Author: Andres-Papazian

Raffi Hovhannisyan’s claim against CEC rejected

2013-03-04 23:32:56

Today the RA Administrative Court, presided by justice Karen
Avetisyan, rejected the claim of the leader of `Heritage’ party, the
presidential candidate Raffi Hovhannisyan against the RA Central
Electoral Commission.

Deputy president of `Heritage’ party Armen Martirosyan said to the
reporter of `Pastinfo.am’ that such a decision of the court creates an
issue to challenge it in the Constitutional Court, because the poster
containing promotional material cannot be promotional in one place and
not promotional in the other. `A citizen looking at a poster
regardless its size, gets campaigning information, and I think that
this is another issue to apply to Constitutional Court’.

Let us recall that R. Hovhannisyan challenges inaction of the CEC and
demands to `include the cost of more then 1600 promotional posters of
Serzh Sargsyan in the overall campaign costs’ and declare CEC decision
No. 60-A void.

Raffi Hovhannisyan submitted an application with the above-mentioned
issue requesting to declare candidacy of the RA presidential candidate
Serzh Sargsyan void. On 25 February CEC rejected the application of R.
Hovhannisyan.

From: A. Papazian

APA, Azerbaijan
March 4 2013

Barack Obama: `The settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
requires meaningful movement’

[ 04 March 2013 11:16 ]

Baku. Victoria Dementeva – APA. President Serzh Sargsyan received
congratulatory message from the President of the USA Barack Obama on
his re-election, APA reports.

The letter says: “We will continue to strongly support progress in the
Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, which requires meaningful movement
toward a settlement that provides lasting peace and security.’

Barack Obama also noted that we also want to continue our work to
promote the eventual normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations.”

From: A. Papazian

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
March 4 2013

Armenian conductor waiting for that train for 20 years

by Mesut Hasan Benli
GYUMRI / Radikal

The halt of train services between Turkey and Armenia has created
several tragic human stories; one of them belongs to Agop Gevorgyan.
After train services were suspended, Gevorgyan was dismissed from his
job as a train conductor and made a guard at Akhuryan train station.

There were regular train services between the Akhuryan Train Station
in the Armenian city of Gyumri and Turkey’s DoÄ?u Kapı (East Gate)
station in Kars province. However, upon the closure of the
Turkey-Armenia border, train services were halted in 1993. With this
suspension, serious victims of tragic human stories emerged both on
the Turkish side and the Armenian side.

Friendships formed

Agop Gevorgyan was conducting the train to Kars’ DoÄ?u Kapı Station
every day for years. He carried the goods loaded from Armenia to
Turkey. From Turkey, he would bring various food items to his country.
During those trips Agop Gevorgyan became friends with many people,
primarily with an official named Å?ükrü at the DoÄ?u Kapı station in
Turkey. In March 1993, while Agop Gevorgyan was preparing for a Kars
trip, he received an order, `You will not go today, services have been
halted.’

Gevorgyan first thought this would be a short-lived decision and
expected the border to be opened soon. He waited for the start of
train services with hope. Days went by and the order of `start
services’ never came. Gevorgyan’s train never left the station to
Kars. However, Gevorgyan never abandoned the Akhuryan train station.
Because there were no train services, he was dismissed as a conductor
and was made a guard. He said, `After the services were halted I
started working as a guard in this station. Our time was spent
sitting, most of the time idly. For 20 years we have been waiting for
the train services to start. Over there, there are the lights of
Turkey. We have been watching those lights for 20 years and waiting
for the border to reopen. People in the Akhurik village situated
around this station moved away.’

`We have lost Å?ükrü’

With the closure of the border, Gevorgyan explained, those friendships
he had formed in Turkey also ended: `I had a friend named Å?ükrü in
Turkey. On those trips to Turkey, we would always get together.

We would meet each other every day. Å?ükrü was a good friend of mine
but when the border was closed, our connection was cut. I learned a
few years ago that Å?ükrü had died. I was very sad. I would have wanted
to see him again.’ Gevorgyan said he was hopefully waiting for the
train services to start.

`It is very boring for us now to wait the entire day. … It is time
the border opens and I go back and forth to Turkey with my train.’
March/04/2013

From: A. Papazian

`Hayartun’ Cultural Center held a feast of the violin

21:52, 4 March, 2013

YEREVAN, MARCH 4, ARMENPRESS: Concert of Ernest Arakelov, professor
of violin class at Vano Sarajishvili Tbilisi State Conservatoire, took
place on March 2, 2013 in the Calouste Gulbenkian Hall of `Hayartun’
Cultural Center of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox
Church in Georgia. The concert attracted the attention not only of
many ordinary listeners and lovers of string music, but of many
teachers and students of violin class as well, because they were
provided with an opportunity to once again admire the craftsmanship of
great teacher’s students. As the host of the evening, the Chairman of
the Armenian Musician’s Union of Georgia Artem Kirakozov (Grigorents)
has mentioned that to become a professional violinist, requires not
only the natural qualities, but also the intensive regular exercises
with professionals that are endowed by relevant experience.

Various compositions from the repertoire of the world-famous geniuses
of string music were performed with great skill. The hosts of the
evening Artem Kirakozov and Veronika Iashvili- Manukyan announced each
new performance with a brief comment to it. Hence, the concert was
exploratory in nature. The successful performance of violinists was
followed by the performance of pianists Teona Miqeladze and Irina
Platonova.

Master’s students of Sarajishvili Tbilisi State Conservatoire and of
E. Mikeladze Central Music School brilliantly performed during the
evening the works of Mozart, Paganini, Vazha Azarashvili, Sargis
Barkhudaryan, William Kroll, Henry Ernst and Sarasate. The audience
was amazingly warm and welcoming during the performance of Mikhe
Chung, the student of E. Mikeladze Central Music School, originally
from South Korea, who with great mastery performed `Krunk’ of Komitas.
Maestro E. Arakelov is skillfully improving performing art of the
talented violinist.

The Head of the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church in
Georgia, His Grace Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan spoke at the end of the
evening. He particularly emphasized the immensity of universal lofty
sentiments, which were so beautifully expressed by the representatives
of different nationalities. `We are encouraged by the fact that
“Hayartun” as one of the cultural centers of Georgia, is open and
hospitable, not only for the multiethnic people of Georgia, but also
for those who were born abroad,’ His Beatitude added.

Deputy Director of Department for International Programs at the
Ministry of Culture of Georgia Khatuna Khundadze and Museum Director
at Tbilisi State Conservatoire Marina Chikhladze has noted that the
hall, named after Calouste Gulbenkian, faithfully serves in the
language of high culture to growth of the good, warm and cordial in
human relations, and this evening was the evidence of this.

From: A. Papazian

Georgian PM apologizes for President’s `irresponsible remarks’

March 4, 2013 – 21:34 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Prime Minister of Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili
apologizes to international community for President Mikheil
Saakashvili’s `recent irresponsible statements’, prime-news.ge
reported.
`The government of Georgia continues its efforts for speeding up the
country’s European and Euro-Atlantic integration, for the restoration
of its territorial integrity and providing peace in the region. Our
task is to fulfill honestly the obligations towards the European Union
and the NATO, reinforce relations with our friends, Azerbaijan,
Armenia, Turkey and Ukraine and thus put forth steps for normalizing
relations with Russia.
In addition, the recent irresponsible statements and activities of the
president run counter to the course of the Georgian government to the
aforementioned directions, tarnish the country’s international
prestige and create more domestic and foreign problems to the new
government. We are sincerely sorry that the heads of the friend
governments were put in inconvenient situation as well as the
representatives of the international organizations, for which I
apologize to them on behalf of Georgia’s government,’ Georgian Prime
Minister’s statement released on Monday, March 4 reads.

From: A. Papazian

OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs repeat concerns over civilian flights to Karabakh

March 04, 2013 | 19:50

The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group once again expressed concerns
regarding civilian flights to Nagorno-Karabakh, they said in a
statement issued on Monday.

`The Co-Chairs repeated their concerns regarding the issue of civilian
flights to Nagorno-Karabakh and the recent violence on the Line of
Contact. They also discussed ideas to strengthen the ceasefire.

The Co-Chairs will travel to the region in the coming weeks to discuss
with the Presidents next steps aimed at reaching a peaceful resolution
of the conflict,’ the statement reads.

Co-Chairs Igor Popov, Jacques Faure and Ian Kelly met on March 2 with
Azerbaijani FM Elmar Mammadyarov, and on March 3 with Armenian FM
Edward Nalbandian.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: A. Papazian

Restoration of “Armenian Pastoral” mural by Minas may turn into
judicial proceedings

Ö9DDEA0-84DF-11E2-B4B7F6327207157C
Monday, March 4, 18:19

A scandal is arising around the “Armenian Pastoral” mural by Minas.
The Foundation of the well-known artist demands that Municipality of
Gyumri should pay 12 mln AMD, which was spent on the restoration work.

Arman Avetisyan, the artist’s son and the head of the Minas
Foundation, told ArmInfo that under an agreement on restoration of the
mural, the Municipality of Gyumri is to allocate 37 mln AMD. In the
meantime, it was found out in the course of the restoration work that
the given amount is not enough to do the whole work. In order not to
stop the technological process, the Foundation allocated 12 mln AMD
from its budget, and this money was particularly spent on acquisition
of restoration materials.

The problem is that the Municipality of Gyumri refuses to reimburse
this amount. “We have the right to demand reimbursement given that the
customer is the Municipality”, Avetisyan said. He added that he is
ready to apply to court to resolve this problem. He said that the
Culture Ministry and the Administration of Shirak region are informed
of the current situation.

“Armenian Pastoral” consists of two parts and is 25 meters long.
During the 1988 quake a 6-meter piece of the mural was broken,
however, the fragments were preserved. The restored mural will be in
the building of the Municipality of Gyumri. The restoration work is
not over yet.

From: A. Papazian

Another former candidate appeals Armenia’s election results in
Constitutional Court

March 04, 2013 | 19:06

YEREVAN.- Former presidential candidate Andreas Ghukasyan has filed a
petition to the Constitutional Court to recognize the February 18
presidential election results invalid.

Ghukasyan said there are numerous facts proving the ballot-rigging
took place, the Armenian News-NEWS.am correspondent reports from the
Constitutional Court.

Former candidate said he had appealed to the Constitutional Court to
clarify `why the elections were organized by Serzh Sargsyan, not the
Central Electoral Commission.’

Andreas Ghukasyan said he expects an unprecedented decision.

Earlier on Monday the petition demanidng to recognize elections
invalid was filed by representative of Raffi Hovannisian.

– See more at:

From: A. Papazian

Interview with Levon Aronian: I am proud to be Armenian

March 4

By Vera Martirosyan

YEREVAN.- Levon Aronian is very proud to be born in Armenia. `We have
given the world a lot, but at the same time, I do not think that we
always have to demand the copyright,’ he said in an interview with
NEWS.am Sport.

Levon, you always say that you find calmness in music. Does it happen
than you isolate yourself prior to any tournament and stay alone with
music?

I always like that. I am not a fanatic, but in matters of music I have
fanaticism. Because of music, I get the concept of `divine’ or
`universal’.

You’re a jazz fan. What is the genre that brings you peace?

I will not single out anyone. For me, John Coltrane is everything! He
is my faith. I can not say what kind of music he plays. You must feel
it in yourself. I also like folklore. No matter what country music:
Armenian, African, Turkish or Azerbaijani. If you find something in
common with the musician, it is wonderful.

Levon, you were always proud of their nationality, but at the same
time you are a cosmopolitan. Do you like listening to the Turkish and
Azerbaijani music, or like eating their food? The centuries-old feud
between Armenians and Turks also reflected the culture.

I would not say that I am a cosmopolitan. I am very proud that I was
born in Armenia and feel Armenian. At the same time, I am proud that I
can have fun, regardless of the name and labels. You can play music
and entertain people, not telling him what country this dish comes
from. He can enjoy it without knowing where it came from. I do not
accept the idea that there are things that should be accepted and
things which can never be accepted. This is ours, and that belongs to
them. I am very proud of my nation with its ancient history. We have
given the world a lot, but at the same time, I do not think that we
always have to demand the copyright to it. When I see these symptoms
in different people, I understand that it is not very civilized. We
should be proud of our culture, but not make an idol of it. Well, when
you share your culture with others, it is much more pleasant. I often
tell my friends or show something and say it is ours, but I’m not sure
whether we have created it or taken from other people, but it is
Armenian. I do it and say – this is from the area.

There were rumors about creating pan-Armenian chess tournament, where
all strong Armenian players could participate. Would you participate
in the tournament?

It would be great to organize such a tournament. We always had the
idea to make Armenian championship stronger. But during the year it
happens that we do not have time to participate in several
tournaments, because we still have to rest.

Levon, how can we help you?

Armenian people are doing everything for me. I feel this warmth.
People appreciate our work. It has always been my dream, and I think
every player dreams about it. In other countries, chess players are
not treated as in our country. I have not seen such attitude in other
countries. We are very pleased to feel this attitude.

You have recently posted on Twitter a photo of dolma cooked by Ariana.
This photo was quickly spread all over the internet and received very
warm reviews. What other Armenian dishes can Ariana cook?

She loves to cook different dishes. My mother had taught her a lot.
She likes to cook not only Armenian dishes, for example borsh [soup of
Ukrainian origin] and eggplant with nuts.

Do you like dolma [national Armenian dish-ed.]?

I have not eaten meat for 12 years. Mom cooks pasuts dolma [dolma
without meat – ed.] but Ariana has not learned how to cook it. This is
the next step.

Are you a vegetarian?

No, I eat fish. Simply, at some point I began to think that the
animals whose meat we eat, are very close to people. I have this bad
feeling since childhood, when I was in the countryside and saw how
they killed animals. But I have not seen how they kill fish
(laughing).

– See more at:

From: A. Papazian

Levon Ter-Petrosyan-Raffi Hovannisian meeting’s initiative should come
from Heritage, ANC rep says

TERT.AM
15:20 – 04.03.13

Heritage party’s faction head Ruben Hakobyan, speaking to Tert.am,
said he is not aware of the meeting scheduled with the Armenian
National Congress head Levon Ter-Petrosyan.

ANC member Lyudmila Sargsyan, in her turn, speaking about the
possibility of the meeting said first of all it is necessary to
propose, after which Levon Ter-Petrosyan will decide. She said she is
not authorized to say whether Levon Ter-Petrosyan will meet with Raffi
Hovannisian or not, as the former is to decide over it.

Asked about the possibility of this initiative to come from Levon
Ter-Petrosyan, Lyudmila Sargsyan said she is not authorized to answer
this question as such issue has not been discussed in the ANC.

`Levon Ter-Petrosyan has already given his assessment to the
elections, stating that Raffi Hovannisian is the elected president.
So, if it is necessary to meet, Raffi Hovannisian must come up with
such initiative after which the proposal will be discussed,’ he said.

On March 3 Heritage party leader Raffi Hovannisian and representatives
of his election headquarters and head of the parliamentary faction
Ruben Hakobyan met with representatives of the senior body of the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) Hrant
Margaryan and Armen Rustamyan and later with representatives of
Sardarapat movement Zhirayr Sefilyan and Alek Yenigomshyan.

On Saturday Raffi Hovannisian and Heritage faction’s MPs met with
leader of the Armenian Prosperous Armenia party Gagik Tsarukyan and
PAP’s faction MPs.

From: A. Papazian