Author: Babajanian Karo

MP’S SON INTERROGATED AS WITNESS IN BAMBAKASHAT SCUFFLE CASE

Panorama.am
11/09/2012

Makar Petrosyan, the son of MP Alexan Petrosyan, nicknamed Alik of
MAP, has been summoned by police for interrogation as a witness in the
scuffle in Bambakashat village of Armenia, press service of Armenian
police told Panorama.am.

Earlier, Panorama.am reported that a scuffle occurred between a group
of young people in Bambakashat village during the Council of Elders
elections on September 9. Two people were taken to Armavir Medical
Center and two others were arrested after the scuffle.

According to some information, the scuffle in Bambakashat was
instigated by MP Alexan Petrosyan’s son, Makar Petrosyan. He, however,
dismissed the rumors linking him with the incident.

PRINTING OF BOOKS ON ARMENIANS’ LIFE IN OTTOMAN EMPIRE KICKS OFF

PanARMENIAN.Net
September 11, 2012 – 16:59 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The printing and reprinting of books and documents
on the history and culture of Armenians in the cities and towns of
Western Armenia and Cilicia during the Ottoman Empire has kicked off.

The Catholicosate of Cilicia has already published the history of
Adana and is in the process of publishing the histories of Hadjin,
Van and Zeytoun.

The Catholicosate of Cilicia invites individuals and organizations to
sponsor the publication of the more than one hundred volumes recalling
the memories of life in the Armenian homeland.

The Catholicosate will offer free copies to libraries and educational
institutions in Armenia and the Diaspora.

TURKEY TO ALWAYS SUPPORT AZERBAIJAN – ERDOGAN

News.Az
Tue 11 September 2012 07:51 GMT | 8:51 Local Time

Turkey will always support Azerbaijan. The statement came from
Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a briefing at the
Esenboa airport.

According to Turkish media, he said that during his visit to Azerbaijan
he will discuss a number of bilateral issues with President Ilham
Aliyev.

“Azerbaijan is a friendly and brotherly country for Turkey. It will
always be so”, he said.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan begins official visit to
Azerbaijan on 11 September.

FACTBOX-MILITARY CAPABILITIES OF AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA

Reuters
Sept 11 2012
UK

(Reuters) – Here is a look at the military capabilities of Azerbaijan
and Armenia. The “frozen conflict” between the two has been punctuated
by heated rhetoric and skirmishes across their common border and a
line of contact around the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh.

AZERBAIJAN’S ARMED FORCES:

TOTAL: Active – 66,940; Reserve – 300,000

ARMY: 56,840

Main Battle Tanks – 339 including 95 T-55 and 244 T-72

Armoured Infantry Fighting vehicles – 111

Armoured personnel carriers – 347

Artillery pieces – 458

NAVY: 2,220

Patrol and coastal vessels – 8

Coastal Mine Hunter – Mine warfare/inshore – 4

Amphibious – 6

AIR FORCE: 7,990

Combat capable aircraft – 44

14 Fighters – MiG-29 Fulcrum

11 Fighter ground attack aircraft – including 4 MiG-21 Fishbed,
4 Su-17 Fitter, 1 Su-17U Fitter, Su-24 Fencert

19 Attack aircraft – 16 Su-25 Frogfoot, 3 Su-25UB Frogfoot B

Transport aircraft – 4

Helicopters – 26 Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters, 40 transport

OTHER FORCES: 15,000 paramilitaries including border guards and
militia.

DEFENCE BUDGET: 2010 $1.59 billion (992.5 million pounds), 2011
$1.68 billion

Azerbaijan’s armed forces have yet to make a successful transition from
Soviet-era times despite the growth of the defence budget from rising
oil revenue. Armed forces still rely on conscription and the standard
of available equipment remains uncertain. Azerbaijan has contributed
a small contingent to the International Security Assistance Force in
Afghanistan (ISAF).

ARMENIA’S ARMED FORCES:

TOTAL: 48,834 – active, reserves some mobilisation, possibly around
210,000

ARMY: 45,846 including 25,880 conscripts

Main Battle Tanks – 110 including 3 T-54, 5 T-55, 102 T-72

Armoured Infantry Fighting vehicles – 104

Armoured personnel carriers – 136

Artillery pieces – 239

AIR FORCE AND AIR DEFENCE: 1,061

Combat capable aircraft 16

1 fighter MiG-25 Foxbat

15 Fighter ground attack aircraft Su-25 Frogfoot

Transport aircraft – 2

Helicopters – 8 Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters, 10 multi-role, 9
light transport

OTHER FORCES: There is a paramilitary force of 6,694 consisting of
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Border troops.

DEFENCE BUDGET: 2010 $436 million, 2011 $395 million

Armenia’s army is primarily focused on territorial defence given
the tensions with Azerbaijan and is still strongly based on Russian
military thinking. However Armenia contributes to ISAF in Afghanistan,
enabling its troops to benefit from their NATO counterparts. The
IISS says in its latest Military Balance that Armenia’s air force
“reportedly struggles with serviceability and maintenance while
Russia’s air force provides national air defence from a leased base”.

HUNGARY’S AND AZERBAIJAN’S STATEMENTS “SHOCK”, ARMENIAN FM SAYS

Mediamax
Sept 11 2012
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian stated
today that “the statements made by Hungary and Azerbaijan aren’t
less shocking than the deal on Ramil Safarov’s extradition concluded
between the countries”.

Answering Mediamax’s question at a joint press conference with his
counterpart from Luxembourg, Edward Nalbandian said today that “the
Hungarian side tries to justify its actions”.

“Hungary states that the process was transparent whereas the senior
officials of Azerbaijan say that secret negotiations have been held.

The Hungarian side says that it didn’t know Azerbaijan would pardon
Safarov while Azerbaijan claims the opposite. Hungary sent notes to
the embassies accredited in Budapest where it states its indignation
over Safarov’s pardon but the letter is concluded with the sentence:
“As before, we are committed to development of our relations with
Azerbaijan on the basis of mutual trust”. Hungary says the decision
on Safarov’s transfer was made within the Strasburg Convention and
the PACE Chairman stated that the agreement abuses especially this
convention “, said the Armenian Foreign Minister.

AZERI PRESIDENT ALIYEV REMINDS ARMENIA PARDONING OF ITS BOMBER IN 2001

Interfax
Sept 10 2012
Russia

Azeri President Ilham Aliyev defended his decision to pardon Azeri
officer Ramil Safarov earlier sentenced to life in Hungary for killing
an Armenian officer by recalling Armenia’s 2001 decision to pardon
Varoujan Garabedian, who had been sentenced to life in France for
bombing a Turkish Airlines check-in desk at Orly airport in Paris
in 1983.

“I want to remind Armenians that the person who committed a terrorist
attack at Orly airport, which killed citizens of European countries
and the U.S., was extradited to Armenia in 2001. While he was not
a citizen of Armenia, the president of this country pardoned him,”
Aliyev said at a press conference with NATO Secretary General Anders
Fogh Rasmussen in Baku on Friday.

“I wouldn’t like to draw parallels between our officer and terrorists.

But Ramil Safarov served about 9 years in prison, and his release is
absolutely correct from the legal viewpoint. This is a presidential
decision, and it is correct. Azerbaijan has returned his officer to
his home country,” Aliyev said.

It was reported earlier that Aliyev had said at a meeting with
Rasmussen that Safarov’s extradition from Hungary to Azerbaijan and
his further pardoning were absolutely legitimate.

Garabedian, a former member of the Armenian Secret Army for the
Liberation of Armenia (ASALA), who was extradited to Armenia from
France in 2001, was pardoned and received by then Prime Minister
Andranik Markarian, who welcomed his release from a French prison.

Ramil Safarov, a senior lieutenant in the Azeri army, murdered Armenian
army lieutenant Gurgen Margarian in 2004 in Budapest, where both were
attending an English language course as part of NATO’s Partnership
for Peace program.

In 2006, a Budapest court gave Safarov a life sentence without the
right to seek pardon during the first 30 years of the term.

However, Hungary extradited Safarov to Azerbaijan on August 31, 2012,
assuming that he would serve the rest of his term in his own country,
but Azeri President Ilham Aliyev pardoned him the same day.

FRENCH-ARMENIAN SINGER PATRICK FIORI TO PERFORM AT ARMENIA FUND PROGRAM

Community | September 7, 2012 10:57 am

NEW YORK – On September 29, French- Armenian singer Patrick Fiori (nee
Chouchayan) will perform at the Armenia Fund USA 20th anniversary gala.

Fiori was born in 1969 in Marseille, France to a Corsican mother and
an Armenian father. The performance will mark the French-Armenian
heartthrob’s American debut.

“The buzz about Patrick Fiori, who has been taking western Europe
and other international cities by storm, has already begun to gather
momentum in the US,” said Gala Chairperson Vesna Markarian. “Our
guests should anticipate a magical evening that only a true showman
like Patrick can deliver, appealing to all age groups.”

“We are looking forward to Patrick’s live show for three reasons,”
said gala committee member Khoren Bandazian, chairman of Armenia
Fund USA and former event committee chairperson for the organiza-
tion’s 15th anniversary celebration in 2007.

“First, he’s a charismatic vocalist with an instinct for connecting
with his audience. Next, as a French- Armenian, he represents the 22
affiliates worldwide without whom our overall nation-building mission
would be impossible. Though our own affiliate will always have special
status as the first affiliate of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, the
idea behind the organization is unifying the global diaspora around
one cause – the prosperity and security of our homeland. The presence
of Patrick reminds us of the international scope of our commitment.”

He concluded, Armenians, we are always proud to see one of us
making a positive contribution to the world at large. Patrick Fiori
contributes through music and song, the international language of
the human spirit.”

Markarian said, “Patrick Fiori is truly versatile as an entertainer.

His songs range from musical theater to soundtracks for film to
contemporary pop.”

Fiori took his first steps onstage as a singer at the age of 12 at the
Opera de Marseille. In 1993, he was chosen to represent France at the
Eurovision Song Contest with the song, Mama Corsica. He took fourth
prize in a competition, which included contestants from 25 countries.

A few years later, he was offered the role as Phoebus in the musical
production of “Notre Dame de Paris” – a role he played for three
years in both France and Canada.

In 1998, he signed a contract with Sony Music and released his first
album, “Prend Moi.” He also lent his voice to the soundtrack of the
French ver- sion of the Walt Disney animated film “Mulan” and the
DreamWorks production of “The Prince of Egypt.”

These successes were soon followed by the release of three other
albums: “Chrysalide” (2000), “Patrick Fiori” (2002) and “Si On Chantait
Plus Fort” (2005), which also generated hundreds of live performances
in major concert venues.

In 2008, accompanied by the Philharmonic Orchestra of Budapest, Fiori
paid tribute to the film music genre with the album, “Les Choses De
La Vie,” inspired by the classic song, Les Montagnes d’Armenie.

On the soundtrack of Henri Verneuil’s film, “Mayrig,” Fiori wrote
his own lyrics in memory of his Armenian ancestors. The tour for this
album extended to Moscow for a special concert at the Kremlin Theatre.

He has since released a new album, called “L’instinct Masculin,” which
ranks among the top- selling records in France. This tour will bring
him to Russia, Armenia, Tunisia and other countries around the world.

The gala will be hosted by lawyer Mark Geragos. Eduard Nalbandian,
foreign minister of the Republic of Armenia, will give the keynote
address.

Tickets are available by invitation, or by ordering online at

ARMENIA GRABS GOLD IN THE 40TH CHESS OLYMPIAD

Hamsayeh.Net

Sept 10 2012

In the last round of the 40th World Chess Olympiad Armenia was matched
against Hungary. Levon Aronian secured a perpetual against Peter Leko,
and the other games continued.

After the time control Gabriel Sargissian drew the rook endgame
against Ferenc Berkes, and Sergei Movsesian scored a crucial victory
against Zoltan Almasi. Eventually Vladimir Akopian held Judit Polgar
to a draw to mark the start of huge celebration for Armenian gold
medal. Congratulations!

Russia employed their trademark strategy and signed two quick
draws with Germany – both with black pieces. This worked perfectly
as Vladimir Kramnik and Sergey Karjakin won with white to secure
the overall 3-1 victory for Russia. Russia finished equal first on
match points but with weaker tie-breaks and thus is awarded with the
silver medal.

ARMENIAN DIES IN CLASHES IN ALEPPO

news.am
September 10, 2012 | 16:23

ALEPPO. – An Armenian died during the clashes in Aleppo, Syria. The
identity of the man, who died in New Geghi region, is being
clarified, Armenian community representative in Aleppo told Armenian
News-NEWS.am. Property of the Armenians also in endangered as a result
of the clashes and explosions.

It was earlier reported, that no Armenian suffered due to the explosion
in Aleppo, which occurred on Sept. 9 and which ruined the two major
hospitals. As a result of the blast, schools and houses nearby also
were destructed, while 27 peaceful residents died and 64 are reported
to be injured. The terrorists used over a ton of explosive material,
placed in a minibus, Syrian SANA information agency reports. The
situation continues to be the same in the Armenian district of
the city.

“It is a complicated moral and economic situation and population
wants to leave the city,” the representative said.

HUNGARIAN AUTHORITIES ENGAGED IN CRIMINAL DEAL WITH AZERI OFFICIALS – KARABAKH

news.am
September 10, 2012 | 23:02

STEPANAKERT. – The Hungarian authorities were engaged in a criminal
deal with Azerbaijani officials and were condemned by lots of
international institutions, including the EU, NATO and own society,
Nagorno-Karabakh Security council head Masis Mayilyan told Armenian
News-NEWS.am commenting on the extradition and pardon of Ramil Safarov.

In response to the question whether Azerbaijan concluded the deal
alone or in support with another bloc or a state, Mayilsyan said that
judging from the statements voiced by the representatives of official
organizations and separate states, only two sides, that of Azerbaijan
and Hungary took part in the deal.

“Even Turkey dissociated itself from this unscrupulous action,”
he added.