Author: Andres-Papazian

Approaching asteroid bears no threat to people, Armenian astrophysicist says

YEREVAN, February 15. ARKA/. Huge asteroid that will narrowly miss the
Earth Friday night poses no threat to people, Novosti-Armenia agency
reported referring to vice president of Armenian astronomic
association astrophysicist Areg Michaelyan.

Discovered by astronomers at the LaSagra Observatory in Spain, 2012
DA14 was estimated to veer near enough to Earth to potentially disrupt
geosynchronous satellites on February 15, 2013.

Some astronomers said the chance of the asteroid hitting Earth is
0.031 percent, if it did it would hit with the force of a 2.4 megaton
explosion, similar to the mysterious Tunguska event of 1908 which
leveled hundreds of square miles of Siberian forest.

`The size of the asteroid is too small and the distance from the Earth
is too long’, Michaelyan said adding that such objects are always
under the observation of scientists.

The astrophysicist said that DA14 will have no impact on people as it
will not collide with the Earth. He also said that residents of
Armenia will not have chance to see the veering asteroid.

DA14 will not hit satellites either. The asteroid might be visible to
people with binoculars or a telescope. The close approach will be
broadcast by Slooh Space Camera, Clay Center Observatory and NASA
Television.

Friday a meteorite has flared in the sky and exploded over the Russian
region of Chelyabinsk, reportedly injuring over 250 people. About
20,000 rescuers are currently on the scene. The authorities say levels
of background radiation are within the norms in the city. -0–

From: A. Papazian

Raffi Hovannisian denies links to Freemasonry lodges

NEWS.AM
February 15, 2013 | 13:07

YEREVAN.- Armenian presidential candidate Raffi Hovannisian dismissed
suspicion of having any links to the Freemasonry lodges.

`My father Richard Hovannisian and me have never had any links to
Freemasons. We neither have been members of any organization,’ he told
reporters on Friday, adding that he sees nothing wrong in having links
to Freemasonry lodge.

Commenting on fellow candidate Vardan Sedrakyan’s statements,
Hovannisian said every person has a right to have a personal opinion
but he must be accountable for label and lies.

Raffi Hovannisian has no intention to file a lawsuit, unless he is
accused of violence (probably supposing the attack on Paruyr Hayrikyan
– ed.).

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, Sedrakyan accused
Hovannisian of masterminding the recent assassination attempt against
Hayrikyan. During a press conference on Thursday, Sedrakyan noted that
he has reasonable grounds to believe that the assassination attempt
was organized by a Freemasonry organization that conducts activities
in Western Europe and the US. As per Sedrakyan, Raffi Hovannisian and
his father, American-Armenian historian Richard Hovannisian, are
members of these Freemasonry lodges. Furthermore, Sedrakyan noted that
he knew for a long time that something is being orchestrated against
him.

From: A. Papazian

Armenia’s Ambassador to Germany Shares Cash Equally with Wife
Grisha Balasanyan

14:47, February 15, 2013

Armen Martirosyan, Armenia’s ambassador to Germany since 2009,
receives a salary of 48,792 Euros ($65,244) for his diplomatic
services. That’s what he declared as reveunue in 2011.

Before becoming ambassador to Germany, Martirosyan also served as the
executive director of HayEconomBank in Armenia. In 2011, he also
received 142,000 ($348) in stock dividends from the bank.

That same year, Martirosyan declared $52,250 and 42,863 Euros in cash assets.

His wife Anahit Arakelyan declared no revenue for 2011 but did declare
$52,250 and 42,863 Euros in cash assets.

It would appear that the ambassador shared whatever he had equally
with his wife.

From: A. Papazian

Video: Artsakh to Establish Military Academy

10:55, February 15, 2013

A program on constructing military academy named after Suvorov and
Madatov has been launched in the framework of ensuring the security of
Artsakh.

The coordinator of the works is the legendary “Commandos”, Karabakh
war hero Major General Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan. According to him, the
idea of the project belongs to Artsakh-born Levon Hayrapetyan who will
finance it. The pupils of the academy will get a military education
right from the school desks. Such academies have been already
operating in Russia, France and the USA.

`Our main goal is the adoption of the international practices, for
which a special group has been created’ said Commandos, adding that
the defence of Armenia and Artsakh is the duty of the entire nation.
The military academy will operate in line with international norms,
with students to be provided with optimal living and education
conditions.

From: A. Papazian

ARF to Voters: Rip Up Your Ballots; Just Don’t Vote for Sargsyan

;-just-dont-vote-for-sargsyan.html
13:16, February 15, 2013

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation has called on voters to go to
the polls on February 18 and cast a vote for any of the candidates
except President Serzh Sargsyan.

The party recommends that voters even invalidate their ballots if none
of the other candidates appeal to them.

The ARF, in a public statement, argues that a democratic Armenia will
be established through democratic elections and that it is incumbent
for voters to make sure that the institution isn’t discredited or used
to reproduce the current crop of leaders.

The party says that despite its efforts to forge a united opposition
ticket, it will continue the struggle to overcome the atmosphere of
uncertainty and despair in Armenia and to put the country on its
natural path of development.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIE
Gagik Tsarukian fait sa première apparition au Parlement

Gagik Tsarukian le chef du parti Arménie prospère (BHK) a assisté à
une séance du Parlement pour la première fois depuis les élections
législatives de mai dernier mais encore une fois il a évité tout
contact avec les médias.

Gagik Tsarukian a passé seulement 18 minutes dans l’hémicycle du
parlement, en prenant part à plusieurs votes. Il a quitté la chambre
par un couloir réservé au Président de l’Assemblée nationale
s’assurant ainsi qu’il ne pourrait pas être abordé par les
journalistes.

Le chef du BHK a donné pratiquement aucune entrevue aux médias qui ne
sont pas contrôlés par lui depuis sa décision de retirer son parti de
la coalition au pouvoir en Arménie à la suite des élections de mai
2012. Le retrait a été largement considéré comme un prélude à sa
participation à l’élection présidentielle de février 2013.

Gagik Tsarukian, qui dirige le deuxième plus grand groupe
parlementaire, a annoncé en décembre, cependant, qu’il ne
participerait pas à l’élection présidentielle. Il n’a jamais expliqué
publiquement cette décision inattendue.

Naira Zohrabian, une députée du BHK, a nié que gagik Tsarukian ait de
nouveau refusé de parler aux journalistes, afin de continuer à éviter
à devoir s’expliquer. « Comme tout le monde, M. Tsarukian décide
lui-même si oui ou non il doit répondre aux questions des médias,
»a-t-elle déclaré au service arménien de RFE / RL (Azatutyun.am).

Au cours de sa brève apparition à l’Assemblée nationale, Gagik
Tsarukian était accompagné par Galust Sahakian, le leader
parlementaire du Parti républicain du Président Sarkissian (HHK).

Les relations entre le HHK et le BHK n’ont cessé de se détériorer en
2012 en raison de la réticence de Gagik Tsarukian à soutenir la
réélection du président sortant. Les tensions entre les deux parties
semblent avoir diminué considérablement après la décision du BHK de ne
pas présenter ou soutenir un candidat présidentiel.

Quelques cadres du BHK font maintenant ouvertement campagne pour la
réélection de Sarkissian. La direction du BHK a rejeté les
spéculations des médias que Gagik Tsarukian et son équipe politique
renforcent subrepticement le président.

vendredi 15 février 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

Our team strongest chess national in Armenia’s history – Vladimir Hakobyan

By Lusine Shahbazyan

YERVEAN.- GM Vladimir Hakobyan is confident that Armenia will never
have such a strong national team.

Hakobyan spoke about his plans during a Thursday press conference in
Yerevan. In particular, chess player said he would not participate in
European championships.

There are two team tournaments – European championships and World
championships – held in November and December respectively. Therefore,
Hakobyan believes it is senseless to participate in the European
championship, since it is not that important.

`Young GMs can participate in the European championships. It is not up
to me to decide but I would not like to participate in that
tournament. It is my personal opinion,’ he said.

Vladimir Hakobyan said today’s Armenian chess national is the
strongest in Armenia’s chess history.

From: A. Papazian

Karabakh Armenians mark 25th anniversary of liberation movement

KARABAKH | 14.02.13 | 14:13

Photo: NKR President’s office

A rally dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the start of the
national-liberation movement in Karabakh was held in Revival Square in
Stepanakert on Wednesday.

Speaking at the rally, Karabakh President Bako Sahakyan described the
holding of such an event as a significant phenomenon both from the
political and moral-psychological points of view.

Primate of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church,
Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan, Karabakh government members, veterans
of the movement and thousands of ordinary citizens took part in the
rally.

On February 13, 1988, Armenians in Karabakh, then an autonomous oblast
in the Azerbaijani Soviet Socialist Republic, began demonstrating in
their capital, Stepanakert, in favor of unification with then Soviet
Armenia. Six days later they were joined by mass marches in the
Armenian capital of Yerevan, with the Soviet of People’s Deputies in
Karabakh voting overwhelmingly on February 20 to request the transfer
of the region to Armenia.

Nationalists in Azerbaijan responded with pogroms in Sumgait and
further ethnic reprisals against hundreds of thousands of Armenians
living in Baku and other cities and towns across the country. The
collapse of the USSR in late 1991 triggered a war over the enclave
that ended in 1994 with Karabakh Armenians gaining de-facto
independence from Azerbaijan.

From: A. Papazian

Doing Business: Armenian artisan carpets decorate U. S. Embassies and Vatican

17:26, 14 February, 2013

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 14, ARMENPRESS. “Megerian Carpets” company has
almost a century old history in the sphere of artisan carpets
production, notwithstanding the production launched in Armenia only in
2000s. The Marketing Manager of the company Hayk Ayvazyan stated: “The
first factory was opened in New York in 1917. Afterwards new factories
were opened in Pakistan, Egypt, China, Romania, Afghanistan, and
India.” A factory belonging to “Armenian Carpet” company is being
equipped in Armenia due to the efforts of the Megerians. Presently the
factory is engaged in production and selling of the antique and
artisan carpets.

The secret of success of the company is in diligence and unique production.

In Hayk Ayvazyan’s opinion the secret of success of the company is in
the dedication of the workers and administration. Among other things
Hayk Ayvazyan noted: “We have been working over the development of the
present technologies for about five years. No manufacturer shares his
secrets with others. The development of your own technologies is a
difficult procedure, which takes a lot of time. It takes thirty days
from a person to make a carpet of 1 square metres. Although the
procedure does not end here.”

The local raw materials are used to make the carpets, but the market
reaches Vatican.

Local raw materials are used in the production of “Megerian Carpets”.
In his speech Hayk Ayvazyan laid a heavy emphasis on the fact that
there are almost no troubles regarding acquiring raw materials. The
main problems refer to the consumption. Notwithstanding Hayk Ayvazyan
was proud to announce that Norman Rockefeller, Billy Johns, Cardinals
from Vatican and many other distinguished persons bought Armenian
artisan carpets.

From: A. Papazian

TIAC reveals inaccuracies in voting lists

February 14, 2013 – 17:43 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – According to 2001 and 2011 census data, Armenian
population decreased by 194 157, with the number of voters growing by
202 346, the head of Transparency International Anti-corruption Center
(TIAC) Varuzhan Hoktanyan said.

TIAC, in partnership with Open Society Foundations-Armenia, conducts
an electronic monitoring of the upcoming presidential elections. The
voting lists comprise 10,773 addresses, with over 10 voters
registered. The lists include 5,715 voters with no addresses
registered; 49,843 voters lack birth information.

Mr Hoktanyan expressed TIAC’s readiness to come up with solutions,
helping eliminate the election violations.

From: A. Papazian