Month: February 2012

ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES ALREADY CAMPAIGNING FOR ELECTIONS IN THE PRESS: VAHAN HOVHANNISYAN

epress.am
02.24.2012

The Armenian authorities quite plainly aspire to remain in power
forever. Added to this situation characteristic of the election period
is also the strive to avoid at all costs a repeat of Mar. 1-2, 2008,
or similar events, which, of course, gives the newly developing
civil society the opportunity to overthrow the government, said
Vahan Hovhannisyan, head of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
(Dashnaktsutyun, or ARF-D) parliamentary faction, while meeting with
reporters in Yerevan today.

“Elections generally can mean one of two things: a change in generation
or a change in government – or both,” he said, emphasizing that in
the case of Armenia, it’s time for both.

Weighing in on the matter of foreign policy, Hovhannisyan said this
is directly linked to developments within the country.

“It’s obvious that European agencies have clearly made it known to
Armenia’s authorities (and not only) that they won’t be tolerant
when it comes to the elections and Armenia should be able to ensure
elections that if aren’t in compliance with European standards than
at least approach the level [of such compliance]. Finally, the main
indicator of democracy is in the quality of elections,” he said.

As an example, the lawmaker pointed to the persecution of Armenia’s
news media outlets, which aren’t completely free; that is, the
government doesn’t want to undergo a change through the path of
civilized elections, he said.

“The main mechanism on the path to civilized elections is campaigning,
and in whose hands is this? Of course, in [the hands of] news outlets,”
he said, meaning that the authorities are using the news media to
campaign for elections and get their message across.

According to Hovhannisyan, Armenia’s situation today is rather
difficult, which means that the country’s ruling authorities had to
already have ensured such reforms in domestic politics that would’ve
strengthened Armenia’s defensiveness, security system, and so on.

“This wasn’t done, and it’s one of the reasons that it’s time for a
change of government,” he said.

From: A. Papazian

RUSSIAN CIVIL AIRCRAFT COMPANY PLANS TO SIGN CONTRACT WITH ARMENIAN AIRLINE CARRIER

news.am
February 24, 2012 | 16:01

MOSCOW. – In 2012, Russia’s Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company could
sign a stable contract, with Armenia’s Armavia Airline Company, for
the delivery of 5-6 Sukhoi Superjet 100, Sukhoi President Vladimir
Prisyazhnyuk told reporters.

“5-6 [planes] will be delivered this year, [and] the term for the
deliveries is 2013-2014,” he said. Prisyazhnyuk also noted that Armavia
will receive the second aircraft in the end of the first quarter of
2012, AEX.ru informs.

And United Aircraft Corporation President Mikhail Pogosyan informed
that Sukhoi Civil Aircraft Company will deliver 20 Sukhoi Superjet
100 in the second quarter of the current year.

ANTI-ARMENIAN PROPAGANDA BY AZERI, TURKISH TV CHANNELS CAN’T BE BANNED IN IRAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 24, 2012 – 16:43 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – During a meeting with Yerevan State University
students Iran’s ambassador to Armenia Seyed Ali Sagayan dwelt on
broadcast of several Azerbaijani and Turkish TV channels in Iran.

Asked about Iranian authorities’ reaction to anti-Armenian propaganda
by those channels in the north of the country, the envoy noted that
all claims should be presented to the countries owning the channels.

“We also come across anti-Iranian propaganda,” he said.

From: A. Papazian

AGHVAN HOVSEPYAN: CRIMINAL SITUATION HAS BEEN STABLE OVER YEARS
Lusine Vasilyan

“Radiolur”
24.02.2012 17:18

The results of 2011 were summed up during today’s plenary sitting of
the Board of the Prosecutor’s Office. Deputy Prosecutor Generals Aram
Tamazyan and Mnatsakan Sargsyan presented the indices describing the
criminal situation in Armenia.

The figures suggest that the number of crimes in Armenia increased
by 7% as compared to 2010.

Two percent increase was registered in the crimes against humans,
particularly murders. The number of road accidents and cases of
hooliganism has also increased.

Noting that the changes need to be thoroughly investigated, Prosecutor
General Aghvan Hovsepyan said the criminal situation in Armenia has
been stable over years. Moreover, statistic shows that the situation
is the best in the CIS.

ARMENIA’S AMBASSADOR BRIEFS CZECH OFFICIAL ON KARABAKH ISSUE

news.am
February 24, 2012 | 16:26

YEREVAN. – The opening of Armenia’s Embassy in the Czech Republic will
be an important impetus for developing bilateral relations. This
was stated by Miroslava Nìmcova, Speaker of the Czech House of
Representatives, during her meeting Thursday with Tigran Seyranyan,
Armenia’s Ambassador to the Czech Republic.

Nìmcova also noted that the strengthening of interparliamentary ties
is a significant component of bilateral relations. And in this sense,
she underscored the need to form bilateral friendship groups in the
parliaments of both countries, MFA informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

The parties also discussed the necessity to develop Armenian-Czech
economic relations, specifically the expanding of the contractual
domain.

And upon Miroslava Nìmcova’s request, Armenia’s ambassador thoroughly
presented the latest developments on the Karabakh issue and the
normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations. Tigran Seyranyan stressed
that Armenia remains committed to the exclusively peaceful settlement
of the Karabakh conflict.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WATER SUPPLY NETWORKS TO BE RESTORED IN ARMENIAN COMMUNITIES

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 24, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 24, ARMENPRESS: A 15-million USD loan agreement
has been signed today between Armenia and International Bank for
Reconstruction and Development. The agreement has been signed in
the sidelines of community water supply program. Press office of
the Ministry of Finance told Armenpress the agreement was signed
by the Minister of Finance Vache Gabrielyan and Jean-Michel Happi,
the World Bank Country Manager for Armenia.

The loan will be transferred to the “Water Sewage” company to improve
the water supply in a number of territories. Within the framework of
the program the water supply networks of Ashtarak, Masis, Etchmiatsin
towns and nearby settlements will be restored. The loan is being
provided with 25 year term, of which 10 with privileged conditions.

The program is intended to be accomplished in June 30, 2015.

From: Baghdasarian

PUBLIC TOILETS IN GORIS; USAID FUNDS FLUSHED DOWN THE DRAIN?

hetq
12:02, February 24, 2012

Here’s another story highlighting a good project gone sour. It has
to do with the USAID funded public toilets in the southern Armenian
town of Goris.

Even though it was built in 2007 with USAID support, the restrooms
don’t work. I wanted to find out why.

My first stop was the Goris Municipality. The toilet is located in
a park that is municipal land.

I spoke with Gagik Hayrapetyan, who heads the Municipality’s Staff
Office. He was the one who told me about the USAID’s participation
in the constriction of the restrooms along with installing trash
receptacles in Goris.

Mr. Hayrapetyan suggested that I go and speak with Argady Mardyan,
Director of the Gusan Ashot Cultural Center. The Center manages the
park where the toilets are located.

So far so good.

Mr. Mardyan told me he had nothing to do with operating the public
restrooms.

“What does culture have in common with toilets?” he exclaimed. “We all
know that the Cultural Center is a municipal body whose activities are
supervised by the mayor’s office. True, the restrooms are located in
the park but since they were built the municipality has yet to create
an employment position to run the toilets.”

In essence, dear readers, the restrooms have never been opened to
the public because the municipality has never hired an attendant to
service them. I guess this makes sense in a weird sort of way.

But Mardyan’s argument doesn’t jive with the USAID’s projections
as set out in the “BRIDGE” project that envisaged the creation of
15 new jobs in Goris (2 gardeners, 3 cleaners, 4 technical aides,
6 attendants to be paid from park revenues). Today, the municipality
hires out 7 individuals to manage the park.

The Project also mandated that the Goris Municipality take over
management of the park from the cultural center and that it draft a
plan of cultural and sports activities.

Mardyan said that the toilets used to operate in the past on a
sporadic basis. It depended on when they could find people willing
to do the job.

He told me that the town was now ready to hire someone willing to work
and get paid based on the number of people using the toilets at 50
AMD a visit. The town would pay the electric and water expenses. The
attendant however, would have to pay for two rolls of toilet paper
a day from his or her own pocket.

“If there is anyone willing to work under these conditions, I am
ready to present them with this restroom as a gift,” exclaimed Mardyan.

He told me that a public restroom operate din the park years ago but
nobody used it.

“People would do their business under the trees, not in the restroom,
even though it was free. It’s a question of our mentality.”

Mardyan complained that people urinate on the steps leading to the
cultural center and that staff have to wash the area down with several
buckets of water.

“The place stinks terribly in the summer. This is how locals treat
the cultural center. Don’t you think I want those restrooms to operate
normally?” said an exasperated Mardyan.

When I asked, Mardyan said the restrooms were in good shape with
round the clock water.

At the end of our talk, Mardyan said he hoped that on my next visit
the restroom would be up and running so that we could discuss something
more pleasant; say on a cultural level.

I finally got a chance to speak to Goris Mayor Nelson Voskayan.

When I asked him whether it would be preferable to create a permanent
job position of restroom attendant/manager, with a stable salary,
Voskayan shook his head.

“From a financial point of view, operating the toilets remains an
important but difficult matter. Repair work will commence in the summer
and we’ll adopt some new approaches to resolve this sad chapter.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

‘KARABAKH – HIDDEN TREASURE’: THE TASK IS TO GIVE RIGHT PICTURE OF ARTSAKH

Panorama.am
24/02/2012

“Through this film we tried to speak of present-day Artsakh,” director
Jivan Avetisyan said, addressing the launch event of documentary titled
‘Karabakh – Hidden Treasure.’

“Distorting reality, the propaganda machine of Azerbaijan represents
Artsakh as a hell, a pile of ruins.

This film is not about Karabakh issue. It is about present-day Artsakh
and aims to show reality to the world,” said the film director.

According to the director, the documentary about Artsakh is also
intended to boost tourism, for every foreign tourist coming to Artsakh
not only to be able to see Artsakh with his own eyes but also to long
for knowing historical reality.

“The more people visit Artsakh the sooner the true facts will be
recognized. The task is to give the right picture of Artsakh,” said he.

The film features the nature, the cultural heritage of Artsakh and
the life of Artsakh people, added the director.

The film’s premiere will take place at Narekatsi Cultural Center today,
and it will be aired by Yerkir Media TV tomorrow at 21:20.

From: Baghdasarian

EDUARD SHARMAZANOV: “AZERBAIJANI AUTHORITIES DISTORT THE REALITY”

24.02.2012

The Azerbaijani authorities, misrepresenting the reality for years,
come up with false statements in connection with Khojalu events. The
day before the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev made such a
statement, putting the whole legal-political responsibility of Khojalu
tragic events on the current authorities of Armenia and Artsakh. We
present the RA National Assembly Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov’s
comment in this regard:

“As at that time Aliyev was not in a war field, but he was busy with
the prosperity of his own business in Istanbul, would hardly know the
whole reality on the painful events of Khojalu. The reality is the
following: for many months Stepanakert was pelt from Khojalu weapon
emplacements day and night, and the neutralization of the military
base for the local Armenians was a life and death issue. During
the liberation operation of Khojalu the sub-divisions of the NKR
self-defense forces left a corridor for the peaceful population of
Khojalu for safely leaving the military operations zone, about which
the Azerbaijani side was warned beforehand.

Ayaz Mutalibov, former President of Azerbaijan, told the “Nezavisimaya
Gazeta” newspaper after one month of his resignation: “The corridor,
by which people could leave, was, nevertheless, left by the Armenians.

In that case, why they were to shoot. Especially, in the territory
nearby Aghdam, where at that time there was a sufficient force to go
out and help people.”

And ten years after his resignation Mutalibov in his interview to the
newspaper “Novoye Vremya” has noted: “It’s obvious that the shooting
of the Khojalu people was organized by somebody for the shift of
power in Azerbaijan.”

By the way, Azerbaijani lawyer Arif Yunusov in July 1992 told the
newspaper “Zerkalo” that “the city and its residents deliberately
sacrificed their lives for the political purpose.” And Tamerlan
Karayev, former Speaker of the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan, on April
28, 1992 informed the newspaper “Mukhalifat” that “the Azerbaijani
authorities were in charge of the tragedy.”

The above mentioned facts unequivocally testify that the Azerbaijani
side is to be guilty for the death of Khojalu peaceful residents,
which is a heinous crime committed towards its own people for the
sake of political intrigues and for power struggle.”

From: Baghdasarian

NOT A SINGLE STATE WANTS VIOLENCE IN KARABAKH – IRANIAN AMBASSADOR

news.am
February 24, 2012 | 17:14

YEREVAN.- Iran has a balanced stance on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
said Iranian Ambassador to Armenia Seyed Ali Saqqaiyan.

“Neither we, nor our neighbors want violence. I think from the very
beginning of the conflict Iran’s position was the most balanced. It can
be stated by foreign experts as well,” he told journalists on Friday.

According to him, instability is advantageous to the states usually
pursuing “divide and rule” policy.

“Such policy was typical for England. However, the leaders who are
guided by good advice try to avert the nation from danger,” he said.

The Ambassador stressed that maintaining peace and stability is
important for any region, “especially it refers to the South Caucasus
that has a risk of conflict outbreak.”