Month: October 2008

HAMMARBERG WELCOMES

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
24 Oct 2008
Armenia

"I welcome the decision on setting up the fact-finding expert group,
aimed at realizing an independent, trustworthy and transparent
investigation of March 1-2 developments. The factual and true
description of the real cases is very important. This will contribute
to the future works in the sphere of the protection of human rights, to
be implemented in Armenia," Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner
Tomas Hammarberg announced estimating Serge Sargsyan’s order about
setting up a fact-finding expert group.

UNDERGROUND PARKING LOTS BEING CONSTRUCTED TO DEAL WITH PROBLEM OF TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN CENTER OF YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
Oct 20, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN. Despite the fact that new transport
nodes have been built in central parts of Yerevan in recent years,
the streets are still full of traffic. The Head of the Construction
and Improvement Department of Yerevan Mayor’s Office Frunz Basentsian
said at the October 20 press conference that the underground parking
lots being constructed in downtown Yerevan will enable to deal with
the problem of traffic congestion.

The construction of underground parking lots in Liberty Square has
already begun with funds of Renco organization (Italy). According to
F. Basentsian, the 3-story parking facility is enviaged for 500 cars
and will be operated by means of modern automated systems. Electronic
panes will be installed at 4 crossroads in Mashtots, Sayat Nova,
Terian and Tumanian Streets, which will allow drivers to look for
places to park their cars. The construction work will be completed in
18 months. F. Basentsian said that after the end of the construction,
the parking facility will become the property of the mayor’s office.

With the aim of easing traffic congestion in central streets of
the city, it is also envisaged building underground parking lots
in Shahumian, Sakharov, Aznavour, and French Squares and near the
Erebuni Hotel and the Republican Stadium.

The department head announced that all the stones of the pedestals of
dismantled Monuments to Hovhannes Tumanian and Alexander Spendiarian
(both monuments were set up in Liberty Square in 1957) have been
numbered and transported to the production basis of Yercitylight
company under the jurisdiction of Yerevan mayor’s office.

NEW ENCROACHMENT UPON THE ARMENIAN CHURCH

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
24 Oct 2008
Armenia

The Georgian-Armenian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church again
voices concerns over the encroachments upon the "Sourb Nshan" (holy
sign) church of Tbilisi and its neighboring area. The encroachments
upon the church were committed by the representatives of the Georgian
Orthodox Church.

As reported by the press service of the Georgian-Armenian Diocese,
Georgian priest Tariel Sikenchelashvili continues the illegal fencing
of the "Sourb Nshan" Armenian church (which doesn’t operate). The
Georgian-Armenian Diocese has officially informed about this to
the Georgian state government bodies, municipal authorities and the
Georgian Patriarchate, however, they haven’t yet taken any measures
to avert the new encroachments upon the Armenian church situated in
the centre of Tbilisi.

The Georgian-Armenian Diocese calls upon all the relevant state
government bodies of Georgia to resolve the above-mentioned problem
as well as determine the issue of the legal status of the traditional
religious organizations within logical time-limits.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AMERICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF AMERICA CRITICIZES U.S. "NEW STAND" ON NAGORNO KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

Noyan Tapan
Oct 20, 2008

WASHINGTON, OCTOBER 20, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. Bush
Administration officials continued to press forward their new, more
aggressive position against freedom for Nagorno Karabagh, citing, as
recently as today in Yerevan, that a resolution of this longstanding
conflict must proceed from the principle of Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity, while remaining conspicuously silent on the core American
value of self- determination. This statement was issued by the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA) on October 17.

The statement says that over the past several weeks, since the time
of Vice President Dick Cheney’s early September visit to Azerbaijan,
the Administration has rolled back any mention of self-determination,
eliminating any reference to this core international legal and
democratic principle from its diplomatic vocabulary. Speaking in
Baku, the Vice President, echoing Azerbaijan’s negotiating stand,
said that a Nagorno Karabagh settlement "must proceed" from the
principle of territorial integrity and only "take into account other
principles." "As recently as earlier today, in Armenia, Assistant
Secretary of State Dan Fried repeated the newly formulated U.S. stand
that a Nagorno Karabagh settlement must start from the principle of
"territorial integrity," although he did concede that there were
"other established norms," an apparent reference to democracy and
self-determination, which he carefully avoided naming," says the
ANCA statement.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN-AMERICANS AND GREEK-AMERICANS TO HOST JOINT FUNDRAISER TO SUPPORT OBAMA

Noyan Tapan
Oct 20, 2008

NEW YORK, OCTOBER 20, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. Armenian-Americans
and Greek-Americans in Manhattan will show their support of
Presidential hopeful Democrate Senator Barak Obama by hosting a
fundraiser.

The event, which will take place on October 28 at Lafayette Bar and
Grill in downtown Manhattan, will feature community leaders from
the Armenian and Greek communities, as well as actor Tate Donovan,
an Obama supporter and friend of Peter Balakian.

"This is a great opportunity for Armenians and Greeks to come together
and rally for the Obama-Biden ticket," commented Nicole Vartanian,
Armenians for Obama New York activist, and added, "Both Senators have
proven to have solid support on Armenian and Greek American issues,
and come November 4th, it will be a true victory for all Americans
when Obama wins the Presidency."

AUSTRIA HONORS IRAN’S LORIS TJEKNAVORIAN

press tv
Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:53:40 GMT

Loris Tjeknavorian

Prominent Iranian composer and conductor Loris Tjeknavorian has been
awarded Austria’s Cross of Honor for Science and Art First Class.

The award was bestowed upon the veteran artist during a ceremony held
by the Austrian embassy to celebrate Austria’s National Day in Tehran.

"I am proud to be an Iranian and I have always tried to make Iranians
more familiar with classical music and introduce the country’s rich
culture to Western countries," Tjeknavorian said upon receiving
the award.

Tjeknavorian conducted a Waltz piece by the 19-century Austrian
composer, Johann Strauss during the ceremony.

Loris Tjeknavorian has made nearly 100 recordings and written more
than 75 compositions, including symphonies, operas, requiems, chamber
music, ballet music, concertos, choral works and an oratorio.

He has conducted international orchestras throughout the world in
numerous countries including Austria, the UK, the US, Canada, Hungary,
Finland, the former USSR, Armenia, Thailand, Hong Kong, South Africa,
and Denmark.

The literary opera, Rostam and Sohrab and the requiem Departed and
the Survived are among his best-known works.

ARMENIA TO ADOPT ANTI-CORRUPTION STRATEGY BY END-2008, OSCE SAYS

ARKA
Oct 24, 2008

YEREVAN, October 24. /ARKA/. Armenia’s second anti-corruption strategy
will be adopted by end-2008, said Sergey Kapinos, head of the OSCE
Office in Yerevan.

The RA Government is currently preparing the strategy, with some of
the documents being drawn up, he reported.

The struggle against corruption is a major problem that hampers
social-economic development, Kapinos said, adding the OSCE Office in
Yerevan helps the RA Government elaborate the strategy.

Two anti-corruption centers in Armenia are cooperating with public
to combat the evil of society, according to Kapinos.

The anti-corruption strategy is Armenia’s commitment to a number of
international organizations, including GRECO (Group of States against
Corruption) and the World Bank.

SIRVARD KARAMANUK PASSED AWAY

Noyan Tapan
Oct 20, 2008

ISTANBUL, OCTOBER 20, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. On October 20
Costantinople-based world-famous composer and benefactor Sirvard
Karamanuk passed away. As Noyan Tapan was informed by Ara Kochunian,
editor of Istanbul’s Zhamanak (Time) newspaper, the 96-year-old artist
passed away in national St. Saviour Hospital, were she spent her last
days for treatment purposes.

DRAWING ANKARA INTO SOUTH CAUCASUS, MOSCOW TRIES TO DIMINISH U.S. INFLUENCE ON THE REGION

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.10.2008 12:34 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Self-efficiency is manifestation of independence. The
same refers to Ankara’s regional policy, NKR political scientist David
Babayan wrote in a peace of opinion titled "Global, regional and local
levels of latest political transformations in the South Caucasus,"
obtained by PanARMENIAN.Net.

"Self-efficiency should be maintained both in internal and external
policies. One of its components is a certain system of values that
underlies the "two states, one nation" formula invented in early
1990-ies.

Turkism or Turkic solidarity outlines a game of many moves. The
point is that drawing Ankara into the South Caucasus, Moscow tries to
diminish the U.S. influence on the region. It’s quite clear that if
the regional problems are discussed by regional powers, exterritorial
countries will hardly penetrate into the process," he wrote.

Ankara’s engagement into the South Caucasus geopolitics can cause
problems in Turkey and throughout Middle East, according to Babayan.

"Turkism as a basis of Turkish self-sufficiency will inevitably
affect the Kurdish population, whose ethnic area is contiguous to
the Transcaucasia. Turkism will also arouse serious concerns in
Iran. Besides, it’s beyond Europe’s interests, since the process can
become unpredictable," he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA ASSUMES BSEC PRESIDENCY

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.10.2008 13:44 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia assumed chairmanship in the Organization
of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) during the 19th summit
held in Tirana on October 23.

Addressing the summit, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
said that despite certain achievements, the BSEC needs reform to
function more efficiently.

The Minister announced BSEC cooperation with other international
structures as well as energy, regional, transport, communications
and ecology as priorities of Armenia’s chairmanship.