Author: Babajanian Karo

AZERBAIJANI UAV WAS HIT BY MILITARY HARDWARE PRODUCED IN ARMENIA

Tert.am
15.09.11

The Azerbaijani unmanned aerial vehicle was hit by military hardware
produced in Armenia, Nikolai Babayan, Head of Air Defense of Armenia’s
Armed Forces has said.

Speaking to reporters in Yerevan on Thursday, Babayan said that the
Azerbaijani UAV was shot down thanks to the use of special activities
prepared in advance.

“Unmanned flying equipments are very difficult not only to hit, but
also to discern as they are built of special composition, that is
to say they don’t have metal, and the radiolocation systems do not
reveal them,” explained Babayan.

It comes after reports that the Karabakh front troops shot down on
September 14 an Azerbaijan UAV that had crossed into Karabakh’s air
space and apparently implementing a reconnaissance task.

ARMENIAN PM TO LEAVE FOR BRUSSELS FOR THE DISCUSSION OF THE PROGRAM OF INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF STATE BORDERS IN SOUTH CAUCASUS

/ARKA/
September 15, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, September 15. /ARKA/. Delegation headed by the Prime Minister
of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan will leave for Brussels on September
19 for clarifying the sources of funding and mechanisms of the
program “Integrated management of state borders in South Caucasus”,
press-service of the government informs.

During the meeting with UNDP delegation on the head of permanent
coordinator of UN in Armenia, permanent representative of UNDP Dafina
Gercheva, Sargsyan discussed the issue of UNDP participation in the
reconstruction of state border points.

Particularly, Sargsyan emphasized the importance of continuation of
cooperation for the discussion of legal and technical issues on the
level of working groups.

He highly appreciated the process of bilateral cooperation and
provision of its continuity.

In this context the parties discussed issues related to financing of
reconstruction and modernization of border points.

The parties stressed that negotiations with EU and a number of other
structures on financing will give cooperation opportunity in this
direction.

EU allocated Armenia 7.7 million euro for modernization of three
border points (Bagratashen, Bavra, Gogavan) in the frames of the
program “Integrated management of state borders in South Caucasus”.

Development of tender portfolios for modernization program is
instructed to Latvian consulting company.

The goal of the program “Integrated management of state borders in
South Caucasus” is introduction of practical mechanisms of integrated
management of borders of Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, as well as
development of intra-departmental, inter-departmental and international
cooperation in the countries of South Caucasus, EU member-states and
international structures.

The program is targeted at the provision of legal transportation of
people and cargo, and protection of borders.

ARMENIAN MUSICIAN SAYS BETTER TO LIVE ABROAD (VIDEO)

Tert.am
15.09.11

Prominent Armenian jazz player Tigran Hamasyan has said it is better
to live outside Armenia and help the country from abroad.

At a press conference in Yerevan on Thursday, he said that it would
be impossible to live and create in Armenia.

“I cannot live in Armenia permanently. I am coming [to Armenia] and
each time I am being convinced that it would be impossible to live
and create here,” said Hamasyan.

“It would be better to live outside Armenia, but to do something for
this country [from abroad],” he added.

Tigran Hamasyan will from September 17-20 have beneficiary concerts
in Yerevan, Stepanakert and Gyumri, his native city. All the proceeds
will be sent to Pyunik benevolent union of Armenia’s disables.

Hamasyan plans to personally meet with children with disabilities
and help them with whatever he can.

Speaking about music in Armenia, Hamasyan said that there is a problem
of change of generation.

“I don’t see new people in jazz and rock [in Armenia]. May be because
very few internationally-recognized musicians are visiting Armenia,”
said he.

Hamasyan also said that during his concerts he will mainly perform
new songs from his new album titled A Fable.

Tigran Hamasyan was born in Armenia’s second largest city of Gyumri
in 1987.

NEW TRAINS TO WORK IN YEREVAN UNDERGROUND FOR 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE OF ARMENIA

/ARKA/
September 15, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN. September 15. /ARKA/. Two trains with modern technologies
and convenient salon will work in Yerevan underground dedicated to
20th anniversary of independence of Armenia, the City Day and 30th
anniversary of the underground.

The date of operation of the new trains is 15 years. The drivers
underwent training as the management of the staff is implemented
through board computers.

One of the first passengers of the train was the first deputy City
Mayor of Yerevan Taron Margaryan who walked along the wagons and was
ensured that everything was ready for the convenient train.

Margaryan also visited the cabin of the driver equipped by automated
management system.

Director of Yerevan underground Paylak Yayloyan said that this train
corresponds to international standards. It was the first, but not last.

Reforms in this system are implemented in the frames of the development
program of the underground approved by the Government of Amnesia in
2008 after the visit of the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and
then the visit of Yerevan City Mayor Karen Karapetyan. to Yerevan
underground.

GAZODUC/CASPIENNE : MOSCOU CONTRE LES POURPARLERS UE-TURKMENISTAN-AZERBAIDJAN
Stephane

armenews.com
vendredi 16 septembre 2011

La diplomatie russe a condamne mardi le debut de negociations entre
l’Union europeenne, le Turkmenistan et l’Azerbaïdjan pour installer un
gazoduc en mer Caspienne, une “ingerence” susceptible “de compliquer”
la situation dans cette region strategique, selon Moscou.

La Russie “exprime ses regrets a la suite de la decision de l’UE.

Manifestement, elle a ete prise sans etudier les realites juridiques,
internationales et geopolitiques dans le bassin de la Caspienne”,
a declare le ministère russe des Affaires etrangères.

“Les tentatives d’ingerence dans les affaires de la Caspienne depuis
l’exterieur, en particulier dans des questions sensibles pour les cinq
(pays riverains) de la Caspienne, peuvent compliquer la situation
dans cette region”, poursuit le communique.

L’UE a annonce lundi le debut de negociations avec l’Azerbaïdjan et
le Turkmenistan en vue de construire un gazoduc capable de livrer
une partie de la production de ces deux ex-republiques sovietiques
a l’Europe, en contournant la Russie, un projet combattu par Moscou.

Le projet de gazoduc transcaspien fait partie du projet plus large
de Corridor energetique du Sud, defendu par la Commission europeenne,
qui vise a livrer du gaz de la mer Caspienne a l’Europe directement.

Le projet phare de ce plan est le gazoduc Nabucco, dont la mise en
service a ete repoussee a 2017, soit un retard de deux ans sur la date
prevue, et qui doit transporter le gaz de la Caspienne a travers la
Turquie et vers l’Europe de l’Ouest, en evitant la Russie et l’Ukraine.

Les cinq pays riverains (Azerbaïdjan, Russie, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan
et Iran) de la mer Caspienne ne se sont jamais mis d’accord sur le
statut et le partage de cette vaste etendue d’eau salee fermee et
dont les fonds regorgent d’hydrocarbures.

Moscou rappelle d’ailleurs que l’Azerbaïdjan et le Turkmenistan sont
les signataires d’une declaration politique datant de 2007, selon
laquelle les riverains de la Caspienne s’engagent a ne developper
des activites hors de leurs eaux territoriales qu’avec l’accord des
autres pays.

Enfin, la Russie souligne mardi dans son communique qu’un gazoduc
sous la mer Caspienne presente des dangers pour l’environnement,
la region etant notamment très exposee aux seismes.

LA QUESTION DU FINANCEMENT DE L’ENSEIGNEMENT SUPERIEUR DISCUTEE LORS D’UNE CONFERENCE A EREVAN
Stephane

armenews.com
vendredi 16 septembre 2011

Une conference internationale de deux jours sur la question du
financement de l’enseignement superieur a debute a Erevan. L’evenement
a ete initie par le Ministère armenien de l’Education dans le cadre
de la presidence armenienne et polonaise du Processus de Bologne. La
conference vise a organiser des echanges de vues sur les mecanismes
de financement de l’enseignement superieur, sa qualite et l’efficacite
de l’education, etc .

L’Armenie et la Pologne assument la presidence du Processus de Bologne
depuis le 1er Juillet 2011. Le Premier ministre Tigran Sarkissian
a note dans son allocution d’ouverture que le système educatif est
l’une des priorites du gouvernement armenien. Selon lui, l’avenir de
l’Armenie se trouve dans la creation d’une economie du savoir.

” Cela sera possible seulement si nous avons des universites modernes”
a-t-il dit. Selon Tigran Sarkissian, la tâche principale est d’elever
la qualite de l’education et de garantir une concurrence equitable
dans le domaine.

Le ministre de l’Education et des Sciences Armen Ashotyan a dit que
les secteurs public et prive devraient aussi etre impliques dans le
financement de l’enseignement superieur dans le futur. ” Aujourd’hui,
le budget de l’Etat couvre 30% des depenses. 70% proviennent des
frais de scolarite ” a-t-il dit.

LES MYSTERES DU LAC SEVAN REMONTENT A LA SURFACE
Marion

armenews.com
vendredi 16 septembre 2011

Les trois plongeurs francais, Claude Touloumdjian, Stephane Kojayan
et Gabriel Melikian, assistes de plongeurs et scientifiques armeniens,
ont a nouveau explore le lac Sevan du 18 au 29 juillet.

L’objectif de l’operation : poursuivre les investigations initiees
durant l’ete 2010, en etendant les zones de prospection. Cent cinquante
kilos de materiel de plongee ont, pour ce faire, ete achemines via
l’ambassade de France en Armenie.

D’un coût total de 7500 euros, la mission 2011 a ete financee
par les plongeurs francais et le Centre de recherches et de
plongees souterraines (CRPS), preside par C. Touloumdjian.Voici le
photoreportage de cette deuxième expedition :

Au programme de ces onze jours d’intervention, prelèvements de
sediments, d’eau, de gaz, denombrement de la faune et de la flore du
lac, releves topographiques, a differents endroits du lac…

Les plongeurs ont par exemple constate la proliferation d’ecrevisses,
de petites crevettes et d’eponges. Un travail mene sous l’aval des
scientifiques armeniens.

Sur les rives du lac Sevan entre Vardenis et Martouni, les grenouilles
côtoient bouteilles vides et sacs en plastique. Des detritus en tous
genres que l’on retrouve sous l’eau. Le plus grand lac d’Armenie situe
a 1900 m d’altitude, principal reservoir d’eau douce, est ainsi menace
quotidiennement par la pollution humaine.

La montee du niveau de l’eau du lac (prevue dans le cadre d’un
programme d’assainissement initie dans les annees 1960) entraîne
la submersion des arbres plantes sur ses rives. Pour eviter une
catastrophe ecologique, les autorites ont mis en place un plan de
reboisement.

Une exploration inedite au lac Ala Lij, situe a 2700 m d’altitude,
a par ailleurs ete organisee, afin d’entamer une comparaison des
ecosystèmes, de la topographie ou encore de la qualite et du niveau
des eaux entre les deux lacs alpins.

Le 28 juillet, les plongeurs francais ont tenu une conference de
presse a l’Academie des sciences d’Erevan pour presenter le bilan
preliminaire de l’expedition et sensibiliser la population aux enjeux
de la protection du lac (cf. ci-dessus Claude Touloumdjian au centre).

L’occasion d’annoncer la creation d’un comite scientifique transversal
du lac Sevan charge de poursuivre les explorations, et finance par
l’Etat. Les Francais ont quant a eux l’intention de creer, d’ici la
fin de l’annee, une association afin de soutenir ces investigations.

Marion Perroud Credits photos : Claude Touloumdjian et Stephane Kojayan

Plus d’informations dans NAM n°177 – Septembre 2011

Appel aux benevoles : Le CRPS, afin de developper son action en
Armenie, a besoin de benevoles dans les competences suivantes :
moniteur E3/ E4, plongeur autonome, medecin hyperbare, expert en
materiel (Air, O², Trimix, recycleur…), webmaster, traducteur en
anglais, attache de communication… N’hesitez pas a contacter Claude
Touloumdjian pour toute information complementaire au 04.91.48.97.10.

DINK’S FRIENDS SEND LETTER TO ERDOGAN

Hurriyet Daily News
Sept 15 2011
Turkey

Dink, a Turkish journalist of Armenian origin, was the chief editor
for weekly Agos and he was shot in front of his Istanbul office in
January 2007.

The friends of murdered Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink have
penned a letter just days before the journalist’s birthday to Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan asking for those responsible for his
death to be held accountable.

“Our search for justice has been left null and void as [our efforts]
approach their fifth year. The state in its entirety that we have
petitioned saw itself as being close to the murderer.

At any rate, the murderer posed for a victorious poster of heroism
with the police and the flag,” the letter said, referring to a
congratulatory photograph of Dink’s self-confessed murderer, Ogun
Samast, with the police and a Turkish flag that was taken soon after
the suspect was apprehended in the wake of the 2007 assassination.

The letter also accused the government of promoting individuals who
threatened Dink, as well as the police chief who allegedly neglected
his duty to provide protection for the journalist. The letter also
rebuked security forces for glorifying the murder.

Camera records – many of which have been erased – suggested that five
people were involved in the murder, said the letter.

“Who are these people, Mr. Prime Minister? We want the murderers,
[both] the manifest and the furtive ones, in the name of justice,
and for righteousness to [prevail,]” said the letter.

Dink, a Turkish journalist of Armenian origin, was the chief editor
for weekly Agos, a paper published in both Turkish and Armenian. He
was shot in front of his office in January 2007; Samast was sentenced
to 22 years in prison last month.

Among the eight suspects who are being tried on charges of negligence
in preventing the murder are Trabzon Gendarmerie Commander Col. Ali
Oz and Gendarmerie Intelligence Unit Director Cpt. Metin Yıldız.

5900 YEAR-OLD DRESS FOUND IN ARMENIAN

Sky News Australia
Sept 15 2011

Archaeologists in Armenia said on Wednesday they had found parts of
a woman’s multicoloured straw dress that they believe was made about
5900 years ago.

The find was made during excavations at a cave complex in southern
Armenia where previous discoveries have included what are believed
to be the world’s oldest known leather shoe and most ancient winery,
dating back 5500 and 6100 years respectively.

‘It is the only example of clothing made of such an ancient vegetable
material,’ Pavel Avetisian, director of the Institute of Archaeology
and Ethnology at Armenia’s Academy of Sciences, told AFP.

The dress parts were dated by scientists at the University of
California and are now being restored, Avetisian said.

‘As soon as we manage to put together all the parts of the dress,
we will have a full picture of what women were wearing in the 39th
century BC,’ he said.

Avetisian said that excavations at the cave complex were still in
their early stages, and further interesting finds could be expected.

‘I am sure that it holds many more surprises for us,’ he said.

CAL WALK-ON DESTROYED THE SAT
By Diamond Leung

ESPN

Sept 15 2011

Raffi Chalian is a 5-foot-11 freshman walk-on who is getting his
opportunity to play in the Pac-12 and provide depth at the guard
position for Cal, but what truly stands out is his academic record.

Just check the test score.

According to Asbarez Armenian News, Chalian did not miss a single
question on the SAT.

“Raffi has without question, the highest GPA and SAT scores of any
high school athlete I have ever come in touch with over the many
years we have been involved helping kids get recruited. Raffi had a
4.8 GPA at Sonora H.S. and a SAT score of 2350 out of 2400. Did not
miss a single question, but had 50 points deducted off his essay,”
said Bob Gottlieb, Director of Branch West Basketball.

The Ivy League had significant interest in recruiting Chalian, but he
had his heart set on either USC or Cal. He already had major academic
scholarship offers from USC, whose well-regarded Assistant Coach Bob
Cantu loved Chalian on film and invited both he and his parents to
visit the campus and meet with Head Coach Kevin O’Neill. The meeting
went extremely well, and USC offered him the opportunity to walk on
but could not guarantee he would definitely make the team.

Cal, on the other hand, was concerned about its lack of depth at
the point guards position, with only two scholarship guards in
the program. The entire staff looked at his film package and were
impressed enough to offer him a guaranteed spot on the team as a walk
on. Chalian jumped at the opportunity to achieve his dream of playing
NCAA D1 basketball at one of the top academic schools in the US.

College basketball and the SAT haven’t always done well together —
not at Memphis or for any recruit that has fallen a few points short
of eligibility — so Chalian nearly acing the test serves as a reminder
that high-achieving students are a part of the game as well.

Certainly some students at Cal can boast of a similar score to
Chalian’s, but how rare is his 2350 among college basketball players?

As former Cornell forward Jon Jaques told me, “I’d say Ivy League
players would be very impressed. Guessing only a handful of current
players in the league scored that high.”

Chalian might not receive as many minutes as some other players
this season, but he can more than hold his own in a standardized
test-measuring contest.