Month: February 2012

ARMENIA’S PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION MEETS WITH KARABAKH NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER

NEWS.AM
February 17, 2012 | 15:09

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s National Assembly (NA) delegation, led by NA
Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov, met with Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
(NKR) NA Speaker Ashot Ghulyan, in NKR capital Stepanakert on Thursday.

The parties discussed collaboration between the parliaments of Armenia
and NKR, NA Press Service informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Armenia’s parliamentary delegation left for Stepanakert on Thursday
to attend the international symposium, entitled “20th Anniversary of
NKR Independence: Realities and Prospects,” being held on Friday and
Saturday and devoted to the 20th anniversary of NKR’s declaration.

ARMENIAN BOOKS AND FILMS WILL BE PRESENTED IN CANADIAN VARIOUS CITIES

17.02.12, 12:35

On February 15 Armenian Ambassador to Canada Armen Yeganyan met
Librarian and Archivist of Canada Daniel Caron. Press and information
department of the office of RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs informs
about this.

Sides discussed issues connected with the humanitarian cooperation
between two countries. Armenian Ambassador informed that UNESCO
announced Yerevan of Book Capital 2012 and Armenia celebrates 500th
anniversary of Armenian printing this year.

Both officials agreed to organize book presentations, film
presentations about Armenia in Ottawa and also in other cities. Doctor
Caron expressed his readiness to assist all events.

Note that Canadian “Library and Archives” is one of the most important
scientific-social centers of the country.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA’S PRESIDENT MUST BE BORN, BRED IN ARMENIA – RULING PARTY MP

news.am
February 17, 2012 | 14:43

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s former FM Vartan Oskanian’s becoming a member
in the ruling coalition’s Prosperous Armenia Party is a step aimed
at the future, the coalition’s Republican Party of Armenia MP Rafik
Petrosyan stated during a press conference on Friday.

And with respect to the coalition partners’ support of President
Serzh Sargsyan’s nomination in the presidential elections, Petrosyan
said although they have expressed their allegiance, you cannot
be 100-percent sure, because the developments can unroll very
dramatically.

In Rafik Petrosyan’s words, they will not support the candidacy of
someone who represents the interests of foreign countries. “This
refers to [opposition Heritage Party leader] Raffi Hovannisian, [and]
Vartan Oskanian who could work very well, but Armenia’s president
must be from Armenia, born, bred here; [whose] forefathers’ graves
[must be] in Armenia,” the MP maintained.

From: A. Papazian

PARLIAMENT VICE SPEAKER: EFFORTS TO TARGET INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF ARTSAKH

Panorama.am
17/02/2012

“Artsakh is actually an independent state that has won its independence
in an aggressive war unleashed by Azerbaijan and unlike Azerbaijan
Artsakh creates a state which, as President Serzh Sargsyan said, is
based on democratic values,” Armenian Parliament Vice Speaker Edward
Sharmazanov said in Stepanakert.

“Our efforts should target the international recognition of Artsakh,”
Sharmazanov said. Recent political processes have signified nations’
self-determination right.

“I’m sure the conflict of Artsakh has one resolution – the
international recognition of Artsakh,” NA Vice Speaker said.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA CAN ANNUALLY PRODUCE 80,000 TONS OF COPPER – VALLEX GROUP

news.am
February 17, 2012 | 15:45

YEREVAN.- Armenia has a capability to produce 80,000 tons of copper
annually, said President of Vallex Group Valeriy Mezhlumyan.

The group is currently producing blister copper and exports it to
Europe. However, it is difficult to reach Europe’s production volume.

“We plan to produce for instance 100 tons of copper a year, while the
European companies create additional processing capacity for 300-400
tons. So, in order to be competitive in this area, we can only rely
on Armenian concentrates and the Georgian ones,” he said.

According to him, in the next 4 years the company intends to increase
the volume of copper production. Georgia presently produces 15
thousand tons of copper concentrate, while Armenia – about 30 thousand
tons. Moreover, in four years Vallex group plans to produce 30-40,000
tons of copper.

“In general, Armenia’s capacity can be estimated at 80 thousand tons
per year,” he emphasized.

In his turn, Vice-President of Vallex Group Gagik Arzumanyan noted
that modernization of the company’s production will be more effective
if sulfuric acid is obtained as a byproduct.

Vallex Group is Armenia-based group of companies including several
mining enterprises.

PUBLIC PROSECUTOR SACKED OVER NIGHT-CLUB SCANDAL

Tert.am
17.02.12

An employee of the Public Prosecutor’s office in Armenia’s Armavir
region has been sacked over a scandal that pointed to his improper
behavior as a public servant.

According to the official website of the General Prosecutor’s Office,
David Baroyan, a public prosecutor, abused alcohol and demonstrated
misconduct in a nigh-club where he visited on last night with a friend.

Baroyan has reportedly admitted the fact and regretted for the scandal.

Some online outlets report that he stripped and danced in the club
and made sexual advances, using abusive language.

On February 17, 2012, Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan issued an
instruction to sack Baroyan.

From: Baghdasarian

TWO PARTIES WITH THE SAME NAME? SOCIAL DEMOCRAT HUNCHUKIAN PARTY PROTESTS, CHARGES FRAUD

epress.am
02.17.2012

The Social Democrat Hunchukian Party (SDHP) yesterday received an
undated letter in which someone by the name of Gevorg Perkuperkyan,
identifying himself as the SDHP leader, is demanding the party within
three days surrender the party flag, certificate of registration,
party seal and all other party-related documents, SDHP leader Lyudmila
Sargsyan told reporters in Yerevan today.

“In addition, through various courts they tried to dispute the
legitimacy of my chairmanship. Two court rulings affirmed this
legitimacy and on Jan. 9, 2010, I was re-elected chair – this was
followed by several complaint appeals to the police (these were
already after the rulings). They were unable to achieve anything;
later they initiated these fabrications, which we found out about
yesterday. We’re taken aback that our judicial system, with all its
defects and omissions, could come up with such a fabrication,” she
said, meaning, how could the judicial system allow another person
to register a political party having the exact same name as one that
already exists and is registered.

Sargsyan recalled that a year ago there was another attempt to register
a political party in SDHP’s name, but which her party blocked at the
state registry. Afterwards, a separate Hunchukian Party (slightly
different name) was registered, the leader of which is Gevorg
Perkuperkyan. It is assumed that this same man is now changing the
name of his Hunchukian Party to Social Democrat Hunchukian Party.

“This is the fact: there is a Social Democrat Hunchukian Party
registered in Armenia, that’s us, and no one can dispute this – with
all the documents, our coat of arms, and our flag registered with the
Intellectual Property Agency [of Armenia]. And it’s perplexing on what
they’re pinning their hopes, and that the justice system and the state
registry thought they can engage in such a secret scheme,” she said.

Lyudmila Sargsyan informed the press that her party yesterday sent
a letter to the justice minister, requesting to identify and punish
those who are carrying out these schemes.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA WILL HAVE BORDER INFRASTRUCTURES THAT MEET INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS – SECURITY COUNCIL SECRETARY

news.am
February 17, 2012 | 16:01

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s National Security Council (NSC) Secretary
Arthur Baghdasaryan chaired Friday’s session of the interdepartmental
committee that moderates the implementation of the programs envisioned
by the strategy for guaranteeing Armenia’s border security and
comprehensive managing of the state border, NSC Press Service informed
Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Arthur Baghdasaryan noted that the final phase is now being held in
the competition for selecting the construction companies.

“Our activities have entered a crucial phase, and we will soon yield
good results and have border infrastructures that meet international
standards. These developments enable us to assert that the measures
being taken along the entire length of Armenia’s national border
will further raise and strengthen our border security,” Arthur
Baghdasaryan stated.

From: A. Papazian

NAGORNO-KARABAKH SITUATION STABLE NOT BECAUSE OF BUT IN SPITE OF MEDIATORS’ EFFORTS-OPINION

news.am
February 17, 2012 | 14:32

STEPANAKERT. – Nagorno-Karabakh may become a part of Azerbaijan only
due to full-scale war and ethnic cleansings, head of Yerevan State
Linguistic University Suren Zolyan said on Friday at the international
scientific conference in Stepnakert.

Conflicts in the South Caucasus are considered as key factors hampering
development of the region. Not only the conflicts, but approaches to
their solution are frozen, he said.

“Everything what was told so far was not effective, while change
in regional situation is not taken into account, in particular,
recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia is ignored. In parallel,
Azerbaijan continues military build-up, which is similar to a budget
of war times,” Zolyan said.

He stressed that the wall around Karabakh, which Azerbaijan intends
to build, testifies to its unwillingness to reasonable cooperation
with Karabakh.

“Despite many other differences in case of South Ossetia, Abkhazia
and Kosovo the mediators on Karabakh continue to show rare unanimity
claiming they cannot serve a precedent for Karabakh,” the Chancellor
said.

In this context, Zolyan believes the settlement lies in negotiations,
without mediators. Integration problem should not be settled without
tackling cooperation problems. He pointed out implementation of
joint projects between Armenia-Georgia, Georgia-Azerbaijan, as well
as possible cooperation of an Assembly between local and regional
authorities, possibility to establish similar territorial structures,
excluding political and economic issues from the agenda.

Touching upon the political status of Karabakh, Zolyan said that he
would like to address the West: “What would happen if member states of
Yugoslavia realized their right to self-determination within not even
Yugoslavia but Serbia?” The answer is clear, however, it is unclear why
it cannot be applied for Karabakh as well. Moreover, exclusion Karabakh
from negotiation processes makes the whole process even more unclear.

Karabakh participation in negotiations is important, but it should
not be an end to itself. Stability in Karabakh is not because of but
in spite of mediators’ efforts, he concluded.

PARUYR HAYRIKYAN EXPECTS TO GET 20% OF VOTES

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 17, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 17, ARMENPRESS: “National Self-Determination Union”
party will run for parliamentary elections alone, leader of the party
Paruyr Hayrikyan told news conference today. He said the upcoming
parliamentary elections are the main political event which will bring
a number of surprises. “These surprises will be pleasant for some
and very unpleasant for the others,” Hayrikyan said.

In response to the question how much votes he expects to get, the
leader of the party said everything depends on the support of the
citizens, but he intends getting 10-20% of votes. He said some forces
that are convinced that they will enter the parliament will fail to
do it.