Author: Andres-Papazian

ILLEGAL TILES AT GANDZASAR MONASTERY WILL BE REMOVED
Sona Avagyan

hetq
18:41, July 15, 2011

According the two top officials at the Armenian Association of
Restorative Architects of Historical Monuments, the polished facing
tiles recently affixed to the walls of the Gandzasar Monastery in
Artsakh will be removed.

Installation of the tiles caused an uproar both in Armenia and Artsakh
and was the number one issues covered in the pages of the press and
on Armenian TV.

Association Vice President Stepan Nalbandyan thanked the Artsakh
government’s Division of Tourism and Armenia’s Ministry of Culture
for intervening in the matter and putting a halt to the wall re-facing.

Mr. Nalbandyan said that care must be taken when removing the tiles
and the walls must eventually be reinforced in an appropriate manner.

Association President Gagik Soghomonyan noted that merely resurfacing
a decaying wall made no sense and that, in any event, professional
restoration demands that the same materials be used as in the original
construction.

As to the intentions of Levon Hayrapetyan, the Russian-Armenian
businessman who conceived the project to retile the monastery walls,
Mr. Nalbandyan said that no overall plan was presented to the Artsakh
government.

Oftentimes, benefactors think ‘what’s the harm in repairing something
located in a village’, Mr. Nalbandyan noted.

Mr. Soghomonyan said that according to their information the
contractors never consulted with the Architectural Council in
Etchmiadzin and was surprised that Artsakh Primate Barkev Martirosyan
never advised them to consult with the Council.

“This was a major oversight. Had the contractors done so, the Council
would have advised them regarding the proper process to follow,”
noted Mr. Soghomonyan.

It turns out that the work was begun without the proper authorization.

It took the Artsakh Division of Tourism, in cooperation with the
RA Culture Ministry, to declare that the work was inappropriate and
needed to be halted.

“The crux of the protests being raised was that the work was illegal.

We are trying to build a state and every benefactor, with a degree of
self-respect, must follow the rules and regulations that exist. They
have to seek out the experts in this field before doing anything. They
just can’t make decisions on their own,” noted Gagik Soghomonyan.

According to reports appearing on the internet, Levon Hayrapetyan
had planned to spend $1.5 million on the retiling of Gandzasar’s walls.

Gagik Soghomonyan, who drafted a renovation project for the entire
monastery in 1989 for the Soviet Union’s Ministry of Culture, says
that according to his draft the reinforcing of the walls could be
done for five times less.

From: A. Papazian

EXHIBITION OF ROBOTS TO TAKE PLACE IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
July 16, 2011 – 11:29 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Armenian Union of Information Technologies
Enterprises (UITE) within the framework of the Robots Open Championship
(ArmRobotics) plans to arrange exhibition of robots in July.

The aim of the exhibition is to present works of ArmRobotics young
scientists to public, to unite Armenian and Diasporan youth and
young scientists; involve the scientific potential of young Armenian
Diaspora; develop team mentality and team work; stimulate the entrance
of new technologies into Armenian scientific and industrial centers.

“We hope to reveal youngsters’ intellectual potential and engage them
in new technologies business field,” said Karen Vardanyan, Executive
Directior of UITE.

The exhibition will take place on July 19 in Charles Aznavour square,
on July 22 in the park after H.Tumanyan, on Aug. 5 in the Republic
Square, on Aug. 12 in the park of the 2nd New-Nork area and on Sep. 1
in the Lovers’ Park.

Sponsor of ArmRobotics, Viva-Cell MTS Director general Ralf Yirikyan
considers it important to engage young scientists in new technologies
establishment in Armenia.

ArmRobotics is established by UITE, the main sponsor is Viva-Cell MTS,
technical equipment was provided by Arva company.

From: A. Papazian

U.S. PENTAGON LOST 24,000 FILES IN CYBERATTACK

PanARMENIAN.Net
July 16, 2011 – 13:05 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – A Pentagon official says some 24,000 Department
of Defense files were “lost” in March in a cyberattack on a military
contractor. It may be the most damaging breach the U.S. military has
seen, reports Mashable.

In a speech on the Pentagon’s cyber strategy Deputy Defense Secretary
William J. Lynn didn’t disclose what kind of files were stolen or
who took them.

The department relies on a huge system of networks more than 15,000
networks and 7 million computing devices around the world for its
military, intelligence and business operations.

“The department and the nation have vulnerabilities in cyberspace,”
a Defense report states. “Our reliance on cyberspace stands in stark
contrast to the inadequacy of our cybersecurity – the security of
the technologies that we use each day.”

Foreign nations, foreign intelligence organizations and non-state
actors are working to exploit and disrupt the Department of Defense’s
unclassified and classified networks, according to the report.

William Lynn outlined the Department of Defense’s five strategies
for operating in cyberspace: treat cyberspace as an operational
domain to organize, train, and equip so that DoD can take full
advantage of cyberspace’s potential, employ new defense operating
concepts to protect DoD networks and systems, partner with other
U.S. government departments and agencies and the private sector to
enable a whole-of-government cybersecurity strategy, build robust
relationships with U.S. allies and international partners to strengthen
collective cybersecurity, leverage the nation’s ingenuity through an
exceptional cyber workforce and rapid technological innovation.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA EVANGELICALS UNDER PRESSURE AMID NEW LEGISLATION

BosNewsLife

July 15 2011

YEREVAN/BUDAPEST (BosNewsLife)– Rights activists and religious groups
in Armenia say new legislation will increase intolerance towards the
country’s evangelical Christians and other minorities, some of whom
already face prosecution for their church activities.

In statements obtained by BosNewsLife Friday, July 15, they criticized
a proposed new ‘Religion Law’ as well as changes to the ‘Law on
Relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian Apostolic
Church’ and to the Criminal and Administrative Codes.

“In practice they would be used to repress religious organizations,”
warned Stepan Danielyan,who represents the Yerevan-based Collaboration
for Democracy Center.

“This is a kind of theatrical farce,” added Evangelical Pastor Rene
Leonian in a statement distributed by rights group Forum 18.

He spoke as his colleague, Pentecostal Pastor Vladimir Bagdasaryan, was
preparing to hear a possible quilty verdict in a controversial trial.

“ATTACKING” JOURNALISTS

Bagdasaryan was prosecuted for allegedly “attacking” journalists
following “false claims” in media that the suspect of killing his
parents in the coastal city of Sevan is a Jehovah’s Witness,stressed
Forum 18, which closely monitored the case.

The troubles began when priests of the Armenian Apostolic Church
allegedly took a Shant TV crew to Sevan’s Pentecostal Church following
the November, 2010, murders.

Pastor Bagdasaryan claimed he was told by a priest that they bought
the journalists to his churchbecause “the Jehovah’s Witnesses have
no property in the town and meet in homes.”

Bagdasaryan said he tried to halt the television crew because they
pushed their way up to the second floor after “disrespectfully”
asking a church member about her Christian faith.

“Seeing that repeating myself didn’t result in change of their
actions, I had to cover the camera with one hand. With my other hand
I held the journalist’s arm, leading him towards the exit. Suddenly,
the journalist began to cry out ‘why are you hitting me, why are you
hitting me?’ when in fact, I was just inviting him out gently holding
his arm,” the pastor added in a statement distributed by Forum 18.

POLICE CALLED

He reportedly said the two journalists only left after he called
police.

The priests then took the journalists to the, still constructed,
nearby Apostolic Church to tell them in an interview that “sects”
such as the Pentecostal Church “teach people to kill their parents.”

Armenian Apostolic Bishop Markos Hovhanissian has reportedly confirmed
that two priests of his diocese took the Shant TV journalists to the
Pentecostal Church in Sevan, but denied they initiated the broadcast.

Christians and rights activists view the case however as a wider,
government backed, effort to discredit religious minorities in the
former Soviet republic.

Pastor Bagdasaryan said the prosecutor has demanded at the trial
that he be convicted and fined 200,000 Drams (about 540 US Dollars)
and than be amnestied by the president. “So I won’t actually have to
pay a fine, but this means I’ll still be regarded as guilty and have
a criminal record,” Pastor Bagdasaryan said. “I feel they’ll find me
guilty – everything is moving in that direction.”

From: A. Papazian

REPUBLICAN MP: AZERI STATESMEN AND AMBASSADOR IN UN ARE MAKING PUZZLING STATEMENTS

Panorama
July 15 2011
Armenia

“It’s puzzling that Azerbaijani politicians and even Azeri Ambassador
to the UN address motiveless accusations towards Armenia based on
some informal sources,” Republican spokesman Edward Sharmazanov
told Panorama.am.

Azerbaijan media outlets reported a 13-year-old child was killed
yesterday when a toy, found in the river, blasted. They accuse the
Armenian side of sending the toy through the river to Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry and Interior Ministry haven’t appeared
with any formal statement.

“Azerbaijan must understand that similar simple steps oppose to
the efforts made by the mediating states, since Azerbaijan supports
xenophobia in the country,” Sharmazanov said.

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJANI EMBASSY SENDS LETTER TO ITALIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY

news.az
July 15 2011
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani embassy has sent a letter to the Italian FM about the
intention of Studio Quagli to make a film about the occupied lands
of Azerbaijan.

The embassy brought to the attention of the Foreign Ministry the
information in Armenian mass media that say that Italian Studio Quagli
will make a film about Nagorno Karabakh to be shown on Italian TV
channel Rai 1.

The statement came from the press attaché of the Azerbaijani embassy
in Italy Zaur Farhadov.

‘The embassy is currently investigating the information. It turned out
that Studio Quagli is not a film studio but an ordinary company. The
Azerbaijani embassy has sent it an official letter about the illegality
of the visits to the occupied lands of Azerbaijan and making films
there’, the diplomat said.

According to Farhadov, additionally mass media spread information
about the plans of the professor of the Roman Academy of Arts Gerardo
LaRusso to visit Nagorno Karabakh.

‘We talked to the professor and informed that the region he is going
to visit is the Azerbaijani land occupied by Armenians and in case
he visits there, he will violate the Azerbaijani laws. After it,
the embassy official met the professor and handed him the letter from
the Azerbaijani ambassador to Italy Vagif Sadikhov’, Farhadov said.

The embassy official said, Armenians, when trying to bring someone to
the occupied lands, do not inform that in case of the trip, they would
violate the Azerbaijani laws and would have problems in this case.

‘Armenians say that those who visit this region (Nagorno Karabakh
region of Azerbaijan) will face no problems. Therefore, it is the duty
of the Azerbaijani embassy to inform foreigners of the misinformation,
spread by Armenians and that every person while visiting these lands
must get the permission of the Azerbaijani side, otherwise, he violates
our laws’, the press attaché of the Azerbaijani embassy said.

From: A. Papazian

OIL LIKES PEACE-ARFD

news.am
July 15 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – Despite the military statements of Azerbaijan, likelihood
of war in Karabakh conflict zone is not strong, the head of Armenian
Cause Office Giro Manoyan said at a press conference.

According to him, Azerbaijan is well aware of the destruction that
new war may bring.

“Besides, oil likes peace. However, incessant militarism of Azerbaijan
and its active attempts to destroy ceasefire regime can lead to
unpredictable results,” Manoyan stated and added that possibility of
military actions in Karabakh should not be excluded.

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT RECEIVES OSCE MEDIATORS ON KARABAKH CONFLICT

news.am
July 15 2011
Armenia

BAKU. – Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received on Friday the OSCE
Minsk Group Co-Chairs ~V Robert Bradtke (U.S.), Igor Popov (Russia)
and Bernard Fassier (France) and Personal Representative of the OSCE
Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk.

The sides exchanged opinions on current level and prospects for the
Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, RIA Novosti reports.

The mediators arrived in Baku on Thursday within the framework of
their regional visit. They will arrive in Yerevan on July 18.

From: A. Papazian

GEORGIA ADOPTING LAW WAS SEEN AS SOLUTION TO PROBLEM IN ARMENIAN CHURCH’S FAVOR: CONFLICTOLOGIST

epress.am
07.14.2011

The Georgian authorities were able to reach an agreement with the
Georgian Orthodox Church regarding the issue of the legislative
amendments that threatened to seriously destabilize the country. The
authorities have promised the Church that their property rights won’t
be violated after which point the Holy Synod urged the congregation
to remain calm, reports Russian-language news source Kommersant.

The conflict between the Church and the country’s leadership came after
the parliament approved amendments to the Civil Code that conferred
legal status to religious groups in the country – without consulting
the Patriarchate.

“There’s nothing in the law that violates the rights of the Church.

People began to think that the president had insulted the Patriarch,”
said conflictologist Giorgi Abashidze.

“Also having a great impact was the fact that immediately after the
adoption of these amendments, the Armenian Catholicos Karekin II
thanked [Georgian] President Saakashvili,” added Republican Party
of Georgia leader David Berdzenishvili. “Rivalry between Georgia
and Armenia exists on the mental level and the adoption of the law
without discussion or clarification was fraught with massive protests
and even anti-Armenian demonstrations.”

“If we put the amendments up for a public debate, the law would
never have been accepted,” one Georgian parliamentarian told the
paper. “The Georgian Orthodox Church enjoys absolute authority – 99%
of the population trusts the Patriarch.” These remarks are perhaps
not without grounds, reports Kommersant, since starting last Saturday,
thousands have been demonstrating in the center of Tbilisi in support
of the Patriarch’s stance on the issue.

Left in the shadows during the debates on the amendments was, that
which is crucial, not the status of the churches, but property
conflicts, said Abashidze.

According to him, after the law was approved, it was suspected that
what was being discussed was disputed church property being transfered
to the Armenian Church. “They have claims on several Armenian churches
in Georgia. The Georgian Church would like to regain some churches in
Armenia considered to be Georgian, although Armenian priests have long
been conducting worship there. The adoption of the law in Georgia was
seen as the solution to the property issue – in the Armenian Church’s
favor,” he said.

The Church did not want to escalate the conflict with the authorities.

“The Patriarch is not a fan of revolutions; he is in favor of
compromise, though he could’ve gone against the authorities many
times,” concluded Abashidze.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT CONGRATULATES FRANCE ON BASTILLE DAY

PanARMENIAN.Net
July 14, 2011 – 21:14 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan addressed a
congratulatory letter to his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy on
the occasion of French National Holiday, Bastille Day.

In his message, Armenian President congratulated the people of France,
specifically stressing the importance of friendly and historic ties
with the country.

As the President noted, Armenian community in France act as another
bridge connecting the two countries.

Mr. Sargsyan thanked France for the assistance rendered in successful
implementation of European Integration policy in Armenia, also
expressing gratitude to Mr. Sarkozy, as a leader of an OSCE MG
co-chairing country for efforts directed at establishing lasting
peace in South Caucasus region.

From: A. Papazian