BAKO SAHAKYAN SIGNS LAWS
ARMENPRESS
August 17, 2011
YEREVAN
On August 17, Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan signed laws on
“Making changes to the NKR Electoral Code” and “Making changes to the
law on “Local Self-Government”.
From: A. Papazian
EXPERT: KARABAKH PROCESS WILL MITIGATE AMID ARAB UNREST
PanARMENIAN.Net
August 18, 2011 – 14:11 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net – There will be no drastic changes in the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict settlement process, Caucasus Institute director said.
“Against the background of the Arab unrest and recent statements by
the Iranian President, Karabakh talks will enter a more stable stage of
development,” Alexander Iskandaryan told a press conference in Yerevan.
According to him, the harsh statements by the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-chairs are not a novelty. “It’s just a tool of pressure the
Co-chairs have been using for 20 years already.
From: A. Papazian
ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT APPROVES CRITERIA AND REQUIREMENTS CONCERNING OPERATION OF GAMBLING HOUSES
/ ARKA /
August 18, 2011
YEREVAN
The Armenian government approved on Thursday a set of criteria and
requirements concerning the operation of gambling houses, as well as
organizations of games offering wins.
Finance minister Vache Gabrielian said the new criteria and
requirements will apply to companies wishing to obtain licensees to
run such businesses beginning from 2013. According to him, gambling
houses must be organized in premises with a total area not less than
250 square meters, and games with prizes in buildings with at least
100 square meters.
“The buildings must also be at least 500 away from any educational,
historical and cultural institution, government agencies and
hospitals,” said the minister.
Beginning from January 1, 2013 casinos and games with prizes can
be organized only within the administrative borders of Tsakhkadzor
in Kotayk, province, Jermuk in Vayots Dzor and Sevan in Gegharkunik
region of Armenia.
From: A. Papazian
150 FAMILIES MOVE TO “LIBERATED” KASHATAGH IN 2011: WILL THEY STAY?
Knar Babayan
hetq
14:20, August 17, 2011
Everyone knows the family of Mourad Margaryan in Berdzor, the regional
center of the Kashatagh district in Artsakh.
Mourad and his wife Parandzem are the parents of 11 kids. The day
we arrived, the older boys were out in the valley picking berries
for sale.
This large family, living in an area once known as the Lachin corridor,
gets by on 141,000 AMD per month (about $400).
Mourad receives a salary of 45,000 and the government gives a 96,000
AMD stipend for the children.
Parandzem says she would like to grow some vegetables in the garden
for sale but that there’s no water. It only flows for about one hour
every day.
She says that the family moved here from the Lernapat village in 1998.
There were only 4 kids back then.
In 2009 the Artsakh government allocated a 4 room house to the family.
It’s not a new house and has its share of problems – leaky roof,
damp walls, etc.
Despite the problems, Parandzem says that life in Berdzor is easier
than Armenia. People moving to the area get a number of subsidies
from the government.
For those wanting to build a house, authorities chip in with 2
million AMD worth of construction materials. There’s also a 240,000
AMD livestock credit available.
The parents say that Berdzor is where they propose to stay but that
the children will decide for themselves once having grown up.
As we were about to leave, Andranik, one of the sons burst into the
room boasting that they had sold two pails of blackberries.
The 13 year-old boy told us that on an average day they could pick
10 buckets of berries and sell one for 3,000 AMD ($8). They hand the
proceeds over to their mother.
The Melikyan’s from Ashtarak
The Melikyan’s are another family that relocated in Berdzor from
Armenia.
Mrs. Gayaneh told us they moved from Ashtarak in 2001 when family
members were laid off from work.
The initial idea to move to Berdzor belonged to Garik, her son. He
had visited with a friend and fell in love with the town. The whole
family decided to move soon after.
“Much has changes over the past 10 tears. Most people have jobs and
the rest work on their plots of land. Of course there are problems,
the main one being water. Water is supplied by the hour and it’s not
enough during the summer heat,” Gayaneh said.
And what about talk that these “liberated” territories will be handed
back at the negotiating table?
“I really don’t think that Berdzor or any other areas will be
returned. If I had any doubts, we wouldn’t be here. You just simply
don’t give back lands liberated by the blood of so many young men,”
said Gayaneh.
The Zournatchyan’s from Ashtarak
The Zournatchyan family is a new arrival to Berdzor. They moved here
4 months ago.
Hasmik says her husband, Gagik, was a tractor driver back in Ashtarak
and only did seasonal work.
“A friend working in the local administration offered my husband
permanent work and he took it. We came with our two young kids. The
third was born here in Kashatagh,” said Hasmik.
The young mom isn’t sure if they will stay. They are living in someone
else’s house. They haven’t yet received the house promised them by
the government.
But she says that they are slowly getting used to their new
surroundings even though they have to buy things on credit from the
local stores.
It’s the same with many residents despite the fact that most have jobs.
Moushegh moved to Berdzor from Goris 16 years ago. He now runs his
own store and says he makes enough to pay the family expenses.
Artur Mkhitaryan, the Deputy Director of the Kashatagh Regional
Administration, says that resettlement remains a priority and that the
government is paying special attention to war refugees with nowhere
else to go.
Mr. Mkhitaryan said that 150 families, some 500 individuals, had
resettled in Kashatagh during the first 6 months of 2011.
When I asked him if the Artsakh government had any resettlement
target number, Mkhitaryan said no but that the region could sustain
many more who wished to relocate.
“We would like to see the region develop and get stronger. We have come
to realize that might makes right, in any cases. This just doesn’t
mean having a strong army but a developing economy. We already have
the former and possess the prerequisites for the latter.”
When I asked about possible territorial concessions, Mkhitaryan gave
the official Stepanakert response – These aren’t liberated lands
but lands that have been incorporated into the Artsakh Republic via
the constitution.
“We hear such talk about giving back lands from Yerevan now and then.
No one thinks anything like that here. I find it hard to believe that
any official, with the stroke of a pen, will cede lands liberated at
such a high cost.”
From: A. Papazian
REVUE DE LA PRESSE TURQUE 17.08.2011
Source/Lien : TRT
18-08-2011
Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
propose la revue de la presse turque du 17 août publiee sur la TRT
(Television & Radio de Turquie). Cette revue de presse n’est pas
commentee de notre part. Elle peut contenir des propos negationnistes
envers le genocide armenien ou d’autres informations a prendre sous
toute reserve.
Nous vous presentons la revue de la presse turque du mercredi 17
août 2011
“L’armee afghane a sauve les Turcs” est le titre d’une information
dans le journal “Haber Turk” qui rapporte que 2 parmi les 3 citoyens
turcs enleves fin juin en Afghanistan ont ete sauves.
Le journal souligne que les deux Turcs enleves le 28 juin 2011 en
Afghanistan ont ete liberes hier a l’issue d’une operation des forces
de securite afghanes.
Dans sa rubrique “Economie” le quotidien “Hurriyet” indique que la
chancelière allemande Angela Merkel et le president francais Nicolas
Sarkozy ont realise hier a Paris leur “sommet de crise”.
Le journal precise que les marches n’ont pas eu les resultats esperes
mais que la voie a ete ouverte a la creation d’un conseil economique
dans la zone euro.
L’information signale aussi que les leaders ont decide d’appliquer
dès septembre, “l’impôt sur les operations financières”.
La nouvelle titree “5 000 Palestiniens ont quitte Lattaquie” dans le
quotidien “Sabah” rapporte que depuis le debut du mouvement opposant en
Syrie il y a 5 mois, les troupes du president syrien Bechar Al-Assad
ont pour la première fois utilise des bâtiments de guerre et le bilan
s’aggrave crescendo a Lattaquie.
Selon le quotidien le nombre de mort dans la ville qui essuie depuis
quatre jours les tirs des navires et chars de combat, s’elève a
35. Le porte-parole de l’etablissement onusien d’aide aux refugies
palestiniens a fait savoir que plus de 5 000 Palestiniens frappes
par les bombardements avaient du quitter le camp Ramel de refugies,
selon le meme article.
Le meme journal titre “Les USA ont frappe le Pakistan avec des drones”
et souligne que l’attaque des drones americains au Nord Waziristân
près de la frontière afghane, a fait 4 morts.
D’après l’article, le raid a ete lance contre une ecole de fille a
Miranshah et que 4 camions-citernes transportant du combustible aux
forces de l’OTAN en Afghanistan ont ete attaques avec des explosifs
a Khyber au nord-ouest du pays.
“29 000 enfants ont peri en 3 mois” titre le journal “Star” et fait
part du rapport de la Banque mondiale qui expose d’une facon frappante
le drame humanitaire qui intervient en Somalie.
Le rapport relève que 29 000 enfants de moins de 5 ans ont peri en
trois mois et precise que près de 600 000 enfants encourent toujours
ce risque.
Le quotidien informe que plus de 12 millions de personnes dans la corne
africaine ont besoin d’aide humanitaire en raison de la crise et note
que la plupart des enfants de moins de 5 ans en Somalie perdent la
vie en raison des maladies liees a la faim et la sous-alimentation.
From: A. Papazian
5ame Jeux Panarmeniens, resultats de la 3ame journee
Krikor Amirzayan
armenews.com
jeudi 18 aout 2011
Resultats de la 3ame journee des 5ame Jeux Panarmeniens :
Futsal (hommes) : Teheran-Sassoun 6-2 Manchester-Nor Hadjn 2-7
Erevan-Chahin Chahr 5-2 Paris-Antelias 4-6 Nicosie-Alaverdi 3-8
Beyrouth-Armavir 10-3 Buenos Aires-Spitak 10-1 Giumri-Baghdad 15-1
Tbilissi-B.Neklinovka 3-6 Ourmia-Cordoba 1-5 Istanbul-Ninotzminda
6-3 Artik-Vienne 8-2 Vanatsor-Kiev 6-3 Akhltskha-Marseille 5-9 Sao
Paulo-Kiamshli 19-3 Hrazdan-Moscou 5-5
Football (hommes) : Tcharentsavan-Sassoun 0-1 Stepanakert-Akhalkalak
6-1 Ispahan-N.Niklinovka 0-6 Montreal-Chahin Chahr 0-1 Buenos
Aires-Giumri 3-0 Jerusalem-Tbilissi 0-6 Erevan-Glendale
3-1 Barnaoul-Teheran 1-2 Etchmiadzine-Rostov (match annule)
Istanbul-Burbank 0-5
Volley (feminin) : Minsk-Istanbul 0-3 La Caniada-Achdarak 3-2
Teheran-Glendale 3-0 Sevan-Tbilissi 3-0 Sao Paulo-Erevan 0-3
Tchaltir-Stepanakert 3-0 Cologne-Sissian 0-3 Volley (masculin)
: Vienne-Cologne 3-0 Tbilissi-Erevan 0-3 Medzamor-Istanbul 3-0
Akhalkalak-Stepanakert 0-3
Basket feminin : Teheran-Erevan 87-50 Paris-Artik 30-65 Glendale-Chahin
Chahr 98-12 Giumri-Vienne 86-24 Marseille-Tabriz (match annule)
Stepanakert-Ispahan 40-71
Basket masculin : Akhalkalak-Buenos Aires 28-102 Le Caire-Ispahan
55-36 Montreal-Salmast 33-72 Paris-Ourmia 62-72 Glendale-Bourdj
Hammoud 99-69 Istanbul-Giumri 88-58 Glendale Monrooz-Chahin Chahr
102-18 Sidney-Vienne 76-27 Tabriz-Beyrouth 36-84 Teheran-Los Angeles
69-90 Sotchi-Erevan 95-32 Alep-Stepanakert 96-85
From: A. Papazian
‘I’M STILL ABLE TO PLAY,’ DJIVAN GASPARYAN SAYS
Tert.am
17.08.11
Below is an excerpt from an interview the renowned duduk player Djivan
Gasparyan gave to the Hraparak newspaper:
– Sixty-five years on the scene is a real reason for congratulations.
– I do not complain about anyone. People are busy. I did not invite
anyone. Those wishing came to see me.
– Who came?
– Anna Mailyan and Gevorg Hakobyan took part in the concert. We
performed together. Many people were present. It was “quite a concert”,
as we say.
– Which of political figures or workers of culture was present at
the concert?
– None.
– Were they invited? Did they know about the concert?
– No one was told anything or invited. It was a concert, not a official
event. We have nothing to do with the government – I mean concerts.
– Some of the organizers say that you invited government members,
top-raking military officials, but no one came.
– Everyone says something. But it is not true. The can say anything
about Dzivan Gasparyan. You know, they have so many times had me
“married to” Bella Darbinyan or Ophelia Hambartsumyan. Can you tell
the people anything? It was nothing but an ordinary concert.
– You are rumored to have given your last concert.
– No, I have not said anything about my last concert. I am still able
to play.
From: A. Papazian
THE NEW YORK TIMES ON PHANTOM STATES
Tert.am
17.08.11
On the occasion of the 3rd anniversary of independence of South Ossetia
and Abkhazia, The New York Times published an article on the menace
the “phantom states” are posing to the world.
The phantom states are “places that field military forces, hold
elections, build local economies and educate children, yet inhabit
the foggy netherworld between de facto existence and international
legitimacy.”
Twelve unrecognized states with a total population of about 40
million are existing in the world now. In the post-Soviet area they
are Nagorno-Karabakh and Transnistria; in Europe, the Turkish Republic
of Northern Cyprus; in the Middle East, the Palestinian territories
in the West Bank and Gaza Strip; and the self-functioning territory
of Somaliland.
“Indeed, most phantoms survive in part because of external support.
Moscow is the power broker in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, while
Armenia holds sway over Nagorno-Karabakh,” the newspaper writes.
“Phantom countries frequently emerge from wars, and are sustained by
the threat of further fighting… [They] stoke wars, foster crime,
and make weak states even weaker…Phantom governments are often
corrupt, run by warlords and plagued by drug trafficking and other
illicit trade.”
“If phantom governments behave well, they should be offered a path
toward legitimacy by the world’s major powers,” the newspaper writes,
citing the example of Taiwan.
“By insisting on territorial integrity, the United States and other
countries forgo the chance to turn phantom states into responsible
players. So long as phantoms are denounced as separatists or
outposts of illicit commerce, the international community has little
opportunity to hold their leaders accountable. And treating them as
mere eccentricities means that phantom states have little reason to
care about the international order.
“Even when a phantom state becomes a genuine state, the problems don’t
necessarily end…To avoid another Eritrea, the international community
should push phantoms to reform rather than focusing exclusively on
seeking statehood. Otherwise, millions of the world’s citizens will
linger in legal and political limbo – rebels with a cause and soldiers
with a ready-made grievance – while their neighborhoods remain at
risk of war,” the article reads.
From: A. Papazian
ISRAELI PAPER ON BIRTHRIGHT ARMENIA PROGRAM
Tert.am
17.08.11
The Israeli newspaper Jerusalem Post has published a report on
“Birthright Armenia” program, an initiative proposed by Diaspora
Armenians back in 2003 to offer young ethnic Armenians living abroad
a unique opportunity to visit their country every year.
Founded in 2003, the program brings young people between the ages of
20 and 32 with at least one Armenian grandparent to the country for
visits ranging from two months to a year, says the paper.
Comparing the initiative with a similar Jewish program – Birthright
Israel – the author of the report notes that this program is radically
different and inspired.
Citing the organization, he further says that the experience is meant
to foster a deeper connection to the country, and to allow for a
longer, more hands-on trip than a whirlwind visit could offer.
Since its launch, the program has hosted over 500 Armenian Diaspora
youth from over 25 countries, says the article.
Sevan Kabakian, country director for the program in Armenia, was quoted
as saying that participants spend a minimum of two months to a year,
volunteering around 30 hours a week.
“They basically participate in the life of the country, so their
days aren’t spent doing what a tourist would do, but what a typical
countryman would do; going to work, and then going home at the end
of the day,” he said.
“They basically participate in the life of the country, so their
days aren’t spent doing what a tourist would do, but what a typical
countryman would do; going to work, and then going home at the end
of the day,” he said.
“They basically participate in the life of the country, so their
days aren’t spent doing what a tourist would do, but what a typical
countryman would do; going to work, and then going home at the end
of the day,” Kabakian added.
While they don’t receive financial support from the Armenian
government, they do receive what she refers to as moral support, as
well as easy access to government and military officials for lectures
and round-table discussions with participants, the paper comments.
The program’s founder, Edele Hovnanian, was further quoted as saying
that when the initiative was proposed in 2003, she contacted Birthright
Israel to ask permission to use the name and received approval.
She reportedly met with some people from the Israel program, who
explained the ideas and principles behind.
Hovnanian described how many young Armenians went to the country
after independence in 1991.
“There are a ton of programs that take kids to Armenia for short-term
purposes, but that is a very different experience than what we do. We
want you to stay in homes, live there at least two months and really
immerse yourself in the community, and take the local transportation,”
she said.
From: A. Papazian
YEREVAN MAYOR’S DECISIONS TIME BOMB, SCHOLAR SAYS
Tert.am
17.08.11
The architect Levon Igityan and literary critic Vardan Devrikyan had
a dispute over Yerevan’s aesthetic aspect and social problems.
According to Devrikyan, the Yerevan mayor’s decisions on removal of
stalls, higher Underground fares and transfer of inter-city transport
stops create conditions for a social revolution. “It is a time bomb.
And we will feel the results this winter. The decisions have not
‘beautified’ Yerevan, but have increased people’s suffering,”
Devrikyan said.
The decisions also feed emigration. Emigrants are mostly from the
families that provide army recruits.
“All the countries have passed this painful way,” Levon Igityan
responded.
From: A. Papazian