Tweet
PRESS RELEASE
The Civilitas Foundation
One Northern Ave. Suite 30
Yerevan, Armenia
Telephones: +37494.800754; +37410.500119
email: [email protected]
web: www.civilitasfoundation.org
OCTOBER 3, 2008
OSKANIAN GIVES PRESS CONFERENCE AT CIVILITAS FOUNDATION OPENING
The newly-established Yerevan-based Civilitas Foundation was officially
launched on Wednesday, October 1.
Founded by former Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, the Foundation¹s offices
in central Yerevan hosted several hundred guests from the educational,
business and government spheres.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Oskanian held a press conference and spoke about the
Foundation¹s goals and activities, as well as about recent political
developments in Armenia.
Mr. Oskanian explained that the name =8Ccivilitas¹ comes from the Latin word
that contains references to many things - civilization, civil society and
civility. He said that the foundation has adopted the meaning that focuses
on =8Ccitizen¹s responsibility to society.¹
He explained that the Civilitas Foundation will work in two directions. The
first, the Council on Foreign Relations will advocate peace and stability
in the Caucasus through multifaceted dialogue and open discourse. It will
offer a forum for Armenia¹s opinion and policy makers, and will help inform
the international academic, political and media communities about Armenia¹s
foreign policy choices, options and actions, in the context of Armenia's
national security challenges. Through public and private discussions as well
as research and publications, the Council will promote the Armenian
perspective internationally and domestically. The Council will work to
promote the proper mechanisms and the necessary environment for further
European integration.
The second direction - the Democracy and Development Initiative - will focus
on education - through a scholarship program that encourages study in
strategically important sectors. The Civilitas Foundation Media program will
produce content in English and Armenian, for Armenia and the Diaspora, to
contribute to the elimination of the current social, political, economic and
cultural information gap. By introducing a new kind of open, objective,
responsible public discourse, media will be strengthened and can become
relevant to people's lives. To promote uniform development, the Civilitas
Foundation will also highlight and concentrate on economic facilitation in
rural areas and on environmental awareness.
Mr. Oskanian¹s introduction was followed by questions from the journalists.
In response to questions about Turkish President Gul¹s recent visit to
Armenia, Mr. Oskanian called the Turkish President visit an unprecedented
event, but added that its real value can only be measured if there is
movement on opening the Armenian-Turkish border.
"For me the only criterion of evaluating the Turkish-Armenian relations, is
the border opening, or at least, beginning to operate the Kars-Gyumri
railroad. If this happens in the coming months, then I will say that the
invitation was the right thing to do. If not, then we will have to recognize
that Turkey has maximally used this event for its own political purposes,"
Mr. Oskanian stated.
Speaking about Turkey's possible involvement in the Karabakh talks, Vartan
Oskanian stated that Turkey has no place in those talks so long as it hasn't
opened the border, hasn't reactivated the railroad, and still takes
Azerbaijan¹s side in this conflict. Thus, Mr. Oskanian made clear that
Armenian diplomacy should not only do everything possible not to let Turkey
get involved in the talks, but also should prevent Turkey from leaving such
an impression on the world.
He commented that as of today, Turkey is reaping ten times greater dividends
than the Armenian side from this visit, and added that he hopes and assumes
that the Armenian leadership must have sufficient assurances of forward
movement, otherwise it¹s difficult to understand the willingness of the
Armenian side to make statements which Turkey wants to hear while Turkey
does not act on the border, and worse, continues to link Armenia-Turkey
relations to the Karabakh confict.
Mr. Oskanian also responded to questions about the domestic political
situation. He spoke about those still being detained following the events of
March 1, and expressed concern that the longer they are held without
charges, the more difficult it will be for Armenia to escape the label of a
country with =8Cpolitical prisoners.¹ He said that these days, with the
world¹s eyes on the Caucasus, Armenia can make forward strides only if there
is domestic understanding about the need to consolidate our society, face
the difficult questions associated with March 1, which he called a black day
in our history, and arrive at an objective assessment that will allow us to
move on.
Regarding questions about his immediate engagement in Armenia¹s domestic
political processes, he acknowledged his inability to remain indifferent to
the many social and political challenges facing the country, but said it¹s
much too early to discuss the timing and nature of such involvement.
Instead, he said, he would focus on building the Civilitas Foundation into
a relevant, engaged, effective organization that would contribute to bringing
necessary change.
Mr. Oskanian promised that the public would be regularly informed of the
activities and finances of the Civilitas Foundation.
The Civilitas Foundation
One Northern Ave. Suite 30
Yerevan, Armenia
Telephones: +37494.800754; +37410.500119
email: [email protected]
web: www.civilitasfoundation.org
OCTOBER 3, 2008
OSKANIAN GIVES PRESS CONFERENCE AT CIVILITAS FOUNDATION OPENING
The newly-established Yerevan-based Civilitas Foundation was officially
launched on Wednesday, October 1.
Founded by former Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, the Foundation¹s offices
in central Yerevan hosted several hundred guests from the educational,
business and government spheres.
Earlier in the day, Mr. Oskanian held a press conference and spoke about the
Foundation¹s goals and activities, as well as about recent political
developments in Armenia.
Mr. Oskanian explained that the name =8Ccivilitas¹ comes from the Latin word
that contains references to many things - civilization, civil society and
civility. He said that the foundation has adopted the meaning that focuses
on =8Ccitizen¹s responsibility to society.¹
He explained that the Civilitas Foundation will work in two directions. The
first, the Council on Foreign Relations will advocate peace and stability
in the Caucasus through multifaceted dialogue and open discourse. It will
offer a forum for Armenia¹s opinion and policy makers, and will help inform
the international academic, political and media communities about Armenia¹s
foreign policy choices, options and actions, in the context of Armenia's
national security challenges. Through public and private discussions as well
as research and publications, the Council will promote the Armenian
perspective internationally and domestically. The Council will work to
promote the proper mechanisms and the necessary environment for further
European integration.
The second direction - the Democracy and Development Initiative - will focus
on education - through a scholarship program that encourages study in
strategically important sectors. The Civilitas Foundation Media program will
produce content in English and Armenian, for Armenia and the Diaspora, to
contribute to the elimination of the current social, political, economic and
cultural information gap. By introducing a new kind of open, objective,
responsible public discourse, media will be strengthened and can become
relevant to people's lives. To promote uniform development, the Civilitas
Foundation will also highlight and concentrate on economic facilitation in
rural areas and on environmental awareness.
Mr. Oskanian¹s introduction was followed by questions from the journalists.
In response to questions about Turkish President Gul¹s recent visit to
Armenia, Mr. Oskanian called the Turkish President visit an unprecedented
event, but added that its real value can only be measured if there is
movement on opening the Armenian-Turkish border.
"For me the only criterion of evaluating the Turkish-Armenian relations, is
the border opening, or at least, beginning to operate the Kars-Gyumri
railroad. If this happens in the coming months, then I will say that the
invitation was the right thing to do. If not, then we will have to recognize
that Turkey has maximally used this event for its own political purposes,"
Mr. Oskanian stated.
Speaking about Turkey's possible involvement in the Karabakh talks, Vartan
Oskanian stated that Turkey has no place in those talks so long as it hasn't
opened the border, hasn't reactivated the railroad, and still takes
Azerbaijan¹s side in this conflict. Thus, Mr. Oskanian made clear that
Armenian diplomacy should not only do everything possible not to let Turkey
get involved in the talks, but also should prevent Turkey from leaving such
an impression on the world.
He commented that as of today, Turkey is reaping ten times greater dividends
than the Armenian side from this visit, and added that he hopes and assumes
that the Armenian leadership must have sufficient assurances of forward
movement, otherwise it¹s difficult to understand the willingness of the
Armenian side to make statements which Turkey wants to hear while Turkey
does not act on the border, and worse, continues to link Armenia-Turkey
relations to the Karabakh confict.
Mr. Oskanian also responded to questions about the domestic political
situation. He spoke about those still being detained following the events of
March 1, and expressed concern that the longer they are held without
charges, the more difficult it will be for Armenia to escape the label of a
country with =8Cpolitical prisoners.¹ He said that these days, with the
world¹s eyes on the Caucasus, Armenia can make forward strides only if there
is domestic understanding about the need to consolidate our society, face
the difficult questions associated with March 1, which he called a black day
in our history, and arrive at an objective assessment that will allow us to
move on.
Regarding questions about his immediate engagement in Armenia¹s domestic
political processes, he acknowledged his inability to remain indifferent to
the many social and political challenges facing the country, but said it¹s
much too early to discuss the timing and nature of such involvement.
Instead, he said, he would focus on building the Civilitas Foundation into
a relevant, engaged, effective organization that would contribute to bringing
necessary change.
Mr. Oskanian promised that the public would be regularly informed of the
activities and finances of the Civilitas Foundation.