The Situation Might Deteriorate In Mountainous Karabakh

THE SITUATION MIGHT DETERIORATE IN MOUNTAINOUS KARABAKH

The Messenger, Georgia
Oct 8 2013

By Messenger Staff
Tuesday, October 8
The Economist recently published an article about the possible
deterioration of the situation in the mountainous Karabakh. The
publication suggests that the two sides that are in conflict –
Armenia and Azerbaijan – are increasing their military budgets. In
2013, Azerbaijan spent $3.7 billion USD, whereas Armenia increased
it military budget by 25% and now its military budget is at $450
million USD. The Azeri frequently talks of a possible military
solution to the conflict, whereas Armenians promise to punish the
“aggressor.” In the October 9 presidential election in Azerbaijan,
Ilham Aliyev will win again. However, The Economist does not exclude
the possible escalation of the situation.

Armenia’s Government Holds A Special Meeting In Connection With Comm

ARMENIA’S GOVERNMENT HOLDS A SPECIAL MEETING IN CONNECTION WITH COMMAND AND STAFF TRAINING

YEREVAN, October 8. /ARKA/. Armenia’s government had a special session
today presided over by premier Tigran Sargsyan, in the framework
of Arfzagank-2013 strategic command and staff training that started
yesterday.

The cabinet members presented their suggestions on how to neutralize
possible threats and what steps to take to ensure defense, the
government press office reported.

The premier presented draft government decrees that were prepared
based on presidential decrees and instructions.

The strategic command and staff training on actions of high-ranking
state officials in making military and political decisions started
Monday and will last till October 9. A decision-making process
under aggravated situation conditions will be staged and scenario
of responding enemy’s attack and of counterattack actions will be
developed. -0–

13:49 08.10.2013

http://arka.am/en/news/politics/armenia_s_government_holds_a_special_meeting_in_connection_with_command_and_staff_training/

Nalbandyan To Ashton: Despite Customs Union, Armenia Wants To Cooper

NALBANDYAN TO ASHTON: DESPITE CUSTOMS UNION, ARMENIA WANTS TO COOPERATE WITH EU

16:03, October 8, 2013

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan today met with Catherine
Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and
Security policy of the EU in Brussels.

Ashton noted that the meeting was an opportune occasion for an exchange
of ideas regarding how to collectively strengthen relations between
Armenia and the EU.

Despite Armenia’s public readiness to join the Russia-led Customs
Union, FM Nalbandyan said that Armenia wished to explore all possible
directions to facilitate cooperation with the EU, based on the
achievements made on that direction so far.

Referring to the Customs Union, Nalbandyan added that such steps,
however, must not hinder participation in other integration processes
conducive to the interests of Armenia.

In response, Ashton declared that the EU desired to continue to
develop cooperation with Armenia in all directions that correspond
to Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union.

http://hetq.am/eng/news/29904/nalbandyan-to-ashton-despite-customs-union-armenia-wants-to-cooperate-with-eu.html

Parajanov Included In Longlist For 2014 Foreign Language Film Oscar

PARAJANOV INCLUDED IN LONGLIST FOR 2014 FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OSCAR

YEREVAN, October 8. / ARKA /. A biopic on Soviet-era director Sergei
Parajanov was included in the long list for the Academy Award in the
foreign language film category.

Paradjanov, directed by first-time feature directors Olena Fetisova
(Ukraine) and Serge Avedikian (France), who also stars as the renowned
director, was made as a co-production between Ukraine, Georgia and
Armenia – the three countries in which Parajanov worked – and France.

Parajanov, an ethnic Armenian born and raised in Georgia, came
to prominence with his 1965 historic drama Tini zabutykh predkiv
(Shadows of the Forgotten Ancestors), which collected the Critics
Grand Prize and the Special Jury Award at the Mar del Plata Film
Festival and was released in more than a dozen countries.

However, despite the international success, Parajanov was soon banned
from filmmaking by Soviet ideologues and later thrown into prison on
what were widely believed to be fabricated charges.

After being released, he made three more features, The Legend of the
Suram Fortress and Ashug-Kerib and died in 1990.

The Academy’s longlist for the 2014 Foreign Language Film Oscar
includes 76 films. The number, up from 71 films last year, sets
a new record for the category and includes frontrunners such
as Asghar Farhadi’s The Past from Iran, Thomas Vinterberg’s The
Hunt from Denmark, and Wong Kar-Wai’s The Grandmaster from Hong
Kong. Russia’s Fyodor Bondarchuk-helmed World War II action-drama
Stalingrad also made it to the longlist. .-0- – See more at:

http://arka.am/en/news/society/parajanov_included_in_longlist_for_2014_foreign_language_film_oscar_/#sthash.sxraWLLa.dpuf

Expert: Armenia Must Be Ready For Possible Aggravation Of Situation

EXPERT: ARMENIA MUST BE READY FOR POSSIBLE AGGRAVATION OF SITUATION AT ANY MOMENT

16:16 08/10/2013 ” POLITICS

Our state must know what problem it can solve with the existing
resources in a concrete time period and such large-scale exercise
is very important in this respect, military expert Gagik Karapetyan
told Panorama.am when commenting on the strategic command and staff
exercise being held in Armenia.

“Armenia has no alternative. We must be ready for a possible
aggravation of the situation at any moment,” he added.

‘Echo 2013’ strategic command and staff exercise with state and
military government bodies kicked off in Armenia yesterday. The topic
of the exercise is ‘Work of Senior State Officials in Military and
Political Decision-Making.’

The expert stressed the importance of the fact that not only
defense and law enforcement agencies but also other links of state
administration take part in the exercise.

Source: Panorama.am

Armenia’s Metal Mining Virtually Doubles In 3 Years

ARMENIA’S METAL MINING VIRTUALLY DOUBLES IN 3 YEARS

October 08, 2013 | 12:36

YEREVAN. – In 2013, close to 31 million tons of metal ore will be
extracted in Armenia, against the 17 million in 2010.

Energy and Natural Resources Deputy Minister Areg Galstyan stated the
aforesaid during Tuesday’s National Assembly hearings devoted to the
country’s mining industry.

In his words, a total of 438 licenses are issued in Armenia to operate
mines in the country; 24 of these licenses are for metal mines, 29
are for underground waters, and the rest are for the operation of
non-metallic mines. At the same time, however, 68 metal mines are
being explored.

At present, the mining industry provides about 5 percent of Armenia’s
State Budget revenues.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

– See more at:

http://news.am/eng/news/174894.html#sthash.7cOUzSla.dpuf

Armenian Honey Recognized The Best At Festival Of Tea And Honey In T

ARMENIAN HONEY RECOGNIZED THE BEST AT FESTIVAL OF TEA AND HONEY IN TBILISI

by David Stepanyan

ARMINFO
Tuesday, October 8, 12:25

Armenian honey was recognized the best at the Festival of Tea and Honey
in Tbilisi on 7 October. The two-day-long festivities were timed to
Tbilisoba, an annual October festival in Tbilisi celebrating diversity
and attracting many people from the capital and across the country. The
winner of the Festival was David Movsisyan, a 56-year-old beekeeper
from the village of Beniamin, Shirak region, Armenia. The Armenian
honey was presented also by a beekeeper-specialist of Multi-Agro
Company Hovhanness Petoyan.

ArmInfo’s correspondent reports from Tbilisi that the second prize
went to the representative of the Turkish beekeeping company Antik
Ani Bal from Kars, Adem Ertac. The winners were selected via voting of
visitors who tasted the honey samples from Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh,
Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Georgia.

Various types of teas and bee-products were presented at the Festival.

Caucasus tea – a set of teas and herbs from different regions of the
South Caucasus – was presented at the event. Under the brand Caucasus
Cheese Georgian, Armenians and Turkish cheese-makers presented a new
type of cheese produced at Ashotsk Cheese Factory. A collection of
wines from wine-growing regions of the South Caucasus produced at
Oshakan Winnery was introduced under the brand Caucasus Bouquet. As
previously, the Caucasian brands (cheese, tea, honey and wine)
introduced by the Caucasus Business and Development Network (CBDN)
got a lot of interest because of their regional format.

“We are very happy to present a pack of the Caucasian tea instead of
a report on the results of the big and interesting work we carried
out within the frames of the Festival. It is the best evidence of
the fruitfulness of our modest efforts to facilitate the dialogue
and cooperation of businessmen in the South Caucasus,” says Oskari
Pentikainen, Senior Programme Officer at International Alert.

The Festival of Tea and Honey was organized by CBDN to promote
Caucasus brands. Established in 2005, CBDN has regional offices in
Yerevan, Baku, Gyumri, Stepanakert, Kutaisi, Kars, Tbilisi, Sukhum/i,
Tskhinval/i. CBDN Yerevan Office was represented by the Institute for
Civil Society and Regional Development. All the initiatives of CBDN
supported by International Alert aim to make a positive contribution
and follow the principles of do-no-harm. Caucasus Business and
Development Network promotes peace-building through regional economic
cooperation and dialogue between all business communities across the
South Caucasus.

168 Zham: Postanjyan Critical Of Decision To Remove Her From PACE De

168 ZHAM: POSTANJYAN CRITICAL OF DECISION TO REMOVE HER FROM PACE DELEGATION

10:37 08.10.13

Opposition MP Zaruhi Posyanjyan (Heritage party), who represents the
Armenian delegation to the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly
(PACE), has reportedly said that a decision to remove her from the
delegation will run contrary to the Assembly’s principles.

But the paper notes that the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure are based
upon to main principles: political and gender balance.

“If Postanjyan is excluded from the delegation, that will neither
violate the balance between the pro-government and pro-opposition
representatives nor cause a gender-based discrimination as there are
three more Armenian parliamentarians in the delegation apart from
Postanjyan,” says the paper, adding that the secretary of the Rule
of Law faction in Armenia’s National Assembly, Mher Shahgeldyan,
is expected to replace Postanjyan in the delegation beginning January.

Armenian News – Tert.am

Tigran Sarkissian A Dit Que Le Document Sur L’elevation Du Tarif Du

TIGRAN SARKISSIAN A DIT QUE LE DOCUMENT SUR L’ELEVATION DU TARIF DU GAZ NATUREL N’EST PAS ENCORE SIGNE

ARMENIE

Le Premier ministre armenien Tigran Sarkissian a declare que l’accord
avec la Russie sur la hausse des tarifs du gaz naturel n’a pas encore
ete signe, tandis que les negociations se poursuivent.

Il a fait cette declaration lors d’une seance de questions-reponses
a l’Assemblee nationale mercredi, repondant a la question d’un membre
de la faction du Congrès national Armenien de l’opposition.

” Nous avons des projets d’accords qui seront signes. Quand ils
seront signes, cela sera rendu public. En outre, ils seront soumis
a l’Assemblee nationale et nous discuterons en detail de toutes les
dispositions de ce document ” a declare le Premier ministre Sarkissian.

Au cours de la session, le chef du gouvernement a egalement repondu a
une question sur les mecanismes de la participation de l’Armenie dans
l’Union douanière estimant qu’il n’a pas de frontières terrestres
avec ses membres la Russie, le Kazakhstan et la Bielorussie. Tigran
Sarkissian a declare que l’Union douanière a developpe des mecanismes
pour permettre aux marchandises de traverser les frontières de pays
tiers, sans contrôle douanier.

mardi 8 octobre 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

Zaruhi Postanjian Accueillie Comme Une Heros

ZARUHI POSTANJIAN ACCUEILLIE COMME UNE HEROS

ARMENIE

Une deputee de l’opposition armenienne qui a pose une question au
president Serge Sarkissian au sujet de ses habitudes presumees de
jeu devant l’Assemblee parlementaire du Conseil de l’Europe (APCE),
la semaine dernière a ete accueilli comme une heros par ses partisans
alors de son retour a Erevan samedi.

Des dizaines de personnes, dont des politiciens, des activistes
civiles et d’autres membres du public, sont venus a l’aeroport
Zvartnots d’Erevan pour rencontrer Zaruhi Postanjian, membre de la
delegation armenienne auprès de l’APCE, qui a ete stigmatise comme
” antipatriotique ” par les loyalistes du gouvernement pour sa
declarations lors de la session de Strasbourg le 2 Octobre.

Des nouvelles informations disent que les jeunes membres du Parti
republicain d’Armenie au pouvoir du president Sarkissian (HHK) avaient
prevus de se moquer de Postanjian et voulaient la bombarder avec des
~ufs et des tomates a son retour a Erevan, mais le porte-parole du
chef de l’Etat a clairement affirme vendredi qu’il croyait que les
jeunes loyalistes ne devaient pas organiser une telle manifestation.

Armen Martirosian, un chef adjoint du parti Heritage dont Postanjian
est membre, a dit au service armenien de RFE / RL (Azatutyun.am)
a l’aeroport que la jeunesse du HHK ont obei aux instructions du
palais presidentiel car aucun d’entre eux ne semblait etre la pour
protester contre Postanjian.

La deputee de l’opposition a ete accueillie avec des fleurs,
des ballons et des drapeaux tricolores armeniens quand elle est
apparue dans le hall des arrivees de l’aeroport avec tonnerres
d’applaudissements scandant son nom : ” Zara, Zara ”

Visiblement surprise par la reception de ses partisans, Postanjian
a dit que tout ce qu’elle a essaye de faire a Strasbourg a ete de
verbaliser la protestation qui existait ” dans le c~ur de chacun de
nous “.

La deputee a repete qu’elle avait ete inebranlable, meme par la
perspective de recevoir des ~ufs car elle considerait ses actions
comme justes. ” J’ai fait ce que je devais faire. Chaque citoyen
devrait le faire dans sa sphère, nous devrions le faire partout pour
s’assurer qu’il existe des lois et un ordre en Armenie afin que tous
nos compatriotes puissent rentrer chez eux ” a declare Postanjian
dans une brève allocution a la presse.

Postanjian a essuye des tirs de membres eminents du HHK immediatement
après avoir conteste Sarkissian lancant la rumeur qu’il aurait parie a
distance 70 millions d’euros (environ 95 millions de dollars) dans un
casino europeen. Le president a categoriquement nie cela. Pendant ce
temps, les deputes du HHK ont repondu avec des insultes personnelles
contre Postanjian. Certains d’entre eux l’ont stigmatise en rtant que
” Turque ” affirmant que ses allegations etaient de la haute trahison.

Dans un communique publie vendredi, le Parti de l’Heritage a condamne
ce qu’il a appele une campagne de denigrement contre son membre
eminent menee par les autorites.

Pendant ce temps, Postanjian continue de faire face a son expulsion
de la delegation armenienne a l’APCE en raison de ce que le president
du parlement Hovik Abrahamian a decrit jeudi comme sa declaration
” diffamatoire “. Il a dit que cela etait contre la Constitution de
l’Armenie et le Règlement de l’Assemblee nationale et pourrait coûter a
la deputee son mandat en tant que delegue a l’Assemblee de Strasbourg.

Zaruhi Postanjian a denonce la decision du president de l’assemblee
nationale comme illegale, promettant une ” reponse adequate “.

mardi 8 octobre 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com