Author: Babajanian Karo

YEREVAN IS LOOKING FOR A TOURISM BRAND

20:34, 30 January, 2013

YEREVAN, JANUARY 30, ARMENPRESS: Yerevan tourism brand contest has
been delayed till March 15. At a news conference on Wednesday, head
of municipality’s Culture and Tourism Department, Maria Baraghamyan
noted that one of priority issues of tourism department is to find
a Yerevan tourism brand. “We urge all our companies to present their
suggestions. Yerevan doesn’t have a tourism brand yet,” she noted.

As reports Armenpress, 603 074 tourist visited Armenia in 2012, 600
000 of which spent at least 2 days in Yerevan. “First of all it is
necessary to create tourism centers in order to develop this sphere
in Armenia, so the tourists will be able to orientate on their own,”
Maria Baraghamyan said.

Head of municipality’s Culture and Tourism Department noted that
an electronic map, which would provide tourists with opportunity to
easily orientate in Yerevan, has been installed in North Avenue.

REPRESENTATIVES OF CSTO COUNTRIES NEGOTIATED ON HOLDING JOINT “INTERACTION 2013” MILITARY EXERCISES

18:08, 30 January, 2013

YEREVAN, JANUARY 30, ARMENPRESS: Preliminary negotiations over holding
“Interaction 2013” joint military exercises of operative response
collective forces of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)
took place on January 30 in Minsk. Armenpress reports referring to
the press service of Defence Ministry of Belarus. Military exercises
are scheduled to be held in autumn 2013, in Belarus.

According to data of Defence Ministry, main principals of organizing
and holding of exercises have been discussed during the meeting with
participation of representatives from Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan,
Kirgizia, Russia and Tajikistan.

“Holding such kind of educational events has become an annual practice;
joint military exercises of operative response collective forces of
CSTO have already taken place in Russia, Tajikistan and in Armenia,”
press service of Defence Ministry of Belarus noted.

CITIZENS OF ITALY, FRANCE, GERMANY AND UK THE MOST FREQUENT VISITORS TO ARMENIA’S CAPITAL
Hasmik Dilanyan

“Radiolur”
18:09 30.01.2013

More than 603 thousand tourists visited Armenia in January-October,
2012. It’s hard to say how many of them visit capital Yerevan.

However, one thing is clear: all tourists visiting Armenia usually
spend one or two days in Yerevan.

Although Yerevan has no brand so far, it has much to amaze the world.

The competition for the brand has already been announced, Head of
the Tourism Department of the Yerevan City Hall Maria Baraghamyan
told reporters today.

Tourists visiting Yerevan usually stop at the Republic Square, the
State Art Gallery and the Cascade. It has been proposed to include
the History Museum and the Erebuni castle in the mandatory list.

Representative of the Yerevan City Hall said the prices of air tickets
are too high, and they go even more expensive in the active tourism
period from May to November.

Maria Baraghamyan said several new hotels will be opened in Yerevan
this year.

The citizens of Italy, France, Germany, United Kingdom are the most
frequent visitors to Armenia’s capital.

CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT REFUSES FREE OF CHARGE TV AIR AND HALLS IN FAVOR OF CITIZENS AND CIVIL INITIATIVES

ARMINFO
Wednesday, January 30, 15:05

A candidate for president, Andreas Ghukasyan, has adopted a decision
to refuse free of charge TV air and halls offered to him, in favor
of citizens and civil initiatives, press-service of the candidate
reported.

It also says that civil initiatives may organize discussions to look
for the ways out for the country from the created situation. Ghukasyan
has again demanded from the incumbent President of Armenia, Serzh
Sargsyan, not to take part in the election, as this is the only way
for holding of legal election in the country.

Candidate for president, the leader of “Radio Hay”, Andreas Ghukasyan,
declared a termless hunger strike on 21 January. He said that the
presidential election are illegitimate as the ruling RPA uses its
administrative resources. The purpose of the hunger strike is to
stimulate public activeness for holding of fair election.

VOTER MATH: ELECTORAL ROLL FIGURES DON’T ADD UP FOR MANY IN ARMENIA

VOTE 2013 | 30.01.13 | 13:14

Photolure

By SIRANUYSH GEVORGYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

While the Armenian Police report a significant increase in the number
of eligible voters as compared to the presidential election five years
ago, many continue to challenge the very possibility of such a rise
given the recent socio-economic and demographic trends in the country.

The authorities, however, explain it by the drastic improvement of the
population registration as well as an increased number of citizenship
acquisitions, including by Georgian and Syrian Armenians.

According to the data released by the Police on Tuesday (20 days before
the February 18 presidential election as is required by the law), now
a total of 2,507,004 citizens have the right to vote in Armenia. In
2008, that number stood at 2,312,945, meaning that in conditions
of a continuing outward migration and low birth rates the number
of voters in Armenia has increased by nearly 200,000 within just a
few years. According to the latest census of the population taken in
2011, Armenia’s permanent population is estimated at 2,870,000, and
the total number of the population, including non-resident citizens,
makes 3,285,000. Armenia’s current electoral roll also includes voters
who are absent from the country. The difference between the present
and registered population being 415,000.

The opposition has continuously accused the authorities of inflating
the voter lists, including by keeping the names of absent citizens
or at least by failing to keep records of them in a separate register.

The opposition has claimed that the authorities use the votes of
nearly half a million people to rig elections in favor of a government
candidate or a ruling party.

The police, meanwhile, announced that the number of voters has
increased not least because people who were not registered in the state
register back in 2008 began to get this registration in recent years
in order to get some social benefits. The agency keeping and updating
the register says that the list of voters has also expanded because
in recent years citizens of Georgia and Syria of Armenian origin
have been acquiring the nationality of Armenia due to situations
in their respective countries (including the strained relations
between Georgia and Russia in the wake of the August 2008 war and
the continuing civil war in Syria).

Thus, according to the police data, more than 20,000 Georgian citizens
have received the citizenship of Armenia since 2010, while the number
of Syrian Armenians getting Armenian citizenship in 2012 reached
about 4,000.

On Monday, three presidential candidates, including Heritage Party
leader Raffi Hovannisian, Soviet-era dissident Paruyr Hayrikyan
and ex-Prime Minister Hrant Bagratyan issued a joint statement,
in particular calling for making up a separate list of voters that
would include citizens absent from the country. Under Armenian laws,
most citizens outside the country cannot vote on Election Day, only
a limited number of diplomats and their families are allowed to vote.

In calling for a separate list of absent voters, the three candidates
acknowledged that their voting rights are violated by the law. But in
order to exclude vote rigging in existing conditions they suggest that
the names of those who have been absent from Armenia for the preceding
180 days but are included in the voter lists be put in separate lists.

Even British Ambassador to Armenia Catherine Leach recently raised
the issue of the accuracy of the Armenian voter list.

“I know there have been commendable efforts by local police and NGOs
to check lists and deal with some of the inaccuracies and practices
which look open to abuse (e.g. multiple names registered to a garage).

But the fact that the list has continued to increase since 1991
when people’s day to day experience tells them that the country has
lost population creates unease for the ordinary voter,” wrote the
ambassador on her personal blog on January 22. “Thinking about ways to
give people confidence in the list – perhaps by requiring an annual
re-registering – might be the answer in future. In the meantime,
the authorities can make every effort to follow up and investigate
precincts where there appear to be unusually high turn-out or vote
tabulations showing surprisingly repetitive numbers.”

And presidential candidate Arman Melikyan, citing his own estimations,
argues that at this point only 1.5 million out of 2.5 million citizens
included in the current electoral roll are physically present in
Armenia.

But the police are not going to meet the request of the candidates.

Police Passport and Visa Department Head Hovhannes Kocharyan told
RFE/RL’s Armenian Service that they do not possess integral data on
citizens absent from Armenia, implying that it is a more intricate
process than thought by many.

He also dismissed it as a mere assumption that someone will necessarily
vote for a person absent from the country. “We don’t share such
an approach, we have no precedents and have no concerns in this
regard. At this moment, the quality of voter lists is very high,”
said the official.

NATO-IRAN-ARMENIA: “SHADOW GEOPOLITICS”
Igor Muradyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

11:18 30/01/2013

The present NATO-Armenia relationship is still in the phase of
identification of goals rather than real regional partnership. As to
real military cooperation, Armenia provides services to NATO without
receiving military assistance, namely supply of weapons.

Armenia’s priority of its relation with NATO is political cooperation,
identification of a form of cooperation which would allow avoiding
isolation, prevent the use of the arena and mechanisms of NATO for
isolation and blockade of Armenia.

While Russia has not identified the nature of its claims to and
concerns over NATO-Armenia rapprochement, there are no alternatives
to further cooperation with the alliance. There are expectations that
some NATO member states will break through the front of silencing
Armenia’s security problems and start supplying weapons.

At the same time, according to the “classical” geopolitical interests,
apart from Russia Iran also cannot be interested in close relations
between NATO and Armenia. No doubt Iran follows attentively the
development of these relations but does not express concerns, at
least publicly. Although currently Iran would not limit itself by
public statements given its national security is concerned.

First of all, it should be noted that Iran and Armenia have developed
strategic relations to which there are no alternatives. If there were
slight doubts in the 1990s and the first half of 2000s, now Armenia
and Iran pursue shadow geopolitical goals which presuppose cooperation
in the most sacramental spheres.

Over the past two decades Iran has not had a single demonstrated case
of letting its partners down. The purpose is not to keep the face but
to build on geopolitical interests. While Russia refuses to supply
C300 to Iran, Iran has put forth its entire arsenal of pretensions but
prevented a breakup with Russia. Despite openly hostile attitude of
Afghanistan, especially its separate groups, the Iranians continued
their activity in forming a security zone in the Western provinces
of Afghanistan.

Notwithstanding the hostile attitude of leading Kurdish political
forces to Iran, Iran preferred not to deepen the conflict and maintain
relations with most political groups of Kurds, especially in Turkey
and Iraq. Over years the Iranians have skillfully built on relations
with Georgia which could not ignore the stance of the United States
and Israel with a view to establishing communication..

As is known, under the Turkish influence the Palestinians of Gaza
area have insulted Iran after the latter’s lasting assistance.

Nevertheless, this has not influenced Iran’s policy on Palestine. Iran
demonstrated its geopolitics on Syria which it perceived as part of
the Iranian-Shiite bloc. Iran’s policy and stance on Syria has become
Near Eastern geopolitical “classics” and has affected considerably
the attitude of the countries of this region to Iran as an actual
and probable partner. Hence, Iran is able and can afford to build
on relations with countries with absolutely unpredictable intentions
and stances.

However, perhaps, there is not only a visible bit also shadow
geopolitics. Apparently, the ruling elite of Iran has failed to rid of
stereotyped understanding of relations with NATO which Tehran views
as an arena for counteracting the pressure of the United States. No
doubt the Iranians consider NATO a serious force to maintain balance
in the goals and interests of the Western community.

Iran has a considerable experience in the relations with leading
European states, Great Britain, France, Germany and Italy and
understands the meaning and role of these states in the settlement
of global problems, including in the Near East.

There was a possibility to follow NATO’s attitude to the problem of
Syria, dismissing Turkey’s claims on military intervention in Syria.

In the second half of the 2000s the National Security Council of Iran
was redesigned to a special group of analysts on NATO issues which
could review Tehran’s policy on NATO. Iran has made a lot of mistakes
in its European policy and is ready to review it. At the same time,
the Europeans have found that hopes for a serious breakup of Iran
and Russia will hardly come true.

Viewing NATO as a stabilizing rather than an attacking factor, Iran
follows development of relations between NATO and Armenia with certain
interest. Provided that NATO’s political projections list partnership
with Iran among 6-7 other favorable factors about Armenia, Iran may
view Armenia’s partnership with NATO as an advantage.

The West, including the United States and Europe, as well as Iran
view Armenia as an important participant of the strategy of Turkey’s
containment, as well as a balance of forces in the South Caucasus.

This double function is acquiring more strategic character of a
geopolitical priority while “shadow” characteristics are observed not
only in the Iran-Armenia relations but also the relations of the West
with Iran and Armenia.

Hence, shadow geopolitics prevails over NATO-Armenia-Iran relations and
this might be the case when political logic and reality do not overlap.

“ZHOGHOVURD”: ARMENIA’S PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES HAVE FORGOTTEN OCTOBER 27 TRAGEDY

2013-01-30 12:31:48

In their election programs, the presidential contenders of Armenia
have not reflected on solving the October 27, 1999 crime that
took place in the parliament, in the case when former opposition
presidential candidates, namely, People’s Party of Armenia Chairman
Stepan Demirchyan and opposition bloc Armenian National Congress
leader and First President Levon Ter-Petrosyan, had pledged this in
2003 and in 2008 respectively.

The newspaper writes, that except Heritage Party Chairman Raffi
Hovannisyan, the other candidates have not reflected also on solving
the March 1, 2008 crime.

And since the silence of Serzh Sargsyan, who was National Security
Minister on October 27, 1999, and Prime Minister on March 1, 2008 is
understandable, this causes bewilderment, specifically in the case
of the opposition candidates, especially when the chapters of October
27 and March 1 are still open.

“HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK”: TSARUKYAN PROMISED 90 PERCENT OF THE VOTES FOR SERZH SARGSYAN IN ABOVYAN

2013-01-30 12:25:34

“Recently, the press has published an article that the leader of
“Prosperous Armenia” Gagik Tsarukyan met with President Serzh Sargsyan,
and expressed his support.

To note the Mayor of Abovyan is Gagik Tsarukyan’s son-in-law, Karen
Guloyan. In general, Kotayk is under Tsarukyan’s nfluence. In order
to keep his business and a party, Gagik Tsarukyan should at least
from time to time show his allegiance.

A fidelity in policy is proved not only with words, especially at
election period, concrete figures prove the fidelity. Now Tsarukyan
the challenge,” writes “Zhamanak”.

YEREVAN TO HOST BRITAIN’S CANDOCO DANCE COMPANY TRAININGS

NEWS.AM
January 30, 2013 | 11:38

YEREVAN. – Members of the Candoco Dance Company of Great Britain,
the hearing-impaired dancers from Armenia’s capital city Yerevan and
Gyumri city, and representatives from Mihr Theater Group will perform
dance numbers for journalists, on Thursday in Yerevan.

Candoco Dance Company is one of the world’s leaders in physically
integrated dance, and its instructors will hold trainings-on Thursday
and Friday in Armenia’s capital city-for members of the dance group
of Yerevan’s Sports and Culture Palace for Hearing-Impaired, the
hearing-impaired dancers of Gyumri, and the representatives from Mihr
Theater Group.

Candoco Dance Company was founded in 1991, and some of its dancers
are persons with disabilities. To note, the company will give a
performance in Yerevan this March.

SAMATYA’S ARMENIAN RESIDENTS CONCERNED WITH FAILURE TO REVEAL ATTACKERS

TERT.AM
11:28 ~U 30.01.13

The St. Gregory Armenian church’s board in Istanbul’s Samatya district
for the first time referred to the attacks on the Armenian women
during the recent months.

According to Turkish Hurriyet, the head of the church’s board Yesayi
Demir said they are very concerned that the cases are not revealed
yet and are waiting for the attackers to be found.

“The similarities of the women, the same method of murders or attacks,
unrevealed criminals the periodicity of the incidents make us worry,”
Demir said.

He noted that they were living in Samatya peacefully for many years
but these incidents have become worrying.

“This is our home and we want to continue living peacefully. The
people’s condemnation and supportiveness increases our hopes,” he said.