Author: Babajanian Karo

TRIUMPHAL MARCH OF ARMENIAN CHESS PLAYERS IN CHENNAI GOING ON

ARMENPRESS
August 11, 2011
YEREVAN

In the 8th round of the World Junior Chess Championship in Chennai
town, China, Armenian Grand Master Robert Hovhannisyan took victory
over leader of the tournament, Italian Axel Rombaldoni, and now shares
the 1-2nd places with Indian A. Koushik.

The other participant of Armenia – Grand Master Samvel Ter-Sahakyan,
took victory over Russian chess player Maxim Matlakov and shares the
3-4th places with Axel Rombaldino.

The championship will finish on August 15.

YOUTH SHORT FILM COMPETITION IS ORGANISED

Noyan Tapan

11.08.2011

(Noyan Tapan – 11.08.2011) The United Nations in Armenia is organizing
a Youth Short Film Competition in 2011 to which youth from all over
Armenia are invited to participate.

The competition is being held by the United Nations Department
of Public Information in Yerevan with the support of the Armenian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

1. Theme and Objectives

1.1. Theme Youth are encouraged to produce a short film related
to the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(UDHR). Films can be produced in groups and in co-operation with
educational institutions.

1.2. Eligibility Eligible are any young Armenian citizen (17 to
25-years old).

1.3. Objectives The aim of the competition is to raise awareness among
young people on human rights and on the 30 articles of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, to give them the opportunity to tackle
this topic from a cinematic creative point of view, and to offer an
opportunity to participate in the Human Rights Day celebration. The
film festival will take place on Human Rights Day in December 2011
in Yerevan.

The same event will simultaneously take place in other UN Member
States. The award ceremony in Armenia will be live broadcast,
connecting youth of different countries, who will be able to talk to
each other via internet, promoting international dialogue, building
tolerance and sharing UN values.

All entries will be posted on UN Armenia YouTube Channel
() and the general public will
be invited to vote to select the best film.

2. General Guidelines

2.1. Submission and deadline Please send films to the UNDPI in Armenia
by Friday, November 19, 2011, via email to [email protected] or
bring the copy of film on DVD to the UN House (address: 14, Petros
Adamyan, Yerevan). Please enclose the copy of your passport first
and second pages and the summary what the film is about (in English
and Armenian languages).

The envelope should be titled: UN Department of Public Information,
Human Rights Film Festival.

2.2. Technical guidelines The length of the submitted films
must not exceed three minutes. They should be digital and can be
fictional/feature, documentary or animation, or any other category,
as long as they cover the topic of Human Rights. The films can be in
English, or Armenian, or Russian languages or even silent.

They can be produced with any digital equipment available; all types
of video cameras of all categories, also mobile phone cameras are
eligible for use. Only these formats will be acceptable: avi, mp4, mov.

All films should respect Armenian copyright legislation.

Entries which will not comply with the above mentioned requirements
will not be considered. 2.3. Rights The festival organizer has the
right to use/publish the competition entries for non-commercial
purposes; the participants of the competition also have the right of
using/publication of their own product.

3. Awards There will be two award categories: i. UN Jury (consisting of
MFA and UN experts) Award. ii. General Public Award (through YouTube
voting). All entries will be posted on UN Armenia YouTube Channel
() and the general public will
be voting to select the best film.

4. Support Information and educational materials on human
rights are available at:

4.1. Questions For further questions please contact:

UN Department of Public Information in Armenia United Nations House
14 Petros Adamyan Street Yerevan 375010, Armenia Tel: (374 10) 56 60
73 ext. 206, (374 10) 56 02 12 E-mail: [email protected]

AUSTRALIAN FEST TO FEATURE ARMENIAN JAZZ WORKSHOP

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 11, 2011

PanARMENIAN.Net – The students in Lightning Ridge, New South Wales,
Australia, have an opportunity of joining exceptionally talented
singers from the most remote third of NSW who will converge for the
sixth sensational year on Coonamble for the Moorambilla Festival.

Students are selected from a rigorous workshop and audition process.

They will take part in a series of workshops in composition, movement,
percussion, music skills development and visual art with indigenous
artists, during intensive creative residency camps at Baradine
in August in preparation for recordings and performances at the
Moorambilla Festival in Coonamble between September 22-25.

There are workshops in fire sculpture, Japanese drumming, sword
dancing; blues singing. Armenian, Greek and Jazz workshops are also
scheduled, The Ridge News reported.

GERMAN TOWN HIDES FAMILY IN FIGHT AGAINST DEPORTATION

Tert.am
11.08.11

German authorities recently ruled that a family of Armenian asylum
seekers should be deported after 13 years of living in the country,
Spiehgel online reported in a recent article.

It said the family never showed up to the airport. Residents of their
town reportedly hid the family for almost two weeks until officials
agreed to review their case.

For almost two weeks, the Baveyan family had been missing. Rumor
had it that residents in the Baltic Sea coast town of Kuhlungsborn,
Germany, were concealing their whereabouts from police and immigration
officials to prevent their deportation, though no one would say more.

Their efforts, along with widespread protest, seem to have paid off —
at least temporarily. The family emerged from hiding on Tuesday after
officials agreed to extend their visas by four weeks pending review
of their case in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

“We are happy,” mother Kristine Baveyan told regional daily Ostsee
Zeitung. “But it’s not over yet.”

The small victory came after a state commission narrowly ruled in
February that, after 13 years in Germany, the family of four would
have to be sent back to Armenia. Officials suspect that the family
father, political asylum seeker Artur Baveyan, may have a criminal
background, though they have not revealed any details. Artur, along
with his wife Kristine and their two children, were subsequently
scheduled for deportation this month. But the Baveyans didn’t show up.

In the meantime, around 200 of the some 7,000 residents of the town in
the eastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania took to the streets
to protest their deportation. The Baveyans are reportedly well-liked
and have many friends in the seaside resort community. Artur owns
a doner kebab shop, while Kristine helps elderly people with their
day-to-day concerns. Both of their children, 12-year-old Geworg and
nine-year-old Anne, were born in Germany and have grown up with the
language and culture. The youngsters receive good grades in school
and are members of local sports clubs.

A group of protesters recently gathered in front of the Baveyans’
doner kebab shop. Holding signs in the sunshine, Geworg’s and Anne’s
schoolmates and teachers said they didn’t want to see the children go.

Members of local football club FSV Kuhlungsborn also turned out to
express their unwillingness to part with youth team forward Geworg.

Among the crowd were also Artur’s work colleagues and pensioner Joachim
Robrahn, who has known the family for six years. Kristine helps him
with his household chores. “This is mainly about the children,” he
told SPIEGEL ONLINE. “If they were to be deported now, they would be
foreigners in their own country. One can’t just pack a bag and move
away after 13 years.”

According to Robrahn, each family member would have been allowed to
carry just 12 kilograms (about 26 pounds) of luggage on their journey
— forcing them to leave most of their belongings behind.

One young man claiming to have close contact with the family while
they were in hiding said they were fearful of their uncertain future.

“They are afraid each time they hear a siren and are terrified,”
he said. “The children are traumatized and the mother actually needs
psychological treatment.”

One of the family’s lawyers, Stefan Taschjian, has filed two cases with
the Schwerin administrative court appealing the deportation decision,
local daily Ostsee Zeitung reported earlier in the week.

“I feel terrible for the children,” state Interior Minister Lorenz
Caffier told SPIEGEL ONLINE before the family came out of hiding. “But
even I can’t change this ruling.”

But the controversy gained so much attention in the region that
state Governor Erwin Sellering stepped in. With state municipal and
parliamentary elections coming up in September, he called for the
commission to review the family’s case once more.

Kuhlungsborn Mayor Jeane Wohlschlegel agrees with taking such action.

“Here on the Baltic Sea coast we don’t have a lot of foreigners,” she
said. “But when it comes to deportation, it needs to be decided on a
more individual basis in the future. This is about children who speak
fluent German, get good grades and have a bright future in Germany.”

HERITAGE PARTY ISSUES APPEALS TO ARMENIAN PREMIER, YEREVAN MAYOR’S SOBERNESS

Tert.am
11.08.11

In response to the Armenian authorities’ actions “aimed at doing
away with small business,” the Heritage party has issued a statement,
calling on the Armenian prime minister and Yerevan mayor “to be sober.”

In its statement the party points out a grave socio-economic situation
in Armenia. The party stresses that the removal of stalls will cause
further emigration from Armenia as this type of small business is
the only means of earnings for thousands of people and their families.

“It would just and decent of you to start clearing the Yerevan city
with the facilities owned by you and your relatives and friends –
restaurants, stores and other facilities in the Hranzdan gorge, Opera
square and public parks, tall buildings constructed in the yards of
residential buildings. And this criminal construction has not been
put an end to. On the contrary, new projects are being implemented,”
says the statement.

“We are calling on you to be sober so that you not heighten the social
tension thereby endangering the foundations of our statehood,” says
the statement.

LA MAIRIE D’EREVAN UTILISE LA FORCE CONTRE LES COMMERCANTS
Marion

armenews.com
jeudi 11 aout 2011
ARMENIE

La police antiemeute a utilise la force contre les commercants dans
une rue animee d’Erevan, mercredi 10 aout, alors qu’elle appliquait
la decision controversee du maire Karen Karapetian de fermer des
milliers de kiosques a travers la capitale armenienne.

Face a la resistance farouche de leurs proprietaires, les employes
municipaux ne sont parvenus a demonter que deux des 10 kiosques de
la rue Papazian dans le district d’Arabkir.

Les manifestants, des femmes pour la plupart, ont ete rejoints par
plusieurs deputes du parti Heritage ce qui a provoque de courtes
echauffourees avec les policiers. Certains ont ete legèrement blesses.

Autre soutien aux manifestants, Aleksandr Ghazarian, haut fonctionnaire
du bureau du Premier ministre Tigran Sarkissian. A.

Ghazarian a exige qu’Hrayr Antonian, l’adjoint au maire menant
l’operation a Arabkir, montre une copie de la decision du maire prise
debut 2011.

” Appelez la municipalite et elle vous le confirmera “, a repondu A.

Antonian, en defendant les actions du gouvernement.

La fermeture des kiosques a commence il y a trois mois et s’est
acceleree la semaine dernière. De nombreux proprietaires ont recu des
avis les informant que leur kiosque serait demantele dans un delai
de trois jours. Certains ont jure de resister a l’application de
l’interdiction, tandis que d’autres manifestent chaque jour depuis
vendredi devant la mairie.

Selon le bureau du maire, la decision s’applique aux kiosques sans
licence valide du gouvernement ou situes sur les rues principales
d’Erevan. Les autorites municipales avancent que d’autres emplacements
seront proposes aux proprietaires de kiosques concernes par cette
dernière disposition.

Beaucoup de commercants concernes considèrent ces fermetures forcees
comme illegales et injustes, compte tenu du chômage massif en Armenie.

Ils montrent a l’appui de leurs arguments des copies de licences
du gouvernement et des certificats attestant de la legalite de leur
entreprise. Certains ont egalement des credits bancaires a rembourser.

Le proprietaire de l’un des kiosques rue Papazian menaces de
fermeture a pretend avoir emprunte 15 000 dollars l’an dernier. ”
Comment vais-je rembourser ce pret d’ici 2015 ? ”

” Ce kiosque fait vivre deux familles… Regardez les documents
signes que j’ai. Comment peuvent-ils fermer mon kiosque sur ordre
verbal ? “, ajoute-t-il.

” Arrete de pleurer, ma cherie “, lance-t-il a sa femme qui pleure. ”
Nous allons tout vendre et partir… Ce pays n’est pas un bon endroit
pour vivre. ”

Un policier a tente en vain de calmer une autre proprietaire de
kiosque. ” Comment puis-je me calmer ? “, criait-elle. ” Ils me
depouille de mon gagne-pain. ”

Les representants du parti Heritage ont egalement condamne les
fermetures forcees. ” Si la municipalite pense que ces structures sont
illegales, alors tout le monde, y compris l’ancien maire et les chefs
de district, doivent etre d’abord tenus responsables d’avoir permis
leur construction “, a declare Stepan Safarian, l’un des deputes.

K. Karapetian est demeure neanmoins inflexible. ” Il existe un ordre de
demontage des kiosques dans cette rue et elle sera executee dans son
integralite “, a affirme la porte-parole du maire, Shushan Sardarian,
a RFE / RL.

S. Sardarian a ajoute que l’administration du district d’Arabkir a
propose de fournir aux personnes concernees ” des emplois et une aide
materielle “. Elle a egalement declare que quatre autres kiosques
situes sur la rue Papazian ne seront pas fermes car les commercants
sont proprietaires des parcelles concernees.

La porte-parole a indique la semaine dernière que quelque 1 200
commerces ont ete demanteles a ce jour.

K. Karapetian et ses collaborateurs ont declare que ces mesures sont
necessaires pour donner a la ville d’un million d’habitants un aspect
plus ” civilise “.

“EREBUNI” TO LEAVE FOR CYPRUS TO TAKE PART IN UEFA FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP TOMORROW

Mediamax
Aug 10, 2011
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. “Erebuni”, 2011 Armenian Futsal Championship winner,
will take part in UEFA Futsal Cup in Cyprus on August 13-21.

As “Erebuni” sports club Manager Arman Manukyan told Mediamax, the
team is in “G” group and will compete with the champions of Albania,
France and Cyprus.

Arman Manukyan said that in case of victory over its competitors within
the “G” group, “Erebuni” will pass to the next round and compete with
Serbian, Ukrainian and Israeli champion teams.

“We did well in 2009 UEFA Cup by passing the first round. Our boys are
ready for victory this year as well and we are leaving in a changed
and younger composition”, said Arman Manukyan.

According to him, though futsal is new sport it has big development
potential and needs support as well.

“Erebuni” futsal team, set up in 2007, won Armenian Futsal Championship
in 2010-2011season 3 rounds earlier than its end.

ARMENIA HIGHLY PRO RUSSIAN COUNTRY IN THE WORLD

The Messenger
Aug 10, 2011
Georgia

According to Gallup, polling in 2010 in 104 countries in the world
showed Armenia to be one of the most pro Russian countries. Around
75% of those asked support Russia’s political and economical course
and only seven percent of the Armenian population object to Russia’s
movements. In Georgia, Moscow’s policy is supported by a mere 6%,
whereas 80% are against Russia’s position. Only 54% of the Azeri
population was pro Russian whereas 19% were opposed.

Armenia and Russia are strategic partners; Russia is the biggest
investor in Armenia. A Russian army base is located in Armenia and
there are serious ties between the two countries.

RF’S USE OF RADARS IN AZERBAIJAN NOT CONTRADICTING ARMENIA INTERESTS

ITAR-TASS
Aug 10, 2011
Russia

YEREVAN, August 10 (Itar-Tass) – Russia’s use of the radar station in
Azerbaijan does not contradict the interests of Armenia’s security
and favors improvement of the situation in the region, Armenia’s
First Deputy Defense Minister David Tonoyan said in an interview,
published by the ministry’s press service on Wednesday.

“With the strategic character of the Armenia-Russia inter-allied
relations, we do not at all consider Russia’s use of the Gabala radar
station as actions contradicting Armenia’s security, but, rather on
the contrary,” he said.

The Gabala radar station is a part of the Russian system of missile
warning. It is located not far from the city of Gabala in Azerbaijan.

The station used to be the USSR’s major element of anti-missile
defense. As Azerbaijan gained independence, the station became its
property, and Russia has been renting it. The agreement stated the
station’s status as an information-analytical centre which is property
of Azerbaijan and which is being rented by Russia for the term of ten
years till 2012 with an option of extension. The rent term expires
in December, 2012. Russia has been using the station to control the
air and space in the southern direction and to warn about possible
launches of ballistic missiles, including from countries like Iran,
Pakistan and India.

In late July, Russia’s Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov was in
Azerbaijan on a working visit, where he discussed, among other issues,
extension of the Gabala station’s rent. Following the visit, Serdyukov
told reporters that “Russia has drafted suggestions on further use
of the Gabala radar station, including its modernization.” As he
said, a working group will come to Baku to discuss with Azerbaijan’s
counterparts technical issues of further use of the station. Besides,
within two years Russia will finalize reconstruction of the Gabala
radar station.

YEREVAN MAYOR’S OFFICE: DISMANTLEMENT OF THE BOOTHS IS REALIZED WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF LAW

Mediamax
Aug 10, 2011
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Yerevan Mayor’s Office stated today the
dismantlement of the booths located on Komitas-Papazyan crossroad is
carried out within the framework of law.

Shushan Sardaryan, Spokesperson for Yerevan Mayor’s Office, informed
Mediamax that only 4 out of 14 booths have valid lease dates and
alternative variants are arranged to be discussed.

“The Head of Arabkir administrative district proposed the rest of
the booths’ owners (who only profit from their pavilions) individual
solutions – to provide with jobs or financial support”, noted Shushan
Sardaryan.