Author: Babajanian Karo

DAFINA GERCHEVA: UN SUPPORTS THE OSCE MINSK GROUP EFFORTS
Artak Barseghyan

“Radiolur”
21.10.2011 18:13

Will Azerbaijan become a non-permanent member of the UN Security
Council? This will become clear during the discussions at the UN
headquarters in New York. According to Dafina Gercheva, UN Resident
Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia, Azerbaijan’s
application is already on the table.

According to Mrs. Gercheva, it’s still hard to make any predictions.

She said however, the existence of the unsettled conflict of Nagorno
Karabakh will be taken into consideration during the discussions in
New York.

Dafina Gercheva said “the UN supports the OSCE Minsk Group efforts
towards the resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh issue” and reminded
that the UN is not engaged in the settlement of the conflict.

SOS FOR TRCHKAN, SOS FOR SEVAN: ENVIRONMENTALISTS CONCERNED ABOUT INDUSTRIAL IMPACT ON ARMENIA’S WATER RESOURCES
By Siranuysh Gevorgyan

ArmeniaNow
21.10.11 | 14:12

SOS for Trchkan, SOS for Sevan: Environmentalists concerned about
industrial impact on Armenia’s water resources

The banner says: “Let’s remember that Lake Sevan is a national wealth”

Environmental movements that have been on the rise in Armenia of late
manage to draw public attention, but still seem to be unable to stop
the activities of the government and the private sector’s activities
that harm nature.

For example, near the Government building on Thursday the Minister
of Nature Protection told the green activists campaigning for the
conservation of the waterfall in Trchkan that a hydropower plant
will be built on top of the waterfall and will be in operation during
spring months, while in summer the station’s owner will not utilize
the waterfall.

“If the entrepreneur does not accept our restrictions, we should be
able to offer some compensation to him,” Minister Aram Harutyunyan
told media after a government session.

The Trchkan waterfall that was recognized as a natural monument in
2008 is located at the administrative border of Armenia’s northern
provinces of Shirak and Lori. It is the tallest and most abundant
waterfall in Armenia. In the case with Trchkan, environmentalists have
all the legal arguments that expert findings on the waterfall had
been given illegally and that it is prohibited by law to carry out
activities on a natural monument that would do it harm and threaten
its existence. But government officials and the businessman have been
reluctant to lend an ear to these arguments so far.

The same day Minister Harutyunyan told Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
that the current construction activities for the station did not
affect the waterfall and that during all months except for summer
months the hydropower plant will be operated only if its water flow
exceeds 400-500 liters per second.

The public seems to be skeptical of these assurances.

Environmentalists bring the example of the Shakeh waterfall in Vayots
Dzor where water flows through the waterfall according at the station
owner’s discretion.

Environmentalists also wonder how control will be exercised over the
activities of the owner to make sure he complies with the rules or
what will people who want to see the waterfall in spring do.

Environmental expert Armen Vermishyan says that if the station
is operated “we will have a small brook rather than the Trchkan
waterfall.”

During recent days Lake Sevan has also been an issue of environmental
concerns. Initiators of the SOS Sevan Action insist that the activities
of the grinding-sorting complex of the GeoProMining gold extraction
company in Sotk, in the Sevan basin, increases lake pollution risks
with a number of heavy and toxic elements.

In an interview with ArmeniaNow Ecolur NGO head Inga Zarafyan,
who with a number of environmentalists visited Sotk on October 18,
says that the grinding-sorting complex is being operated at its full
capacity — trucks approach the complex and they are loaded with
gold-containing ore, they then ship it to the Ararat gold recovery
factory and empty ground rock are dumped not far from the complex.

Environmentalists demand that the government stop those activities
of GeoProMining as well as the activities of Gegamet Plus (a
chromium-containing ore processing company located 2 kilometers from
the Lake Sevan shore) and Mika Cement (operating on the Ardanish
peninsula and said to cause harm to the peninsula’s diverse natural
landscape). They demand that a monitoring be conducted to find out
whether the activities of these companies are in compliance with the
provisions of the Law “On Lake Sevan”.

VIKTOR YENGIBARYAN: THE YEREVAN DECLARATION MAY INFLUENCE REAL POLITICAL PROCESSES IN THE FUTURE
Lusine Vasilyan

“Radiolur”
21.10.2011 18:02

The congress of the International European Movement kicked off in
Armenia yesterday. The event brought together about 150 civil society
representatives from almost all European countries. The congress
was aimed at raising the role of the civil society in the European
integration processes in Eastern Partnership countries.

Today the participants of the congress summed the results at the
Armenian National Assembly and discussed the provisions of the Yerevan
Declaration to be adopted at the end of the congress. Among others the
declaration refers to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, suggesting the
European Union to direct assistance programs towards the development
of cthe civil society in Nagorno Karabakh.

According to Viktor Yengibaryan, President of the European Movement
of Armenia, the Declaration refers to all issues touched upon during
the congress in Yerevan. It is comprised of three main parts.

“The first part refers to the EU assistance to the civil society,
the second is about national reforms, and the third one is related
to the liberalization of the right to free movement and facilitation
of the visa regime,” he said.

“In the declaration we suggest the European Union to launch assistance
programs in Nagorno Karabakh and other subjects with a similar status,
to promote the development of civil society,” Yengibaryan said.

The Declaration will be sent to the National Councils of 40 countries
included in the International European Movement, and to as many
international organizations.

“this is the voice of society, which should be presented to EU
member states and European organizations. Such documents have serious
influence on real political processes,” Viktor Yengibaryan stated.

This is the first time the International European Movement convenes
its congress in the South Caucasus. All previous gatherings have been
held in European countries. President of the International European
Movement Pat Cox says the congress in Yerevan was a success.

President of the European Movement of Azerbaijan Surkhan Latifov
also says to be content with the conference. Asked to present his
position on the Karabakh issue, the Azerbaijani representative said:
“Unfortunately, the European Movement is not engaged in solving ant
conflict, and we do not have a clear position on this issue. The
parties are holding negotiations now, and I thing they will reach an
agreement soon.”

110 OUT OF 350 HAZARDS KNOWN TO THE WORLD THREATEN ARMENIA
Hasmik Dilanyan

“Radiolur”
21.10.2011 16:59

Armenia is “rich” in technical and natural disasters. About 110 out
of 350 hazards known to the world threaten our country. Specialists
say this is connected with the fact that the lowest point above the
see level in Armenia is 300-350 meter, the highest point reaches 4
000 meters.

We have 100 water basins, which contain more than 1 bln cubic meters
of water. There are about 1 500 flammable and explosive objects,
26 chemical plants in the republic. Landslides are also a major danger.

The geographical location of our country and the threatening hazards
make our rescue service be alert and compel the corresponding agencies
to take all measures to reduce risks.

“So far we have been engaged in eliminating the consequences of
disasters, while it was necessary to prevent those,” Rector of the
Crisis Management State Academy Hrachya Matevosyan told reporters
today.

The problems caused by disasters cannot be solved only by taking
measures during emergency situations. Prevention of dangers is a more
effective way of solution of problems.

The Armenian Ministry of Emergency Situations, the UNDP Armenian Office
and the National Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction presented the
National Risk Reduction Strategy of the Republic of Armenia, which
aims to increase the disaster-resisting capacities of the country.

ARMEN ALAVERDYAN SAYS HE DOES NOT SEE ANY DANGER IN FREE TRADE ZONE AGREEMENT

ARMENPRESS
October 21, 2011
Yerevan

The agreement between the CIS member states on creation of free trade
zone is a historic document, deputy head of the State Revenue Committee
Armen Alaverdyan told at a news conference today.

“As an expert, I assure that there is no danger in this agreement. We
have had such an agreement that operated quite good during this years.

With this agreement the circle of cooperation expands,” Alaverdyan
said. He noted that today Armenia has an issue of export and through
free trade regime the Armenian products may be exported without
customs fees: as a result the products will become more competitive.

“It is an economic agreement of which we must try to yield fruits
and not afraid of some bad consequences,” Alaverdyan said.

EVERY ARMENIAN HAS RIGHT TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS OF HIS HOME COUNTRY – ACTIVIST

Tert.am
21.10.11

Every Armenian has the right to deal with the problems of his or
her homeland, according to Zhirayr Sefilyan, a founding member
of Sardarapat initiative and a commander of a special commander
of Shoushi.

“Since Armenia’s independence, the nation has developed a kind of
dangerous approach, that is, Armenia’s problems should be tackled by
those residing in Armenia, and the problems abroad should be dealt
with by the Armenians residing in foreign countries. That approach
became a stereotype in the course of time and unfortunately continues
to remain so to date,” reads a post in the activist’s Facebook profile.

Sefilyan said it is now time to break such stereotypes.

“Every Armenian, no matter where he or she lives, has the right to
deal with the domestic developments of his or her home country as
long as they concern national problems and are directly related to
the existence of our country and people,” he noted.

UN HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE CALLS FOR GADDAFI DEATH INVESTIGATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 21, 2011 – 15:09 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The United Nations human rights office called
on Friday for a full investigation into the death of Libyan leader
Muammar Gaddafi, Reuters reports.

“It is unclear how he died. There is a need for an investigation,” UN
human rights spokesman Rupert Colville told a news briefing in Geneva.

Referring to separate cell phone images showing a wounded Gaddafi first
alive and then later dead amidst a jumble of anti-Gaddafi fighters
after his capture in his hometown of Sirte on Thursday, he added:
“Taken together, they were very disturbing.”

An international commission of inquiry, launched by the UN Human
Rights Council, is already investigating killings, torture and other
crimes in Libya.

Colville said he expected that the team would look into the
circumstances of Gaddafi’s death.

“It is a fundamental principle of international law that people accused
of serious crimes should if possible be tried. Summary executions are
strictly illegal. It is different if someone is killed in combat,”
he told Reuters Television.

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS PLAN TO VISIT ARTSAKH

Aysor.am
Friday,October 21

“It is expected that the OSCE co-chairs Ambassadors Bernard Fassier
of France, Robert Bradtke of the United States, and Igor Popov of the
Russian Federation, who are to visit the South Caucasus will visit
Stepanakert too,” head of the central information department of the
office of Artsakh Republic president Davit Babayan told Aysor.am.

According to the preliminary information the co-chairs are to take
part in monitoring to be held on the Karabakh-Azerbaijani contact line.

NAJARIANS AGAIN FIND THEMSELVES IN ARMENIAN COURT PROCRASTINATION

hetq
14:53, October 21, 2011

K.George Najarian and Carolann Najarian, M.D. well-known
philanthropists, are being sued in a civil case by Grigor Igityan, the
man convicted of swindling them of both property and money. Igityan was
convicted on all counts in the criminal courts after more than 8 years
of hearings, trials, and appeals up to the highest court in Armenia,
and is now serving out his prison sentence in an Armenian jail.

>From jail, Igityan has instituted a civil case through the Kentron
Court of First Intention, Yerevan, against the Najarians. He is
claiming damages for financial losses he supposedly sustained due
to being tried and convicted for crimes he committed. In addition to
the court case, Najarian’s properties have been attached by the court.

This is unprecedented in legal practice not only in Armenia, but
elsewhere.

According to Najarian’s attorneys in Armenia, all demands made in
Igityan’s claim have been resolved through multiple court decisions in
the criminal case brought against him. The evidence to substantiate
these decisions against Igityan who was found guilty of knowingly
swindling the Najarians, has been confirmed up to the highest court
in Armenia. These decisions remain in force, thus it is shocking
that the lower court has agreed to hear the case and has attached
their properties

CATHOLICOS LEADS ECUMENICAL PRAYER SERVICE

asbarez
Thursday, October 20th, 2011

Catholicos with ecumenical leaders

NORTHRIDGE-His Holiness Catholicos Aram I led an ecumenical prayer
service, on Wednesday, October 19, with the participation of
spiritual leaders and clergy from the Armenian Apostolic, Catholic,
and Evangelical Churches, Coptic, Syriac, and Antiochian Orthodox
Churches, and the Roman Catholic Church.

The prayer service was hosted by the Coptic Orthodox Diocese and took
place at St. Mary and St. Athanasius Church in Northridge.

Participating in the prayer service were Western Prelate Archbishop
Moushegh Mardirossian, Bishop Serapion (Coptic Church), Archbishop
Mor Clemis Eugene Kaplan (Syriac Church), Bishop Joseph Zehlaoui
(Antiochian Church), Rt. Rev. Alexei Smith (Roman Catholic Church),
Very Rev. Fr. Krikor Chahinian (Armenian Catholic Church), and Rev.

Joe Matossian (Armenian Evangelical Union), and clergy members from
each of the Churches. The Prelate was accompanied by Archbishop Yeprem
Tabakian and clergy members.

With the singing of the “Hrashapar” hymn, His Holiness entered the
Church accompanied by the clergy. Prayers were then offered by the
leaders or clergy of each Church in their respective languages,
followed by readings from the Bible.

Remarks were delivered by Bishop Serapion, Archbishop Kaplan, and
Bishop Zehlaoui, all of whom reflected on the current situation in
the Middle East and specifically on the recent clashes in Egypt,
and expressed their hope for peace to prevail in the region. Bishop
Serapion conveyed the greetings and well wishes of Pope Shenouda III
to His Holiness.

The Prelate spoke of the purpose and significance of the ecumenical
gathering, and invited His Holiness to deliver his message.

After greeting the clergy, His Holiness commended Bishop Serapion,
who he has known for many years, speaking highly of his service in
ecumenical affairs from the Middle East to the United States, and
expressed his thanks to the Bishop for hosting the gathering.

His Holiness noted that Christian Churches were established on the
basis of peace, that peace forms the heart of our Churches and the
foundation of our mission. Christians are disciples of peace and must
remain so, and with their faith, knowledge, and hope, must preserve
their identity in the Middle East as they have deep roots in the
region and form a part of the region’s rich and ancient culture.

Being a disciple of peace does not mean being stagnant, it means
protecting one’s rights, assuming responsibility of obligations, and
contributing to the development of democracy. His Holiness concluded
by calling for strengthening of ecumenical collaboration.

An exchange of mementos followed, after which His Holiness and clergy
were hosted to lunch by the Coptic Church.

Catholicos addresses Armenian professionals at luncheon

Aram I Meets with Armenian Professionals On Tuesday, a luncheon
was held at the Prelacy during which His Holiness Catholicos Aram I
met with Armenian professionals of various fields. The luncheon was
organized by the Pontifical Visit Public Relations Committee and was
significant in that it related to the program recently initiated by
the Catholicosate of Cilicia aimed at gathering information about
our manpower in the Diaspora.

His Holiness, accompanied by Archbishop Mardirossian, Prelate, and
Councils members, was led to the “Dikran and Zarouhie Der Ghazarian”
Hall where over a hundred Armenian professionals welcomed the Pontiff.

The lunch meeting provided attendees with a unique opportunity to
discuss with His Holiness challenges and opportunities affecting our
community and to hear his paternal guidance and message. Attendees were
given forms to fill out, which will be submitted to the Catholicosate
to assist in their program of gathering data.

Master of Ceremonies Pattyl Aposhian-Kasparian welcomed the guests,
and thanked His Holiness for the opportunity to hold this important
luncheon, which she said is about acknowledging the individuals who
take on another level of responsibility and burden. “Every attendee
here volunteers their talent, skills and knowledge for the betterment
of the Armenian community. Armenians are achieving professional
milestones in larger numbers in every professional arena. We all have
potential power inside us and it is the request of His Holiness to
identify our talents, strengths and skills to serve the better good
of all Armenians.” She concluded by stating, “Your Holiness, allow
our presence today representing 12 active professional organizations
to signal our support to your initiative.”

An opportunity was given for a representative from each organization
to share information with the guests to more closely familiarize them
with the endeavors and mission of their specific organization.

The Prelate commended all the organizations present for the work they
carry out and for their service to the Armenian community. He then
invited His Holiness to deliver his message.

His Holiness expressed joy and pride at the growing number of Armenian
professionals. He noted that we must not be satisfied with the status
quo, rather individuals and organizations must strive to do more as
the work that needs to be done is unending. His Holiness also stated
that professionals must consider service as a part of their mission
and they, in conjunction with the Church, must reach out to members
of society and assist in the betterment of their communities.

A question and answer session followed on topics including confiscated
Churches in Western Armenia and the growing number of religious
factions in Armenia and the Diaspora. In conclusion, His Holiness
stated that manpower is much more crucial then financial capacity,
as manpower is God given while the financial is man-built.

The event concluded with the benediction by His Holiness.

Catholicos with Ramkavar party delegation

Catholicos Hold Meetings With Various Groups On the Tuesday afternoon,
Catholicos Aram I had a number of meetings with community members at
the Prelacy “Sulahian” reception room.

Archbishop Mardirossian, Prelate, and Executive Council member Vahan
Bezdikian, joined His Holiness at the meetings.

His Holiness met with representatives from the Armenian Evangelical
Union of North America, Armenian Writers Association of California,
Armenian Veterans of World War II and Artsakh, and the Armenian
Democratic-Liberal Party. A representative from the “Azad Or” newspaper
joined the last meeting.

The meetings were an opportunity for an exchange of information and
a discussion on general concerns of the Armenian people. His Holiness
also spoke of the main themes of his Pontifical Visit to the Western
Prelacy and the endeavors and mission of the Catholicosate.

Each of the meetings concluded with an exchange of mementos.