Month: February 2012

ARMENIA A LEADING WORLD COUNTRY IN TERMS OF NATURAL GAS ACCESSIBILITY TO HOUSEHOLDS AND INDUSTRIES: PRIME MINISTER

/ARKA/
February 20, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, February 20. /ARKA/. Armenia is among three leading world
countries in terms of natural gas accessibility to households and
industrial enterprises, although it does not have its own gas and
95% of all Armenian communities are connected to the network,” prime
minister Tigran Sargsyan said Saturday during a meeting with activists
of the Republican Party in Ashtarak. Sargsyan said that the government
will address the issue for the remaining communities.

“In fact in some time all communities across the country will have
access to the natural gas and we will be the first in the world,’
he said.

The prime minister said the next task will be to ensure affordable
prices for gas.

ArmRosGazprom (ARG), Armenia’s national gas distribution company, said
it had 626,382 individual and corporate subscribers as of January 1,
2012.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PROSPEROUS ARMENIA MP WILLING TO MEET WITH PARK PROTESTORS
Grisha Balasanyan

hetq
13:49, February 20, 2012

Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) MP Vahe Enfiadjyan, recently elected
to head the parliament’s Standing Committee on Agriculture and the
Environment, has told Hetq that he’s willing to meet with activists
who have been staging a week long protest to halt constriction of
storefronts in a Yerevan park.

Enfiadjyan said he felt a responsibility to hear the concerns of the
activists and that it was important that such civil initiatives were
on the rise in Armenia.

“However, political bodies or MP’s are under no obligation to express
an opinion on such issues,” declared Enfiadjyan, who also serves a
president of the BHK’s youth wing.

When asked why members of the BHK’s youth wing or party luminaries
haven’t participated in the park protest, or in any other civil action
for that matter, Enfiadjyan argued that actions aren’t political
party initiatives and shouldn’t be politicized.

“BHK young people are free to express an opinion on such issues and I
wouldn’t rule out the participation of our members in the park protest
since they are in agreement with the activists,” Enfiadjyan stated.

RED CROSS VISIT FOR AZERBAIJANI POW

News.Az
Mon 20 February 2012 10:28 GMT | 10:28 Local Time

Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross
have paid another visit to an Azerbaijani prisoner of war in
Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Red Cross made the visit on 14 February, Ilaha Huseynova, a
spokeswoman for the ICRC Delegation in Azerbaijan, told APA.

Cpl Akhundzade, 22, was captured by Armenian forces on 23 January
near Yukhari Chayli village in Tartar District along the contact line
separating the two countries’ troops.

NKR DEFENSE ARMY SPOKESMAN: ARTSAKH ARMY NEED NOT WORRY

PanARMENIAN.Net
February 20, 2012 – 13:21 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Defense army of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic
carries out its duty along the whole contact line in the routine
regime, the army spokesman said.

“Azerbaijani armed forces, as well as the NKR defense army organize
regular exercises to enhance their alertness,” Senor Hasratyan told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, when commenting on the launch of large-scale
exercise of Azerbaijani armed forces in the front-line zone.

The statement disseminated by Azerbaijan’s defense ministry on February
20 says the Azerbaijani army started its regular large-scale exercise
in the front-line zone.

The maneuvers bringing together the land forces and military aviation
are conducted under the command of Azerbaijani Defense Minister,
Colonel-General Safar Abiyev.

From: A. Papazian

GAGIK MELIKYAN SAYS NO BUSINESSMEN IN RPA’S LIST

ARMENPRESS
February 20, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS: There must be no ties between the
business world and the politics, secretary of the Republican Party
of Armenia faction Gagik Melikyan told news conference Monday.

“The RPA has stated many times about the necessity of eliminating
ties between the business community and politics. Our lists will not
include businessmen,” the MP said.

Melikyan said in case businessmen are nominated in the majority system,
it is their affair.

“No one is going to violate the constitutional right of our citizens.

The RPA will assist those backed by the people. No one will dare to
play with the will of the people,” Melikyan said.

TURKEY REFUSES TO FINANCE FRENCH RACE BECAUSE OF GENOCIDE BILL

NEWS.AM
February 20, 2012 | 13:40

Turkey refused to finance a prestigious sailing race because of
France’s decision to approve the bill criminalizing the denial of
genocides, including the Armenian Genocide.

The Europa Race was scheduled to start in Istanbul on May 5 and end
in La Rochelle in France on June 3, Hurriyet Daily News writes.

Gaetan Gouerou, an executive board member of the International Monohull
Open Class Association (IMOCA), told the newspaper he was shocked by
the decision.

According to him, the boats were ready for the race but the event had
lost its major financial resource, therefore they would consider an
alternative race.

In late January, the French Senate passed the bill that criminalizes
the denial of genocides, including the Armenian Genocide, and this
caused a huge protest in Turkey. The bill is currently examined by
the French Constitutional Council.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

2012 TO BE YEAR OF IMPROVEMENT OF SEISMIC PROTECTION AND METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES OF ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
February 20, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS: The weekly consultation of the
Emergency Situations Ministry took place February 20 conducted by the
Minister Armen Yeritsyan. Press office of the Ministry told Armenpress
that Minister Yeritsyan declared 2012 as year of improvement and
development of seismic protection and meteorological services.

The first step will be improvement of Garni watchtower and upgrading
and re-operation of demographic device there. The minister was
reported that during the recent days connected with heavy snow,
rescuers registered and helped many vehicles and people remained
under the snow. Wide-scale works have been conducted in the provinces
of Aragatsotn and Shirak provinces. The minister said for effective
organization of works on taking out people and cars from snow jams
the Ministry will acquire few new off-road vehicles.

During the meeting the minister also assigned to prepare for
international NATO drillings scheduled in Georgia on an appropriate
level.

ARMENIAN STUDENTS MAY STUDY IN POLAND

ARMENPRESS
February 20, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS: Ministry of Education and Sciences
declared a competition on studying in Poland in the 2012-2013 academic
year for all professions except medicine and art.

Press office of the ministry said the studies will be conducted in
Polish. Those who do not know the language will pass a course of
Polish language for a year. The Polish side cares the tuition fee,
the rest is on the participant. Graduates of the secondary schools
and universities may participate in the competition.

The deadline for the submission of applications is March 2, inclusive.

RPA MP RATES HIGH CONDUCTION OF INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO KARABAKH’S INDEPENDENCE

ARMENPRESS
February 20, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS: The international conference
dedicated to the independence of Nagorno Karabakh will have a great
resonance in the international arena, secretary of the RPA faction
Gagik Melikyan said today. “The reports and speeches voiced in the
event where registering that the independence of Nagorno Karabakh is
irreversible. No analyst or expert mention a norm which could suspend
the international recognition of the NK,” the MP said. Melikyan noted
certain experts stressed that international experts were demanding
to keep the OSCE Minsk Group and mentioned that the NK too should
participate in the talks. “There is one nation and two states. Being
a small state, Nagorno Karabakh very often decides the agenda of the
region,” the MP stressed.

All the experts present at the international conference noted that
Nagorno Karabakh is the most democratic state in the region. It has
many times been stressed by the EU experts as well.

ARMENIA’S CIVIL AVIATION RECOGNIZED THE BEST IN THE CIS

ARMENPRESS
February 20, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS: Head of the Government-affiliated
Civil Aviation Department Artyem Movsisyan was in Kiev February 14-16
and in Moscow on February 17. Press office of the department told
Armenpress that Movsisyan participated in Kiev in the event organized
by TRASECA organization. Within the framework of the EU funded program
starting from this year trainings, certifications will be organized for
the employees of the department for three years. Overall 80 employees
of the department will be involved in the program. The programs will
be conducted for free.

On February 17 Artyem Movsisyan participated in the official event
dedicated to the 20th anniversary of creation of Inter-State Aviation
Committee in Moscow where Armenian aviation department has been
considered the best in the CIS countries and was granted an award.