Author: Andres-Papazian

SARKOZY WON’T OPPOSE GENOCIDE DENIAL CRIMINALIZATION BILL

Armenian Weekly
Tue, May 3 2011

PARIS, France-French President Nicolas Sarkozy told a French-Armenian
delegation Saturday that he would not oppose a bill pending in the
French Senate, which if approved, would criminalize the denial of
the Armenian genocide.

Nicolas Sarkozy A delegation of the Coordinating Council of Armenia
Organization in France met with the French leader at Elysee Palace
to discuss the bill and Sarkozy’s position on the matter.

Sarkozy stated that the government would not interfere in the Senate
decision and guaranteed he would not oppose a vote in the Senate,
essentially saying that he would allow senators affiliated with his
party to vote their conscience. He also reiterated his position for
the need to continue the struggle against Armenian genocide denial.

The Senate is set to debate and discuss the bill on May 4. While the
bill is overwhelmingly supported by the Socialist bloc of the Senate,
French Armenians indicate that it may meet with opposition from the
Communist bloc and other parties.

The CCAF has scheduled a rally-demonstration in front of the Senate
on May 4. The group held a similar rally last month with Charles
Aznavour and a slew of legislators, human rights activists and
political officials in attendance.

The CCAF delegation was led by Mourad Papazian and Ara Toranian,
and included Patrick Devedjian and Levon Sayan. Sayan represented
Charles Aznavour, who was in Switzerland for President Sarkisian’s
visit there. Jean-David Levitte, the Elysee Palace diplomatic adviser
was also on hand at the meeting.

From: A. Papazian

MORE THAN 2700 SHOTS

yerkir.am
11:17 – 02.05.2011

Unlike the previous weeks, during last week in the of Karabakh and
Azerbaijan antagonistic forces heady growth was recorded in violation
of ceasefire.

According to Army data, the opponent used different caliber weapons
during the week and violated the cease-fire over 350 times, releasing
more than 2,700 shots.

More intensive shootings were recorded on April 27-29. Azerbaijani
armyâ~@~Ys vanguard forces used Ð~PÐ~Z, СÐ~RÐ~T,â~@~]black arrowâ~@~]
, Ð~_Ð~Z, Ð~TШÐ~Z, УТÐ~UС types of weapons in south, eastern,
northeastern and northern directions located on the Armenian position,
only three days after the release of about 1,800 shots.

Result of the cease-fire violations, unfortunately, caused the Karabakh
side loses.

Armyâ~@~Ys vanguard units took equivalent actions along the entire
length of the contact line, informs the media and propaganda department
of the Defense Army.

From: A. Papazian

EUROVISION COUNTDOWN: ARMENIA’S EMMY IN FIRST BOOM-BOOM REHEARSAL IN DUSSELDORF

03.05.11

Armenian pop diva Emmy is already getting around in Dusseldorf,
a German city hosting this year’s Eurovision contest in about a
week’s time.

The popular Armenian songstress arrived last weekend and already had
her first rehearsal and backstage interview with the organizer’s
website in which she spoke about how things stood for her and her
team and explained the meaning of her entry song, Boom-Boom.

“All our delegation is ill right now, me too. But otherwise everything
is great,” Emmy, 27, said on Sunday, as quoted by

She continued with explaining the lyrics of her song: “Boom boom,
chucka chucka, your kiss is like a, like a”.

“The story tells of a girl who’s fallen in love with a guy doing
nothing except boxing – only sports, sports, sports. She asks him
to come to the love ring instead of the boxing ring. Chucka means
nothing in Armenian, and I sing “boom boom, chucka chucka”. It’s a
very catchy song, easy to remember,” said Emmy.

The Boom-Boom video released last month features popular Germany-based
Armenian professional boxer Arthur Abraham.

The first of the two Eurovision 2011 semifinals featuring Emmy is
scheduled for May 10, with the grand finale due on May 14.

Meanwhile, on the organizer’s website Emmy reveals she’ll dedicate
her performance on the Dusseldorf stage to the memory of her father
David Bejanyan, a well-known Armenian sculptor who died in February.

From: A. Papazian

REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS: ARMENIAN NEWSPAPERS ARE TARGET FOR LIBEL ACTIONS

03.05.11

The Paris-based “Reporters without Borders” media watchdog is
concerned that numerous libel actions being brought against Armenian
newspapers threaten their survival and create a climate that encourages
self-censorship.

In a statement released last Sunday, the reputable organization
writes that the tendency to use lawsuits to throttle news media must
be reined in.

“The repeal of jail sentences for libel and slander in April 2010 was
hailed as a democratic advance but judicial harassment of the media
continues. There were 12 defamation actions during the first quarter
of 2011 alone. Independent newspapers are the leading targets. The
daily Jamanak is currently the subject of three different lawsuits.

Haykakan Jamanak and Hraparak are also being sued In most cases the
plaintiffs are politicians,” the organization says.

In most cases, the courts seem to do what the plaintiffs want, imposing
the maximum amount of damages. As well as the large amounts in damages
demanded by plaintiffs, newspapers must also pay excessive lawyers’
fees, it continues.

Reporters Without Borders has urged participants in the forum on media
freedom held by the human rights ombudsman in Yerevan to discuss ways
to limit defamation suits. Media self-regulation should be developed
and, when legal actions are brought, the courts should respect the
principle of proportionality when awarding damages, it underscores.

Read the full statement here:
,40201.html

From: A. Papazian

Artists To Form “Human Shield” To Keep Murals
Yeranuhi Soghoyan

hetq
22:35, May 2, 2011

A group of Gyumri artists have come out to question the government’s
decision to hand over two murals by the noted artists Minas Avetisyan
to the Armenia International Airlines Company on condition that they
be restored and installed at the Erebuni Airport in Yerevan.

They say they will picket in front of the Gyumri factories where the
murals are located to prevent a group from Yerevan arriving on May
4 from removing the art works and taking them back to the capital.

“Who said that relocating Minas’ murals to the airport is the best
decision possible?” asked the angry group of artists at a roundtable
discussion today in Yerevan.

The murals in question had been commissioned back in the 1970s by
the directors of a nuber of factories in town once called Leninakan.

During the collapse of the Soviet Union, these factories were abandoned
and the murals suffered as a result.

In 1990, the Leninakan City Soviet called in a group of Bulgarian
experts to restore one of the murals. It was then installed in the
Gyumri V. Ajemyan State Dramtic Theater.

In 2010, the Armenian government restored the two murals with funds
from the national budget and had them transferred to the Government
Building in Yerevan.

“We should have opposed the move back then,” said Garik Manukyan,
President of the Gyumri branch of the Painters’ Union of Armenia.

“They should have been restored and kept in Gyumri. What average
citizen has the chance to go to the Government Building and look up
in amazement at Minas’ murals?”

Artashes Karapetyan, Director of the Gyumri Municipality’s Department
of Culture and Youth Affairs, noted that in Europe such art treasures
are maintained in secondary cities specifically so that tourists go
and visit them.

“I am talking about the development of the Marzes. But, they are taking
everything to Yerevan. We won’t let them,” declared Mr. Karapetyan.

From: A. Papazian

USAID SENIOR DEPUTY ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR VISITS ARMENIA

hetq
15:46, May 3, 2011

USAID Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator for Europe and Eurasia
Roberta Mahoney arrived in Armenia on April 30 on a four-day working
visit, during which she met with representatives of the Armenian
government, private sector, partner organizations and the Diaspora.

The parties discussed U.S.-Armenia bilateral relations, USAID
assistance programs in the areas of democracy, economic growth,
health and social reform, and Armenia’s development challenges.

Ms. Mahoney visited several USAID-supported projects in Yerevan,
including the nearly established Microsoft Innovation Center and the
Women’s Support Center which provides services for victims of domestic
violence and their families.

SDAA Mahoney’s visit highlighted USAID’s nearly two decades of
strong partnership with Armenia. The U.S. Government will provide $27
million assistance to Armenia this year aimed at reducing poverty,
improving rule of law, providing better access to health care and
social benefits, and strengthening private sector and infrastructure.

From: A. Papazian

FREEDOM HOUSE TAGS ARMENIA “NOT FREE” IN PRESS FREEDOM RANKING

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 3, 2011 – 12:23 AMT

On World Press Freedom Day, Freedom House published a press freedom
ranking for 2010 in the courtiers worldwide.

Freedom House ranking listed Armenia 146th with 65 points and tagged
the country “Not Free”, similarly to Egypt. Georgia was listed 118th
with 55 points, retaining its “Partly Free” status. Azerbaijan was
ranked 171st along with Ethiopia, Sudan and Tajikistan.

Finland, Norway and Sweden top the list, with South Korea ranked as
the least free out of 196 countries.

From: A. Papazian

AUSTRIA PREFERS SPECIAL PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN EU, TURKEY

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 3, 2011

Austria would prefer forging a special partnership between the European
Union and Turkey over full EU membership for Ankara, Austrian Foreign
Minister Michael Spindelegger said.

In an interview with Austrian radio broadcast on Tuesday, May 3,
during a visit by Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Spindelegger said
EU membership negotiations with Turkey would take years and serve to
“Europeanize” the country.

“We will wait and see what happens, be constructive, but remain true
to our basic position that we will strive for a special partnership
with Turkey,” he said.

Vienna’s official line is that the outcome of Turkish entry talks is
open. Austrian voters would get the final say in a referendum if enough
members of parliament seek one, as resurgent far-right parties demand.

Gul had called on Monday for a factual discussion of open points
in the talks, criticised restrictions on EU visas, and urged the
roughly 200,000 Turks in Austria – half of them Austrian nationals –
to master German as well as Turkish.

In a radio interview aired on Tuesday Gul suggested booming bilateral
business ties may suffer if Turkey continues to get the cold shoulder.

“One should ask whether Austrian companies will continue to be able
to make the profits they make now in Turkey if they don’t cooperate
with Turkey,” he said.

He also addressed criticism of Turkey’s record on guaranteeing freedom
of speech by saying: “In Turkey no journalist will be punished for
his journalistic activity. No one will be sanctioned for his opinion,”
he said, Today’s Zaman reported.

From: A. Papazian

NON-FOOD PRICES RISE BY 0.5% IN APRIL 2011 FROM MARCH

/ ARKA /
May 3, 2011
YEREVAN

Prices of non-foods in Armenia rose by 0.5% in April 2011 compared
to March, driven primarily by a 3.9% rise in prices of petrol and a
5.8% rise in price of diesel fuel, the National Statistical Service
of Armenia said.

During the same period prices for carpet products rose by 0.1%, prices
of household electrical appliances by 0.2%, stationery goods prices
rose by 0.2%, that of furniture by 0.5%, prices of cooking utensils
increased by 0.5%, prices of clothing and fabric rose by 0.7%, those
of jewelry by 1.6% and footwear prices rose by 3.4%.

Simultaneously a 3.3% decline in the price of carpet products was
registered, recreational goods prices dropped by 2.9%, those of
cosmetics fell by 1.4%, detergents prices fell by 0.7%, oil prices
by 0,5%, prices of construction materials dropped by 0.4%, those of
pharmaceutical products by 0.2% and the prices of products for personal
use decreased by 0.2%. The highest price rise rate was registered in
Dilijan. In the capital, the rise in prices for industrial goods was
0.6%.

From: A. Papazian

PRESSING THE PRESS: EXPERTS VOICE CONCERN OVER DECLINING FREE SPEECH STANDARDS IN ARMENIA
By Siranuysh Gevorgyan

ArmeniaNow
03.05.11

Ashot Melikian (left), Edik Baghdasaryan talked about the issues of
freedom of press.

The World Press Freedom Day (May 3) served as an occasion for Armenian
experts and chief editors to assess numerous issues Armenia is facing
in that sphere. As Ashot Melikyan, Chairman of the Committee for the
Protection of Freedom of Speech, says the committee’s study of 2010
revealed that media in Armenia are “in a dangerous transition zone
from semi-free to not free”.

In their reports on press freedom, international organizations place
Armenia among the “not free” courtiers. Namely, Freedom House, an
international human rights watchdog, in its report made public this
week placed Armenia 146th on the list of 196 countries.

“There has been a regrettable tendency of regression over the
past few years. The situation is truly alarming, when outstanding
representatives of political circles take active steps against mass
media, especially print media proving, in fact, that the role of
media is not really appreciated; they are not tolerant enough of
criticism and would actually like media to be fully controllable,”
said Melikyan during his meting with reporters, referring to lawsuits
over the past year against some newspapers with considerable amount
of financial compensations they were obliged to pay after acts of
defamation and insult were decriminalized.

(As many as 12 lawsuits have been filed against print and online media
within the first quarter of this year over alleged libel and insult.)

Editor-in-chief of the Hetq online daily Edik Baghdasaryan said in
response to the Ombudsman’s Council of Information Disputes founded
recently that he objects to the Ombudsman defending the reporters’
rights.

“We have to defend our rights on our own,” said Baghdasaryan.

According to him, the fact that state structures deny access to
information is a bigger issue.

“It is practically impossible to get information from state bodies.

When definite questions are asked, answers to those are never received,
especially when related to corrupt deals, property of certain people,
etc. To me the top issue in Armenia is that state structures are
closed systems,” says Baghdasaryan.

From: A. Papazian