Month: February 2012

ARMENIAN FM GIVES LECTURE AT DIPLOMATIC SCHOOL

news.am
February 20, 2012 | 17:48

YEREVAN.- Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian gave a lecture
on Monday to the students of the diplomatic school.

Twenty-five of 150 applicants have been handpicked to acquire necessary
diplomatic skills.

The Ministers stressed it is already the third generation of students
of the school, adding that the best foreign experts in foreign
relations, international law and economy will teach the students.

The school functioning at the Armenian MFA opened in 2010.

BOOK TRACKS VIOLENCE AND LEGAL SUITS AGAINST REPORTERS AND THE MEDIA IN ARMENIA

hetq
17:02, February 20, 2012

A book by the Investigative Journalists tracking acts of violence
and intimidation against the media in Armenia was officially launched
today at the Ourbat Club in Yerevan.

Published with the assistance of the OSCE office in Yerevan, “Violence,
intimidation and legal cases against journalists and the media in
Armenia; 2010-2011”, is a bilingual (Armenian, English) expose that
tracks cases of violence against individual reporters and media outlets
and attempts to silence freedom of speech by suing the Fourth Estate
in the courts.

Lianna Sayadyan, a member of the Investigative Journalists NGO and
editor of the book, noted that the decriminalization of defamation
and insult, while a positive step, has had a negative impact on the
media during the period monitored.

Oliver McCoy, who heads the OSCE’s Democracy Development Department
in Yerevan, stated that teh book would serve as an invaluable resource
for tracking media related cases in the Armenian courts.

“It will serve as a good foundation to evaluate the challenges facing
the media and freedom of speech in Armenia and to formulate approaches
designed to improve the situation,” said McCoy.

MOSCOW, PARIS MAY LAUNCH GAS PIPELINE PROJECT

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 20, 2012 – 18:57 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Moscow and Paris may launch a project to build
new gas pipelines from Russia to Europe to meet the growing demand
by EU states, Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom said on Monday,
February 20, according to RIA Novosti.

“The parties have come to agreement that it is necessary to build
new direct gas transport capacities from Russia to Europe to meet
the growing demand of European consumers in Russian natural gas,”
Gazprom said in a statement.

Faced with severe weather conditions, some EU states complained in
late January and early February that they were receiving less gas from
Russia than expected, however, Gazprom, which supplies a quarter of
Europe’s gas imports, said it was delivering as much gas as it could
under current contracts.

The two parties prevented a crisis in gas supplies and blue fuel
deliveries returned to contract volumes after a week or two.

In 2011, France, the third largest consumer of Russian gas in Europe,
received 9.53 billion cubic meters from Gazprom under a core contract
and up to 1.5 bcm through Nord Stream pipeline under an additional
contract.

From: Baghdasarian

KAREL DE GUCHT: OPENING OF FREE TRADE NEGOTIATIONS MARK TURNING POINT IN OUR TRADE RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA

Panorama.am
20/02/2012

The EU decided to launch negotiations on a deep and comprehensive
free trade area with Armenia in order to boost economic growth and
investment with this Eastern European Partner, according to the
European Commission press release.

The negotiations will not only tackle market access conditions but
also focus on regulatory approximation, which will help to achieve
a closer economic integration of Armenia with the EU, the European
Commission said.

“The opening of free trade negotiations mark a turning point in our
trade relations with Armenia. We are entering a new phase that will
bring our economic ties to a new level of depth and ambition,” said
EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht. “The EU is Armenia’s first
trading partner and a deep and comprehensive free trade area will
give Armenia a more favorable access to the European Single Market
thereby helping to boost economic growth in the country.”

“This is a further sign of the strengthening of our political and
economic ties. Launching DCFTA negotiations is one more step towards
closer economic integration which is one of the cornerstones of our
relations with countries of Eastern Partnership,” said Commissioner
for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy tefan Fule.

From: Baghdasarian

S. NIKOYAN: “MEXICO SHOULD NOT BECOME A MEASURE OF INFORMATION WAR”

20.02.12, 18:16

20th anniversary of Khojalu (Ivanyan) liberation will be marked on
February 26. Azerbaijani side makes noise on the theme and spreads
disinformation. As it is know on the end of 2011 two palaces of Mexican
chief legal body accepted resolutions about “Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict over Nagorno Karabakh” and the second obviously has
anti-Armenian character. Some days ago speaker of Armenian National
Assembly Samvel Nikoyan sent a letter to the leaders of two palaces.

Here is the letter:

“Respected Mr. Narankho, respected Mr. Morphin. We have learnt
recently that two Mexican palaces Senate (on November 4, 2011)
and Deputies Palace (December 5, 2011), accepted resolutions about
“Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno Karabakh” and the second
obviously has anti-Armenian character.

Armenian side considers it is unacceptable that Mexican lawyers
who expressed their ability to see the depths of the issues before,
this time are led only by false information presented by Azerbaijani
Embassy in Mexico and did not even try to know Armenian attitude just
to make a image of objectivity. And as a result now documents are
created which present Armenians as the only responsibility for the
victims and violations and Azerbaijani side is just an innocent victim.

Unfortunately the resolution reminds about so called “Khojalu Genocide”
and there is no word about the mass massacres of Armenians which took
place on Sumgayit, Kirovabad, Baku and other towns of Azerbaijan,
which there the first expressions of wild xenophobia in the whole
Eastern Europe. Speaking about the Azerbaijani refugees the authors
of the resolution “accidentally” forgot about the hundred thousands
of Armenian refugees. I would like You to pay attention on the fact
that Azerbaijan could settle the issue of refugees easily but its
continues keeping them in terrible conditions and uses it as a measure
against Armenia.

We are sure that such country as Mexico is with its high authority in
the international society, should now let itself become a victim of
the information war of the conflicting side. Moreover, it should not
let itself become a measure of the war and repeat the disinformation
and propaganda expressions.

In the end I am unable not to note that the document presents just the
opposite description of the conflict which is presented by the OSCE MG
co-chairs for many times. At the same time Mexican United States calls
on peace solution of the issue and announces that supports OSCE MG.

Respected Mr. President, we continue believing that friendly relations
between our countries will not suffer because of this resolution and
will continue developing.

Accept, please, my best regards.”

NINE ARMENIANS AMONG INJURED IN RUSSIA’S BAKERY BLAST

news.am
February 20, 2012 | 18:27

The Russian LifeNews website issued the list of injured in the fire
in Moscow Region. The list includes nine Armenian names.

The list is as follows:

V. Sargsyan (22)

Sargsyan (46)

Khamatyan (43)

A. Grigoryan (54)

R. Saroyan (44)

D. Melkonyan (44)

Karen Hakobyan (30)

Mavlodatov (29)

Mirzakarimov (18)

Zhulakyan (28)

M. Simonyan (25)

The bodies of two dead people have not been identified yet. The
doctors say five out of 11 injured are critical.

The accident occurred on Feb. 19 in a bakery where workers from CIS
states worked.

ARMENIAN MPS OBJECT TO ‘ARTIFICIAL YOUTHIFICATION’ OF PARLIAMENT

Tert.am
20.02.12

Armenia’s parliament must have young members unless it is done
artificially, Menua Harutyunyan, a member of the Republican Party of
Armenia (RPA), told journalists on Monday.

“If a potential criminal comes in place of a criminal MP, we do not
need it. Those serving their state must get into parliament,” he said.

Armen Martirosyan, a Heritage parliamentary group member, shares
this opinion. “Youthifying” the parliament implies realizing the
“content changes,” he said.

Harutyunyan does not object to a switchover to proportional
representation, and Martirosyan is for a switchover. “If our task
is to prevent people that have nothing to do with parliament from
getting into parliament, they will pay for being put on the lists,”
Martirosyan said.

In response to Harutyunyan’s argument that the RPA has no intention
to put any businessman on its list, Martirosyan said that “the
premier, however, says they can run for parliament from single-member
constituencies.”

According to Harutyunyan, a switchover to proportional representation
will necessitate a second, higher, chamber in Armenia’s parliament
for contacts with Armenian regions to be maintained.

He noted that other parliamentary forces may run for parliament by
means of the proportional representation system.

From: A. Papazian

ACTIVISTS DECIDED TO LEAVE PARK, RETURN TOMORROW TO CONTINUE PROTEST (UPDATED)

epress.am
02.20.2012

7:18 pm: Activists decided to end their protest today and return
to the park tomorrow morning. As told to Epress.am by one of the
activists, Armo Safaryan, their decision is due to the fact that shop
construction was stopped for today and the protective barrier which
was put up around the pavilions has been removed.

6 pm: Commander of the Shushi battalion during the Nagorno-Karabakh
War and one of the founders of the Sardarapat civic movement Jirair
Sefilian said: “I joined the movement late today, but it’s very
interesting, in 1988, they were chanting Karabakh, today with same
tone, these youth are chanting Yerevan. I think that this is very
symbolic, because it’s time to liberate Yerevan.”

5:52 pm: Lieutenant Colonel Karen Movsisyan, talking to activists,
noted that they are fighting a single act with (several) illegal
activities. Several activists have parked themselves inside a kiosk
and aren’t preparing to leave. They are demanding the municipality
give them a document promising that all construction work in the park
will be suspended (if only temporarily).

Heritage Party MP Anahit Bakhshyan is speaking with demonstrators,
who say that their protest is peaceful and they aren’t carrying out
any unlawful activities.

5:44 pm: Despite the ultimatum of 20 minutes having passed, nothing has
yet happened. Police have said the deadline might be extended somewhat.

In response to police warnings, activists say, “What [rule of] law
are they talking about in all this unlawfulness?”

5:15 pm: Police warn activists that if they don’t leave the premises,
they will be fined. But activists have no intention of leaving.

Police refused to respond to human rights campaigner Avetik
Ishkhanyan’s question as to what specific penalty awaits activists
if they do not follow police orders.

5:05 pm: Yerevan Deputy Police Chief Robert Melkonyan has given
activists protesting shop construction in Mashtots Park 20 minutes
to voluntarily leave and stop occupying the partially constructed
kiosks – otherwise, police will use lawful means to clear the area.

Despite police orders, activists say they’re not preparing to vacate
the premises on which they’ve been camped out for the second week
in a row. Earlier, activists were singing Armenia’s national anthem;
now, they’re occupying the kiosks and preventing workers from resuming
construction.

“Returning from [the march to] Yerevan City Hall, people went into the
pavilion and forced the workers to stop their illegal construction
and they informed the Ministry of Urban Development that several
urban development laws are being broken and they are demanding that
a representative come and take note of this fact,” one activist,
Apres Zohrabyan, told Epress.am.

“Remove your kiosks from our park”

According to him, the activists entered the park, while police and
construction workers stood aside, as a result of which the activists
were able to occupy the pavilion.

“Don’t distort Yerevan’s main plan”

“They didn’t resist and we entered, then Yerevan Deputy Police Chief
Robert Melkonyan came and negotiated separately with demonstrators
about leaving the pavilion,” he said.

The protestors numbering around a 100 currently are being joined by
others, including some famous figures.

“[Heritage Party leader] Raffi Hovannisian is currently in the park
speaking with demonstrators,” said Zohrabyan, adding that there’s
song and dance, and as a result of their work being obstructed,
the construction workers have gone home while demonstrators rejoice.

“TarON, TarOUT” (referring to Yerevan mayor Taron Margaryan)

“Open your boutiques somewhere else! This park is for Yerevan
residents. Stay away from the last green space!”

“No business on account of green public space”

SONYA ORFALIAN A PISTOIA

Circolo Arci “Niccolò Piccinni” – Via Bolognese, 2 – Capostrada, Pistoia

GIOVEDI’ 23 FEBBRAIO 2012 – h. 19.00

La Biblioteca Don Chisciotte e l’Associazione culturale Amanacer,
nell’ambito della rassegna “Biblioteca da Bar”, organizzano un incontro
pubblico con Sonya Orfalian. A partire dalle tematiche affrontate nel
suo volume “La cucina d’Armenia” (edito da Ponte alle Grazie), Sonya
discutera con il pubblico assieme a Paola Ponti e Danilo Nigrelli,
rispettivamente autrice e regista/attore della pièce teatrale “Una
cena armena” in scena al Piccolo Teatro Mauro Bolognini di Pistoia
il giorno seguente.

“Una cena armena” a Pistoia

Piccolo Teatro Mauro Bolognini – Via del Presto, 5 – Pistoia

VENERDI’ 24 FEBBRAIO 2012 – h. 21.00

Malbeck Teatro e La Compagnia della Luna presentano al Piccolo
Teatro Mauro Bolognini di Pistoia lo spettacolo “Una cena armena”
di Paola Ponti, con la consulenza di Sonya Orfalian, per la regia di
Danilo Nigrelli.

MPS TO VISIT ARMENIA

News.Az
Mon 20 February 2012 15:20 GMT | 15:20 Local Time

Azerbaijani deputies will attend the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly
Committee.

According to the official website for Milli Majlis, MPs Rovshan Rzayev,
Faraj Guliyev and Azay Guliyev will be visiting Armenia from 21 until
23 February to take part in the meeting of the social committee of
the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly.

The meeting participants are to discuss the development of civil
society in partner countries, poverty reduction strategy, raising
role of women and youth in the civil society and other issues.