Month: February 2012

TEHRAN READY FOR CONSTRUCTION OF ARMENIA-IRAN RAILWAY

news.am
February 24, 2012 | 17:18

YEREVAN.- The Iranian side is ready for the construction of
Iran-Armenia railway and expects necessary financing, Ambassador to
Armenia Seyed Ali Saqqaiyan said.

Addressing the Yerevan University students, Ambassador recalled the
recent meeting of the working group with the participation of the
Russian, Iranian and Armenian deputy ministers of transport.

“Head of the Russian Railways also expressed positive attitude
to the project during his recent visit to Yerevan. The project is
expensive and the experts determine figures amounting to several
billion dollars. However, we are determined to participate,” he said.

According to preliminary assessment, the project was estimated
at $1.5-2 billion. In 2010 Armenia submitted an application on
construction to the EurAsEC Anti-Crisis Fund. The possibility of
China’s participation was discussed as well.

ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR DISCUSSES COOPERATION PROSPECTS WITH GREEK NATIONAL DEFENSE MINISTER

news.am
February 24, 2012 | 17:30

Armenian Ambassador to Greece Gagik Ghalachyan met on Thursday with
Minister of National Defense Dimitris Avramopoulos to discuss prospects
for bilateral cooperation.

The sides discussed further development of cooperation between
the two countries’ ministries, MFA press service informed Armenian
News-NEWS.am.

They noted that Armenia and Greece have successfully developed
cooperation in the field of military education and officer training,
peacekeeping, defense industry and other spheres.

39TH SITTING OF THE BSEC PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY TO TAKE PLACE IN YEREVAN IN MAY
Artak Barseghyan

“Radiolur”
24.02.2012 18:27

The regular 39th sitting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black
Sea Economic Cooperation Organization will take place in Yerevan on
May 22. Secretary General of BSEC Parliamentary Assembly Kirill Tretyak
has arrived in Yerevan to discuss the preparation of the sitting.

According to Gagik Minasyan, the head of the Armenian delegation
to BSEC PA, the agenda of the sitting will be rich. It will most
probably focus on issues of overcoming the consequences of the global
financial-economic crisis.

The amendments to the charter of the Parliamentary Assembly will
also be discussed. The changes refer to elected positions and the
mechanisms of membership payments.

At the end of the sitting Armenia will pass on the chairmanship to
Azerbaijan. Every BSEC member country holds the presidency of the
organization for six months.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DEAL ON THE SALE OF TUMANYAN’S HOUSE CONCLUDED IN TBILISI
Alisa Gevorgyan

“Radiolur”
24.02.2012 18:06

The $145 thousand deal on the sale of Hovhannes Tumanyan’s house was
concluded in Tbilisi yesterday. The keys were handed to Levon Ananyan,
Chairman of the Union of Writers of Armenia. The sum was provided by
the Mayor of Gyumri, Vardan Ghukasyan, and his brothers.

What destiny awaits Tumanyan’s house in the future? According to Levon
Ananyan, the house will still be managed by the Fund of the Union of
Writers, and this is the best solution for now.

Later the Armenian Government, the Georgian Armenian Diocese and the
Armenian community of Georgia will decide the destiny of the Tumanyan
residence. One thing is clear at this point: it will have exceptionally
a cultural mission and will carry Hovhannes Tumanyan’s name.

BILL ON SHIFTING TO 100% PROPORTIONAL ELECTORAL SYSTEM TO BE DISCUSSED FEBRUARY 28

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 24, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 24, ARMENPRESS: National Assembly Standing Committee
on State and Legal Affairs discussed February 24 the bill on “Making
Changes in RA Electoral Code” forwarded by Styopa Safaryan, Artsvik
Minasyan, Vahan Hovhannisyan and Armen Matrirosyan from Heritage and
Armenian Revolutionary Federation parties. The bill proposes to pass
from mixed electoral system to 100% proportional one.

An official from Heritage Party told Armenpress the committee
has not made up an affirmative conclusion related to the bill. So,
“Heritage” faction recognized it special at its session and submitted
that decision to NA Speaker.

The bill will be included in the agenda of the February 27-March 1
four-day session and will be brought to a special discussion February
28 – during the second sitting of the day.

From: A. Papazian

U.S. DOES NOT BELIEVE IRAN IS TRYING TO BUILD NUCLEAR BOMB

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 24, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 24, ARMENPRESS: As U.S. and Israeli officials talk
publicly about the prospect of a military strike against Iran’s
nuclear program, one fact is often overlooked: U.S. intelligence
agencies don’t believe Iran is actively trying to build an atomic bomb,
Armenpress reports citing The Los Angeles Times.

A highly classified U.S. intelligence assessment circulated to
policymakers early last year largely affirms that view, originally
made in 2007. Both reports, known as national intelligence estimates,
conclude that Tehran halted efforts to develop and build a nuclear
warhead in 2003.

The most recent report, which represents the consensus of 16 U.S.

intelligence agencies, indicates that Iran is pursuing research that
could put it in a position to build a weapon, but that it has not
sought to do so.

Although Iran continues to enrich uranium at low levels, U.S.

officials say they have not seen evidence that has caused them to
significantly revise that judgment. Senior U.S. officials say Israel
does not dispute the basic intelligence or analysis.

But Israel appears to have a lower threshold for action than
Washington. It regards Iran as a threat to its existence and says it
will not allow Iran to become capable of building and delivering a
nuclear weapon. Some Israeli officials have raised the prospect of
a military strike to stop Iran before it’s too late.

It’s unclear how much access U.S. intelligence has in Iran, a problem
that bedeviled efforts to determine whether Iraq had weapons of mass
destruction before the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.

The assessment that Saddam Hussein had secretly amassed stockpiles of
chemical and biological weapons and was seeking to build a nuclear
weapon, cited by the George W. Bush administration to justify the
invasion, turned out to be wrong.

Iran barred inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency,
the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog group, from visiting Parchin, a military
site, this week to determine whether explosives tests were aimed at
developing nuclear technology.

An IAEA report in November cited “serious concerns” about “possible
military dimensions to Iran’s nuclear program,” but did not reach
hard conclusions. Another IAEA report is imminent.

Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, insisted Wednesday
that Tehran had no intention of producing nuclear weapons. In remarks
broadcast on state television, he said that “owning a nuclear weapon
is a big sin.”

But he said that “pressure, sanctions and assassinations” would not
stop Iran from producing nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

The U.S. and European Union have imposed strict sanctions on Iran’s
oil and banking sectors, and unidentified assassins on motorcycles
have killed several nuclear scientists in Iran, attacks for which
Tehran has blamed Israel.

For now, U.S. military and intelligence officials say they don’t
believe Iran’s leadership has made the decision to build a bomb.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RPA MP SAYS KARABAKH SHOULD BE ENGAGED IN TALKS

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 24, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 24, ARMENPRESS: Nagorno Karabakh must also be
engaged in the negotiation process, MP from the Republican party of
Armenia Karine Atchemyan told the reporters today, according to her,
the time has come for it. “Azerbaijan is more widely represented abroad
than Armenia is. We must intensify the diplomatic works,” she said.

The MP positively assessed the results of the Euronest assembly
conducted in Armenia’s National Assembly, stressing that it was a
brilliant opportunity to listen to the unbiased opinions of the others.

Referring to the Azerbaijani delegation, Atchemyan said they were
also inclined to peaceful settlement of the conflict.

Secretary of the “Heritage” faction Larisa Alaverdyan stressed that
the absence of the NKR in the talks has turned the negotiations into
just common meetings. “Azerbaijanis always say one thing do another.

Through diplomatic steps Azerbaijan must be forced to a dialogue,”
she said.

From: A. Papazian

IRANIAN AMBASSADOR SAYS MORE CAN BE DONE TO DEVELOP ARMENIAN-IRANIAN RELATIONS

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 24, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 24, ARMENPRESS: Relations between Armenia and Iran
are developing dynamically, Ambassador of Iran to Armenia Seyed
Ali Saghaian said at a lecture for students of the YSU Oriental
Study Faculty. He stressed that the two countries are bearers of
the same culture. “Iran was the first country to recognize Armenia’s
independence. It will be wrong to say that the achievements are ideal:
more can be done,” Ali Saghaian said. He noted that a number of
documents have been signed during the visit of the President of Iran
to Armenia. Before it as well economic cooperation existed between
the two countries. “We are firm in the issue of construction of the
railway, we just need financial means. The two presidents rate high
the signing of free trade agreement,” the ambassador said. According
to him, there exists cooperation in the scientific-educational sphere
as well and it shows bilateral wish to reinforce the ties.

VAHAN HOVHANNISYAN: “PUBLICATIONS ABOUT ARF-D LIST ARE NOT SERIOUS”

15:50 . 24/02

According to NA ARF-D faction leader Vahan Hovhannisyan, the authority
may not but allow a layer of the society to be nominated and become
an MP. All the layers have a constitutional right to be elected. It
is another question whether the authority will be able to make an
oligarch who has become an MP to promote a legislative activity and
not do business.

He doesn’t want to answer the politicians who slander ARF-D from time
to time.

“I know very well who the aged from them is and who has lost the
public’s confidence. But since I am a well-brought up man, unlike them,
I will not say that. The public doesn’t pay attention to such foolish
statements since long ago, since we have seen both their behaviour
and their belief, and have seen how often the distinguishing badges
of parties change on their coats. What a comment I should give on
them?” Vahan Hovhannisyan has said.

To recall, the statements of RPA member Rafik Petrosyn and Union of
Self-Determination Party Leader Paruyr Hayrikan are meant here.

Hovhannisyan doesn’t take seriously sociologists’ polls, either,
but the reason is not their professional qualities.

“I just know our public well. I know that they, as a rule, don’t
give correct answers to those questions with known reasons,” the MP
has said.

Vahan Hovhannisyan also advises not to take seriously the publications
on ARF-D’s proportional list in press. He says the list hasn’t still
been discussed and it is not clear who will lead it.

“Is it important who is in which place? The list is a complete
document. I don’t consider discussing its separate parts to be
correct,” ARF-D faction leader has said.

Asked if ARF-D will form a coalition in the parliament after the
coming elections, if there is a need to form a coalition and if
there are forces with which ARF-D has ideological similarities, Vahan
Hovhannisyan didn’t give names of any concrete political forces. He
positively evaluated Vardan Oskanyan’s membership to PAP: Oskanyan will
pass new political qualities to PAP and will have a party platform
to express his views. According to Vahan Hovhannisyan, the recent
viewpoint expressed by Oskanyan that the coalition memorandum doesn’t
function any more since the coalition forces are going to participate
in the elections with different lists was not only Oskanyan’s opinion.

V. HOVHNANNISYAN: “AUTHORITIES STARTED RIGGING ELECTIONS”

While the authorities continually say they are not going to rig the
upcoming parliamentary elections, they have already started violations,
says member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun)
Vahan Hovhannisyan.

“Election fraud started ahead of elections. They are bribing voters
in advance,” Hovhannisyan told reporters on February 24.

To get out of the situation, he suggests that the country should
switch from the majoritarian electoral system to the proportional one.

“Bribes are mainly given by majoritarian candidate(s) or their
headquarters,” said the Dashnak MP.

Mr Hovhannisyan says his party will also name candidates on the
majoritarian system if they fail to eliminate the majoritarian
voting system.

“We know that the authorities will show resistance since they
understand that if they do not have a majority of seats in the
parliament they cannot be in the minority either.”