Author: Andres-Papazian

POLAND’S FOREIGN MINISTER TO VISIT ARMENIA

Panorama
July 13 2010
Armenia

Upon the invitation of the Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan,
the Polish delegation headed by Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski
is due to arrive in Armenia today on a three-day official visit.

According to the MFA information department, in Armenia Sikorski
is expected to have meetings with President Serzh Sargsyan, Prime
Minister Tigran Sargsyan and Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan.

In the sidelines of the visit, Polish FM will lay a wreath at the
Armenian Genocide Memorial in Tsitsernakaberd.

From: A. Papazian

SUICIDE FOR 3,000 DRAMS

July 13, 2010

Vladimir Sukiasyan, 17, is suspected of provoking a 16-year old to
commit suicide. He has been transferred to the minors’ reformatory
in Abovyan and a two-month arrest has been chosen as a precautionary
measure.

Let us remind that on July 8 Gevorg Vardanyan committed suicide at
the balcony of the first floor of house #8 on Mesropyan Street in
Stepanavan after losing 3,000 drams in a card game and not being able
to pay Vladimir Sukiasyan.

The investigative body has found a notebook with a list of names of
minors who played cards and lost and numbers on the side of the list.

From: A. Papazian

POLISH FOREIGN MINISTER IS DUE TO ARMENIA

Aysor
July 13 2010
Armenia

On July 13 in 2010 the Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski will
arrive together with his delegation in Armenia as part of his tour
to Georgia, Armenia and Kazakhstan.

In Armenia, Sikorski will have meetings with the Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan, the Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and the Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian.

As the press and information department of the RA Foreign Ministry
informed in the frameworks of the visit minister Sikorski will lay
a wreath to the Genocide Memorial.

From: A. Papazian

“TURKEY DIDN’T WISH TO GO FURTHER”

01:06 pm | July 13, 2010 | Official

On the first day of the working visit to Brussels, Chairman of the
RA National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan had a meeting with President
of the Belgian Senate Armand de Decker.

The Chairman of Belgium’s Senate mentioned that Belgium attaches great
importance to the development of bilateral and multilateral relations
with Armenia and voiced hope that Hovik Abrahamyan’s next visit to
Brussels would be an official visit and reaffirmed his invitation.

Let us mention that Chairman of the RA National Assembly Hovik
Abrahamyan is the first high-ranking Armenian official to visit
Brussels after Belgium took the presidency of the European Union.

During the meeting, the parties discussed regional issues as well. Mr.
Abrahamyan presented Armenia’s approaches to the settlement of the
Karabakh conflict and relations with neighboring countries. The NA
Chairman stressed that Armenia has declared several times that the
conflict must be settled peacefully and Azerbaijan is impeding the
process with its bellicose statements. Abrahamyan expressed concern
that the international community is not giving an adequate evaluation
of Azerbaijan’s actions.

Touching upon the process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish
relations, Armand de Decker highly appreciated Armenia’s daring
and initiating policy on establishing relations with Turkey without
preconditions, mentioning that Turkey disappointed the European Union
by setting preconditions.

During the meeting, the parties discussed issues of bilateral interest
as well and in the end, the heads of both parliaments answered
journalists’ questions.

In response to the question on the normalization of Armenian-Turkish
relations Mr. Decker said: “I deeply regret that the active diplomacy
failed and it was Turkey’s fault for setting new conditions in relation
to Nagorno-Karabakh at the moment when it had to ratify the signed
Protocols. It is disappointing that Turkey didn’t wish to go further
in the normalization of relations with Armenia.”

Touching upon relations with Armenia, Mr. Decker said: “We would
like to deepen relations with Armenia within the frame of Belgium’s
EU presidency. We believe that those relations are fundamental for
Armenia and the European Union, which wishes to improve its relations
with a country with which it is linked due to an active community in
Europe, as well as political and strategic interests.”

On the same day, Chairman of the RA National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan
had a meeting with deputies of the European Parliament, Co-Rapporteurs
on Armenia Thomas Poreba and Charles Tanok.

Mr. Poreba and Mr. Tanok assured that they would do everything possible
to present the European Parliament with impartial information about
Armenia and the Armenian side’s position. The parties considered
the presence of closed borders in Europe of the 21st century as
inadmissible.

From: A. Papazian

TURKISH DIRECTOR PREFERS TO PASS HIS TIME ON YEREVAN STREETS

Aysor
July 13 2010
Armenia

The day which the Turkish-German director Fateh Aqin passed in Yerevan
turned to be one of the hottest days in his life, the director told on
his meeting with the journalists. He is in Armenia in the frameworks
of the “Golden Apricot” international 7th film festival.

“I have arrived at Armenia with great interest and with great
expectations,” F. Akin said and added that one of the best features of
the festivals is the chance that you get to visit different countries;
otherwise he didn’t even know whether or not he will arrive to Armenia.

According to the director Yerevan is very hospitable, modest, magical
and mysterious city. He expressed hope that he will get pleasure from
the time he will pass in Yerevan.

“I will try to pass much more time not in the cinemas but in cities,”
director promised.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN DIASPORA VS BRYZA OR WHO IS TO BE BLAMED FOR ARMENIANS’ TROUBLES?

news.az
July 13 2010
Azerbaijan

Rahman Hajiyev Armenian Diaspora in the US continues attacks on US
diplomat Matthew Bryza who was nominated by US President Obama for
post of US envoy in Azerbaijan.

The official website of the Armenian National Committee of America
posts a material reflecting “doubts” of US Armenians that this decision
is true.

In addition, the website offers everyone to join the campaign of
protest. For this purpose a user will have to fill in the form and
send it to his senator by fax or e-mail. To substantiate its point,
the committee indicates 2 important aspects, as they say, including
the clash of interests and Bryza’s inability to meet the national
priorities of the US foreign policy.

When speaking about the conflict of interests, the committee accentuate
on Bryza’s spouse-Turkish in origin Zeyno Baran. To conceal their
hatred in the issue of Baran’s origin, the Armenian committee
accentuates on the employer of the diplomat’s wife-Hudson Institute.

ANCA says under publicly available information Hudson Institue received
support from such energy companies as ExxonMobile and American Gas
Foundation (Nothing seditious here-ed.)

But the fantasy of the Armenian diaspora has no limits and in this
connection ANCA has appeared to Hudson Institute about whether this
organization received funds from Azerbaijani or Turkish sources. The
absence of any answer to the question has automatically raised doubts
regarding Bryza and Obama’s decision (isn’t it absurd-ed.).

Then the Armenian committee also provides information about
the conference organized by Hudson Institute and entitled
“Azerbaijan-Turkey-US relations and their role for Eurasia”. The
words Turkey and Azerbaijan create not only allergy but also raise
doubts of almost a “mason” plot with Bryza.

Not stopping in their groundless accusations, Armenians also recall the
rumors regarding the personal life of Bryza and his spouse, presenting
unfounded information about so-called financing of diplomat’s wedding.

ANCA refers to available information saying Hudson Institute was
supported by such energy companies as ExxonMobile and American Gas
Foundation

As we see, argument on so-called “conflict of interests” is based
only on the sick imagination of some US Armenians and rumors also
spread by unhealthy persons.

Then, they also present the so-called arguments that allegedly
confirm Bryza’s incompetence as a diplomat. ANCA is trying to shift
the blame for all failures of US foreign policy in the region on
Bryza. Thus, they accuse him of failure to avert the armed conflict
between Georgia and Russia though he was personally acquainted with
President Saakashvili (?!-ed.).

He is also accused of having stated about the prevailing of
the principle of territorial integrity over the right for
self-determination.

However, here the ANCA leaders are also ignorant in the issues
of international law like the officials of Armenia, in particular,
Shavarsh Kocharyan for whom 1news.az has held a brief literacy campaign
on issues of international law that touched upon this issue too.

Then the Armenian Congress accuses Bryza of saying that it was Armenia
which occupied Azerbaijani lands. It is unclear what is wrong in
Bryza’s statement if this thesis was confirmed by the resolutions of
the UN Security Council and General Assembly and other international
organizations. ANCA’s dumbness is astonishing.

However, the list of Bryza’s “crimes” does not end with this. He is
also accused of “forcing” Armenia to normalizing ties with Turkey,
dismissal of the US ambassador in Yerevan, pressure on Armenia to
force it to make concessions in the Karabakh issue and even reducing
assistance to Karabakh separatists by US.

It is surprising that some diaspora Armenians hampering any initiative
on normalization of relations between the South Caucasus countries
can be so unconstructive and primitive. But another astonishing fact
is that their hatred to Turks and everything related to Turks can
lead them so far… at the same time, the diaspora is not ashamed of
shifting to personal life of the US diplomats.

We have repeatedly written that the diaspora is among the elements
that hamper normalization of relations between independent Armenia
and its neighbors and its overall development.

This example is demonstrative in this sense-the diaspora continues
causing harm to the Armenian state for the sake of its interests and
to harm national interests of the young Armenian state which is on
the verge of institutional collapse.

From: A. Papazian

POLUKHOV ONCE AGAIN SHOWS HE IS IGNORAMUS: MFA

Panorama
July 13 2010
Armenia

“Mr. Polukhov once again shows he is ill-mannered and ignoramus,
trying to conceal the lack of arguments,” Armenian Foreign Ministry
first press secretary Artur Sargsyan told Panorama.am, commenting on
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman’s statement.

According to Azerbaijani media, Polukhov termed Armenia’s statements
that Azerbaijan occupied Armenian territories as “absurd”.

“It’s amazing when Armenian political experts make absurd statements
and comments, blaming a sovereign state for occupying its own
territories recognized by the international community,” the Azerbaijani
official said.

From: A. Papazian

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN MET WITH THE HONORARY GUESTS OF THE GOLDEN APRICOT FILM FESTIVAL AND THE FILM MAKERS-PARTICIPANTS OF THE FESTIVAL

president.am
July 13 2010
Armenia

In the evening of July 12, President Serzh Sargsyan met with the
honorary guests of the Golden Apricot 7th International Film Festival
and the film makers-participants of the Festival from Armenia and
other countries.

The participants of the meeting told the President of Armenia about
the accomplishments of the Golden Apricot Festival in seven years of
its existence and presented the program of the Festival for this year.

They underscored that geographical representation at the Festival
expands year from year, the number of the movies presented at the
Festival grows, and Golden Apricot becomes a more prestigious film
festival.

From: A. Papazian

CHANGES IN FEES

July 13, 2010

On July 13, 2010, the U.S. Department of State will increase fees
charged for immigrant visas, passports and notarial services. The
new fees will cover actual operating expenses for our network of
301 consular posts abroad, 23 domestic passport agencies, and other
centers that provide consular services to both U.S citizens and
foreign nationals. These changes will insure that the full cost of
services will be paid by the individuals or organizations, receiving
the benefit, not by U.S. taxpayers.

The Immigrant Visa (IV) application fee – which must be collected from
all IV applicants who are not fee-exempt – will now be tiered. The
new fees will be $330 for immediate relative and family preference
cases (processed on the basis of an I-130, I-600 or I-800 petition),
$720 for employment-based cases (processed on the basis of an I-140
petition), and $305 for other cases (special IVs, Diversity Visas
(DVs), self-petitioned cases, and all other IVs). The IV security
surcharge – which must be collected from all IV applicants who are
not fee-exempt – will increase from $45 to $74. The DV fee (which is
charged in addition to the application processing fee and security
surcharge) will increase from $375 to $440. The fee for domestic
(National Visa Center) review of affidavits of support will increase
from $70 to $88. The fee for determining returning resident status
will decrease from $400 to $380.

The application processing fee for adult passport applications will
increase from $55 to $70, and the passport book security surcharge
will increase from $20 to $40. The application fee for passport cards
will increase from $20 to $30 for adults and from $10 to $15 for
minors. The fee for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad will increase
from $65 to $100, and a new fee of $82 for additional passport pages
will be imposed.

For a list of all fee changes, please consult the U.S. Department of
State’s web site:

From: A. Papazian

PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN RECEIVED MICHA LINDENSTRAUSS, STATE COMPTROLLER AND OMBUDSMAN OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL

president.am
July 13 2010
Armenia

Today, President Serzh Sargsyan received Micha Lindenstrauss, State
Comptroller and Ombudsman of the State of Israel.

The President of Armenia welcomed cooperation between the Office of
the Ombudsman of Armenia and the Office of the State Comptroller and
Ombudsman of Israel and spoke about the significance of the works
aimed at experience sharing in that area.

From: A. Papazian