Month: November 2009

MARXIST PARTY LEADER WILL NOT WITHDRAW HIS CANDIDACY IN NAME OF PASHINYAN

Tert
Nov 6 2009
Armenia

Leader of the Marxist Party of the Republic of Armenia Davit Hakobyan,
nominated for the supplemental election at N10 electoral district,
stated today he isn’t going to withdraw his candidacy neither in
favour of Nikol Pashinyan nor for anyone else.

"I will not withdraw may candidacy for anyone, neither will I ‘support’
anyone or feel much respect for my brothers and colleagues," stated
Armenia’s main Marxist during today’s press conference.

A supplemental election was scheduled at N10 electoral district after
businessman and MP Khachatur Sukiasyan resigned from his mandates. Six
people nominated their candidacy in this election. Davit Hakobyan and
chief editor of Haykakan Zhamanak ("Armenian Times") Nikol Pashinyan
(supported by the Armenian National Congress) are among the candidates.

TURKEY’S MECLIS WILL GIVE POSITIVE CONCLUSION ON PROTOCOLS: RPA SPOKESPERSON

Tert
Nov 6 2009
Armenia

December 7 is the deadline by which point Turkey’s Meclis
Foreign Relations Committee must give its conclusion on the signed
Armenia-Turkey Protocols, after which point it will be included in
the agenda of Turkey’s Grand National Assembly’s (known as Turkiye
Buyuk Millet Meclis) plenary session.

Secretary of Republican Party of Armenia parliamentary faction, RPA
press spokesperson Eduard Sharmazanov stated at a press conference
today that Turkey’s Meclis will give a positive conclusion on the
Protocols ratification.

"On December 7, Turkey’s Prime Minister Erdogan is to visit Washington
and meet US President Barack Obama, so the Foreign Relations Commission
of the Meclis, I am sure, will give a positive conclusion.

Otherwise, it’s not that he will not be welcomed with open arms, but
rather, he will not be received in Washington at all," Sharmazanov
said.

Commenting on why he is convinced that he will not be received in
Washington in case Turkey’s Meclis’s commission gives a negative
conclusion, Sharmazanov said that his confidence is based on the
statements made by U.S. President Obama and State Secretary Hillary
Clinton, by which they called upon the parties to establish relations
without preconditions.

UNIVERSITY ADMISSION MADE EASIER IN GEORGIA FOR ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI APPLICANTS

Tert
Nov 6 2009
Armenia

Beginning next year, Armenian and Azerbaijani applicants, who wish to
receive higher education in Georgia, will take exams only in general
subjects, Russian news source Gruzia Online reports.

Tests will be in Azerbaijani and Armenian but if applicants score
high enough, they will receive one-month training in Georgian.

These admission rules were stipulated by the reforms made on the
law on higher education, which was discussed today during its second
reading at a meeting of the Parliamentary Commission on Education,
Science and Culture.

The main essence of the reforms is that Georgian citizens having
entered higher educational institutions must develop adequate skills
in and knowledge of the Georgian language in order to continue their
post-secondary education in the bachelor program.

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE: GOHARIAN’S TEAM SCORES TWO

Tert
Nov 6 2009
Armenia

Belarus’s BATE FC, where Armenian national team’s forward Hovhannes
Goharyan is playing, competed with Greece’s AEK Athens FC in the
fourth round of the European League group stage.

Goharyan didn’t leave for Greece because of health problems. The
host team began the match quite actively by scoring a goal at the
first minute. Ismael Blanco scored that first goal. However, Viktor
Goncharenko’s team didn’t let that get to them and made two effective
attacks in the first half. Goals were scored by Vitali Rodionov and
Aleksandr Volodko from the Belarusian team. However, before the break,
AEK managed to even out the score.

No goal was scored in the second half of the game. BATE, without
Goharyan, was able to make one score and is continuing the fight to
make it to the play-offs. After the fourth round, the Belarusian team
has as many scores as English F.C. Everton. BATE is behind Everton,
who is in second place, by only two scores.

ARMENIA-TURKEY RAPPROCHEMENT POSITIVE IMPACT ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH: DIPLOMAT

Tert
Nov 6 2009
Armenia

The United States closely cooperates with the Armenian president and
attempts to reach a fair and peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, said Public Relations Officer of the US Embassy in Azerbaijan
Terry Davidson.

"The Protocols signed between Turkey and Armenia bring about a certain
amount of anxiety among the public. We think that establishment of
relations between Armenia and Turkey will not have a negative impact
on the region. On the contrary, it will have a positive influence on
the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," says the diplomat,
as reported by Azerbaijani news agency APA.

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS PRESENT BAKU MEETING RESULTS TO EDWARD NALBANDIAN

Tert
Nov 6 2009
Armenia

On November 6, Republic of Armenia Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
welcomed OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia), Bernard
Fassier (France), and Robert Bradtke (US), as well as Personal
Representative of OSCE Chair-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk who visited
Yerevan within the context of a visit to the region.

A number of issues related to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict were discussed during the meeting.

As announced by the Republic of Armenia Foreign Ministry, the co-chairs
presented the results of the meetings they had in Baku to Nalbandian.

ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS DEMANDS TV AND RADIO COMPETITION BE RE-ESTABLISHED

Tert
Nov 6 2009
Armenia

Armenian National Congress circulated a statement recently which refers
to the situation of the press in Armenia, as well as to freedom of
speech: The statement, in part, says.

"The October 22 National Assembly hearings on the Digitalization of
TV and Radio Broadcasting and its Consequences proved once again that
efforts are made at the state level in Armenia to violate the right
to freedom of speech.

"With the amendments made to the Republic of Armenia Law on TV and
Radio on September 10, 2008, competitions for broadcasting licenses
became prohibited in Armenia till July 20, 2010. The Government
of the Republic of Armenia justified the initiative by saying that
digitalization of broadcasting was being introduced in Armenia.

"Considering the amendments to the RA Law on TV and Radio made in
September 2008 to be a means, by which, in essence, TV companies
that are outside the governing leaders’ control were deprived of the
opportunity to return to broadcasting through [fair] competition,
the Armenian National Congress condemns governing leaders’ continuous
activities in repressing freedom of the press and freedom of speech.

"ANC demands re-establishment of competition and freedom of press in
TV and radio, in accordance with the principles of market relations
and freedom of speech, as it is ensured by the obligations Armenia
assumes in the international arena. As a first step, it is necessary
to undergo an international audit on TV and radio frequency domain
as quickly as possible."

AKHTAMAR ARMENIAN CHURCH ON TURKISH PARLIAMENT’S AGENDA

Tert
Nov 6 2009
Armenia

Democratic Society Party (DTP) Van Deputy Ozdal Ucer brought to
Turkey’s parliamentary agenda the issue that certain Armenian,
Assyrian and Chaldean religious sites especially in Van were used as
barns and military sites, and that it was forbidden to put a cross on
the dome of the Sourp Khatch Church on Akhtamar Island. The member
of parliament demanded preservation of these structures within the
context of preserving ‘cultural wealth.’

MP Ucer expressed to the parliament his contempt at the intolerance
against religious minorities’ places of worship and at the careless
restoration works with destructive consequences. Submitting a question
motion to be answered by Minister of Culture and Tourism Ertıugrul
Gunay, Ucer said a disrespectful attitude was apparent in places of
worship belonging to Armenian, Assyrian and Chaldean peoples in Van
and the surrounding area, reminding parliamentarians that the Red
Church in Van’s BaÅ~_kale town was used as a barn and the church in
Albayrak village as a military site.

Though the Sourp Khatch Armenian Church in Akhtamar Island was
restored, according to the parliamentarian, worship was prohibited
there, the restoration was not performed in accordance with the
original form, and a cross was still not put on the church dome.

Noting that the Sourp Khatch Armenian Church in Akhtamar Island was
allowed to be used as place of worship, Ucer said this situation
conflicted with the state officials’ statements which follow that
"Our diversity is our wealth."

Ucer asked the following questions to be answered by the Ministry of
Culture and Tourism: "How many churches are there within the borders
of Van province? What kind of studies are conducted relating to them?

Is there an ongoing study in accordance with the original of the
Akhtamar Church? Is there any study to open the said church to
worship? Are other churches in the city subjected to any kind of
restoration?"

INCIDENT IN NOUBARASHEN SCHOOL TO BE REFLECTED IN COUNCIL OF EUROPE REPORT

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.11.2009 21:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "The group of volunteers will today address to
General Prosecutor a letter indicating the illegitimacy and partiality
of inquest body’s operations against Green Movement activist Mariam
Sukhudyan," activist’s lawyer Nona Galstyan told a news conference
in Yerevan.

On November 13, 2008 Armenian Public Television prepared a broadcast
in which a female inmate from Noubarashen boarding school No. 11
complained about being sexually harassed by one of pedagogues. Authors
of broadcast used video materials submitted by S.O.S. Teghut activists
who also engage themselves in the protection of vulnerable groups’
rights. As a result of subsequent inquest operations launched by
Erebuni Police Investigative Department, Mariam Sukhudyan was found
criminally liable under Section 1, Article 135 of RA Criminal Code
(libel). Case against her was filed on February 11, 2009.

NATO SUPPORTS NKR CONFLICT SETTLEMENT WITHIN MG OSCE FRAMEWORKS

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.11.2009 22:01 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On October 6, RA Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan
met Special Representative of NATO Secretary General in the South
Caucasus and Central Asia Robert Simmons.

The meeting focused on Armenia -NATO military collaboration issues,
establishment of peace and international security, RA Armed Forces’
participation in NATO activities, NKR conflict settlement and
Armenia-Turkey relations.

Robert Simmons gave high assessment to Armenia’s collaboration with
international peacemaking forces to maintain peace in Afghanistan.

The parties emphasized the importance of RA-Turkey diplomatic relations
establishment in further development of stability and safety in
the region.

Touching upon NKR conflict settlement issue, Special Representative of
NATO Secretary General in the South Caucasus and Central Asia expressed
NATO’s support for NKR conflict settlement within MG OSCE frameworks,
RA Defense Ministry press service reported.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress