Month: November 2009

NO NEED TO GIVE A FOREIGN LANGUAGE SPECIAL STATUS IN ARMENIA, SAYS LAVRENTI MIRZOYAN

Tert
Nov 12 2009
Armenia

"The Republic of Armenia legislation, as well as the Law on Language,
clearly stipulates that in the Republic of Armenia, the official
language is literary Armenian. Today, there is no need to give another
language special status," said Chief of State Inspectorate for Language
of the Republic of Armenia, Lavrenti Mirzoyan, responding to Tert.am’s
request for his comments on Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander
Yakovenko’s recent statement, that it is necessary for CIS countries
(the Commonwealth of Independent States) to establish Russian as a
second official language.

Mirzoyan stated that, compared to other foreign languages, the Russian
language holds a privileged position in Armenia and it is taught
as a compulsory subject in all public secondary schools. Besides,
Mirzoyan said the Republic of Armenia does everything to support the
free use of the languages of ethnic minorities in its country. He
cited as an example the fact that some ethnic minorities even have
their own schools.

Therefore, according to Mirzoyan, to implement the Russian deputy
foreign minister’s request, we must change the country’s Constitution,
which is impossible today.

ARMENIAN MP SUGGESTS CITIZENS CONTRIBUTE TO RETIREMENT FUND

Tert
Nov 12 2009
Armenia

The 2010 Armenian state budget has allocated 239 billion AMD to the
social services sector. Compared with the 2009 budgetary amount, this
year’s allocation has been cut by 9 billion AMD. According to the
chair of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Social Affairs,
and member of the ruling Republican Party, Hakob Hakobyan, that’s not
too bad, and it still allows for all programs to remain as they are.

In Hakobyan’s words, the committee will present to the government
a number of proposals; in particular, securing 1 billion AMD for
compensation for investments. "The other proposals will be formulated
with the results from today’s committee meeting," said Hakobyan.

The MP also informed the press about changes in the social services
sector. In his words, the principle of "working children supporting
their parents" is at work today. "We are going to move forward to
an accumulative system, whose purpose is for each citizien to secure
his retirement while he is working," promised Hakobyan.

It is for this reason, it is suggested that all citizens, until the
age of forty, deposit 5% of their income into a retirement fund.

Simultaneously, the government, as a "interested party," will
contribute an additional 5%. Each citizen will be able to follow the
increase in the amount, and after reaching retirement age, he or she
will be able to access the entire amount.

NAGORNO-KARABAKH RECOGNITION LAW INAPPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME: ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT

Tert
Nov 12 2009
Armenia

During today’s session, the Armenian government found it inappropriate
in this phase to discuss and pass the Republic of Armenia draft law on
Recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh’s Independence, presented by a group
of MPs as a legislative initiative, informs the press and information
department of the Government of the Republic of Armenia.

The draft law was submitted by members of parliament of Heritage
party’s parliamentary faction.

INVESTIGATION INTO FORMER YEREVAN MAYOR VANO SIRADEGHYAN CONTINUES

Tert
Nov 12 2009
Armenia

The investigation of former Yerevan mayor Vano Siradeghyan,
who was also internal affairs minister during the years of Levon
Ter-Petrosyan’s presidency, continues and the measures necessary for
finding him still continue to be implemented, said head of Interpol’s
National Central Bureau (NCB), police colonel Vartan Yeghiazaryan
today.

Yeghiazaryan continued by saying that the appropriate departments of
all Interpol member countries have been informed that Siradeghyan is
internationally wanted.

The police colonel also stated that Siradeghyan’s photo is among the
photos of 12 people which are on the internationally wanted list.

ARMENIA AGAIN TO PLAY IN BURSA

Tert
Nov 12 2009
Armenia

The World Chess Federation (FIDE) confirmed the participants in the
team chess championship, which is set to begin on January 3, 2010,
in the Turkish city of Bursa. Chess players from ten countries —
Armenia, Israel, US, Russia, Brazil, China, Egypt, Turkey, Azerbaijan
and Greece — will compete in the championship.

BELARUS CAN NO LONGER DISREGARD KARABAKH, SAYS BELARUSIAN PRESIDENT LUKASHENKO

Tert
Nov 12 2009
Armenia

Belarus can no longer disregard Transnistria (a breakaway
region in Moldova), Crimea (an autonomous republic of Ukraine)
and Nagorno-Karabakh, said Alexander Lukashenko. According to the
president of Belarus, those issues must be settled without mediators,
reports Russian news site GZT.

The Belarusian leader said that "very often in a friendly atmosphere,
the Nagorno-Karabakh issue has been discussed by both former
and current Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents." However, as
Lukashenko stated, he hasn’t interfered directly in the course of
the debate. At the same time, Belarus never tried to take advantage
of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue and has never "made friends with one
to harm the other."

Nevertheless, Lukashenko admitted that Nagorno-Karabakh’s status is
a sort of Gordian Knot, and it’s time to untie it. But only Armenian
and Azerbaijani leaders can do this.

But the Belarusian president didn’t propose specific options of
settling the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh’s status.

"In this case, he probably decided to demonstrate he isn’t a pawn
in the recognition of Abkhazia’s and South Ossetia’s independence,
that he will not allow Moscow to play a game at its expense. That
is an increase in geopolitical capitalization. But one shouldn’t
draw long-term conclusions based on these words by Lukashenko,"
said politician Sergey Markedonov.

Vice President of the Centre of Political Technologies, Sergey Mikheev,
is of another opinion. "It’s already a long time that Lukashenko is
angry with Russia and is discontent with the latter’s foreign policy,"
the politician stated.

As for the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, Lukashenko’s proposal, according
to the analyst, is just plain "senseless."

JUDGE ORDERS LANDLORD TO LIVE IN HIS NEGLECTED HOME

Tert
Nov 12 2009
Armenia

A man in Richmond, Virgina, will have to live more than a month in one
of his neglected rental houses as punishment for failing to maintain
his properties, reports the Associated Press (with news from the
Richmond Times-Dispatch).

Convicted slumlord Oliver Lawrence was sentenced Monday to 30 days
in jail, followed by 40 days in home incarceration at a small,
single-story house owned by his company, Bayou Properties. He also
was fined more than $177 thousand USD.

Lawrence was convicted on more than 180 property-maintance violations.

Richmond officials have been fighting with Lawrence over the
condition of his properties for more than two years. He owns 150 to
300 properties, according to city estimates.

ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR CRITICIZES AZERBAIJAN’S RHETORIC AT UN SECURITY COUNCIL

Tert
Nov 12 2009
Armenia

The United Nations Security Council began its debate on the effective
protection of civilians in armed conflict on November 11, which marked
the tenth anniversary of its systematic work in this endeavour.

The debate, with the participation of representatives from the UN’s
47 member states including Armenia, lasted well into the evening.

During the debate, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador, Agshin Mehdiyev, spoke
about the events of Khojaly, presenting Azerbaijan’s view on the
events.

Armenia’s Ambassador, Karen Nazaryan, followed Mehdiyev’s address
closely and responded with the following statement, as noted by the
UN Security Council and posted on the UN website:

"Selective approaches to violations of international humanitarian law
must be abandoned, he said, stressing the need for strict adherence
to human rights standards. The peaceful resolution of a conflict
required strong political will and painful compromises from both sides.

"The time had come to replace the ‘unchanged rhetoric of war-mongering
and hollow allegations’ with constructive steps towards an environment
more conducive to peaceful settlement.

"Armenia had welcomed a proposal by the Minsk Group Co-Chairs
to remove snipers from the line of contact as part of suggested
confidence-building measures. Regrettably, Azerbaijan had rejected
that timely and constructive proposal, thus illustrating its true
attitude toward its international obligations.

"Armenia remained committed to the peaceful resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and believed strongly that a fundamental
solution to the dispute must be achieved by peaceful means, based on
the principles of international law."

WELL-KNOWN JAZZ MUSICIAN GEORGE BENSON’S FIRST VISIT TO ARMENIA

Tert
Nov 12 2009
Armenia

The Grammy Award-winning jazz musician, guitarist and vocalist George
Benson is finally in Yerevan. During a press conference today, the
famous musician noted "this is my first time here, though I have many
friends from this part of the world in the United States."

This evening, Benson will perform for Armenian concert-goers.

According to the famous musician, "We have planned various programs
because we know in the concert hall everyone, in his own way, is
picturing who is George Benson."

Playing at Yerevan’s Malkhas Jazz Club yesterday, Benson quite enjoyed
the evening and the Armenian musicians. Well-known drummer Chiko
(Armen Tutunjyan) asked Benson to autograph one of his old recordings.

"Jazz is great, with a unique element, in particular, that
improvisation, thanks to which it’s possible to alter the same work
and make it different, is always fresh, tells the same story from
different angles and makes it anew each time," explained Benson.

Benson considers himself a romantic man, he loves to invent and to
take on new approaches. He has 7 sons and 8 granddaughters. During
his life, he has managed to record over 60 audio CDs, and be awarded
10 Grammy Awards.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

‘TURKEY INTENDS TO INTENSIFY COOPERATION WITH AZERBAIJAN,’ SAYS ERDOGAN

Tert
Nov 12 2009
Armenia

"Turkey intends to intensify cooperation with Azerbaijan in different
directions," announced Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
during his party’s session, reports Azerbaijani news agency News.Az
(quoting Turkish new source Sabah).

"Today the complete cancellation of the visa system is on the agenda.

In the near future, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov
will arrive in Ankara and the issue of the full cancellation of the
visa system between the two countries will probably be settled,"
said Erdogan.

The Prime Minister noted that relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan
will intensify and strengthen.