Author: Andres-Papazian

HEAD OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY HOPES ISRAEL WILL RECOGNIZE THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE SOON
Artak Barseghyan

“Radiolur”
10.06.2011 18:02

Head of the Jewish Armenian community Rimma Varzhapetyan hopes that
the Israeli Knesset will recognize the Armenian Genocide in the
near future.

“It was unexpected for us to see a “light” on the issue in the
political elite of Israel, although the Jewish society is well-informed
about the Armenian Genocide and there have been a number of calls
to recognize it. This time Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin uttered the
word “genocide” and added that the Genocide would be commemorated in
Israel. There is a serious group at the Knesset, which supports this
policy,” she said.

President of the newly established “Midia Shangal” national union
of Ezids Amo Sharoyan attaches importance to the cooperation with
Diaspora Armenian organizations towards the international recognition
of the genocides of Armenians and Ezids. He reminded that the vote
of a Ezid MP played a decisive role, when the Swedish Parliament was
considering the Armenian Genocide bill.

From: A. Papazian

WHO IS TIGRAN SARGSYAN?
HAKOB BADALYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 16:17:04 – 10/06/2011

Recently the so-called local strongmen of Armenia, who are often
referred to as criminal authorities in the press, stood up against
Tigran Sargsyan, who is the so-called “team leader of intellectual
authorities”.

First the so-called “ideological” Republicans acted against Tigran
Sargsyan, complaining that Serzh Sargsyan nominated a non-Republican
as prime minister. However, Serzh Sargsyan either convinced them or
hushed the “ideological” Republicans and their controversy with Tigran
Sargsyan fell deep to the underground, and after Tigran Sargsyan’s
affiliation it merely moved to the level of personal likes or dislikes.

Now that the elections are drawing nearer, the so-called strongmen’s
sector of the Republican Party stands up against Tigran Sargsyan,
asking “who is Tigran Sargsyan?” No doubt, this sector touched the
hearts of the ideological sector. Although they do not disclose their
dissatisfaction with Tigran Sargsyan, except for Hovik Abrahamyan
who does not dare complain of Tigran Sargsyan’s tenure bluntly and
directly, the ideological wing has not reached a peace agreement on
Sargsyan’s affirmation as prime minister.

Will the ideological sector ally with the strongmen against Tigran
Sargsyan? Perhaps they will be oriented by Serzh Sargsyan. And what
will orient Serzh Sargsyan? Certainly, the government depends greatly
on the institution of the so-called criminal authorities, as people
put it. This institution performs for the government almost the same
functions as the police and security agencies.

Is Serzh Sargsyan ready to give away the service of this institution
for the sake of Tigran Sargsyan? It goes without saying that he is
obliged to give it away. Most probably, however, Serzh Sargsyan will
try to combine them, in other words, persuade Tigran Sargsyan and
Mher Sedrakyan that they are not against each other and they pursue
the same goal, the issue of government.

However, once this is arranged with Prime Minister Sargsyan, agreement
with Mher will remain, as well as to ask “who is Tigran Sargsyan?”

Tigran Sargsyan’s team has announced that they do not care for Mher’s
statement because they are on different platforms of values. Perhaps
the prime minister has forgotten that Mher is a member of the same
party a member of the executive board of which Tigran Sargsyan is. I
do not know what kind of a platform the Republican Party is for Tigran
Sargsyan’s team, a platform of values, currency or conjunctive, but
they are definitely on the same platform with Mher. And perhaps it
is time for Tigran Sargsyan and his team to worry about it. Perhaps
it already worries them, which caused Mher to worry too.

The real addressee of his statement is perhaps Serzh Sargsyan rather
than Tigran Sargsyan. Apparently, Mher Sedrakyan and the Republican
camp he represents need guarantees of partnership with Serzh Sargsyan.

In fact, not only the Armenian National Congress is waiting for
Serzh Sargsyan’s word but also the Armenian criminal congress. It
is interesting who Sargsyan will speak to. Possibly, to both. But to
who will he keep his word till the end?

From: A. Papazian

MINISTER OHANYAN MEETS EU DELEGATION

armradio.am
10.06.2011 16:10

On June 10 Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan received Miroslav
Lajcak, Managing Director for Russia, Eastern Neighborhood and the
Western Balkans at the EU European External Action Service. Issues
of cooperation with the European Union in the field of defense were
discussed.

Attaching importance to the development of cooperation with the
European Union, Seyran Ohanyan noted that the policy assumed by
Armenia goes in line with the values of the EU Neighborhood Policy
and added that the Defense Army of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic
has also chosen the path of reforms, as a result of which effective
mechanisms of democratic and civil control of the armed forces have
been established ever since independence.

At the request of the guest, Minister Nalbandian presented the
situation at the line of contact between the armed forces of Armenia
and Azerbaijan.

From: A. Papazian

GOVERNMENT OF ARMENIA APPROVED CREDIT AGREEMENT OF $20 MILLION WITH OFID

/ARKA/
JUNE 10, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, June 10. /ARKA/. On Friday the government of Armenia
approved credit agreement in the amount of $20 million with the Fund
of International Development of the organization of importer countries
of oil.

Agreement on the provision of credit in the amount of $20 to Armenia
by the Fund was signed on June 8 during the visit of Prime Minister
of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan to Vienna.

Armenian Finance Minister Vache Gabrielyan said the privileged credit
is provided for 20 years with 5-year grace period with percent rate
of 3.5%.

“The money will be directed to the development of agriculture
infrastructures, mainly to elimination of rural poverty and creation
of agricultural potential”, said Gabrielyan.

Sargsyan emphasized the importance of this agreement and proposed
to include it in the agenda of extraordinary parliament session for
starting to use the money earlier.

Government of Armenia proposed to hold the extraordinary meeting of
the parliament in the period from June 20 to June 28. Spring session
of NA ended on May 27 but after it the government approved a number
of important international agreements which considered necessary to
submit to the parliament for approval.

From: A. Papazian

HEADQUARTERS TO BE SET UP IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH TO OVERSEE CROPS HARVEST

/ARKA/
JUNE 10, 2011
STEPANAKERT

STEPANAKERT, June 10, /ARKA/. On June 10 Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
(NKR) ) president Bako Sahakian convened a meeting of the National
Security Council to discuss a set of issues related to the organization
of the 2011 crop harvest, Sahakian’s press office told ARKA.

Agricultural minister Armo Tsatouryan and director of the Rescue
Service Arthur Harutyunian, director of the rural and agriculture
assistance fund Vahram Baghdasaryan and heads of regional
administrations made reports.

For efficient organization of the harvest activities president
Sahakian assigned the Cabinet to form headquarters, to be headed by
the minister of agriculture, to make all necessary arrangements and
present information on the situation to the president every ten days.

The headquarters is to be formed before 15 of June. Bako Sahakian
underlined that the whole process of this strategic issue should be
widely covered by the mass media.

From: A. Papazian

INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CONGRESS TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN

ARMENPRESS
JUNE 10, 2011
YEREVAN

“Together for Health” 3d medical international congress will be
conducted in Yerevan July 7-9. It is being conducted with the
assistance of RA health, diaspora, education and science ministries.

Susanna Tokmajyan, co-chair of the congress’ public relations and
information sub-committee, told Armenpress that it is being conducted
within the framework of the 20th anniversary of independence of
the Republic of Armenia. She said this congress is peculiar as it
encourages particularly the participation of young Armenian doctors,
expecting that their engagement will intensify and open new prospects
in the activity of the congress.

Specialists from Armenia and Diaspora will come forth with reports.

The participants will discuss a number of important health care,
medical, practical issues. Besides, new ways of treatment will be
presented.

The congress will be held at Yerevan Medical University and certain
medical centers of the capital.

Tokmajyan said an arrangement has been reached with the Armenia’s
Competitiveness Foundation to organize a round rtable-discussion
about nuclear medicine.

From: A. Papazian

KARABAKH SETTLEMENT: PUBLIC AND PRESS SPECULATE ABOUT KAZAN MEETING PROSPECTS
By Naira Hayrumyan

ArmeniaNow
10.06.11 | 13:36

Following their four-day tour of the Karabakh conflict region, the
OSCE Minsk Group cochairmen (representing the United States, Russia
and France) issued a statement late on Thursday in which they called
upon the parties “to avoid any provocative actions or statements that
might undermine the negotiating process during this critical period.”

Experts took it as an appeal not to interfere with the presidents of
Armenia and Azerbaijan in their endeavors to come to agreement around
the Basic Principles of the Karabakh settlement, which may be signed as
early as on June 25 during a Russia-hosted summit in the city of Kazan.

International mediators themselves acknowledge that the signing of
these basic principles, which are largely viewed as unacceptable to
both sides, may cause internal turmoils in either country.

In a recent interview with the Polish magazine “Nowa Europa
Wschodnia” Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office
in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone Andrzej Kasprzyk noted that
“at the time of threat a commander will not listen to politicians,
he will execute a previously received order to defend his positions.”

It is stated in an open mode that consent to the basic principles
implying a withdrawal of Armenian forces from their current positions
may cause a riot among middle-echelon army officers. Some articles
have appeared in the Armenian press drawing parallels between the
possible fates of the presidents of Armenia and Karabakh and Yitzhak
Rabin, an Israeli leader who was assassinated in 1995 after over his
agreement to surrender lands.

Articles that have lately been published in the press and via online
social networks refer to the presence in Karabakh of factions ready
to prevent a possible handover of territories.

“Judging by the statements, the Armenian side has decided to follow
the path of concessions and intends to allow the deployment of
peacekeepers in Aghdam and Fizuli. According to a number of sources,
[Armenian Foreign Minister Edward] Nalbandyan held a meeting with
[Karabakh President] Bako Sahakyan and [Karabakh Prime Minister] Ara
Harutyunyan to discuss the issue of peacekeepers. But the Karabakh
officials stated they supported the status quo,” writes Lragir.

An article received from Karabakh and published in the paper claims
that the current course of negotiations was causing a deep indignation
among the public. “Underground groups have started developing a
strategy in case of such developments. Concessions in Kazan may become
a real bomb that will explode the society. This will make adjustments
to the rules of the game in Armenia and Artsakh and could threaten
the participants in the process of concessions,” the article asserted.

Perhaps it is such statements that the mediators urge the parties
to avoid, considering the threat of internal squabbles as a possible
deterrent for the presidents’ signing the basic principles.

At the same time, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan as
well as Azerbaijan’s Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov and the
Karabakh president’s spokesman David Babayan have cast doubts over
the prospect of the basic principles being agreed upon at the upcoming
summit in Kazan.

From: A. Papazian

NAIRIT PLANT EMPLOYEES DEMANDING SALARY PAYMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
June 10, 2011 – 11:46 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Several dozens of Yerevan-based Nairit plant
employees gathered at the residence of the Armenian President to
get explanations regarding the fate of the plant. Besides, they are
demanding their 3-month salary payment.

Chairman of the Nairit labor union Hrachya Tadevosyan told journalists
that the employees were last remunerated in April, when they were
paid the salary for February. “We do not know whether the plant will
resume operation and when we will receive our wages. We are aware
that the issue is in the focus of the leadership but people want to
get precise information,” he said.

The protesters have already sent a delegation to meet with
representatives of the presidential administration.

From: A. Papazian

HAYASTAN ALL-ARMENIAN FUND BUILDS GAS NETWORK IN ARTSNI

armradio.am
10.06.2011 10:56

The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund is building a natural-gas system in
Artsni, a village in Armenia’s Lori Region. The project is sponsored
by the fund’s German affiliate.

“Our goal is to not only help improve daily life in Artsni, but
boost the local economy and ensure its long-term vitality,” says Ara
Vardanyan, executive director of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund. “Our
cluster of implemented projects in Artsni, sponsored variously by our
affiliates in Germany, Montreal, and Great Britain as well as the
government of India, is a reflection of our multi-pronged approach
to socio-economic development.”

With the construction of a 1.3-kilometer gas pipeline completed,
the fund is currently building a 5.5-kilometer internal network,
which will supply gas to the some 100 households of the community.

Artsni is among the numerous success stories of the Hayastan
All-Armenian Fund’s Rural Development Program. To date the fund’s
work in the village has yielded a modern school; a community center
comprising the mayor’s office, a health clinic, a library, and an
events hall; as well as last year’s provision of school supplies to
children in Artsni and neighboring Dzoramut. In addition, the fund
built a 550-meter section of a 2.3-kilometer water main, which was
constructed with support from the International Fund for Agricultural
Development. The section built by the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
connected the Artsni school and the community center to the water
network.

“We’re overjoyed by the fact that our community has received
far-reaching assistance from the fund,” said Khenko Khachanesyan, mayor
of Artsni. “I must say that, prior to the launch of these initiatives,
our residents were on the verge of losing all hope. For one thing,
the road leading to the village is in such bad shape that we thought
nobody would bother to come here to carry out development projects.”

Most of Artsni’s 350 residents are refugees from Getashen.

Cattle-breeding is the community’s main occupation. Once populated
by Azeris and called Kezeldash, the village was renamed Artsni in 1991.

It is located 62 kilometers from the center of the Lori Region and
less than half a mile from the Georgian border.

From: A. Papazian

UN QUOTIDIEN CONDAMNE A UNE AMENDE POUR ” CALOMNIE ” A L’ENCONTRE DE LA FAMILLE KOCHARIAN
Stephane

armenews.com
vendredi 10 juin 2011

Une cour a Erevan a ordonne a un journal pro-opposition de verser
a la famille de l’ancien president Robert Kocharian 3 millions de
drams (8000 $) de dommages pour ce qu’il a appele des informations
calomnieuses.

Dans une decision refletant une augmentation des requetes en
diffamation contre des medias armeniens, la cour a en meme temps
refuse de forcer le quotidien Zhamanak a payer de nouveau 3 millions de
drams pour des frais legaux que le plaignant pretendait avoir encouru.

La plainte faisait suite a une serie d’articles publies par le
quotidien Zhamanak a l’automne dernier. Le journal liait Bella la femme
de Kocharian avec le commerce de medicaments et a pretendu que son fils
le plus âge Sedrak possèdait des mines de diamant en Inde. Il a aussi
accuse Sedrak Kocharian d’avoir escroquer un homme d’affaires armenien.

La famille Kocharian a pretendu que ces affirmations sont fausses
lors de son depôt de plainte. Les deux côtes ont echoue a parvenir
a un règlement amiable.

Nikolay Baghdasarian, avocat pour Zhamanak, a denonce la decision comme
etant ” politique ” et a dit que ses clients y feront opposition. ”
Ce verdict est loin de la jurisprudence ” a-t-il dit au service
armenien de RFE/RL.

Nikolay Baghdasarian s’est aussi moque de la decision de la cour de
verser que la moitie de des indemnites recherchees par la famille
de l’ex-president. ” Si les plaignants avaient raison, ils devaient
avoir aussi etre indemnises pour leurs depenses ” a-t-il dit.

Les avocats de Kocharian ont refuse de faire des remarques quant au
verdict alors qu’ils quittaient la salle du tribunal.

From: A. Papazian