglo-French forces intention to use it as a Muslim worship spur the final victorious campaign of the Al- fighting against the Turkish-German army. site is a response to the September 19 lies in the Middle East during World War I. In exchange for this support, France prom- mass in the 10th century Holy Cross The Legion Armenienne (1916-1920) was an ised to give autonomy to Cilician Armenia. Armenian church in Van. However, all-volunteer regiment, organized under an The Armenian Legion received its military party leaders attributed the politically agreement between England and France with baptism in the Battle of Arara on September explosive move to domestic politics the Armenian National Delegation President 19, 1918. The Legion was ordered to seize a and, in particular, their tense relations Boghos Nubar Pasha. Leaders of the Arme- key front-line position at the heights of Arara, with the ruling Justice and Develop- nian Diaspora raised a volunteer fighting located south of Nablus, Palestine (present- ment Party (AKP) led by Prime Minis- force of about 4,500 soldiers, commanded day Israel). ter Recep Tayyip Erdogan. by French officers, who participated in the September 27, 2010 September 28, 2010 wartime operations on the Palestine front as Full story www.mirrorspectator.com full story www.asbarez.com "Armenia Highlights" is compiled in association with & DISCLAIMER: Views expressed in "Armenia Highlights" do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government of Armenia.

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