Month: April 2010

TURKISH STREET TO BE NAMED AFTER ARMENIAN ARCHITECT

Tert.am
15:01 ~U 31.03.10

One of the streets in the province of Mardin in Turkey will be named
after Lole Serkiz Gizo, an architect of Armenian origin, said Mardin
regional governor Hasan Duruer, reports Turkish daily Radikal.

According to Duruer, the Armenian architect’s work can be seen in
nearly all the streets of Mardin.

"You can come across architect Lole’s work everywhere in Mardin. As
a symbol of our devotion, we’ve decided to name of Mardin’s streets
after him. Lole Serkiz Gizo is Mardin’s Sinan [a well-known Ottoman
architect]," said Duruer.

REPUBLICAN PARTY OF ARMENIA HASN’T RECEIVED HERITAGE PARTY’S INVITATION

Tert.am
15:53 ~U 31.03.10

Neither the coalition member parties nor the non-parliamentary
opposition groups have responded to Heritage Party’s suggestion to
hold round table discussions on Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenian-Turkish
relations and the probability of a new war that could be initiated
by Azerbaijan, said Heritage Party faction leader Stepan Safaryan at
a press conference today.

Responding to Safaryan, Republican Party of Armenia MP Karen Avagyan
said that, as far as he knew, his party hadn’t received an invitation.

"This statement is not [meant to be] sensational. President Sargsyan
has [so far] convened three such meetings. The topics discussed during
these meetings were of public and pan-national interest. Should it
be necessary, the president will again summon such meetings himself,"
said Avagyan.

Safaryan, in turn, said that the format of those meetings organized
in the Karen Demirchyan Sport and Concert Complex is different from
that which the Heritage Party is proposing: in those meetings, each
participant is given only 5 minutes to make a speech and there is no
dialogue, and no debate takes place.

"In Armenia, we have only monologues, not dialogues," said Safaryan.

Round table invitations had been sent by Heritage also to various
individuals from Nagorno-Karabakh and the Diaspora.

IAN GILLAN RAISED 18,327 MILLION DRAM FOR GYUMRI MUSIC SCHOOL

Tert.am
16:02 ~U 31.03.10

Two joint concerts in Armenia by English rock music sensation Ian
Gillan and the Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra have raised 18,327
million AMD (about $46,633,588 USD). This sum will be be used for the
construction of a new building for Gyumri’s No. 6 Music School which
is currently operating out of portables since the 1988 devastating
earthquake.

The two concerts, organized by local Armenian news agency Mediamax
and the initiative Do Something in the framework of Rock Aid
Armenia/Armenia Grateful 2 Rock, took place on March 26 and 27 in
Aram Khachaturian Concert Hall at the Yerevan Opera House.

The concerts were sponsored by VivaCell-MTS and the British Midland
Airways Limited (more commonly known as the British airline "bmi").

Also within the framework of Rock Aid Armenia/ Armenia Grateful 2
Rock, other activities are planed to be organized in 2010 and 2011
in order to raise more funds for the same music school.

AZERBAIJAN POSES WAR THREAT WITH BELLICOSE STATEMENTS AND CEASEFIRE VIOLATIONS: STEPAN SAFARYAN

Tert.am
16:23 ~U 31.03.10

Republican Party of Armenia MP Karen Avagyan doesn’t see a risk of
war when it comes to bellicose statements made by Azerbaijani leaders.

"We have always been hearing those bellicose statements that are being
voiced today," said Avagyan at a press conference today, adding that
time has proven that those statements are merely talk and no action.

Avagyan also mentioned that Armenia has never avoided war, it is
always ready for a war, if need be, though Armenia is for peaceful
negotiations.

Heritage Party faction leader Stepan Safaryan, also present at the
press conference, said he did not share Avagyan’s view.

"Next to those [statements], we have an ongoing arms race and many
more violations of the ceasefire regime [than before]," said Safaryan,
adding that all the above-mentioned are serious risks for war resuming.

Avagyan countered by saying, "Azerbaijan may, perhaps, have the desire
to [re]start a war, but it will not be allowed to do so. Styopa
[affectionately referring to Stepan Safaryan], those are just
statements."

"Politics is built on statements and actions," replied Safaryan,
saying that they’re not just statements.

CHER’S SON TO OFFICIALLY CHANGE NAME AND GENDER

Tert.am
16:11 ~U 31.03.10

The son of music icon Cher is to officially change his name and gender
from female to male, reports PinkPaper.com.

On Monday, the doctor of 41-year-old Chaz Bono, formally known as
Chastity Sun Bono, formally filed a legal declaration informing courts
of Bono’s gender change operation last year.

If his application is accepted, his name will be Chaz Salvatore Bono.

He has completed his transition period since starting gender
reassignment procedures last March, after 20 years of living as an
open lesbian.

Chaz is the child of Cher’s first husband Sonny Bono, who died in 1998.

AMERIABANK, CASCADE BANK MERGE

Tert.am
17:02 ~U 31.03.10

On March 31, Ameriabank (Ruben Vardanyan) and Cascade Bank (Gerard
Gafeschian) signed a deal to merge the two banks.

At a joint press conference after the deal was sealed, Chair of the
Management Board-General Director of Ameriabank Artak Hanesyan said
that this merger was unprecedented in the Armenian finance market.

According to Hanesyan, the deal will include two stages and will
be completed by the end of this year. The deal will see Ameriabank,
with its financial indexes, in the top three banks in the Armenian
banking system.

Based on December 31, 2009 data, the consolidated capital of these
banks was $75 million USD, with a $397 million credit portfolio and
liabilities worth $262 million USD.

Hanesyan said the Armenian banking system could possibly see some
other mergers in the future too. In his words, Ameriabank does not
limit itself with this deal: the bank is currently discussing and
reviewing the possibilities of merging with or acquiring other banks.

ARMENIA 106TH IN FIFA LIST RANKING

Tert.am
17:43 ~U 31.03.10

The International Football Association (FIFA) has published a new list
ranking national football (or soccer, as it’s known in North America)
teams, reports Armsport.am.

The Armenian national team has once again dropped in the rankings. At
292 points, it is now at 106th place (it was at 103rd previously).

Armenia’s competition in the UEFA Euro 2012 draw (Ireland, Slovenia
and Macedonia) have also demonstrated poor records, with the exception
of Andorra (at 201st).

Russia has kept its previous standing (12th) in the list.

There are no changes to the top three – Spain, Brazil and Holland.

Portugal has gone up two places, and now occupies 4th place this year.

SECURITY GUARANTEES OF VOGHJABERD BURIAL GROUND DISAPPEARED WITH ITS CONTENT

ArmInfo
2010-03-31 15:34:00

Arminfo. As Ecolur reported, heavy machinery entered the pesticide
burial ground in Voghjaberd, and as a result, the burial ground cover
was leveled with the earth, the protective layer was harmed, the
integrity of capacities near the burial ground surface with 2-meter
depth was disturbed. A cloud of toxic substances was spread in the air.

It should be noted that more than 500 tons of expired and banned for
use pesticides with high concentration of chlorine, phosphorus and
other toxic elements and compounds were buried in this burial ground.

In her interview with EcoLur Chairman of "Armenian Women for Health
and Healthy Environment" Elena Manvelyan said that at least four state
departments should deal with the security issues of the burial ground
the Ministry of Emergency Situations of RA, the Ministry of Nature
Protection of RA, the Ministry of Health of RA and the Ministry of
Agriculture of RA. "We have raised this issue for several times and
the only reply we got was the situation is under control. We think
this control should be exercised straightaway. First of all, the local
population should be protected from the toxic substance having been
emitted in atmosphere among which one can find such toxic substances
as phosgene gas used as a chemical weapon during World War I," Elena
Manvelyan said.

IF TILL 24 APRIL TURKEY DOES NOT RATIFY PROTOCOLS, NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND ARMENIA WILL BE DELAYED AT LEAST FOR 5-6 YEARS

ArmInfo
2010-03-31 16:27:00

ArmInfo. If Turkey does not make steps towards ratification of the
Protocols till 24 April, normalization of relations between Turkey and
Armenia will be delayed at least for 5-6 years, Armenian turkologist
Artak Shakaryan told journalists today.

‘At the same time, Armenia’s leaving the negotiating process is not
beneficial to Turkey. For this reason, Turkey will do everything
possible to leave the process frozen. I think one can speak about
further prospects of normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations
only after the meeting of the Armenian and American presidents,
scheduled within the frames of nuclear security summit, on 12-13
April in Washington’, – he said.

Shakaryan added that after the talks with Obama Sargsyan may say
that Armenia is leaving the negotiating process with Turkey or delays
the process for an indefinite time. At the same time, he said, that
if Erdogan visits Washington, it is very much possible that Serzh
Sargsyan will not say about Armenia’s leaving the process.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has recently directed an
invitation to President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan to visit Washington
to participate in the nuclear safety global summit.

KARABAKH PEOPLE WILL FURIOUSLY DEFEND EVERY INCH OF THEIR LAND: HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER

ArmInfo
2010-03-31 12:13:00

ArmInfo. "The Georgian-Ossetic war showed the scenario and result of
possible war in our region. It will last maximum 4-6 days. Even in
case of the most favorable conditions for Azerbaijan, that country
will fail to settle the problem by force, because it will face a
furious resistance by the Defense Army and will suffer tangible human
and technical losses within the first 3 days. They in Baku are well
aware that they cannot rely on a blitzkrieg and Azerbaijan will not
risk for a failure may result in change of power," Albert Voskanyan,
Director of the Center of Civil Initiatives NGO, human right defender,
told ArmInfo correspondent to Stepanakert.

"In case of military actions, the NKR Defense Army and the Army of the
Republic of Armenia will come out as a single whole. Since the Armenian
border with Turkey is guarded by the Russian frontier troops and there
is no danger from Iran and Georgia, Armenia can direct significant part
of its army to the NKR in case of necessity. As regards the Karabakh
Defense Army, it comprises also experienced reserve forces. I am sure
that volunteers from Armenia, who fought in the Karabakh War, will also
join the Defense Army. Karabakh had enough time to get prepared for
war during the period of ceasefire. In addition, the Karabakh people
have nowhere to retreat and will furiously defend every inch of their
land," he said. "After all, if Azerbaijan unleashed war despite the
genuine peace efforts by the OSCE MG, i.e. the world community, many
countries will recognize the NKR as an independent state. Nevertheless,
Azerbaijan may start local military actions that are necessary to
Aliyev’s election campaign. As a peacemaker and a man that witnessed
war, I have always said that there are no winners in the war, and all
the parties are defeated. The conflict must be settled by peace. Let
the presidents "war" at the negotiating table and don’t send their
peoples to another slaughter," Albert Voskanyan said.