December 1, 2005

ACNIS Examines Military and Civil Relationships

Yerevan—The study of military and public relations is a new domain not only in Armenia but in the post-Soviet and Eastern European countries as well. Considering the tremendous role played by the armed forces in the spheres of defense and security, and the military elite’s impact on the political and economic processes in the country, military affairs, which traditionally are considered to be undemocratic, cause numerous problems for the authorities on the one hand, and civil society on the other.[full story]

Related links: Armenian version.

November 30, 2005

RAFFI HOVANNISIAN DETAINED AT YEREVAN AIRPORT

Yerevan—Raffi K. Hovannisian, Armenia’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs, was detained today for detailed questioning and inspection before boarding an Austrian Airlines flight to Vienna.

Awaited and confronted by an airport national security (formerly KGB) agent identifying himself as Arsen Poghosyan and saying his job was to ensure...[full story]

Related links: Armenian version.

October 20, 2005

ACNIS Examines Armenian-Iranian Relations

Yerevan—Serious worldwide political debates recently have taken place on Iran-international community relations and the nuclear factor in those ties. This also is of immediate concern for Armenia and its external policy, since Iran is among the countries that rank top on Armenia’s foreign agenda. And against this background, the Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) today convened a policy roundtable entitled “The Armenian-Iranian Relationship in New Times: The Perspective of Security.” [full story]

Related links: Armenian version.

October 5, 2005

ACNIS Turns Eleven: Raffi Hovannisian's Public Address

Today the Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) celebrated its 11th anniversary of public service, creative inspiration, and analytical research. On the occasion and in the presence of professional staff and media representatives, ACNIS founder and Heritage Party chairman Raffi K. Hovannisian delivered his annual address. [full story]

Related links: Armenian version.

Full version of Raffi Hovannisian's Public Address. [English, Armenian, Russian]

September 30, 2005

ACNIS Polls Target Armenia's Regional and Communal Development

Yerevan—The Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) today convened a policy roundtable to sum up the results of the two public surveys it simultaneously conducted in September on local development and governance perceptions in Yerevan and all Armenia. 1000 respondents from all regions of Armenia except the capital participated in the first poll, while 500 Yerevan residents took part in the second. [full story]

Related links: Armenian version.

August 31, 2005

Warsaw—Raffi K. Hovannisian, Armenia’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs, represented Armenia at an international conference marking the Solidarity movement’s 25th anniversary, which was held here from August 29 to 31 under the auspices of the Solidarity Center Foundation and the Lech Walesa Insitute. [full story]

Related links: Armenian version.

August 30, 2005

ACNIS Examines Information Security

Yerevan—The Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) has convened a number of policy roundtables on security matters, especially concerning national, economic, and energy safety. Today’s roundtable was devoted to information security against... [full story]

Related links: Armenian version.

August 19, 2005

Raffi Hovannisian-Kostas Karamanlis Consultations

Athens—Greek Prime Minister Konstantinos A. Karamanlis received Armenia's first Minister of Foreign Affairs Raffi K. Hovannisian at his government office here today. [full story]

Related links: Armenian version.

July 27, 2005

ACNIS Faces Armenia’s National Security Challenges

Yerevan—The Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) today convened a policy roundtable on ways to meet the contemporary challenges to Armenia’s national security under the light of new geopolitical realities. The meeting brought together those formerly and currently in charge of the sector, experts, social and political observers, and media representatives. [full story]

Related links: Armenian version.

July 19, 2005

ACNIS Examines Armenia’s Energy Security

Yerevan—The Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) today convened a policy roundtable within the framework of regional economic development and potential mutual cooperation. The topic, problems and prospects of Armenia’s, energy safety is fairly urgent, and the meeting brought together those in charge of the sector, experts, independent researchers, and media representatives. [full story]

Related links: Armenian version.

July 1, 2005

ACNIS Releases Public Perceptions on Armenia's Regional Role

Yerevan—The Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) today convened a policy roundtable on “The South Caucasus: Common or Separate Destinies?” to issue the results of both a public survey and a specialized questionnaire on “Armenia’s Place and Role in the Region” conducted among 40 experts and 1500 citizens from Yerevan and all of Armenia’s regions. The meeting brought together policy analysts, experts, public figures, academic circles, media and NGO representatives to discuss public perceptions and expert views regarding the Caucasus, the spheres in which Armenia might play a leading role among neighboring countries, and on the whole the nation’s strengths and weaknesses, influences, and preferable systems of security. [full story]

Related links: Armenian version.

May 25, 2005

ACNIS Examines Armenia and the Region in Light of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan

Yerevan—The Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) today convened a policy roundtable on “Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC): A New Pulse in the Region” to shed light on Armenia’s place and role, this time in the context of regional economic developments. The meeting, which coincided with the official ceremony to launch the Azerbaijani section of the BTC pipeline named after Heydar Aliyev, brought together policy analysts, public figures, academic circles, media and NGO representatives to debate the prospects and opportunities of the “contract of the century” as the presumptive crux of regional integration processes. [full story]

Related links: Armenian version.

May 5, 2005

ACNIS Discusses Turkey's Potential Role
in View of Regional Security and Cooperation

Yerevan—The Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) today convened a specialized policy roundtable on “Turkey: New Face with a New Role, or New Image with an Old Role?” The meeting brought together academic circles, policy analysts, media and NGO communities to view Armenia’s neighborhood policy, geopolitical developments, and points of reference for possible cooperation and security in the region in the context of Armenia’s changing environment and national interests. It particularly focused… [full story]

Related links: Armenian version.

April 26, 2005

ACNIS Roundtable on Public Opinion and the Armenian Genocide
Richard Hovannisian Keynotes

Yerevan—The Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) today released the results of a public survey on “The Armenian Genocide: 90 Years and Waiting” which it conducted among 1900 citizens from Yerevan and all of Armenia’s regions.

ACNIS founder Raffi K. Hovannisian invited the participants to stand in a moment of silence for the one and a half million victims of the Armenian Genocide and the millennial homeland of which they were brutally dispossessed. [full story]

Related links: Armenian version.

April 12, 2005

ACNIS Releases Expert and Public Opinion Results on Karabagh Issue

Yerevan—The Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) today issued the results of both a public survey and a specialized questionnaire on “The Karabagh Story: 17 Years in Progress” which it conducted among 60 experts and 1900 citizens from Yerevan and all of Armenia’s regions. [full story]

Related links: Armenian version.

March 4, 2005

ACNIS Releases Public Opinion Results on Constitutional and Election Code Reforms

Yerevan—The Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) today issued the results of a public poll on “Constitutional and Electoral Reforms” which it conducted in February among 1500 citizens from Yerevan and all of Armenia’s regions. [full story]

Related links: Armenian version.

Founded in 1994 by  Armenia's first Minister of Foreign Affairs Raffi K. Hovannisian and supported by a global network of contributors, ACNIS serves as a link between innovative scholarship and the public policy challenges facing Armenia and the Armenian people in the post-Soviet world. It also aspires to be a catalyst for creative, strategic thinking and a wider understanding of the new global environment. In 2005, the Center focuses primarily on civic education, conflict resolution, and applied research on critical domestic and foreign policy issues for the state and the nation.

For further information on the Center and its activities, call (37410) 52-87-80 or 27-48-18; fax (37410) 52-48-46; e-mail root@acnis.am or info@acnis.am