Author: Andres-Papazian

France offers each illegal Armenian migrant 2000 euro to leave the country

PanARMENIAN.Net
November 30, 2011 – 13:00 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – French government will pay up to 2,000 euro to each
refugee rejected the right of residence, if they voluntarily agree
to return to homeland, French Le Monde paper says.

According to French Interior Minister Claude Gueant , it is a way to
prevent cases when those having no right to residence join the crowd
of illegal immigrants.

60 000 asylum applications will be considered by yearend, the number
totaling 42,6 thousand in 2008.

Gueant noted that priority will be given to migrant from Bangladesh
and Armenia, majority of refugees being from these countries.

For the past 4 years the number of refugees in France increased by 55%,
with French government rejecting 70-80% of asylum bids.

From: A. Papazian

LEVON TER-PETROSSIAN SOUHAITE COOPERER AVEC LE BHK
Laetitia

armenews.com
mercredi 30 novembre 2011

Le leader de l’opposition Levon Ter-Petrossian a exprime sa volonte
vendredi de cooperer avec le Parti Prospère(BHK)de Gagik Tsarukian,
si ce dernier quitte la coalition au pouvoir et conteste ouvertement
la politique du president Serge Sarkissian.

Lors de la dernière manifestation organisee par le Congrès national
armenien (HAK), Levon Ter-Petrossian a discute des nouvelles tensions
qui existent entre le BHK et le Parti republicain du president Serge
Sarkissian (HHK) qui decoulent de l’apparente reticence de Tsarukian
a reaffirmer son soutien a la reelection du president titulaire.

” Il est maintenant difficile de predire comment vont evoluer les
desaccords au sein de la coalition au pouvoir, a-t-il affirme. Mais
s’il s’avère que le BHK souhaite sincèrement quitter la coalition
et se battre pour des elections vraiment justes et legales, alors le
Congrès national armenien doit etre pret a envisager des perspectives
de cooperation avec ce parti. ”

” Je suis convaincu que la cooperation entre le HAK et le BHK pourrait
radicalement changer la configuration des forces politiques et devenir
une serieuse garantie pour la restauration de l’ordre constitutionnel
et la mise en ~uvre des reformes necessaires pour l’interet du peuple.

Elle pourrait en meme temps servir de base pour la formation d’une
coalition plus large des forces de l’opposition “, a ajoute M.
Ter-Petrossian.

Il a precise que Tsarukian doit aussi ” clairement se dissocier ”
de l’ancien President Robert Kotcharian, ennemi du HAK qui a pendant
des annees ete considere comme un magnat.

Cela n’a pas empeche Tsarukian deux jours plus tard de declarer
que Kotcharian a le droit de faire un retour en politique. Il a
egalement refuse de s’engager a soutenir la candidature de Sarkissian
a l’election presidentielle en 2013.

Ter-Petrossian considerait encore recemment le BHK comme une partie
integrante du ” regime kleptocrate ” regissant l’Armenie. Il a affirme
qu'” une cooperation avec un ancien ennemi est souvent un phenomène
ordinaire en politique. ”

” Le mal principal de notre pays n’est pas celui des entrepreneurs
ou des oligarques, mais celui d’un système de gouvernement qui est
complètement corrompu “, a-t-il annonce.

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJAN’S SHEIKH PRAYS IN YEREVAN MOSQUE

news.az
Nov 29 2011
Azerbaijan

The chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Department, Sheikh-ul-Islam
Allahshukur Pashazade, has visited the historic mosque in Yerevan.

Pashazade led the Azerbaijani delegation in namaz at the mosque.

The Azerbaijani mosque was built in the 18th century as a place of
worship for Muslims living in Yerevan.

The deputy chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Department, Haji Sabir
Hasanli, gave a press conference in Baku on Tuesday about the sheikh’s
trip to Yerevan.

When he met Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, Pashazade conveyed
to him Azerbaijan’s position on the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh,
Hasanli told the press conference.

“We think that the meetings in Yerevan were useful from the point of
view of presenting Azerbaijan’s just position on the conflict not only
to the participants in the CIS Inter-Religious Council in Yerevan,
but to the president of Armenia and the Catholicos of all Armenians,”
Hasanli said.

He expressed regret that “some media” in Azerbaijan had published
inaccurate reports on the sheikh’s visit.

Allahshukur Pashazade visited Yerevan to attend a meeting of the
presidium of the CIS Inter-Religious Council, of which he is a
co-chairman.

He held a meeting with Catholicos Garegin II and Russian Patriarch
Kirill, during which the three spiritual leaders called for the
withdrawal of snipers from the contact line separating Armenian and
Azerbaijani troops.

Sabir Hasanli said that one of the next meetings between Pashazade
and Garegin II would be along the front line.

They reached agreement on this during the visit, but no date for the
meeting has been fixed yet.

From: A. Papazian

ALL ATTEMPTS TO GIVE RELIGIOUS COLORING TO KARABAKH CONFLICT UNACCEPTABLE – ARMENIAN PRESIDENT

news.am
Nov 28 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN.- The only real way to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
is to hold negotiations within the framework of OSCE Minsk Group,
said Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

Addressing the participants of CIS Inter-religious Council’s Presidium
session, he said Armenia is determined to consistently pursue this way
as an alternative will be good “neither for the neighboring country,
nor for us.”

Among the basic approaches of the Armenian side, Serzh Sargsyan
stressed that the conflict is not of a religious nature, and all
attempts to give it such coloring are non-constructive.

“We can not permit attempts to oppose religions Christianity and
Islam. It is especially unacceptable to destroy historical and cultural
values on the grounds of conflict,” he said.

He stressed that the Armenian side is ready, if necessary, to restore
the historical values bringing as a striking example Blue Mosque in
Yerevan which dates back to the 18th century.

The President also welcomed the dialogue between Catholicos of All
Armenians Karekin II and the Head of Caucasus Muslims Allahshukur
Pashazade under the patronage of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus
Kirill I.

“Thank you for your efforts that contribute to the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” he said.

From: A. Papazian

GREETINGS TO DELEGATES OF THE CIS INTERFAITH COUNCIL’S PRESIDIUM MEETING

Kremlin.ru
Nov 28 2011
Russia

Dmitry Medvedev sent his greetings to delegates of the CIS Interfaith
Council’s Presidium meeting taking place in Yerevan (Armenia).

The message reads, in part:

“Your cooperation is based on respect for common human values and
tolerance and on the traditions of good-neighbourliness and cooperation
that historically bind the peoples of the CIS. This joint work is
essential for our younger generation’s spiritual and moral education,
resolving today’s social problems, countering extremism and terrorism,
and supporting interethnic harmony for promoting peace and progress
in our countries.”

The CIS Interfaith Council, formed in 2004, is a public organisation
established by the traditional religious associations present in the
Commonwealth of Independent States.

From: A. Papazian

ST. JOSEPH CHURCH’S CONGREGATION HOLDS PRAYER FOR PEACE IN SYRIA

Syrian Arab News Agency
Nov 28 2011
Syria

HASAKA, (SANA) – The Armenian Catholic congregation of St. Joseph
Church held on Sunday a prayer for peace in Syria with the
participation of priests and congregations from various other
Christian sects.

The participants prayed to God to preserve Syria, protect its security
and stability, and bless its land and people and keep violence, wars,
disputes hatred away from them.

Leader of the Armenian Catholic community in Qamishli, Antranig
Ivasian, said “we’re Syrians through and through… we will never
allow anyone to transgress against Syria which will always remain the
land of love, peace, coexistence and fraternity… the Syrian people
will remain indivisible.”

He stressed that Syria will be victorious with God’s protection,
the unity of its people and tits martyrs.

Pastor of the National Anglican Church in Qamishli Firas Farah said
that this gathering aims to show the world that Syria’s people stand
as one and will never be divided, and that Syria will be victorious
because it has God and righteousness on its side.

In turn, Father Habib Issa said that Syria can remain self-sufficient
for many years and will not be affected by attempts to undermine it.

For his part, Pastor Narik Naamo voiced faith that the Syrian people
will ensure that peace and security will prevail, praying to God to
preserve Syria’s unity and protect its people from any harm.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA’S NATURE PROTECTION MINISTER LIKES CONTROVERSIAL BILL

Tert.am
28.11.11

At its Nov. 28 sitting, the Armenian Parliament discussed draft
amendments to the RA Law on Environmental Impact Assessment.

Armenian Minister of Nature Protection Aram Harutyunyan voiced the
opinion that Armenia has environmental strategy problems – the country
has to develop its economy and, on the other hand, reduce environmental
impact to a minimum.

Talking to representatives of Armenia’s NGOs concerned over the
problem, the minister stated his readiness to consider proposals by
NGOs, individuals or MPs.

According to him, the bill, in its present form, considers the
interests of both the government and economic entities.

Stepan Safaryan, a Heritage group member, said the government is
trying to persuade the public that the bill has allegedly been
thoroughly discussed. In fact, however, it aroused serious concern
among environmental NGOs. International agencies have been critical
of the bill as well.

Larisa Alaverdyan, a Heritage group member, said that the bill was
put on the Parliament’s agenda with violations. So the Heritage party
proposes withdrawal of the bill.

From: A. Papazian

FUTURE OSCE MG CO-CHAIR JACQUES FAURE ARRIVES IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
November 28, 2011 – 19:35 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs for Karabakh settlement
Igor Popov (Russia), Bernard Fassier (France) and Robert Bradtke
(U.S.) and the Personal Representative of the Chairperson-in-Office
Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk arrived in Yerevan.

Future French co-chair, currently Ambassador to Ukraine Jacques
Faure, whose visit hasn~Rt been previously announced, accompanied
the co-chairs.

OSCE MG delegation met with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian.

From: A. Papazian

DEVELOPMENT OF WINTER TOURISM ONE OF STATE POLICY PRIORITIES
Hasmik Dilanyan

“Radiolur”
28.11.2011 16:54

Minister of Economy Tigran Davtyan met with representatives of the
tourism sector to discuss the existing problems and the perspectives
of development of the field.

“Tourism is an important branch of economy, which can ensure great
revenues. The results of the past 10 months of the current year
are promising: a 13.5% growth has been registered. If the trends
are maintained, we’ll cross the threshold of 1 million tourists,”
the Minister said.

Promoting the development of winter tourism is one of the priorities of
the state policy. Representatives of the sphere say all preconditions
exist for the development of winter tourism in Armenia, especially
considering that we have all necessary infrastructures – an airport
corresponding to international standards, roads and hotels.

The National Competitiveness Foundation is preparing to implement a
new program. A new alpine sports training center will be constructed
in the Sevan basin. The program will cost ~@300 mln.

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJANIS HAVE NO CONNECTION IN DEATH OF ARMENIAN MAN IN MOSCOW: SOURCE

epress.am
11.28.2011

Moscow resident of Armenian descent Karen Harutyunyan, 38, was
killed as a result of recent clashes in the cafe “Old Baku” in
the “Moscow” shopping center. According to Baku-based news source
Vesti.az, Azerbaijanis were not involved in the brawl.

As told to the news site by head of the Moscow branch of the
All-Russia Congress of Azerbaijanis Ilgar Hajiyev, the cafe belongs
to an Azerbaijani man, but the altercation was not due to inter-ethnic
issues and the incident took place not inside, but outside the cafe.

According to the same source, in the morning, Harutyunyan was walking
with his wife Julia near the area and someone began to chat up Julia.

There was a conflict, which resulted in Harutyunyan’s death.

Earlier, media reported that as a result of a brawl in Old Baku,
a Russian citizen died and 4 people of Armenian descent were taken
to hospital. It was also reported that the cafe’s security officer,
42, was also in hospital.

From: A. Papazian