Author: Andres-Papazian

CAVUSOGLU SPEAKS ON BEHALF OF TURKEY, BUT NOT PACE

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 15, 2010 – 16:20 AMT 11:20 GMT

PACE President Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Turkey and Russia are
two important regional actors, which are not EU members and should
cooperate to solve problems.

According to him, Turkey successfully complies with the obligations
shouldered before regional and international institutions, while
Turkey’s authority is gradually increasing, as it takes correct steps
towards peace and stability.

“I met with leaders of the three basic religious communities of
Russia. And I hail Russia’s willingness to construct synagogues near
churches and mosques. Russia is Turkey’s main trade partner, and their
trade turnover is expected to reach $100bln in future,” Cavusoglu said
in Moscow, where he participated in a scientific conference entitled
Education in Europe – Coordinated Development of Students.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA, ROMANIA STRENGTHENING TIES

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 15, 2010 – 18:06 AMT 13:06 GMT

Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi met with Armenia’s
Ambassador to Romania Hamlet Gasparyan to discuss bilateral relations
and issues of mutual interest.

The two men also exchanged views on the activity of Armenian-Romanian
intergovernmental committee as well as cultural and political dialogue.

Ambassador Gasparyan thanked the Romanian government for the assistance
rendered to the Armenian community of the country, RA MFA press
office reported.

From: A. Papazian

IFC HELPS AMERIABANK IMPROVE RISK MANAGEMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 15, 2010 – 14:15 AMT 09:15 GMT

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is helping Armenia’s
Ameriabank engage for the first time in international interest-rate
and currency-swap transactions, which will strengthen the Armenian
financial system by reducing currency and interest-rate risks.

IFC and Ameriabank signed an International Swaps and Derivatives
Association master agreement, the international standard for risk
management. Under the agreement, UFC will provide Ameriabank with
U.S.-dollar interest-rate swaps and multiple-currency swaps, enabling
the bank to better manage its interest-rate risks on borrowed funds
as well as currency risks for its euro deposit base, and provide a
wider range of deposit products to customers..

“This transaction will help strengthen our risk-management capacity,
which is particularly important in the post-crisis period,” said
Andrei Shinkevich, Investment Banking Director of Ameriabank.

Thomas Lubeck, IFC Regional Head of the Caucasus said: “This is our
first swap agreement in Armenia are we are happy to be providing
this high-level financial technology. It will provide Ameriabank with
important risk management tool and improve the bank’s sustainability.”

From: A. Papazian

HANS-JOCHEN SCHMIDT: GTZ IS INTERESTED IN COMPETITION DEVELOPMENT IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 15, 2010 – 17:29 AMT 12:29 GMT

Since February 4, 2010, the Economic Development and Research Center
in collaboration with the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) has
implemented 2010 Economic Report of Armenia program, which included
a sub-program on Retraining of Young Economists.

Based on the program results, Armenian Deputy Minister of Economy
Mushegh Tumasyan, head of the EDRC Gagik Torosyan, director of GTZ
programs James Macbeth and German Ambassador to Armenia Hans-Jochen
Schmidt handed over certificates to 16 economists.

Torosyan noted that 250 students from economic higher education
institutions of the country took the test for participation in the
program, out of which 25 people were selected for retraining. However,
only 16 people have successfully passed the course, they will do an
internship in the Armenian Ministry of Economy.

The program is aimed at revelation and retraining of diligent young
specialists, who will later have the opportunity to participate in
various state and private programs.

“GTZ is interested in cooperation with the RA Ministry of Economy
to support its efforts aimed developing competition in the country,
assisting small and medium businesses and reducing oligarchs’ share
in the economy,” Ambassador Schmidt said.

From: A. Papazian

MAJID NAMJOU: IRANIAN GOVERNMENT ATTACHES IMPORTANCE TO COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 15, 2010 – 16:26 AMT 11:26 GMT

On October 15, RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian met with Iranian
Minister of Energy Majid Namjou to discuss trade and economic
cooperation between Armenia and Iran, as well as preparation of
Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan’s upcoming visit to Iran.

Mr. Nalbandian pointed to the intensified mutual visit between the
two countries, as well a mutually beneficial and stable development
of the Armenian-Iranian relations.

He noted that the two countries’ cooperation in the field of energy
gains momentum, as new programs are developed and implemented.

The Armenian Foreign Minister also stressed the importance of the
launch of Iran-Armenia third transmission line construction on October
14 and organization of the Armenian-Iranian business forum in Yerevan.

Namjou noted for his part that Iran attaches great importance to
cooperation with Armenia, what is proved by intensified mutual visits.

He also briefed on steps taken by Iran for boosting the bilateral
cooperation in the field of energy, the RA MFA press service reported.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN DEFENSE MINISTRY TO TAKE ACTION TO NEUTRALIZE AZERI SNIPERS AT CONTACT LINE

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 15, 2010 – 16:46 AMT 11:46 GMT

Armenian Ministry of Defense has condemned Azerbaijan’s attempts to
exacerbate the situation at the line of contact between NKR and Azeri
armed forces through involvement of snipers.

Azerbaijan’s actions that immediately followed OSCE MG Co-chairs’
monitoring mission prove that the country failed to follow the urge
of UN Secretary General on the withdrawal of snipers from the line
of contact.

Beside, Azerbaijan ignores the concern of OSCE MG Co-chairs and
OSCE Chairperson-in- Office over the deaths of Armenian soldiers,
thus frustrating the efforts of the international community towards
peaceful settlement of Karabakh issue.

Adequate military and diplomatic actions will be taken to neutralize
Azeri snipers at the line of contact.

Armenian Ministry of Defense condoles with the family and friends of
Vitaly Igityan, ministerial press service reported.

On October 14, NKR Defense Army serviceman Vitaly Igityan, 22, was
wounded as a result of the fire commenced by Azerbaijanis in the
vicinity of Hadrut region of NKR.

Igityan died on the way to hospital.

From: A. Papazian

COUNCIL OF EUROPE: WHAT WILL CHANGE IN THE TURKEY-CHAIRED COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS?
Aris Ghazinyan

ArmeniaNow
15.10.10

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe

In November this year the chairmanship of the Council of Europe’s
Committee of Ministers will be turned over to Turkey, namely, the
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

The change of chairmen in this committee – CE’s decision-making body
comprised of the Foreign Affairs Ministers of all the member states
– is carried out by alphabetic order every six months, taking into
account the CE membership term of this or that state. Armenia will
chair the committee from May to November 2013, and Azerbaijan will
chair during the same period the year after, in 2014.

Today, of course, it is hard to say what will be happening with
the region in three-four years. Something else is obvious though:
Turkey will be using its current chairmanship (from November 2010
to May 2011) to support Azerbaijan in the Karabakh issue, and to
“make a special report” on Nagorno-Karabakh.

Head of the Armenian Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of
the Council of Europe (PACE) David Harutyunyan believes that during
Turkey’s chairmanship ‘Turkish’ and ‘Azeri’ issues will appear on
the agenda.

First of all, it is about the possible re-launching of the PACE
subcommittee on Nagorno-Karabakh, which would try to take the
initiative away from the OSCE Minsk Group.

Undoubtedly, Ankara will insist on the appropriateness of resuming
the subcommittee’s activities. After the death of the subcommittee
chairman Lord Russell Johnston (at age 76) in July of 2008 that
structure was suspended.

However, the Armenian side believes that it was not suspended for
subjective reasons like the death of its head, but rather for quite
objective reasons conditioned by the secrecy of the operation of the
OSCE Minsk Group.

“We believe that the operation of a structure that failed not for
subjective but rather objective reasons should not be resumed, since
there is always the temptation risk of using the subcommittee for
propaganda,” stressed Harutyunyan. “As of today, no final decision has
been made on this issue, and Azerbaijan keeps insisting on resuming
the operations of PACE subcommittee.”

The issue is aggravated by the fact that PACE Chairman himself –
Turkish representative Mevlut Cavusoglu – supports the idea of setting
up such a commission on Nagorno-Karabakh.

It is, hence, obvious that starting November the Turkish efforts in
that direction will only double.

Earlier this year, in May, Cavusoglu visited Yerevan and stated that
he is planning to personally lead the subcommittee. While in Yerevan,
he also stated: “That structure had operated until its chairman Lord
Russell Johnston’s death, after which there hasn’t been and isn’t
a full accord on who would be best to chair that commission, nor is
there consent over its format and mandate.”

It is symptomatic that on October 4 – in the period of the OSCE
Minsk Group’s field mission in the region – in Strasbourg Cavusoglu
stated again that the issue on resuming the PACE subcommittee on
Nagorno-Karabakh should be discussed.

On October 7, Strasbourg hosted the second meeting of Armenian and
Azeri delegations within the framework of PACE’s fall session. The
issue of resuming the work of the PACE subcommittee on Nagorno-Karabakh
was discussed during the meeting Cavusoglu himself had initiated.

“Our main concern is that if the Karabakh issue remains unsolved, we
will be facing more serious problems. The Nagorno-Karabakh issue has
to be settled. Both OSCE and the Minsk Group have to be more active
in this concern,” stated Cavusoglu categorically.

Speaking about Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglu’s forthcoming chairmanship
of the CE Ministerial Committee, the head of the Armenian delegation
stressed that the Turkish “Cavusoglu- Davutoglu” tandem will most
probably further the interests of their country in PACE.

The six months ahead promise activation of Ankara’s and Baku’s efforts
at shifting the initiative in the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement process
from the OSCE Minsk Group to the Council of Europe’s dimension.

From: A. Papazian

FIRST PERFORMANCE OF HARRY BARDIN’S CARTOON ‘THE UGLY DUCKLING’ HELD IN YEREVAN

ArmInfo
2010-10-15 14:54:00

ArmInfo. First performance of Harry Bardin’s cartoon “The ugly
Duckling” was held in Yerevan on October 14 within the frames of the
6th International Film Festival for Children and Youth.

As H. Bardin said at October 14 press-conference, “The ugly Duckling”
is continuation of the “Adajio” cartoon’s topic.

“Andersen is a rough fairy tale writer. He does not prepare children
to a sweet life. He as if says: I will tell you about the life,
it is quite cruel, but you must survive and the hope must always be
with you”, Bardin said.

When speaking about the work over the cartoon, Bardin said the
only unexpectedness here was a desire of maestro Spivakov to add a
sound-track to the Cock.

According to Bardin, many people after viewing “The ugly Duckling”
confessed that they saw themselves in the lead character. Curiously
enough, there was a star of the world ballet Nikolay Tsiskaridze
among them.

From: A. Papazian

PARTICIPATION OF HARRY BARDIN IN REANIMANIA 2011 FESTIVAL DOUBTFUL

ArmInfo
2010-10-15 14:56:00

ArmInfo. Famous cartoonist Harry Bardin’s participation in the
ReAnimania 2011 Festival is doubtful.

Quite recently Director of ReAnimania Festival Vrezh Kasuni said that
ReAnimania would celebrate the 70th anniversary of Harry Bardin and
his last cartoon will be demonstrated for the first time in Armenia.

H. Bardin was quite surprised a day ago to hear from journalists
about his participation in the festival. He admitted that he had a
correspondence with ReAnimania leadership but gave not promises to
attend the festival.

H. Bardin’s last cartoon “The Ugly Ducking” was demonstrated for the
first time in Armenia on sidelines of the 6th International Festival
of Children’s and Youth Films on Thursday.

From: A. Papazian

DOLPHINARIUM IN YEREVAN CONSTRUCTED ILLEGALLY

ArmInfo
2010-10-15 15:00:00

ArmInfo. Yerevan authorities and environmentalists didn’t find any
point of contacts in regard with the dolphinarium construction. The
plan and feasibility study was not submitted to any public hearing
and didn’t receive the environmental impact assessment by the State
Environmental Inspection of Nature Protection Ministry of RA just
because no documentation was submitted.

It turns out that Yerevan Mayor Gagik Beglaryan’s all arguments
that dolphinarium and its functioning comply to standards are not
substantiated with anything legal (in this case, the Environmental
State Inspection opinion.)

The State Environmental Inspection of Nature Protection Ministry
should have also responded to the absence of environmental impact
assessment opinion, particularly taking into consideration the fuss
around this project. We would like to draw attention of the State
Environmental Inspection at the fact that the dolphinarium project
is almost ready for exploitation. Moreover, “Nerum” Company (dolphin
importer) activities are recognized as illegal in the Ukraine.

The open letter addressed by V. Boreyko, Environmental Center Director
and Honoured Environmentalist of Ukraine, to the President of Ukraine,
says in 2010 the State Environmental Inspection of Nature Protection
Ministry of Ukraine conducted inspections in all the dolphinariums and
revealed that almost in all the dolphinariums animals are maintained
with gross violations of the Ukrainian Law “On Animal Protection
from Abusive Treatment”, as well as many dolphins don’t have any
permit documents.

In his letter the Ukrainian scientist-environmentalist demands to
impose strict bans on using dolphins for entertainment purposes and
to forbid maintaining dolphins in commercial dolphinariums.

If the Nature Protection Ministry were more efficient in this regard
and forced Yerevan Municipality to act as pursuant to law (i.e. to
submit documents for expert assessment and to hold public hearings),
maybe our authorities would learn more about dolphins before discussing
them in the mass media.

From: A. Papazian