Month: February 2012

ARMENIAN YERKRAPAH VOLUNTEER UNION CONGRESS CONVENES

news.am
February 18, 2012 | 12:50

YEREVAN. – Congress of Yerkrapah (War Veterans”) Volunteer Union
(YVU) commenced Saturday in Armenia’s capital, Yerevan. President
Serzh Sargsyan is among the attendees, which total approximately
two-thousand.

Among the congress participants are Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan,
former minister Mikayel Harutyunyan, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
Defense Minister Movses Hakobyan, Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan,
Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan, and other senior officials.

And among those who are not in attendance to YVU congress are PM
Tigran Sargsyan, former National Assembly Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan,
and Armed Forces Chief of Staff, Colonel General Yury Khachaturov.

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY POLITICIZES CONCEPT OF AGGRESSION – DUTCH EXPERT

news.am
February 18, 2012 | 11:48

STEPANAKERT.- The international law vaguely defines concept of
aggression, the Dutch expert said during a conference in Stepanakert.

Marieke de Hoon, expert for Public International Law & Policy Group,
stressed that Armenia and Azerbaijan are accusing each other of
aggression but the issue is complicated even for experienced lawyers.

According to her, inconsistency in approaches to the definition of
aggression is reflected even in the provisions of the UN Charter
which bans aggression but at the same time allows it in some cases.

Besides, concept of aggression is biased and politicized , there is
a concept of perception, that is, when the same fact is perceived
differently.

Some events which were not perceived as aggression may be called
aggression tomorrow, she said bringing an example of Kosovo and Iraq.

FORMER ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER WILL NOT LEAD RULING PARTY CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS? – NEWSPAPER

news.am
February 18, 2012 | 09:40

YEREVAN. – The ghost of mistrust hovering over Hovik Abrahamyan,
Armenia’s former National Assembly Speaker and chief of the ruling
coalition Republican Party of Armenia’s (RPA) nonexistent Campaign
Headquarters for the upcoming parliamentary elections, is not
disappearing in any way, Zhoghovurd daily writes.

“Zhoghovurd’s sources close to RPA inform that some Party circles
continue to discuss the option of dismissing Abrahamyan of his duties
as Chief of the [Campaign] Headquarters. They suspect him of carrying
out a concealed campaign in favor if his in-law, [the coalition’s
Prosperous Armenia Party] PAP Chairman Gagik [Gago] Tsarukyan. And when
recently Hovik Abrahamyan’s close associates informed him of this,
he attempted to validate his loyalty to [President and RPA Chairman]
Serzh Sargsyan, and said: ‘If I work for PAP, Sargsyan will not give
me a position. How could I work [for PAP]? [You think] I will go to
Gago and ask for a position?’ And only time will tell whether those
at RPA [actually] believed Hovik Abrahamyan,” Zhoghovurd writes.

KEY ISSUE IS FREEDOM, ENSURING LIFE WITHOUT FEAR – KARABAKH ANALYST

news.am
February 18, 2012 | 11:11

STEPANAKERT. – People’s diplomacy is a platform where models can
be tested to achieve reconciliation in official politics, Shanna
Krikorova, the Director of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR)
Center for International Cooperation, stated during the international
conference, entitled “20th Anniversary of NKR Independence: Realities
and Prospects,” being held in NKR capital, Stepanakert.

In her view, it would be naïve to think that people’s diplomacy can
resolve serious disputes, but there are numerous examples when it
has contributed to reducing the level of hatred.

Looking back into the past twenty years, the analyst also noted
that Azerbaijan is actively attempting to impede the cooperation
initiatives.

“No country can develop without integration, but the key issue must
be freedom and ensuring life without a fear for one’s own identity
and wellbeing,” Shanna Krikorova maintained.

The aforementioned international conference is organized by NKR
State Commission for the Organization and Coordination of the 20th
Anniversary Celebrations for the Declaration of NKR’s Independence,
with the participation of the Center for the Constitutional Law of
Armenia and the Political Science Association of Armenia, and in
cooperation with Armenian News-NEWS.am.

From: Baghdasarian

RECOGNITION OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH’S INDEPENDENCE IS IN INTEREST OF AZERBAIJAN – RUSSIAN EXPERT

news.am
February 18, 2012 | 12:28

STEPANAKERT.- Armenia should immediately recognize independence of
Nagorno-Karabakh, Russian political analyst Aleksey Martinov said
during a conference in Stepanakert.

Martinov, Director of International Institute of the Newest States,
said recognition by Armenia will mark the end of confrontation and
at the same time will prevent a new one.

Many in Nagorno-Karabakh have no doubt that if the situation remains
the same, Azerbaijan will try to return Karabakh by force, Martinov
said.

“Recognition of Karabakh is in Armenia’s interests. In this case it
will get rid of leverage,” he added. Azerbaijan’s attempts to begin
hostilities will not receive approval from the international community.

In this regard, the expert expressed confidence that Azerbaijan
must begin to develop relations with Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh,
given that the current arms race initiated by Azerbaijan is a serious
burden on country’s budget.

“This does not contribute to the development of Azerbaijan.

Recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh will give impetus to the development
of the region,” he added. At the moment the peace process reached
a stage of making decisions. First, Armenia should decide. “It may
sound strange but it is in the interests of Azerbaijan,” he concluded.

Armenian News-NEWS.am is the information partner of the conference
dedicated to 20thanniversary of Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence.

ARMENIA CREATES VIRTUAL OBSERVATORY SERVER

news.am
February 18, 2012 | 11:35

YEREVAN. – The Institute for Informatics and Automation of the National
Academy of Sciences of Armenia has created a virtual observatory
(VO) database.

The Armenian VO likewise is a product of cooperation, between
astronomers and computer specialists, within the framework of
which corresponding environments are created, where a wide range
of astronomical data are jointly used and an effective scientific
research is conducted.

The Armenian VO server currently uses a new catalogue comparison
program, which surpasses the similar programs created throughout
the world, and the scientific research is conducted on the basis of
this program.

This database enables to dynamically increase the quantity of the
data being kept. Also, there are no strict limitations on the volume
of data being added.

The comparison program is installed in the webpage, in the Armenian
VO environment, and this allows for the astronomers to apply online
for a new effective approach for comparison.

The Armenian VO was recently included in UNESCO Memory of the World
International Register.

From: A. Papazian

DATE FOR ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS TO BE SET SOON – NEWSPAPER

news.am
February 18, 2012 | 08:59

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan must sign, no later
than February 27, the decree on setting the date for the upcoming
National Assembly (NA) elections, Haykakan Zhamanak daily writes.

“The NA elections can be held between April 28 and May 8. [And]
It is virtually clear that Armenia’s authorities intend on holding
the NA elections on May 6. In this case, the nominations for the
proportional and majority election system MP candidates must commence
on March 12 and continue for ten days. This is also why the day for
the [ruling coalition’s Republican Party of Armenia] RPA congress,
which initially was announced for March 17, was switched to March 10,”
Haykakan Zhamanak writes.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN TOURISM AGENCIES BLAME ARMAVIA AIRLINE COMPANY AND ITS OWNER – NEWSPAPER

news.am
February 18, 2012 | 08:50

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s several tourism agencies have serious problems
in connection with the New Year passenger transportation, and as a
result they have suffered losses worth tens of thousands of dollars,
Hraparak daily writes.

“Specifically, one such agency owes a huge amount to a hotel in Dubai,
for the previously made reservations, since some of the passengers had
canceled their tour packages at the last moment. And criminal cases
are brought. Just to note, the agencies blame Armavia [Airline Company]
and [its owner] Mikhail Baghdasarov for their losses,” Hraparak writes.

YERKRAPAH BOARD CHAIRMAN: ARTSAKH IS OUR NAME, ARMENIA IS OUR SURNAME

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 18, 2012 – 13:21 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Manvel Grigoryan, Yerkrapah Board chairman delivered
a welcoming speech at the 9th meeting of Yerkrapah Volunteer Union.

First of all he reminded of the 20th anniversary of independence the
Republic of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh Republic marked last year.

“This is the independence we achieved due to lives and courage of
our fellow fighters,” he said.

Grigoryan said he hoped the Armenian people keep in mind the Yerkrapah
contribution: “Artsakh is our name, and Armenia is our surname,”
he added.

Grigoryan said, since 1994 “we were not much zealous to persecute our
enemy; we contented ourselves with just small part of our homeland.”

“Border protection starts with Yerevan, and protection of Yerevan
starts with the liberated territories and frontier regions. Our
solidarity in late 20th century allowed us to gain independence and
win back a small part of our motherland, and now we need solidarity
to confront external and internal challenges.”

He stressed that Yerkrapah should always stand beside the army; he
also emphasized the importance of military and patriotic education
of the youth.

Yerkrapah Volunteer Union was established in 1993. It currently
comprises over 10 thousand members, most of them being veterans of
Karabakh war.

OHANYAN: VOLUNTEERS TURNED ARTSAKH FIGHT INTO A PATRIOTIC WAR

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 18, 2012 – 13:29 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan spoke at
the 9th meeting of Yerkrapah Volunteer Union.

He said that volunteer troops honorably protected our homeland’s
security until a regular army was formed. “Volunteers were the
decisive power due to which Artsakh war turned into a patriotic war,”
Ohanyan stressed.

Defense Minister mentioned the role of the former defense minister and
prime minister of Armenia Vazgen Sargsyan in unification of volunteer
troops and establishment of the army.

Speaking about the feat of Yerkrapah during Artsakh war, Minister
Ohanyan said that nobody and nothing is forgotten.