Month: December 2008

VARDAN JHNAGIRYAN NEEDS REST CURE

A1+
[02:40 pm] 26 December, 2008

Today the police escort sent after Vardan Jhangiryan, the brother of
ex Deputy Prosecutor General Gagik Jhangiryan, returned to the court
without the defendant. Chief inspectors of Kentron and Nork-Marash
District Police Division Sayat Sargsyan and Anushavan Eghikyan
again found Vardan Jhangiryan in bed with a doctor injecting him
anaesthetic. Representatives of the Ombudsman’s Office, journalists
and advocates were at Jhangiryan’s place at that moment.

"It is the second time I have examined Jhangiryan this week, and I must
say that he needs bed rest. He feels pain at each movement. His state
is the same. He needs serious in-patient treatment," said district
doctor Irina Martirosyan.

Remind that Vardan Jhangiryan suffers from vertebral tuberculosis. His
health further aggravated after receiving a missile wound during the
detention on February 23.

Today at 11:00 Yerevan’s Criminal Court chaired by Judge Mnatsakan
Martirosyan reopened the trial of Vardan Jhangiryan which was
immediately adjourned because of the defendant’s nonattendance. This
time Judge Martirosyan didn’t even wait for the police escort or
the advocates. He confirmed the standing judgment on Jhangiryan’s
compulsory attendance and scheduled the next court sitting for
January 20.

Note that Advocate Lusine Sahakyan who was hurrying to the court
to submit a health certificate about her defendant’s state and
petition the judge to dismiss the case, was surprised to find the
trial completed.

THE MEGHRI SECTOR OF MEGHRI-YEREVAN INTER STATE HIGHWAY IMPASSABLE BECAUSE OF SNOWSTORM

ARMENPRESS
Dec 25, 2008
KAPAN

The Meghri sector of Meghri-Yerevan inter state highway became
impassable because of heavy snow. As a result of a strong wind in the
Meghri canyon a snowstorm started and the road was covered with ice.

As of 14:00 o’clock the 2 km length sector of Kajaran-Meghri road was
closed and three dozens of cars including trucks from Iran stand on
the road. There are damaged cars as well.

The road has been cleaned of the snow but the coming snow on the
ice-covered road makes the traffic impassable.

OPEC INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND TO PROVIDE 14 MILLION USD TO ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
Dec 25, 2008
YEREVAN

Armenian ambassador to Austria Ashot Hovakimian and General Director
of OPEC International Development Fund Suleyman al Herbish signed
December 23 an agreement on providing 14 million US Dollar credit to
Armenian government.

Armenian Foreign Ministry press service told Armenpress that the credit
is provided for the implementation of "Marketing Opportunities for
Farmers" program which intends to promote the economy of Armenia’s
rural areas.

The general director of the fund noted that this is the third joint
program with Armenia. He said he is pleased that cooperation has been
established with the Armenian government and expressed hope that in
future as well the effective cooperation will continue.

A. Hovakimian expressed gratitude on behalf of the Armenian government
for the provided credit and support. He highly underscored cooperation
with the fund and noted that during the coming visit to Armenia
scheduled for the next year the general director will have an
opportunity to see with his own eyes the results of the programs
carried out by the means of the fund.

NKR PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE IN GERMANY ADVISED AZERBAIJANI REPRESENTATIVES TO REFUSE THE REVANCHIST ASPIRATIONS AND RESPECT RIGHT OF KARABAKH PEOPLE TO INDEPENDENT EXISTENCE

ARMENPRESS
Dec 25, 2008
STEPANAKERT

Recently, a conference on "The variants of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement from the Azerbaijani viewpoint" had taken place
at the Conrad Adenauer Foundation’s office in Berlin.

NKR MFA Information Department told Armenpress that director of the
Center of Strategic Sciences under the Azerbaijani President Elhan
Nuriev and Johannes Rau, member of the International Security Forum
under the German Military Academy were invited to have speeches.

NKR Permanent Representative in Germany Gayane Apinyan and Ambassador
of Azerbaijan in Germany Parviz Shahbazov also took par in the
conference, held by senior officer of the Conrad Adenauer Foundation
Peter Hefele.

The Azerbaijani representative developed his speech in the
context of the Azerbaijani territorial integrity and threat of
the Karabakh conflict settlement by force. In response, officer of
the German International Institute on Security Issues Uwe Halbach
and representative of the Union of the Christian-Democratic and
Christian-Social Parties in the Council of Europe Rayner Dornzaifer
noted that they treated the Azerbaijani territorial integrity with
understanding; however the existing new realities and facts should
be taken into account in solving the conflict. Uwe Halbach added that
the demand of territorial integrity is not absolute and sometimes not
realistic, exemplifying Georgia. Rayner Dornzaifer advised Azerbaijan
to learn a lesson from the history of Germany that, according to
him, after The World War II had to accept the existing reality, thus
guaranteeing peace and security in Europe. He expressed confidence
that in case of refusing the territorial integrity, Azerbaijan will
contribute to the peaceful settlement of the conflict and together
with Armenia will be given great assistance from the Council of Europe
for liquidating the consequences of the conflict.

In response to Nuriev’s threatening to solve the Karabakh issue by
use of force, Gayane Apinyan in her turn reminded how many people from
both sides sacrificed during the previous war and in what unfavorable
conditions the people of Nagorno Karabakh managed to uphold their
natural right to liberty.

"Today, in spite of Azerbaijan’s furious armament, Nagorno Karabakh,
due to its high state orderliness, is incomparably stronger and is
ready to defend its independence", she said.

Gayane Apinyan advised the Azerbaijani representatives to refuse the
revanchist aspirations and respect the right of the people of Nagorno
Karabakh to independent existence.

REFORMS IN DEFENSE SPHERE COMING TO THE END

ARMENPRESS
Dec 25, 2008
YEREVAN

With the authority given by the Constitution Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan opened today the last session of the government for this
year. At the beginning of the session a number of bills referring to
the Armenian Defense sphere presented by the Defense Minister Seyran
Ohanian have been approved.

According to the Armenian president, by the adoption of these laws
"we come closer to the end of the reforms of the defense sphere". "In
several days we will have a defense sphere with firm structure,
separated functions and new conditions," Serzh Sargsyan said.

He expressed assurance that the adopted decisions are right and for
their development and adoption 3.5 years were needed. The Armenian
president also expressed assurance that by the adoption of these
decisions the defense-ability of Armenia will be consolidated.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

KAZAKHSTAN SUPPORTS REGULATION OF KARABAKH ISSUE OSCE MINSK GROUP AND CONTINUATION OF PEACEFUL NEGOTIATIONS

ARMENPRESS
Dec 25, 2008
YEREVAN

Charge d’affaires of Kazakhstan to Armenia Nurbolat Alimbayev assesses
the passing year in respect of development of Armenian-Kazakh relations
as successful.

He noted that Armenian-Kazakh relations have a great potential
for development: striving for political and economic development
Kazakhstan has directed its glance to the western countries where
innovation, communication and IT technologies are more developed and
Armenia will serve as a bridge as far as Kazakhstan regards it as a
European country.

N. Alimbayev also referred to the readiness of the presidents of
the two countries to put the process of development of relations
between the two countries on a higher level: particularly during the
meeting December 19 at non-official summit of heads of CSTO member
countries Armenian and Kazakh presidents Serzh Sargsian and Nursultan
Nazarbayev stressed the importance of the further development of
economic cooperation and expansion of the volume trade turnover.

The charge d’affaires noted that a general history binds Armenia and
Kazakhstan as they have been within one and the same country for 70
years long.

"People in Kazakhstan are well aware of Armenia and Armenian
culture. According to the official information, today nearly 25,000
Armenians live in Kazakhstan, but I think their number is even
more. The history is impossible to forget", he pointed out.

According to N. Alimbayev, the Armenian community is involved in the
social, cultural and political life of Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan conducts
balanced policy towards all the nations and religious directions.

Referring to the regulation of Karabakh issue, N. Alimbayev noted that
Kazakhstan defends the regulation of the issue within the frameworks of
OSCE Minsk group as well as continuation of peaceful negotiations. He
assessed the present round of the regulation of the issue positive.

According to "Way to Europe" 2009-2011 state program Kazakhstan applied
for chairmanship in OSCE in 2010 during which it will exert all efforts
towards the regulation of the frozen conflicts for ensuring stability
and security in the world.

Kazakh consul in Armenia Askar Basibekovich noted that at present
there are several issues connected with passports and registration
which is conditioned by the circumstance that formerly they were
within USSR and no such issues could rise.

N. Alimbayev considered the inner stability and ensuring of harmony
the most important achievements of Kazakhstan after the collapse of
the USSR.

GEORGIAN GAS MAIN UNDER AZERBAIJANI CONTROL

AZG Armenian Daily
25/12/2008

Regional

Azerbaijani state oil company may sign an agreement with the Georgian
government to assume the management of the Georgian gas main, APA
agency reports.

The news is disturbing as the Armenian gas pipeline passes through
Georgia, and it is not clear yet if the pipeline will also be under
control of the Azerbaijani side.

SERZH SARGSIAN CONGRATULATED MAESTRO HOVHANNES CHEKIJIAN

AZG Armenian Daily
25/12/2008

Presidential

Armenian President Serzh Sargsian had a telephone conversation December
23 with the famous conductor, art director of the Armenian State
Academic Choir, laureate of various state prizes Hovhannes Chekijian.

Serzh Sargsian congratulated Maestro Chekijian on his 80th anniversary
of birth underlining his incalculable service in development and
spreading of the Armenian culture. The President wished Maestro health,
many happy returns and new achievements in his creative work.

POSTCARDS WITH THE PICTURES OF ARMENIAN HISTORIC-CULTURAL CENTERS OF TURKEY

AZG Armenian Daily
25/12/2008
Turkey

Armenian culture

An exclusive exhibition of postcards will be held in Armenia in
January 2009.

The exhibition will tell about the Armenian contribution and
historic-cultural centers in Turkey, which are presented today
as Turkish.

Publisher-editor of the exhibition, Turkish Osman Kiorker told
"Armenpress" that the exhibition embraces more than 2000 postcards
that are detached from 6000 samples belonging to Italian (Armenian
by half) Orlando Kalimeno.

The postcards depict Armenian churches, relics, monuments, many
constructions belonging to Armenians, including hotels that have
Armenian engravings proving their Armenian origin.

EDITOR OF ARMENIAN ARAVOT: "OUR MASS MEDIAS RECEIVE MORE INFORMATION ON KARABAKH ISSUE AND ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI RELATIONS FROM ARMENIAN SOURCES"

Today.Az
olitics/49813.html
Dec 25 2008
Azerbaijan

"The panic around the Karabakh issue and criticism in the Armenian
press has been exaggerated, as few people have the full information
about the resolution of the conflict", considers editor-in-chief of
the Azg newspaper Akop Avetikyan.

"The absurd is that the issue of the resolution of the Karabakh
conflict which is urgent for Armenian people, is kept a secret",
noted he.

Another participant of the press conference, editor-in-chief of
Aravot Aram Abramyan noted that the responsibility for disinformation
and panic moods in press is on the country’s powers: "After any
Armenian-Azerbaijani talks, our officials, asked to comment on the
talks, reject "to disclose" the state secrets, while Azerbaijani
politicians start to comment on the same meeting and do it in their
own favor".

According to him, Armenian medias often refer to Azerbaijani
information, as they get more information from Azerbaijani sources,
as they have no local alternative.

Powers must ensure some outflow of information.

Avetikyan suggested to the leaders of the country to invite
descent mass media representatives to inform the off the record
information. Otherwise, press has a right to write whatever they want".