Month: November 2009

ARAM SAFARYAN: MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THE ARMENIAN DIPLOMACY IS THE SOLUTION OF THE NKR STATUS ISSUE

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
20.11.2009 20:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Negotiations over Nagorno-Karabakh settlement
go around the status of Nagorno Karabakh, which can not be lower
than the current one. The main objective of the Armenian diplomacy
today is the issue of the Karabakh’s status, Aram Safaryan , MP
from "Prosperous Armenia" faction said during a briefing in the RA
Parliament on November 20.

According to Aram Safaryan, the Azeri’s information war against Armenia
has weakened recently. Dwelling on the scheduled meeting between the
Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev,
in Munich, Mr. Safaryan characterized it as very important. However
the Azeri side now claims that Armenia is not going to settle the
Nagorno Karabakh issue by consensus.

Recall, that the sixth meeting within this year between the presidents
of Armenia and Azerbaijan will be held November 22 at the residence of
the Consul General of France in Munich initiated by co-chairs of OSCE
Minsk Group (United States, France and Russia) on the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.

POWER OUTAGES CAUSE MANY TRAFFIC JAMS IN THE CENTER OF YEREVAN

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
20.11.2009 20:06 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today, on November 20, small center and Arabkir
community in Yerevan have been de-energized at 6:00 p.m. local time,
traffic lights stopped working, resulting in numerous traffic jams .

"Now traffic policemen are regulating traffic, the traffic police
representative explained. As expert of the department of emergency
situations of the Yerevan municipality told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter,
works are underway to eliminate the consequences of the accident.

BLACK SEA PEACEBUILDING PLATFORM DISCUSSED IN YEREVAN

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
20.11.2009 20:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The National Citizens’ Initiative (NCI) and
the Analytical Centre on Globalization and Regional Cooperation
(ACGRC) today held, at the NCI headquarters, a working discussion
devoted to the start of the Armenia Initiative of the Black Sea
Peacebuilding Platform (BSPP). The event brought together Armenian
NGOs representatives, analysts and experts.

At the beginning of the roundtable, its organizers briefly presented
the history behind the founding of the BSPP. They noted that the
initiative toward forming this Platform had started in October 28-31,
when civil society conflict resolution experts from Yerevan, Baku,
Tbilisi, ChiÅ~_inÄ~Cu, Bucharest, Kyiv, Stepanakert, and Tiraspol
had met at the Romanian capital Bucharest. It was already decided
during this meeting that the Platform will permanently function
in all the countries of the Black Sea Region and will attempt to
contribute, by way of continuous discourse and cooperation, to the
pacific resolution of all existing regional conflicts, and to share
expertise in peacebuilding.

During the discussion held at NCI headquarters, the attendees
underscored the need to unite and coordinate the efforts by all of the
region’s civil societies that seek the building and consolidation of
peace in the Black Sea Region. To this end, the discussants expressed
their readiness to become a part of the BSPP’s Armenia Initiative.

In closing, the roundtable participants decided to continue their
working discussions and to hold other events toward strengthening
the BSPP’s Armenia Initiative.

NORMALIZATION OF ARMENIA-TURKEY RELATIONS CONVENTIONALLY FROZEN

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
20.11.2009 20:25 GMT+04:00

The process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations has
conventionally "frozen", Aleq Enigomshyan, Director of the "Monte
Melkonyan" Foundation told a roundtable on "Current Situation of the
Armenian-Turkish Conflict", initiated by the "Sardarapat" movement in
Yerevan.

"Apparently, signed protocols on normalization of Armenia-Turkey
relations will not take effect until Armenia makes concessions in
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict talks. This was repeatedly stated by senior
Turkish officials, Aleq Enigomshyan said. He added that Armenia
expects serious progress "in the Karabakh front".

Representative of the "Sardarapat" movement Jirair Sefilian announced
today that the real problem is that the Armenian leadership is trying
to show that the majority of citizens support the signed protocols,
while, according to Mr. Serfilian, they do not.

"We must mobilize all forces to ensure that the people expressed their
real position in respect to normalization of Armenia-Turkey
relations," he said.

According to a member of the "Sardarapat" organizing committee Tigran
Khzmalyan , Armenia has a chance to analyze the current situation.

"The ruling elite of Armenia should make this process to served our
national interests," Tigran Khzmalyan said.

RPA CONSIDERS OPPOSITION LEADER’S STATEMENT INCAPABLE OF CHANGING POLITICAL SITUATION

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
20.11.2009 20:33 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "The Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) has always
attached importance to pro-Government and pro-opposition forces’
cooperation over problems faced by Armenia," Vice Chair of RPA faction
Galust Sahakyan told a news conference in Yerevan.

However, touching upon Armenian National Congress leader Levon
Ter-Petrosyan’s statement on cooperation with authorities, he didn’t
consider it something serious.

LONDON LAB OFFICIALLY CONFIRMS "SWINE FLU" INCIDENCES IN ARMENIA

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
20.11.2009 21:08 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "The tests samples of 5 Armenian patients suspected
on A/H1N1 proved virus positive. London lab has confirmed incidences
of swine flu in Armenia," Health Minister Shushan Hunanyan told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

At that she noted that 6 A/H1N1-infected patients are now
hospitalized. "There are currently 22 individuals infected with ‘swine
flu’," she said.

Armenia continues implementation of relevant preventive measures.

Besides, there is sufficient quantity of Tamiflu, so there’s no need
to worry, Health Ministry reports.

ARMEN MARTIROSYAN: RA GOVERNMENT DOESN’T WANT TO STRUGGLE AGAINST OLIGOPOLY

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
20.11.2009 21:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Armenian Premier’s recent statement on importance
of anti- oligopoly struggle is commendable, yet of purely declarative
character, as practice proves," Heritage parliamentary faction
representative Armen Martirosyan said at November 20 parliamentary
briefing.

According to Armen Martirosyan, currently RA government doesn’t want
to struggle against oligopolistic-monopolistic system, nor has enough
will to undertake it.

In her turn, Heritage parliamentary faction secretary Larisa
Alaverdyan characterized Armenia as the only country where shadow
policy is not practiced, as "everyone has idea both of major
businessmen’s and oligarchs’ state of affairs and of non-taxable real
business."

GENERAL PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE CONTINUES INVESTIGATION INTO MARCH 1-2 DISORDERS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
20.11.2009 21:49 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan has received CoE
Committee of Ministers’ Ago Monitoring Group representatives headed by
Ambassador Stelian Stoyan, permanent representative of Romania in
Council of Europe. Present at the meeting were RA Permanent
representative in Council of Europe, Ambassador Zohrab Mnatsakanyan
and CoE Secretary General’s Special Representative in Armenia Silvia
Zage.

Parties touched upon the 10 death cases resulting from March 1-2
disorders in Yerevan, as well as disclosure of police violence cases.

Detailing on current activities, General Prosecutor said, "Inquest
will not be discontinued. We’ll continue active investigative and
search operations to reveal all death circumstances."

With regard to cases of police violence, Prosecutor said that certain
police officers whose guilt was established by inquest have been
charged with abusing authority. "Any individual who resorted to
violence should be held accountable, and General Prosecutor’s Office
should be consistent in its efforts to disclose all cases of violence,
whether committed by policemen or individuals involved in mass
disorders," General Prosecutor’s Office press service quotes Aghvan
Hovsepyan as saying.

TERRITORIAL ADMINISTRATION AND MIGRATION ISSUES TO BE SOLVED IN ACCORDANCE WITH EU STANDARDS

ARMENPRESS
NOVEMBER 20, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 20, ARMENPRESS: The joint session of the task
groups dealing with the development of the program on migration and
shelter and territorial development concept took place today chaired
by the Secretary of the National Security Council Arthur Baghdasaryan.

Spokeswoman of the Secretary of the National Security Council
Gayane Gasparyan told Armenpress that in 2010 it was decided to finish
the development of the program on migration and shelter and start its
implementation.

Highlighting the importance of developing the program in accordance
with EU standards, A. Baghdasaryan said that it will give an
opportunity to strengthen the mechanisms of move of the people by
Armenia’s state border, undertake practical steps in the protection of
rights of Armenian citizens living in EU countries. The development of
the program will be the basis for formation of the facilitated visa
regime with EU member states.

The officials of the migration agency will be trained in EU member
states, EU experts will support in the improvement of the skills of
the officials of the bodies implementing migration functions.

The regional development concept supposes modernization of
territorial administration system, development of cooperation between
the territorial administration bodies of Armenia and EU member states.

Arthur Baghdasaryan said it will give an opportunity to bring the
Armenia-EU cooperation to a qualitatively to level.

"EDUCATION – DEVELOPMENT BY COOPERATION" TWO-DAY CONFERENCE OPENS TODAY IN YEREVAN

ARMENPRESS
NOVEMBER 20, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 20, ARMENPRESS: "Education – Development by
Cooperation" two-day conference opened today in Yerevan the goal of
which is to expand cooperation in the implementation of reforms in
the education sphere, involving potential of interested organization.

Representatives of international, donor organizations and NGOs are
participating in the event.

Armenian Education and Science Minister Armen Ashotyan said that this
conference will coordinate the programs which are and will be carried
out in the education sphere as well as will expand the involvement
of the civil society in working out the education development policy
and its implementation.

According to him, during these two days the conference will turn into
a fair of ideas as a result of which joint programs will be worked
out to be implemented in near future.

Chairwoman of the NA’s European Integration standing committee Naira
Zohrabyan, highlighting the international cooperation in the education
sphere, noted that it is a serious opportunity for Armenia to ensure
qualitative growth.

She said that within the framework of the EU’s "Eastern partnership"
programs the committee is highlighting not only political but also
the humanitarian component.

"In the NA we are always ready to support the educational reforms in
the political and legislative field," N. Zohrabyan said.

Armenian deputy foreign minister Arman Kirakossyan welcomed the
participants of the conference and expressed hope that such conferences
will create basis for coordinated activity with the international and
local organizations carrying out programs in the education system,
exchange of international experience.

Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Armenia Raul
de Luzenberger and head of the Armenian office of the World Bank
Aristomene Varudakis were present at the conference.