Author: Babajanian Karo

LES ENGAGEMENTS DES MEDIAS ARMENIENS POUR REPRIMER LES COPIER-COLLER DANS LE SECTEUR DE LA PRESSE

ARMENIE

Les legislateurs armeniens envisagent de debattre des amendements a
la loi ” sur le droit d’auteur et les droits connexes ” en automne
prochain pour aborder et reglementer l’utilisation des contenus
mediatiques generes par les sites Web. Mais un certain nombre de
medias en ligne ont decide de ne pas attendre la mesure legislative,
en publiant une declaration commune s’engageant a suivre un certain
ensemble de règles pour eviter les violations des droits d’auteurs.

Les modifications legislatives examinees par le gouvernement la semaine
dernière concernent les relations entre les journaux, magazines et
sites web quand il s’agit d’utiliser ou de reproduire des extraits
des nouvelles d’autres sources. Le projet de loi suggère que cette
pratique n’est autorisee qu’avec un bon referencement a l’origine de
l’histoire ou de l’article source.

Les legislateurs qui ont initie le changement croient qu’en raison
de l’avancement technologique les medias en ligne ont un avantage
injustes sur les medias d’impression quand il s’agit de choisir
librement et sans limite de reproduire des histoires complètes ou des
articles ecrits par des journalistes des medias papiers, ce qui est
egalement soupconne d’infliger des dommages financiers aux journaux
et aux magazines.

” Une telle situation nuit a la publication originale et un article
ou une histoire perdent leur exclusivite, ce qui affecte le nombre
d’exemplaires imprimes, tout en augmentant le nombre de visites du
site Web ” disent les auteurs du projet de loi.

Mais avant meme l’adoption de la loi, la semaine dernière, les
redacteurs en chef de 15 medias en ligne armeniens ont publie une
declaration commune stipulant neuf règles de cooperation pour resoudre
les problèmes qui existent dans l’information et la sphère des medias.

Jusqu’a present, la declaration a ete signee par les editeurs des sites
suivants : aravot.am, armlur.am, armversion.am, asekose.am, galatv.am,
haynews.am, irates.am, panorama.am, rapport. am, shamshyan.com,
tert.am, times.am, yerkir.am, 168.am, 1lur.am. La declaration est
ouverte a la signature par les editeurs d’autres medias aussi.

Selon la declaration, les medias s’engagent a reimprimer des histoires
et des articles d’autres sites (y compris les photos et videos)
uniquement avec des hyperliens vers l’histoire originale ou le site
Web de la publication et avec l’indication du nom de l’auteur quand
elle est inscrite ainsi que de fournir des references appropriees des
sources originales de traductions et aucune reproduction d’histoire
complète afin que le lecteur soit toujours interesse a aller a la
source originale.

” Ces medias qui enfreignent toutes les règles recevront une lettre
avec un avertissement de la redaction des autres medias qui sont
signataires de la presente declaration et seront invites a corriger
leur erreur ou omission. Après trois de ces lettres d’avertissement
les demandes seront rendus publics ” indique la declaration.

En mai des redacteurs en chef de plusieurs medias imprimes en Armenie
avaient fait une declaration similaire.

Le redacteur en chef du quotidien Zhoghovurd Taguhi Tovmasyan, qui
est l’un des initiateurs de cette declaration, a declare lors d’une
table ronde, que de nouveaux sites apparaissent en Armenie presque
tous les jours et beaucoup d’entre eux n’ont meme pas de personnel car
ils reposent entièrement sur la reimpression et la reproduction des
reportages et d’articles releves auprès d’autres sources. L’editeur
estime que les activites de ces sites doivent etre arretes ” afin
qu’ils comprennent qu’il n’y a pas d’exploitation d’un site Web avec
juste un couple de personnes en detournant le travail de quelqu’un
d’autre “.

Taguhi Tovmasyan estime qu’avec les codes de conduite sous la forme
de declarations, il sera possible d’atteindre l’auto-regulation sans
l’intervention du legislateur.

Ashot Melikian, qui preside le Comite pour la protection de la
liberte d’expression, a soutenu les initiatives, les decrivant comme
un processus ” d’auto-epuration “.

” Ceci est une consequence du fait que les non-professionnels ont
commence a s’engager dans le journalisme. Il s’agit d’un phenomène
normal que le journalisme civique est une tendance de developpement qui
reflète le developpement des technologies modernes. La loi qui a ete
cree il y a quelques annees etait bonne a l’epoque mais un certain
nombre de realites actuelles stipulent la necessite de nouvelles
solutions adequates “, a declare Melikian.

Par Gohar Abrahamian

ArmeniaNow

mercredi 7 août 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

LE MAIRE D’EREVAN A LAISSE ENTENDRE QUE LE TARIF DES TRANSPORTS VA AUGMENTER

Economie

Le maire d’Erevan, Taron Markarian, n’a pas exclu mardi 6 août la
possibilite d’augmenter de manière significative le coût des transports
publics dans la capitale armenienne. Markarian a declare que sa
decision finale sera basee sur les recommandations d’une commission
sur le transport qui a ete mise en place le mois dernier. ” Si nous ne
voulons pas avoir de problèmes dans ce domaine, nous devons absolument
discuter de cette question “, a-t-il declare a RFE / RL (Azatutyun.am).

Markarian a deja augmente les tarifs de plus de 50% le mois dernier.

La municipalite et les entreprises de transport privees n’ont
pas reussi a executer ces tarifs en raison des protestations de
centaines de jeunes. La hausse des prix a ete suspendue suite a ces
manifestations.

La commission, mise en place le mois dernier, comprend non seulement
des fonctionnaires (du personnel de Markarian) mais aussi des membres
de l’opposition du conseil municipal d’Erevan et des representants
de la societe civile. Les partis Zharangutyun et Armenie prospère,
les seuls groupes politiques qui defient le Parti republicain au
pouvoir au conseil, ont exprime de serieuses reserves au sujet de cette
commission. Des dizaines de jeunes militants continuent de manifester
devant le bâtiment de la municipalite situe dans le centre-ville. Ils
reclament la demission de deux hauts fonctionnaires en charge des
transports publics. Markarian a de nouveau rejete ces demandes lundi.

” Ces personnes font leur travail correctement “, a-t-il dit.” Je
vais les renvoyer s’ils ne le font pas. ”

mercredi 7 août 2013, Laetitia ©armenews.com

ONE CORNER DOCTRINE

Strangely, Russia’s strategic doctrine began forming not in the period
of activity of neo-Eurasianists but in the period between taking Kazan
and the Northern War, under Ivan IV, in the 16th century. In 100 years,
under Tsar Aleksey Mikhailovich, or rather after the incorporation
of Left-bank Ukraine and Kiev, ideas and thoughts were born which
were later laid at the basis of Russia’s foreign political doctrine.

Through the existence of the Russian Empire the Russian and not so
Russian elite ruling in Russia tried to define the foreign political
priorities. In addition, the belief that the foreign policy and
security of Russia cannot be based on one doctrine was becoming
stronger, and necessity occurred to provide rotation of priorities,
including three components: Nordic, Byzantine, Eurasian doctrines.

Russia successfully incorporated the lands of the West and East,
observing exactly these three components in its foreign policy.

Modern Eurasianists or rather neo-Eurasianists who composed the
attractive and majestic symphony of the Eurasian doctrine refused
to hear anything about the Nordic and Byzantine vectors. Russia was
lucky because the ignorant Moscow-based political-administrative
government did not rush to let the apologists of neo-Eurasianism come
(too) close but eventually turned to be greedy, in the sense that
“all’s fish that comes to its net”.

Contemporary wise people of Russia, renowned scientists and writers,
are delighted about the Eurasian project. Let’s have a look at the
position and opinion of Russian nationalists on the Eurasian project.

That would be an illustration of automatic rejection and alienation.

The peoples of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Bashkortostan, Buriatia and
some other peoples of the Volga territory, Central Asia and Siberia
are meaningful and organic partners and allies to the Russians in
the formation of the Eurasian union. As to Tatarstan, it is already a
problem. For Uzbekistan and Tajikistan the Eurasian idea is an object
for an approving remark at best. The peoples of the North Caucasus will
treat the Eurasian project, as any other project, quite cautiously.

No doubt, Belorussia, “country of eastern western Europe” is related
to this project because there is hope for lucrative supply of energy
resources. Ukraine, where the pro-Westerns are not limited to Galicia,
Volhunia, Bukovina and have already gone closer to Dnieper, while Kiev
is hardly a city of Eastern Ukraine, Kiev is already west, while the
next is Transdnieper, views Eurasianism as a trick. To a Ukrainian,
Eurasians are Pincenates, Cumans, Mongols etc. It is possible that
Ukrainians (both western and eastern), as well as a lot of other
peoples of the Caucasus and Balkans, accepted with pleasure Russia’s
call to erect a cross on Hagia Sophia in Constantinople.

There would not be so many problems with the Baltic states and Finland
if Russia did not soft-pedal to impose its understanding of controlled
territory on these states. And it is necessary to fence oneself from
the Central Asian civilization, otherwise Russia will be in trouble,
as it has been earlier.

Does the Eurasian doctrine strengthen Russia or disturb close
and remote neighbors? In the current international relations and
geopolitical conditions the Eurasianism will inevitably lead to an
Asian, not a Eurasian empire. It’s not a bad option either if one
nestles in one corner, forgetting about other directions, imposing on
everyone else around a doctrine that is suspicious, highly vulnerable
and obscure even to the Russians.

The foreign policy of a great power, especially one that is undergoing
a period of regional localization, must include diverse civilization
and strategic doctrines.

Igor Muradyan 15:37 06/08/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

YEREVAN MUNICIPALITY NOT AWARE OF TRANSPORT TAX RATES

17:48 06.08.13

The Yerevan municipality does not receive any revenues from the
public transport taxes, a public relations officer has said, adding
that they are not aware of any tax amounts.

Tert.am contacted the State Revenue Committee to know what portion
of the money goes to the state budget but an employee speaking to
our correspondent said they do not have special statistics in this
connection.

The tax for the minibuses with up to 17 seats is 4,853 billion Drams,
the source said, noting that the transportation means with more seats
pay 2,121 million.

Armenian News – Tert.am

KOMITAS RESIDENTS SAY “NO” TO HIGH-RISE; BLOCK ENTRANCE TO COURTYARD – PHOTOS
Narek Aleksanyan

;-block-entrance-to-courtyard.html
16:29, August 6, 2013

Yesterday morning, a group of Yerevan residents opposed to the
construction of a 13 story building in their courtyard on Komitas
Street blocked the entrance to the site in an attempt to block work
crews and equipment from entering.

The site is located at Komitas Street 5a, 3 and 7.

Construction commenced in 2010 by a company called Liber Ltd. Ever
since, residents have petitioned the courts to either stop the
high-rise that will dwarf their homes or at least to force developers
to scale down the height.

Yesterday, the head of the construction crew, along with police,
visited the site to talk with the protestors and to show them the
blueprint for the new building. This failed to appease local residents
who say they were never consulted when the plans for the building
were drawn up.

In the run up to the Yerevan municipal elections earlier this year,
Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan made a campaign stop in the neighborhood
and told residents that if no building would be constructed if that
was their wish.

But in fact, the developer does have a work permit which ends in 2014.

Protesting residents say their action is open ended. They now say they
are even opposed to a smaller building and now want a playground or
garden to be built on the site.

ITALIAN NAPLLES TO HOST ITALY-ARMENIA WORLD CUP QUALIFIER

YEREVAN, August 6. / ARKA /. The Italian Football Federation (IFF)
has officially approved the venue of the 2014 World Cup qualifying
match between Italy and Armenia that will take place on October 15.

According to the official website of the IFF, the match will take place
at Naples’ San Paolo stadium that can accommodate s 60,000 spectators.

Last timer this stadium hosted a national squad game was seven years
ago, when the “Squadra Adzura” played against Lithuania. Armenia lost
the first qualifying match to Italy at the Yerevan Hrazdan stadium 3-1.

With six points Armenia’s squad is fourth in the qualifying group,
ahead of the Danes. The leader is Italy with 14 points, followed by
Bulgaria (10) and the Czech Republic (9). -0-

– See more at:

TIGRAN BARSEGHYAN TO BE YEREVAN’S CHIEF ARCHITECT

12:13 06/08/2013 ” SOCIETY

Tigran Barseghyan, dean of the Department of Architecture at Yerevan
State University of Architecture and Construction, will be appointed
Yerevan’s chief architect, according to our reliable sources.

Barseghyan is also the architect of Stepanakert airport.

Current chief architect of Yerevan, Narek Sargsyan, will be appointed
head of the Committee of Architecture under the RA government.

However, there is no official information about that appointment yet.

Source: Panorama.am

HARUTYUN MESROBYAN. “THE RUSSIAN FRONTIER OPENED FIRE, AND WHY THERE IS NO RESPONSE FROM THAT SIDE.”

August 5 2013

In a conversation with Aravot.am, the management expert Harutyun
Mesrobyan made a reference to the statements of the Foreign Ministries
of Armenia and Turkey regarding the case of the shepherd killed at the
Armenian-Turkish border, and on the occasion of which the Armenia’s
Foreign Ministry has applied a note to the Turkish side expressing
regret over the incident, expressing hope that similar incidents will
not happen again, and the Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
has sent a diplomatic note to Yerevan for killing of the trespasser
shepherd, condemning Armenians for applying “unequal power”. –
The interests, hobbies, old and new dividing lines concentrated in
the whole region begin to vibrate and this process goes on all over
the world. As our region has historically been one of the hottest
points of humanity, therefore, we feel more of a shock here, and I
connect all of this with the shocks available in the region. Armenia
needs to be alert, but not adaptive policy that is conducted by
our authorities. In other words, there should be an alertness, in
the basis of which there is a national policy, but since we have no
national policy, therefore only an adaptive policy is conducted. –
The Foreign Ministry’s statement was not enough, we do not know whether
the killed was a shepherd. In addition, why something in transferred to
us through the Turkish Embassy to Georgia. – It seems that Armenia is
conducting a balanced policy in this or that situation, but sometimes
we do not discern the balanced policy from the policy away from
misfortune and calamity. There are information in the press that this
man was not a simple shepherd, it is likely that he intentionally has
tried to cross the border and depending on what the situation is, we
can decide whether it was an equal response, or not. And every time
trying to mitigate, I do not support it. In addition, the Armenian
side was not actually keeping our external border. We need to pay
attention to the fact that our external borders are not controlled by
our force structures, the Russian frontier opened the fire, and why
there is no response from that side. There is a question. In fact,
the border with Armenia is actually controlled by Russian forces,
but only Armenia’s Foreign Ministry is speaking. Eva HAKOBYAN

Read more at:

© 1998 – 2013 Aravot – News from Armenia

ARMENIANS ARE SMART AND TALENTED BUT CAN BE FATALISTIC AT TIMES – US AMBASSADOR

[ Part 2.2: “Attached Text” ]

16:07 05.08.13

In a politically neutral interview with Tert.am, US Ambassador John
Heffern shared his impressions of Armenia, addressing all the positive
and negative things he has found about the country and its people in
the course of his tenure since 2011.

The diplomat says he is utterly surprised by the accessibility of
Armenian officials (which he considers positive) but at the same time
expresses disappointment with what he calls a fatalistic approach
that many Armenians have to life. The ambassador recommends that the
Armenians be optimistic and focus more on opportunities than challenges
to have a good future. Mr Heffern, who has managed to travel to quite
a lot of places across Armenia, also speaks of the national cuisine
and the way he treats the traditional Armenian khash and khorovats
(barbecue). He remembers how he was “taught” to love dried fruit and
nuts and appreciate other Armenian foods.

The interview is presented below:

Your Excellency Mr Ambassador, what were your ideas about our country
when you were coming to Armenia? What was your first impression? What
especially surprised you? And what did you like or still keep
disliking?

I am not an expert on the region. I had never served anywhere in
the former Soviet Union, and I had never served in this region, so I
didn’t quite know what to expect. But what very pleasantly surprised
[us] – when my wife and I arrived in Yerevan – about two years ago,
was the warmth and openness of Yerevan and the Armenian people.

So that was our first impression. The welcome that we received by the
Armenian people has been overwhelming and continues to this day. And
that’s a favorite part about our time here in Armenia. No country is
perfect, no people are perfect, so there are a couple of things that
have disappointed us as well. I would say the biggest disappointments
that we have been working very hard on – very hard to address –
is the question of people’s expectations. The Armenian people are
very smart and very talented, and I think have a great future. I
think it is too bad, though, that so many can be fatalistic and
sometimes discouraged. I know there are challenges. I think there’s
huge potential here as well, and I hope that the Armenian people will
focus more on the opportunities than the challenges.

Have you managed to travel across Armenia, and are there any favorite
sites? What places do you visit more frequently?

[My wife] Libby and I have travelled throughout Armenia. We’ve been
in all ten marzes many times. We have a map in our office with pins
on every town that we have been in, and there are lots of pins in the
map in my office now. And every area that we’ve gone has something
unique and special about it, and we think that those communities
should build on this uniqueness, on their special attractions.

So let me touch on three.

We have been to Gyumri about four or five times. We find Gyumri [is]
quite an amazing place, and the people of Gyumri [are] quite amazing
people. Gyumri is the cultural capital of the CIS. The artists and
the cultural attractions of Gyumri, I think, are very special, and I
hope that Gyumri will resume the very successful biannual art festival
that it had in the past.

Second are the local festivals organized throughout the country.

This, I think, is really special. Every part of Armenia – as small
as the country is – every section of Armenia has some really special
or unique characteristic, and I think it should build on this special
characteristic and the special skills. I’ll just mention one – Berd’s
Honey and Berry Festival in Tavush marz. We went there last year and
will go again this year on August 18. And it is an amazing event in a
beautiful part of Armenia, and was really fun to see the local people
bring their local produce, specifically honey and berries and so many
people from all over Armenia come to appreciate that

The third is archaeology. The potential for archaeological tourism is
very spectacular here. First of all is the Areni cave. There are many
sites as well, but the Areni cave – once it is prepared for tourism –
will really be a strong attraction for international tourists here
and also university students to do research. Armenia should build on
this archaeological, very unique archaeological sites.

So, you have managed to know quite a lot about Armenia. What will you
say about Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh)? Have you seen any sights there,
and are there favorite places? If you haven’t visited the country,
explain please why. Are there any political or other reasons?

The international community considers Karabakh a disputed territory.

And we, the United States, are part of the Minsk Group process; we are
one of the three countries to try to resolve that dispute. Until that
dispute is resolved, foreign diplomats don’t go to Nagorno-Karabakh.

Well, your diplomatic answer is clear. So let us return to apolitical
questions. How do you treat the Armenian cuisine, and what meals
do you prefer? What can you say particularly about khash? Have you
tasted and liked it, and is the “philosophy” of the Armenian khash
perceivable to you?

Let me answer the khash question first. I’ve had it a couple of
times. It’s not my favorite. And I don’t know the philosophy of it.

The soup part of it is good, but the big hunk of meat in the middle
there is not my favorite.. I had a lot of khorovats since I have been
here, and I like all the chicken and the pork and the beef khorovats.

That’s very special, and we’ve had it many times. And I’ll have it
many more times before I leave.

My wife and I were a bit surprised when we went to the Akhtala
khorovats festival last year. We knew there would be lots of barbecued
meat there, but I never had barbecued fruit before. And there were
barbecued peaches and barbecued fruits of all sorts, which was really
quite fascinating. I was pleasantly surprised with how good barbecued
fruit tastes. Finally honey, dried fruit and nuts. I have got a wife,
four daughters and one son. And the girls in our family have always
loved dried fruit and nuts and honey. My son and I thought this was
bird food, and we never ate it. But since I’ve been Armenia now –
here in nearly two years – I love honey, I love dried fruit and I
eat a lot of nuts. The girls in my family were right.

We have one month left till the end of summer. Have you managed or
are you planning to have a rest and where?

We’ll be in Armenia all summer. And we travel around, we visited
anumber of towns, and we’ll continue to. We’ll go to Berry and Honey
Festival as I said. We’ll be in Armenia all summer, and I am happy
to be here. We had two of our adult children visit us with a couple
of friends, and we had a great trip down to Syunik marz and Vayots
Dzor. A great trip, I’ll tell you a a little bit about that.

We stopped in Khor Virap on our way, then [we went to] the Areni cave
and we drank a little bit of Areni wine in Vayots Dzor. And went
to the Khosrov reserve and rode some horses. And in Syunik marz,
of course, we did Tatev, and Sisian, and went to Kapan. We were in
the northern part of Syunik marz, and we had a wonderful time in a
beautiful part of Armenia.

Mr Heffern, it would be interesting to know if you have got any
friends among the politicians in Armenia? If yes, do political views
and political affiliation matter to you?

We have many friends here in Armenia and many good partners, as well.

And we] whether they are pro-government or pro-opposition in not
a factor in those friendships. What is a part of the calculation –
it is a political orientation – what we try to do is try to develop
partnerships with those come friendships, with Armenians who share
our values and who are pushing Armenia in the right direction. And we
found partners like this in every political party, in every ministry
and private sector, universities, civil society and the press. In
each sector we found Armenians who are trying to make Armenia a better
place, and those are the people that we try to spend our time with.

When reading the WikiLeaks cables in Armenia, the impression was
that the politicians in the country maintained quite close contacts
with former ambassadors. Do such relationships continue with the same
activeness now that you are in office?

In the two years – nearly two years – that we’ve been here in Armenia,
I have been amazed by the access that I have – and this embassy has –
to Armenian officials. And we’ve spent a lot of time with ministers,
president, and former presidents and everybody – high and low –
throughout the political specter. And we have tried to make these
relationships more than just professional relationships; we have tried
– where possible – to make them personal as well. And again that’s
what I love about the country. and what makes me excited about this
job is that I have those close relations and the Embassy has close
relations with members of the government and members of parliament
and throughout the society, high and low.

And that’s what we love about being here .

EQUIVALENT MEASURE SHOULD BE TAKEN AGAINST AZERBAIJAN’S DECLARING 8 UKRAINIANS PERSONA NON GRATA FOR VISITING KARABAKH – JOURNALIST

August 06, 2013 | 11:47

Ukrainian journalist Anatoliy Shariy believes that an equivalent
response should be given to Azerbaijan for putting several Ukrainian
journalists on its “black list.”

These journalists are declared persona non grata in Azerbaijan,
UA-Report.info reports commenting on the statement concerning declaring
eight Ukrainians persona non grata in that country.

To note, last week the Azerbaijani MFA issued the list of those
individuals that are declared persona non grata in Azerbaijan for
visiting Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Azerbaijani “black list” comprises 335 names, including famous
Italian singer and actor Al Bano, and world-renowned Spanish operatic
soprano Montserrat Caballe.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am