Author: Andres-Papazian

BAKUR KARAPETYAN: IT IS STRANGE THAT AZERBAIJANI PROSECUTOR CAN BE AFRAID OF ARMENIAN JOURNALIST

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 28, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 28, ARMENPRESS: It is not possible to determine the
number of the victims of Sumgait and Baku massacres, but witnesses
tell about heaps of bodies in morgues.

Chairman of “Shushi” charitable foundation Bakur Karapetyan said today
at a meeting with journalists that in 1988, when Artsakh experienced
awakening, he left for Stepanakert to screen the running events. “By
returning I listened about Sumgait and Baku massacres. I was very
surprised hearing that nothing was written and screened about what
happened. So I left for Artsakh at the end of March,” Mr. Karapetyan
said.

“Sumgait people avoided being frank with me, afraid of the regular
steps of authorities. I had an amateur camera, by which I screened,”
Mr. Karapetyan said, noting that the camera fixed ruined apartments,
injured people with horrified faces.

The chairman of the fund said that he strived to speak to foreigners
as much as possible in order to prepare a more trustworthy film for
foreigners. It is interesting that when the latter tried to talk to
Azerbaijani prosecutors, they avoided him by every way. “It is strange
that the Azerbaijani prosecutor can be afraid of Armenian journalist,”
Mr. Karapetyan said.

The film which lasts 54 minutes and is called “Sumgait Waves” is in
the Russian language.

The central committee, afraid of consequences, prohibited the
screening of the film. But the film was shown at the US Congress. The
Azerbaijani, knowing that the film was screened by an Armenian
journalist, immediately put forth a hypothesis as if Armenians
deliberately prepared those activities and screened. Mr. Karapetyan
immediately responded, saying that he started the screenings 20-25
days after the event.

We did not manage to follow in the tracks of Baku massacres, as
precautionary measures were already undertaken there, the “victims”
of which became the Italians, who implemented screenings in Baku,
and whom the Azerbaijani confused with Armenians.

From: A. Papazian

TIGRAN PARVANYAN: ARMENIA HAS A BIG POTENTIAL IN THE SPHERE OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 28, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 28, ARMENPRESS: Armenia’s state policy must promote
the increase of energy efficiency. Head of the Stable Energy Funding
Program of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in Armenia
Tigran Parvanyan, presenting the initiatives implemented in the
sphere of energy efficiency, noted that a survey has been conducted
in the Armenian market, according to which the 72% of the enterprises
noted that the current legislation does not promote the increase of
energy efficiency. There are laws on energy, energy efficiency and
recovery energy, a national program, but there are not distinct means
of promotion. One hundred companies participated in the polling.

According to Mr. Parvanyan, Armenia has a big potential in the sphere
of energy efficiency, which is not completely used. He noted that
the competence level in business environment is very low, and there
are considerable tasks to fulfill in that direction.

Besides the competence, there are some other obstacles for
implementation of energy efficiency programs as well, among which
are the absence of the own means of enterprises, the necessity of
involving foreign investments, the difficulties of assessment of the
expense efficiency of the program. Mr. Parvanyan noted that only the
17% of the enterprises participated in the polling have applied for
making use of the opportunity of the foreign funding.

Energy Efficiency Expo 2011 will be conducted March 10-12 in
the republic on the initiative of the IFC. It will contribute to
competence increase of the society. The latest samples of energy
efficiency equipments will be presented.

The goal of IFC’s Stable Energy Funding Program in Armenia is to
establish a stable market in Armenia for investments in the sphere
of recovery energy and energy efficiency through the work with local
and international finance establsihemnts.

From: A. Papazian

US AMBASSADOR: NK CONFLICT TO BE SETTLED THROUGH NEGOTIATIONS

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 28, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 28, ARMENPRESS: Each conflict is peculiar, US
Ambassadot to Armenia Marie Yovanovitch said today at the meeting with
the professor staff and students of the Yerevan State University, in
response to the question whether she sees any similarities between
the Nagorno Karabakh and Kosovo conflicts. “As you know Kosovo is
under the UN sponsorship while the NK is not, and I can find many
such differences,” the ambassador said, adding that any negotiation
process over conflict is also peculiar.

According to her, the negotiations must not be held over the
similarities or differences between the Nagorno Karabakh and Kosovo
conflicts but it is necessary to think what happened in Karabakh and
what it is necessary to do for its settlement.

“I think you all will agree that the NK issue has only a political
solution: it may be settled through negotiations which demand
concessions from both parties,” Yovanovotch said. She said the
peaceful settlement of the conflict stems from the interests of not
only Armenia and Azerbaijan but the people of Nagorno Karabakh.

From: A. Papazian

GRIGORI AYVAZYAN SAYS THOSE, GUILTY OF MASSACRES AGAINST AZERBAIJANI ARMENIANS, MUST BE PUNISHED

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 28, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 28, ARMENPRESS: Those, who are to blame for
the massacres against the Azerbaijani Armenians, must be punished
punblicly, Grigori Ayvazyan – chairman of the Assembly of Azerbajani
Armenians – said today at a meeting with journalists.

The project of physical extirpation, banishment and genocide started to
be implemented February, 1988 from the city of Sumgait. As a result,
the 1-million Armenian community of Azerbaijan was spread in all over
the world. Grigori Ayvazyan says Azerbaijani authorities stood behind
the planning and implementation of the crime.

“The Azerbaijani authorities committed genocide against the local
peaceful Armenian civilians. And how can Azerbaijan have a moral,
political right towards the Nagorno Karabakh after this?” he said. He
mentioned that the Azerbaijani Armenians will go on the struggle
for justice.

The speaker mentioned that it is necessary to start
propaganda-explanatory activity in international organizations.

Besides, “the Republic of Armenia must recognize the events in
Azerbaijan as genocide”. “We must lead a policy of initiaitives.

Azerbaijan’s success in the propaganda warfare is connected with
the fact that we always lead a policy of responding to statements or
actions,” the speaker said.

Grigori Ayvazyan expressed gratitude on behalf of the
Azerbaijani-Armenian community to all the persons, Diaspora-Armenian
and Armenian organizations, which still remember and mourn for the
innocent victims of the events.

From: A. Papazian

HRAYR ULUBABYAN: WE MUST RAISE SUMGAIT ISSUE NOW

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 28, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 28, ARMENPRESS: A new commission is to be set up for
implementation of the worthy compensation of Sumgait massacres. “I
am ready to assist with all my information for proper organization
of the works,” co-author of “Genocide, Publicity, Sumgait” book Hrayr
Ulubabyan said today at a meeting with journalists. Mr. Ulubabyan is
the eyewitness and follower of the events, and has come forth as head
of the undertaking group on defense of rights of Sumgait Armenians.

According to him, the 26 or 27 number of victims is usually mentioned
in official sources. “I have revealed as a result of my researches
that the killed persons are more than 100,” Mr. Ulubabyan said, adding
that as a result of researches, the names and surnames of 31 persons
will be distinctly publicized March 1 as a result of researches.

Coordinator of the Institute of Civil Society and Regional Development,
expert Shushan Khatlamajyan said that after the Sumgait massacres
Armenia has many refugees, inheritors of victims, and all that is
fixed in Madrid Principles.

Those refugees, according to international conventions, have a right of
compensation. According to the speaker, at the price of the liberated
territories Armenia can not only organize a return of refugees, but to
open the corresponding resolution and present a concrete compensation
with names and surnames of the victims.

“Of course, it must be done at state level, by corresponding structures
of international instances,” she said, adding that there is no need of
new commissions, as there are NGOs which have worked in that direction
for many years, there is a database, diligently conducted numerous
studies, which need support- translators, international lawyers, to
hire and to bring the case to an end. “Today we must give a result,
which will be put at the table of Minsk and United Nations. Sumgait
case must not be separated from the whole Karabakh claim,” Shushan
Khatlamajyan said.

From: A. Papazian

SPECIALISTS SAY NUMBER OF LESSONS OF ARMENIAN MUST BE INCREASED

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 28, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 28, ARMENPRESS: The Armenian language is ignored by
a great number of people in the society, according to Davit Gasparyan,
specialist in literature, doctor of philology. He said today at a
meeting with journalists that one can see the real image of the use
of Armenian when walking in a street.

Davit Gasparyan says those, who “torture the language”, must be
punished, as Armenian is the state language of Armenia. He added
that he appreciates the phenomenon, when people learn many languages;
however “the mother tongue must not suffer from it”.

According to Lalik Khachatryan, head of the Armenian language chair
of the State Pedagogical University after Kh. Abovyan, the interest
in the mother tongue must be evoked among children at school. “The
number of lessons of Armenian in schools and higher educational
establishments must be increased,” she said.

From: A. Papazian

VLADIMIR KAZIMIROV: KARABAKH ISSUE MUST FIND SOLUTION IN A PEACEFUL WAY

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 28, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 28, ARMENPRESS: Karabakh issue must find a solution
in a peaceful way: the resuming of war will not bring to any good
result, former Russian co-chair of the OSCE Minsk group, Ambassador
Vladimir Kazimirov said during today’s Yerevan-Moscow space bridge.

According to him, the military activities must be excluded in
regulation of the Karabakh issue, and a rough position must be
displayed toward the party that will take such a step.

“Here the OSCE Minsk group also has a task to fulfill. This structure
must come forth with rough position in case of military activities.

The meetings directed toward regulation process of the Karabakh issue
must be continued. I do not share the opinions that no change is
taking place,” Mr. Kazimirov said. He noted that there is a progress
in regulation process of the Karabakh conflict, but it is very slow.

Director of the Caucasus Institute of Armenia Alexander Iskandaryan
noted that essential changes in regulation process of the Karabakh
issue must not be expected in 2011. The status-quo of Nagorno Karabakh
will be maintained in the running year, which is positive according
to the political specialist.

Director of the Institute of CIS Countries Alexander Markarov noted
that it will not be right to speak about final regulation in near
future. Two interesting formats are outlined in the recent 2 years.

Besides the bilateral meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian
presidents, a meeting with the President of Russia is conducted.

According to Mr. Markarov, Russia comes forth as a locomotive of the
negotiation process in the OSCE Minsk group.

“If the negotiations are not continued in this format, then the
periodical clashes at the border can be an alternative. In all
appearances the Azerbaijani party has understood that the conflict
is not possible to solve in that way, as the Armenian forces at the
contact line give adequate response,” Mr. Markarov said.

Director of the Political and Social Researches Institute of Black
Sea-Caspian region Vladimir Zakharov noted that Azerbaijan will not
apply to serious military activities. The latter perfectly realizes
that in such a case it will be considered as aggressor by the world.

According to Mr. Zakharov, the experience shows that in case of
appearing in the role of aggressor, the relations of the given country
and of other states worsen.

Referring to the latest meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani
presidents, the speakers noted that the cooperation of the two
countries is on high level. Mr. Kazimirov attached importance to the
agreement reached on gas tariff. Mr. Iskandaryan said that it has a
great importance in economic and social life of Armenia.

From: A. Papazian

HILDA CHOBOYAN: “FAILURE OF TURKEY’S MEMBERSHIP TO EU IS A MATTER OF PRINCIPLE FOR NICOLAS SARKOZY”

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 28, 2011
YEREVAN

The fact that the president of France has been received in Turkey
without the proper homage is not a grave deed, according to Hilda
Choboyan, head of the Armenian Cause Committee of France. She said
today in an interview with Armenpress that those events did not evoke
a keen response in France. “It was mainly connected with the serious
inner and outer political changes in France,” Hilda Choboyan said.

In particular, she noted the fact that the ministers of internal
and forign affairs have been replaced. She added that the Armenian
community of France is satisfied with the fact that the failure of
Turkey’s membership to the EU is a matter of principle for Nicolas
Sarkozy because of the “the insuperable cultural differenices between
the two civilizations”. According to Hilda Choboyan, the Socialist
Party is for Turkey’s recognition of the Armenian genocide before
its membership to the EU. Alain Juppe was appointed today minister of
foreign affairs of France. Alain Juppe said in his 2009 interview to
“Le Figaro” that he is against Turkey’s membership to the European
Union.

From: A. Papazian

YEREVAN MIME THEATER TO BE ON TOUR IN CYPRUS

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 28, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 28, ARMENPRESS: During its 37th theatrical session,
which starts March, Yerevan State Mime Theater will perform on tour
in Cyprus. Jirayr Dadasyan, artistic director of the theater, said
today at a meeting with journalists that “Mime” studio will join
the theatrical performances in Cyprus and “will help to present the
Armenian mime theatrical culture more sufficiently”.

“There is an invitation from Mongolia, too; however our visit has
not been approved yet. Our theater has been invited to partake in
the international mime festival of Munich to be held in autumn,”
Jirayr Dadasyan said.

As to the issues of the theater, Jirayr Dadasyan mentioned about
lack of corresponding artists and a building. “Now we rent one of the
rehearsal halls of the Young Spectator’s Theater in assistance with
the Ministry of Culture, and we have a right to stage a performance in
the theater’s hall every Thursday,” he said. He also mentioned about
the lack of visitors. “Along with the classical theater, this style
has its unique place and each art lover can find original feelings
and thoughts with some other interpretation,” Jirayr Dadasyan said.

From: A. Papazian

SOS SARGSYAN SAYS VICTORY OF ARTSAKH GREAT POWER TO LIVE

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 28, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 28, ARMENPRESS: “The victory of the Armenian
nation in the war of Artsakh gives me a great power to live, believe
and hope,” RA People’s Artist Sos Sargsyan said today at the solemn
evening, dedicated to him. “It is quite interesting for me to live in
this world. Especially, it is quite interesting to be an Armenian,
as I do not know any other nation, which could pass the whole rout,
the Armenian nation has passed,” Sos Sargsyan said.

He added that the rout is both interesting and tragic – “mistakes,
losses and escape”. The artist says the Armenians are still the same
people, they used to be in the past. “The Armenian nation has not
changed and it is amazing. Everyting is still before us. I want to
live long, as it is very interesting for me to know what will happen
next,” the artist said. Sos Sargsyan spoke on human values and life.

He also said Russia has been and still is the only ally of Armenia
and advised to the intellectuals not to forget the Russian language
and culture.

From: A. Papazian