Author: Babajanian Karo

AZERBAIJAN CALLS ON UN MEMBER SATES TO REFRAIN FROM COOPERATING WITH “STEPANAKERT AIRPORT”

APA
Oct 17 2012
Azerbaijan

Baku. Victoria Dementeva – APA. Permanent representative of
Azerbaijan to the UN, Ambassador Agshin Mehdiyev sent a letter to
the UN Secretary-General on Armenia’s steps towards opening of an
airport in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, Spokesman for the
Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs Elman Abdullayev told APA.

According to him, the Secretary General was informed that Armenia
is taking steps to operate Khojaly Airport in, and illegally use the
airspace over, the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan currently
occupied by Armenian armed forces: “Establishing the so-called
“Artsakh Airport”, Armenia manifested its intention to operate
flights, including military ones, into and from Khojaly Airport
(referred to by the Armenian side as “Stepanakert airport”)”. Such
attempts clearly display a manifest disregard for international law,
undermine the peace process and aggravate regional security concerns.

The government of Azerbaijan wishes to inform the member-states of
the United Nations that the so-called “Stepanakert Airport” is not
an approved under the legislation of Azerbaijan. Consequently all
flights operated from and into that airport are illegal and violate
the foundational principles and objectives of the International Civil
Aviation Organization. Azerbaijan called on UN member-states to refrain
from cooperating with “Stepanakert Airport” and “Artsakh Air Company”.

CELEBRATING ARMENIAN CULTURE

Cranston Herald
Oct 17 2012
RI

A number of Armenian elected officials and candidates joined together
recently for the annual candidates picnic sponsored by the Armenian
National Committee of Rhode Island. Federal, state and local
candidates attended the event at Saints Vartanantz Armenian Church in
Providence. Pictured are Cranston School Committee Chairwoman Andrea
Iannazzi and Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisian. (Submitted photo)

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BOZOYAN GETS 1 YEAR OF CONVICTION FOR BALLOON EXPLOSION IN ARMENIA

Vestnik Kavkaza
Oct 17 2012
Russia

Serob Bozoyan, the man who filled balloons with methane for a
pre-electoral meeting of the Republican Party on May 4, has got a
year of conviction and 2 years of restriction from producing household
goods for the accident caused by balloon blasts.

Karen Manucharyan said that Bozoyan had cancer and requested a
suspended sentence.

The blast happened on the Republican Square of Yerevan on May
4. The Ministry for Emergencies says that 154 people were injured
and hospitalized. The police said that about 7,000 balloons had been
filled with methane and were lit by someone with a lighter. Armenia
lacks the law banning use of methane. Serob Bozoyan was charged in
July 2012. He was filling the balloons at home.

RUSSIA, ARMENIA PLAN TO SET UP HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE CENTRE – PUCHKOV

ITAR-TASS
October 16, 2012 Tuesday 08:28 PM GMT+4
Russia

Russia and Armenia plan to set up a humanitarian response centre,
Russian Emergencies Minister Vladimir Puchkov said on Tuesday, summing
up the results of his meeting with an Armenian delegation, which is
headed by Secretary of the National Security Council Artur Bagdasarian.

“Now, we established a joint working group to coordinate the legal
and treaty basis and conditions for the joint activity,” Puchkov
told Itar-Tass.

In addition, the two sides will launch a daily exchange of information
between the ministry’s National Emergencies Monitoring Centre and
the relevant organisation of Armenia, the minister said.

In his words, the Russian Emergencies Ministry jointly with Armenia’s
partners will actively develop the technologies of monitoring and
prevention of earthquakes and tsunamis.

“The regions of the Caucasus, West Siberia and Far East needs permanent
control and protection, both from underground tremors and tsunamis,”
Puchkov explained.

According to him, the Russian Emergencies Ministry maintain an active
interaction with rescuers of Armenia. “We are fulfilling jointly a set
of very important projects, including those in the practical sphere,”
the minister said.

He reaffirmed that in the summer 2010, Armenia rendered aid to Russia
in the fire-fighting operations in the Nizhny Novgorod. “Back then,
we managed to stabilise the fire situation in that region owing to
own joint efforts,” Puchkov said.

Several years ago, the Russian Emergencies Ministry also rendered
aid to Armenia delivering 10,000 tonnes of food and medicines.

ARMAVIA RESOLVES LATEST DISPUTE WITH ZVARTNOTS BUT SALE STILL ON

Business News Europe
Oct 17 2012
EU

Clare Nuttall in Astana
October 17, 2012

The Armenian airline Armavia has resumed services after striking a new
debt-restructuring deal with its main creditor Zvartnots International
Airport, but its majority shareholder, businessman Mikhail Baghdasarov,
looks as though he intends to press on with trying to offload the
unprofitable airline.

Plans to sell Armavia were announced by the airline management after
the latest spat with Zvartnots in late September. A spokesperson for
Armavia confirmed to bne on October 12 that negotiations on the sale
of the airline were underway, but declined to give any further details.

Zvartnots’ management announced on September 20 that it was suspending
all Armavia flights until the airline had repaid $5.3m due in unpaid
service charges. Armavia had been due to repay its debts to Zvartnots
in full by September, under a previous deal struck between the two
companies back in March.

The Armavia spokesperson tells bne that flights had resumed after a
new deal was agreed. “We have reached agreement and the issue between
the airline and the airport has been resolved, so flights are operating
again,” she said.

However, the suspension in services in September was just the latest
in a series of disputes between Armavia and Zvartnots, concerning
the level of service charges set by the airport. Flights have been
suspended several times in the last year – in November 2011, March
and most recently September.

Armavia argues that the service charges at Zvartnots, Armenia’s
main international airport, are unreasonably high. Baghdasarov,
the airline’s majority shareholder since 2005, has several times
said that Armavia might be forced to file for bankruptcy unless the
charges are reduced.

Previously, rumours have surfaced that Zvartnots’ owner,
Argentinian-Armenian businessman Eduard Eurnekian, had deliberately
set high service charges for Armavia in an attempt to force the
airline into bankruptcy and take it over. When Armavia disclosed
that an Italian company was among the potential buyers for Armavia,
this gave rise to speculation that the would-be buyer could be Volare
Air Company, which is owned by Eurnekian.

However, PanARMENIAN.Net reported on October 4 that Eurnekian said
he had no intention of buying the airline. “I’m not planning to
buy Armavia,” Eurnekian told journalists at an agriculture forum
in Yerevan.

Armavia has grown rapidly since it was launched in 2003, when it took
over the international license of the bankrupt Armenian Airlines.

However, it has increasingly come under pressure as global fuel prices
have increased. In April 2011, Armavia became the first commercial
airline to put a Russian-made Sukhoi Superjet 100 into operation,
but later cancelled its order for a second Superjet and tried to
return the first. However, on October 5, Sukhoi announced that it had
reached a new six-month leasing agreement with Armavia on the Superjet.

ARMENIA AND US TO DISCUSS OPPORTUNITIES FOR INCREASED ENERGY SECTOR COOPERATION

Mediamax
Oct 17 2012
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. The regular meeting of the U.S.-Armenia Joint
Economic Taskforce (USATF) will take place in Yerevan on October 18.

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Eric Rubin and Coordinator of
U.S. Assistance to Europe and Eurasia Dan Rosenblum will lead the U.S.

delegation.

This year’s meeting will focus on promoting trade and investment,
and opportunities for increased energy sector cooperation.

Established in 1999, the USATF meets annually to discuss ways to
deepen economic ties, and provides an open forum to discuss trade
and investment issues.

HARSNAQAR CASE JUDGE REJECTS LIMITING JOURNALISTS’ ACTIONS

NEWS.AM
October 17, 2012 | 19:16

YEREVAN. – Judge Davit Harutyunyan rejected on Wednesday the motion
to limit actions of the journalists in the Avan and Nor-Nork First
Instance Court during the Harsnaqar trial. The next hearing is
scheduled for Oct. 22.

As reported earlier, an incident had occurred at Yerevan city Harsnaqar
Restaurant on June 17, where several military doctors including Edgar
Mikoyan, Arkadi Aghajanyan, Garik Soghomonyan, Artak Bayadyan and
Vahe Avetyan were brutally beaten by Hayrapetyan’s security personnel.

Vahe Avetyan died in hospital on June 29. The Police have detained
six people, including Arman Khatchatryan, Norayr Hayrapetyan, Garik
Margaryan, Arman Baghdasaryan, Davit Adamyan and Arthur Babloyan.

AT THE SITTING OF THE NA STANDING COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE, EDUCATION, CULTURE, YOUTH AND SPORT

17.10.2012

At October 17 sitting of the NA Standing Committee on Science,
Education, Culture, Youth and Sport moderated by Artak Davtyan the
issue of presenting the endorsement to the National Assembly on RA
draft laws “On adults’ education,” “On theatre and theatrical activity”
and “On out of school education” was debated.

The co-author of the draft laws Heghine Bisharyan said that the RA
draft laws “On adults’ education,” and “On out of school education”
by the agreement reached with the Ministry of Education and Science,
will be revised and again submitted after joint work. The RA Minister
of Culture Hasmik Poghosyan has proposed to reconsider the RA draft
law “On theatre and theatrical activity.”

By the author’s proposal the Committee decided to postpone the debate
of the three draft laws, which were included in the agenda of the
sitting, for a year.

The deputies debated also other issues.

Artak Davtyan proposed to hold parliamentary hearings in November
to debate the issue of TV and radio programmes having bad impact
on citizens. At the Committee Chairman’s proposal on the basis of
standards elaborated by the National Commission on Television and
Radio after the hearings a legislative initiative will be put into
circulation.

Artak Davtyan recommended organizing a visiting sitting dedicated
to the problems of children’s protection, inclusive education in
cooperation with other committees and UNICEF, and sending an invitation
also to the counterparts of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic for taking
part in it.

The Committee Chairman’s other proposal was related to conducting a
visiting sitting of the Committee in Shushi.

The Committee members accepted all the proposals.

YEREVAN BALLOON BLAST CASE DEFENDANT SENTENCED TO ONE YEAR

news.am
October 17, 2012 | 13:51

YEREVAN. – The court trial into the balloon explosion in Armenia’s
capital city Yerevan came to a close on Wednesday. As a result,
defendant Serob Bozoyan was sentenced to one year in prison, Bozoyan’s
attorney Karen Manucharyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

During the session, the legal defender motioned the court to apply
a conditional sentence and noted that his client suffers from cancer.

In his closing remarks, Serob Bozoyan admitted his guilt and asked
the court to consider as mitigating circumstances the fact that,
before filling the balloons with methane gas, he had informed the
event organizers about the dangerous nature of this gas.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, a tragedy occurred during
the ruling Republican Party’s (RPA) parliamentary election campaign
rally and concert held at Yerevan’s Republic Square on May 4. Hundreds
of balloons filled with gas exploded and started to burn.

Subsequently, the balloons’ melted rubber fell on the event
participants. Those near the stage were affected the most, and 154
people were injured.

Subsequently, German plastic surgeon Adrian Daigler, who was invited
to Armenia upon the instruction of President and RPA leader Serzh
Sargsyan, operated on nine patients who suffered injuries from the
balloon blast. And the last patient was discharged on July 2.

Serob Bozoyan, who had filled these balloons, was charged with
manufacturing and selling products not meeting safety regulations
and causing harm to two or more people.

Anadolu Agency (AA), Turkey
October 15, 2012 Monday

Armenian plane was grounded due to certain violations

Turkish PM Erdogan said that an Armenian plane made a “technical
landing” in Erzurum today “due to certain violations. ANKARA Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said that an Armenian
plane made a “technical landing” in eastern province of Erzurum today
“due to certain violations”.

Speaking to reporters at Ankara’s Esenboga International Airport
before departing for Baku, Erdogan stressed that “the Armenian plane
landed in Erzurum due to certain violations. However, after a search
in the plane, Turkish officials did not find anything that would have
caused a problem and the plane was permitted for take off.” Touching
on a Syrian passenger plane that was forced to land in Ankara last
week, Erdogan stated that the equipment found in the cargo department
of the plane were “definitely equipment used in war”.

“The Syrian plane was carrying radar equipment that can be used in
war,” Erdogan also said.

Prime Minister Erdogan is on his way to Baku to attend the Economic
Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit on Tuesday.