Author: Babajanian Karo

ARFD: ANKARA USES ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS TO INTERFERE WITH KARABAKH PROCESS

arminfo
Thursday, October 11, 00:19

Armenia must immediately recall its signature from under the Armenian-
Turkish protocols, Kiro Manoyan, Head of ARFD Bureau’s Hay Dat and
Political Affairs Office, told media on October 10.

“The protocols have been signed three years ago. They have not lost
their legal force and official Ankara uses them to interfere with
the Karabakh process and manipulate on them if necessary,” he said.

Manoyan said that before the presidential elections the Armenian
authorities will not recall the signatures from under the protocols
because they need to create a reputation of a ‘good partner’ in the
eyes of the world community. However, Manoyan assured media that
the given protocols have no impact on the regional stability and
recalling the signature will not result in tension of the situation
in the region.

In this light, the Dashnak said that the Turkish authorities may
partially ratified the protocols on the threshold of the Armenian
Genocide’s centennial to create tensions inside Armenia. “It is not a
secret that most Armenians in the country and in Diaspora are against
the protocols and Armenia will have to make a response step if Turkey
starts any process on the protocols, which will lead to disturbances
inside the country,” he said.

Armenia and Turkey signed the “Protocol on the establishment
of diplomatic relations” and the “Protocol on the development of
bilateral relations” in Zurich on October 10 2009. Following Turkey’s
unwillingness to ratify the protocols and attempts to link ratification
with the Karabakh conflict made President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan
sign a decree on suspension of the procedure of ratification of the
Armenian -Turkish protocols.

SCANDAL IN ARMENIA’S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

news.am
October 11, 2012 | 13:44

YEREVAN. – The evidence of violations and corruption is apparent in
Armenia’s public health sector, and we expect the medical facility
heads to show the real salaries and their increase, Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan stated during Thursday’s consultation meeting at the
Ministry of Health.

In his words, these administrators need to abandon shadow payments.

“Our studies have shown that this will be followed by a steep increase
in salaries. We need to provide legitimate salaries for the staff,”
the PM said.

Sargsyan noted that those medical facilities that are included in the
danger zone will lose state funding. Also, the Health Ministry will
conduct a study of such facilities and revoke their licenses. “We
don’t want to resort to the Criminal Code, but we are obligated to
reduce corruption in the health sector,” the Premier stated.

ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATE IN TURKEY WON’T BLESS MIXED MARRIAGES

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 11, 2012 – 14:58 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Armenian Patriarchate in Turkey has restarted
implementing regulations in regards to mixed marriages, under which
Armenians marrying a person of a different religion will no longer
receive a blessing or be permitted to conduct a church wedding,
Hurriyet Daily News reported.

The permission for a church wedding for mixed marriages started in
2000 with Patriarch Mesrop Mutafyan’s approval, but the move sparked
debate within the community.

“We are putting into practice a law that already exists in our church.

I do not want to make any other statement than this,” acting Patriarch
Aram AteÅ~_yan told the HDN.

The new regulation went into effect Oct. 1.

Armenians in mixed marriages, as well as those from the community
engaged to non-Armenians, gave partial support to the patriarchate
but also expressed criticism on the matter.

FIRST BICYCLE ROUTE OPENS IN YEREVAN

07:21 pm | Today | Social

A bicycle route opened in Yerevan on Oct. 10 in the result o
cooperation between Yerevan Municipality and Kanachastan NGO. The
route stretches from “Aragast” cafe near Oval Park to the Statue of
Zoravar (General) Andranik, covering a total of 2.5 kilometers.

To ensure the security of cyclists, appropriate road markings and
signs have been made on the path, besides stations have been built
at the beginning and end of the route.

EU REPORT SAYS NON-MUSLIM COMMUNITIES FACE PROBLEMS IN TURKEY

news.am
October 10, 2012 | 18:22

EU issued draft Enlargement Strategy Report on Turkey expressing
concern about country’s progress in meeting political criteria for
full membership in the Union.

The report points out problems with the freedoms of expression,
assembly and seeking a political solution to the Kurdish issue.

Several provisions are related to the rights of the Armenian community.

The document says non-Muslim communities of Turkey face several
problems, including restrictions on the training of clergy.

The report said the Armenian Patriarchate’s proposal to open a
university department for the Armenian language and clergy remained
pending for a fifth year. Personal documents such as identity cards
include information on religion, leading to some discriminatory
practices or harassment by local officials of persons who converted
from Islam to another religion and thereafter sought to amend their
ID cards.

“The Ministry of National Education approved a new regulation allowing
children from Armenian, Greek and Jewish minorities who are not Turkish
citizens to be educated in minority schools. However, children who
are not Turkish citizens do not receive official graduation papers,”
the report said.

“The commemoration of the twentieth anniversary of the Khojaly massacre
(in Azerbaijan) on 26 February in Istanbul’s Taksim square was marred
by racist and anti-Armenian slogans and degenerated into an attempted
march on the Armenian Agos newspaper.

Rhetoric against missionaries or minorities remains in a number of
compulsory schoolbooks. Several important buildings in the Armenian
cemetery in Malatya were demolished by the Malatya municipality on
2 February.”

ARMENIAN PM SLAMS “DISAPPEARANCE” OF 200 MILLION IN SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION FUNDS

hetq
13:32, October 10, 2012

During a cabinet meeting today, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan declared
that those responsible for the disappearance of 200 million AMD out
of the 270 million allocated for school construction in the village of
Metz Mantash (Shirak) would be punished to the full extent of the law.

PM Sargsyan stated that the government got wind of the irregularity
during his visit to Shirak Province last week.

Sargsyan noted that a similar incident had been uncovered in the town
of Masis and called for greater monitoring of school construction
projects.

ARTSAKH HOPES FOR INT’L COMMUNITY’S RESPONSE TO DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 10, 2012 – 14:54 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The response of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
the Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) Republic has been circulated to the
UN General Assembly and Security Council with regard to the letters
of Azerbaijan’s representative to the UN on the presidential election
held in the NKR on July 19, 2012.

The document of the Foreign Ministry reads that “the formation of
state structures through free and transparent expression of the
popular will has become an inseparable part of the political culture
in the Republic”.

It is also noted that the July 19, 2012 presidential election
in Artsakh was yet another step towards deepening the democratic
traditions and universal values in the country that was affirmed by
the high assessments given by the international observers, including
members of the European Parliament, journalists and public activists.

“The Nagorno Karabakh Republic expects the international community
to demonstrate an appropriate response to its ongoing democratic
processes, which will send the proper signal to the developing
democracies around the globe.

Any allegations by Azerbaijan that the democratic development of the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic hampers the peace process are illogical, and
are solely aimed at distracting the international community away from
factual obstacles in the negotiation process”, the NKR MFA letter said.

According to the NKR Foreign Ministry, Azerbaijan’s refusal to observe
its obligations undertaken within the OSCE Minsk Process undermines
stability, peace and security in the region.

PAPER: PRESIDENT SEEKS TO ACQUIRE VOROTAN HYDRO POWER

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 10, 2012 – 16:23 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan seeks to
buy Vorotan Cascade hydropower plant, according to Chorrord
Inknishkhanutyun daily.

As sources close to the authorities say, the purchase was supposed
to be finalized before the 2013 presidential elections. However, back
in 2012, the plant was rumored to have been bought by Russians. With
rumors proving false, President Sargsyan is now intending to get the
plant, according to the daily.

The plant, providing 20% of electricity in Armenia, is currently placed
under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Energy, with the self-cost of
the product being the lowest one in Armenia.

“GRANDFATHER MARGAR” MOVIE CONTINUES ITS VICTORIOUS WAY IN INTERNATIONAL FESTIVALS

ARMENPRESS
10 October, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 10, ARMENPRESS. “Grandfather Margar” movie, shot
in association with National Cinema Centre of Armenia, continues
its victorious way in international festivals. Movie directed by a
young director Guzh Tadevosyan was represented in Yalta International
Television and Cinema Forum “Together” and was declared a winner in
“the Beginning” nomination.

During the press conference in “Armenpress” conference hall on October
10 chief editor of Screenplay Department of National Cinema Centre
of Armenia Anahit Arpen was glad to announce that the movie has been
already represented in different contests, international programs
and cinema forums showing Armenian culture. According to Arpen film
is dedicated to a very interesting and actual topic.

Director of the film Guzh Tadevosyan said the following: “Film
represents how the disagreements regarding borders and politics
of the countries reflect in lifestyle and outlook of an honest and
hard-working men. Idea of screenplay, the situation and the absurdity
are very impressing in the film. This is what attracts first and only
after come solutions, specific traits of characters”.

“Grandfather Margar” movie, shot in 2011, has been represented in a raw
of prominent international festivals winning many prizes and diplomas.

1454 STUDENTS LEFT OUT OF STATE UNIVERSITIES, MINISTER SAYS

tert.am
10.10.12

Some 1324 students have been left out of state universities because
of academic debt.

The figure has been revealed after summing up 2011-2012 academic year,
Education and Science Minister Armen Ashotyan said at the meeting
with reporters on Wednesday.

He said 130 students have dropped out because of tuition fees, and
overall 1454 have been left out. ~SLast year we have changed the
procedures of exams letting students have 12 credits debt.

This though does not relate to graduation year students, as naturally
they should not have debts. All the students have right to get restored
at the second half of relevant course,~T he said, stressing that the
presented information relates to state establishments only.

At the same time the minister stressed that their aim is to make the
process of entrance to universities easy while studying difficult.

~SSome 200 students have been left out only of the Medical
University,~T he said, adding that some 217 have dropped out of
Gavar university.

The minister explained the reason with the newly established norms,~T
the minister said, adding that it shows that the studying process
has become stricter.