Author: Andres-Papazian

Screen International
Sept 27 2012

Armenia selects drama as foreign language Oscar entry

27 September, 2012 | By Elnaz Toussi

Natalya Belyauskene’s If Only Everyone will fly the flag for the
Eurasian country and its North American premiere screening will close
the Arpa International Film Festival in Los Angeles on Dec 1.

The film takes place 20 years after Armenian independence and centres
on a young Russian woman’s efforts to plant a tree on her father’s
grave only to discover the burial site lies on the other side of the
border in Armenia.

The North American premiere of Gor Kirakosian’s comedy Lost And Found
In Armenia is set to open the festival on Nov 29.

The festival will present more than 40 films that will include
feature narratives, short films, documentaries, music videos and
animated films from more than 25 countries.

`Our committee of board members and devoted volunteers are working
hard to stage yet another dazzling festival,’ Arpa Foundation For Film
Music And Art A founder Sylvia Minassian said. `Our goal is to launch
the careers of emerging filmmakers and celebrate the independent film
work of our festival’s most gifted filmmakers.’

From: A. Papazian

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Sept 27 2012

Armenia prepares for presidential elections

Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to VK

Armenia wakes up after summer. The political situation begins to adapt
to the presidential elections in February 2013. Leaders of the union
National Self-Determination and the party New Times, Parujr Ajrikian
and Aram Karapetian, intend to go to the polls. But both of them are
outsiders. Most likely, this group will include two or three more
candidates who take part in elections for participation only.

The more important politician, the chairman of the opposition party
Heritage, Raffi Ovannosian, stated on ontention to participate in the
elections. The former US citizen who gained Armenian citizenship in
the early 2000s has the right to go to the polls for the first time.
Ovannisian stated that Armenia needs an innovative president who would
be able to fulfill necessary reforms. Moreover, he said that the law
should be supreme in the country, power branches should be separated,
major business should be separated from the public management, and a
vicious monopoly system should be destroyed.

After the July session the administration of Dashnaktsutyun declared
that the party might present its own candidate at the presidential
elections, but his name is still unknown.

Nevertheless, none of key players has stated on participation in the
elections officially. Of course, it doesn’t concern Serge Sargsyan.
Nobody has doubts that the current president will go to the polls. We
mean his predecessors who were politically active during Sargsyan’s
term. At the moment, observers reject the possibility of Levon
Ter-Petrosyan and Robert Kocharyan’s participation in the elections.

The head of the research center `Sociometer’, Agaron Adibekian, thinks
that if Robert Kocharyan sees surveys data, he won’t take part in the
elections. `Levon Ter-Petrosyan has no chances to be a common
candidate from the opposition, while nomination from the ANC will lead
to failure.’

The head of the Regional Research Center, Richard Giragosian, believes
that participation of both ex-presidents is unlikely: `Ter-Petrosyan
presents a significant political force, and at the moment he is an
active player involved into Armenian politics. But I think it would be
reasonable for Ter-Petrosyan not to participate in the elections
again.’

The same view is shared by the deputy director of the institute
Kavkaz, Sergey Minasian, who says that Ter-Petrosyan is not new: `The
ANC has lost a big part of its followers; the political field was
divided between the Republican Party of Armenia and Prosperous
Armenia. Levon Ter-Petrosyan has always had political intuition. That
is why he is biding time.’

Considering huge political experience of Ter-Petrosyan and Kcharyan,
we should not exclude the other way of developments, moreover, 5
months are left ahead of the elections. In this sense the recent
sensational statement by the former aide of Kocharyan, Garnik
Isagulian, on existence of a secret organization `Mgeri Dur’ which
collects information on Armenian elite is interesting. Isagulian said
that the organization has the list of all military and political
activists who have had power, including information on their private
and social activity. Referring the list, Isagulian stated that since
1994 about $17 billion were taken away from Armenia.

The political technologist Armen Badalian says that Isagulian’s
statement should be considered only in the context of coming
elections.’ Of course, nobody will publish damaging information or
state on its existence for free. Blackmailing elements are clearly
seen in the statement by the former aide of the president. It is
difficult to say who stands behind this affair,’ the political
technologist states. He also affirms that Robert Kocharyan might stand
behind Isagulian.

One more major political player in the country is the chairman of the
party Prosperous Armenia, Gagik Tsarukian, who is not in a hurry to
express his view on the elections. The pro-governmental mass media
makes confident statements that Tsarukian will support Sargsyan in the
elections. The leader of PA continues to keep silence. At the moment
it is difficult to predict PA’s plans, but it is impossible to believe
that such a powerful political force will remain indifferent to the
elections.

From: A. Papazian

PRESIDENT HOLDS MEETING AT DEFENSE MINISTRY: ‘IT IS TOO BAD THAT I DON’T SEE FIERCE FIGHT AGAINST SUCH PERSONS INSIDE MINISTRY’

Panorama.am
27/09/2012

The President of the Republic of Armenia, Commander-in-Chief of the
RA Armed Forces Serzh Sargsyan conducted a meeting at the Ministry
of Defense of Armenia on September 26 with the participation of the
commanders of the General Staff, headquarters, and military units,
presidential press service reported.

The meeting was dedicated to issues related to the process of
procurement for the needs of the RA Ministry of Defense. The Head of
the Presidential Oversight Service reported on the main findings and
conclusions reached in the course of the examination.

The issue raised in the report was pertaining to the transparency
of the bidding process and assuring a competitive environment. After
presenting a number of factual indicators, the Head of the Oversight
Service noted in his conclusion that in the bidding packages there were
numerous instances when the bidding was conducted by more or less same
individuals. Besides, there have been cases with so called “universal”
organizations which were supplying foodstuff, automobile spare parts,
fuel and lubricant substances and were conducting construction
works. According to the report, the investigation conducted in the
last two years revealed that the list of the suppliers is almost
unchangeable. In the course of the investigation revealed were also
some circumstances which were also influencing the shaping of the
competition environment and transparency of the process.

The second reported issue was pertinent to the market prices for the
goods and similar items procured for the RA Ministry of Defense. It
was noted that the working group on the selective basis looked into
some contracts regarding purchasing certain goods and agreements
signed on their base. It was underscored that upon the Presidential
instructions, in relation to the market prices for the goods purchased
by the Ministry of Defense, after the investigation conducted by the
Presidential Oversight Service in 2011, currently the situation has
somewhat improved and in general the prices of the supplied goods
correspond to the wholesale prices for similar goods. Nevertheless,
according to the conclusions, some of the goods can be purchased at
a lower price. At the same time, the working group established that
not only high prices of the goods can pose some risks but also their
actual quantity and quality.

At the meeting, the next issue under discussion was pertinent to the
organizations related to certain individuals which won biddings and
signed agreements with the RA Ministry of Defense.

The President assessed as impermissible violations at the expense
of the scarce state resource and the troops and strongly criticized
individuals who display such approach. “It is too bad that I don’t see
a fierce fight against such persons inside the Ministry. The Minister
of Defense and the Chief of Staff must be watchful lest the people
who struggle against such occurrences don’t have problems tomorrow
or day after tomorrow,” President Serzh Sargsyan said and underscored
that when a commander of a battalion, a company or a regiment observes
that their superiors protect the people who are honest, the situation
will change and will influence the entire moral and psychological
environment. The Minister of Defense assured the President that from
now on they will be more persistent regarding the works of the Ministry
and according to the Presidential instructions will reinforce control
at all stages of the process of the bidding organization and pricing,
supply of the purchased goods and their handling. “Mr.

President, we will be working on every detail and will do our best
that the RA Ministry of Defense become exemplary in conducting the
procurement,” Seyran Ohanian, the Minister of Defense said.

After the meeting, the President of the Republic of Armenia,
Commander-in-Chief of the RA Armed Forces Serzh Sargsyan conducted
private consultations with the Minister of Defense, Deputy Ministers,
Chief of Staff and their Deputies on issues related to combat readiness
and armaments.

From: A. Papazian

THE ARMENIAN SIDE WILL NOT LEAVE AZERBAIJAN’S PROVOCATIONS UNANSWERED

ARMRADIO.AM
16:15 27.09.2012

Armenia, Ministry of DefenseThe Armenian Ministry of Defense has
expressed deep condolences over the death of soldier Vaghinak
Baghdasaryan, killed by the enemy’s bullet in one of the military
units of Armenia.

“This is a very heavy loss to us. With such steps the rival contributes
to the destabilization of the situation at the line of contact. The
Armenian side will not leave unanswered these provocative steps,
which the Azerbaijani side carries full responsibility for,” the
Ministry of Defense said in a statement.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN-ARGENTINEAN ENTREPRENEUR EURNEKIAN MAY BUY ARMAVIA – PAPER

PanARMENIAN.Net
September 27, 2012 – 14:59 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – According to Haykakan Zhamanak daily, the owner
of Armavia Mikhail Baghdasarov confirmed the information on the air
company’s sale.

“For 3 years, everyone’s been reporting the oncoming sale of the
company, now we’re the ones to announce the sale,” he told the daily.

At the same time, Armavia didn’t deny reports of a visit of Italian
entrepreneurs, as well as those of a sale of 100% of company shares.

“In 2008, Zvartnots airport owner Eduardo Eurnekian purchased Volare
Italian firm. Could the visiting Italian businessmen be representing
Volare, which in turn would mean Eurnekian will become Armavia’s buyer?

Armavia spokesman refused to provide the information on the issue
above,” the daily said.

From: A. Papazian

RUSSIAN DUMA SPEAKER REFUSES TO SPEAK AT PACE

PanARMENIAN.Net
September 27, 2012 – 15:15 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The speaker of the lower house of the Russian
parliament, Sergei Naryshkin, refused to speak before the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) because of “Russophobes”
waiting to pan Russia’s political system.

“The closer we got to the opening of the PACE session, the more we
felt that my strategic proposals were unlikely to receive a fair
hearing from the assembly, from a host of leaders and Russo-phobic
delegations,” Naryshkin told journalists in Moscow on Thursday,
Sept 27.

Naryshkin, who was to lead the Russian delegation to the PACE
session, had planned to discuss major issues in the development of
parliamentarianism in Europe in his speech next Monday.

“[But] there is more interest in other things. I believe it is possible
I could address the session when the circumstances are appropriate,”
Naryshkin said.

The entire Russian squad of 36 parliamentarians may opt to snub the
PACE session, State Duma deputy Robert Shlegel said on his Twitter
on Thursday, echoing earlier unofficial reports.

But the claim was rejected later the same day by his senior colleague,
Alexei Pushkov, the head of the Duma’s international affairs committee,
who will be replacing Naryshkin as the delegation’s head.

The assembly is scheduled to examine on Tuesday a new report on
Russia’s honoring of its PACE commitments – the first such study
since 2005 – and to pass a resolution on it.

The draft resolution, prepared by rapporteurs Andreas Gross and Gyorgy
Frunda, proposes to tighten monitoring over how Russia is working to
meet its commitments to the Council of Europe.

From: A. Papazian

ARTAK NAZARYAN’S MOTHER HANDED OPEN LETTER TO FULE

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 14:18:36 – 27/09/2012

Hasmik Hovhannisyan, mother of Artak Nazaryan, who died in the army
at peacetime, handed her open letter to the European Commissioner for
Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule in front of
the House of Government.

Stefan Fule and his delegation stopped for a few minutes in front
of the House of Government and talked to the parents of soldiers
who died at peacetime. The parents say that when Fule was told that
Armenian soldiers are killed not only by the rival but also their
fellow soldiers, he was surprised.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN RESCUERS AMONG THOSE DISTINGUISHED IN NATO TRAINING IN GEORGIA

Vestnik Kavkaza
Sept 27 2012
Russia

The official closing of NATO’s “Georgia 2012” field training exercise
was held Thursday in Georgia, News.am reports.

The event, which had kicked off in the city of Rustavi on September
22 and during which a strong earthquake scenario was enacted, brought
together over 1,000 people – comprising search and rescue teams,
observers and experts – from 24 NATO-member and partner countries
and from a variety of international organizations that respond to
disasters, Armenia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) press
service informs.

During the closing ceremony, awards were given to those participants
who stood out through their high-level professional preparedness,
and members from the MES rescue squad likewise were among the award
recipients.

The head of the Armenian delegation, MES Rescue Service Director,
Major General Sergei Azaryan also presented MES awards to the foreign
participants in the training.

From: A. Papazian

SAFAROV’S PARDON JEOPARDIZED THE PEACE PROCESS, FULE SAYS

Mediamax
Sept 27 2012
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. European Commissioner for Enlargement and
Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule said in Yerevan today that “we should
continue working for the sake of peace as only with peace and in
stability can we give value to the goals we’re striving to reach”.

Stefan Fule said this during his joint press conference with Prime
Minister Tigran Sargsyan touching upon the situation caused by Ramil
Safarov’s pardon, Mediamax reports.

“I express my deep concern and pity over the harm inflicted to the
peace process as a result of Ramil Safarov’s pardon and glorification
of his crime by some people”, he said.

From: A. Papazian

YEREVAN TO SUE BAKU AT INTERNATIONAL COURT OVER PARDONING OF ARMENIAN OFFICER’S KILLER

Interfax
Sept 26 2012
Russia

Armenia will challenge in court the decision of Azeri President Ilham
Aliyev to pardon officer Ramil Safarov sentenced to life in jail for
killing an Armenian serviceman and extradited by Hungary.

Expert in international law Levon Gevorkian and Haik Makuchian,
who was nearly the second victim of Safarov, announced the plans at
a Wednesday press conference in Yerevan. The press conference was
dedicated to Gurgen Margarian, whose 34th birth anniversary was marked
on September 26.

The lawsuit format and the court are under consideration, they said. A
Hungarian court recognized Makuchian as an aggrieved party.

“The entire state machinery is involved in this case,” Makuchian said.

Gevorkian said it was a violation of the right to life by the Azeri
state.

“We cannot hope that Ramil Safarov will be put in prison after the
case is heard at international courts. Most probably, there will be
moral and material amends and certain political steps,” Gevorkian said.

Armenian and Azeri officers, among them Margarian and Safarov, attended
English language courses of the NATO Partnership for Peace program
in Budapest in February 2004. Safarov came to the unlocked room and
killed the Armenian officer in his sleep with an axe on the night of
February 19. He also tried to kill Makuchian, but his door was locked.

The Budapest Court sentenced Safarov to life in jail and deprived
him of the right to parole for 30 years on April 13, 2006. Yet he was
extradited to Azerbaijan on August 31, 2012. Safarov was immediately
pardoned by the Azeri president, his military rank was upgraded and he
received gifts – a home and eight years of back pay. Yerevan suspended
diplomatic relations with Budapest on the same day.

From: A. Papazian