Author: Badalian Vardan

MEDAILLE D’OR POUR LE VIN ARMENIEN ” ARMENIA ” A ” PRODEXPO 2012 ” DE MOSCOU
Krikor Amirzayan

armenews.com
samedi 25 février 2012

L’Armenie est le pays du vin. Une affirmation confirmee par la
decouverte l’an dernier de la plus ancienne fabrique de vin au
monde, a Areni. Après le cognac armenien (brandy), le vin armenien
part a la conquete de l’international. La societe ” Armenia wine
” qui participait pour la première fois au salon ” Prodexpo 2012
” a Moscou du 13 au 17 fevrier, a recu deux medailles d’or et une
d’argent pour sa production. L’an dernier ” Armenia wine ” avait
debute l’exportation de son vin ” Armenia ” vers les Etats-Unis et
les pays Baltes puis la Russie.

Ainsi pour sa première a ” Prodexpo 2012 ” a laquelle participaient
près de 2 000 societes, ” Armenia wine ” fut recompensee. Le vin rouge
” Armenia ” recut deux medailles d’or pour le ” ” meilleure production
2012 ” et le vin blanc ” Armenia ” une medaille d’argent.

VLADIMIR JIRINOVSKI PREVOIT LA 3E GUERRE MONDIALE CET ETE EN IRAN
Krikor Amirzayan

armenews.com
samedi 25 février 2012

Vladimir Jirinovski le leader russe du Parti Liberal-Democrate ne
manque pas d’annonces sensationnelles. Selon lui cet ete pourrait
debuter la 3e Guerre mondiale en Iran. ” S’ils etranglent la Syrie,
cet ete ils attaqueront l’Iran. L’Azerbaïdjan en profitera pour
attaquer a son tour le Haut Karabagh ” affirme Vladimir Jirinovski. Et
il ajoute ” l’Armenie s’opposera et la Turquie sera aux côtes de
l’Azerbaïdjan. Ainsi notre pays, la Russie pourrait etre entrainee
dans cette guerre “. Selon le leader russe, la Russie sera emmenee
a defendre ses frontières du Sud. Et V. Jirinovski de reclamer les
elections presidentielles russes en avril au lieu de mai, afin que
la Russie se prepare a cette guerre.

‘NO ORGANIZATION BEHIND MURDER’

Hurriyet Daily News
Feb 24 2012
Turkey

An Istanbul court issues its detailed ruling in Turkish-Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink’s murder case and says although there are
doubts there was no evidence on the existence of an organization
behind the crime

An Istanbul court has issued its detailed ruling in the case of
Hrant Dink, a Turkish journalist of Armenian origin murdered in
2007, arguing there was no evidence indicating the existence of an
organization behind the crime, despite lingering doubts.

“If a [terrorist] organization does exist [behind the crime],
then it has not been ascertained when and for which purpose it was
established. It has not been ascertained on which principles and crimes
the organization’s founders established their mutual wills. If there
is a structure that presents continuity, then no information could
be obtained as to what kinds of actions they have undertaken since
Jan. 19, 2007,” read the court’s ruling made public yesterday.

The 216 page ruling also said no organization leaders or members could
be identified, and that no evidence could be found to demonstrate
the organization was in possession of the necessary means to commit
the crimes in question either.

“There is only the fact that a murder leading to so many political
consequences was committed by the suspects without an organization
[standing behind them], and that this constitutes a situation that
runs counter to the natural flow of life,” said the ruling.

While this situation establishes doubt, criminal law holds that doubt
should be interpreted in the suspect’s favor, the verdict went on.

“It was thus necessary to acquit the suspects due to lack of evidence,
as the suspects’ crimes of establishing, leading, abetting and
being members of an [illegal] organization could not be proven beyond
reasonable doubt with clear and precise facts and evidence that leaves
no room for hesitation,” said the ruling.

It seems illogical that the murder was planned and premeditated by
juveniles without an organization behind them, but those who planned
the murder left no evidence that would establish either a de jure
or a de facto connection between the triggermen and themselves,
the ruling continued.

“The conclusion could be logically drawn that the evidence could
have been more accessible if there was no terrorist organization
[behind the triggermen] of a magnitude bigger than previously thought.”

Dink was the chief editor for weekly Agos, a newspaper published in
Turkish and Armenian. He was shot dead in front of his office on Jan.

19, 2007 in Istanbul. Triggerman Ogun Samast was sentenced to 22
years in prison for the murder last year.

Instigator Yasin Hayal was sentenced on Jan. 19 to aggravated life
imprisonment, while former police informant and suspect Erhan Tuncel
was released, leading to a public outcry.

US APPEALS COURT DROPS ARMENIAN PAYMENTS LAW

Feb 24 2012
Turkey

This verdict is important for Turkey, even if not directly, as it
can affect other cases regarding incidents of 1915 and be showed as
an example.

The U.S. Federal Court of Appeals has ruled that the descendants
of Armenians who died during 1915 incidents could not file lawsuits
against insurance companies to receive compensation.

The San Francisco Court of Appeals annulled the law adopted in the
State of California 11 years ago that authorized descendants of the
mentioned Armenians to file lawsuits against insurance companies.

The court delegation unanimously reached the verdict, and dropped the
case filed by Armenians against German insurance company Munich Re AG.

In its reasoned verdict, the court said only the federal government
had the right to bring foreign institutions before U.S. courts.

The law adopted in 2000 granted the right to descendants of Armenians,
who died in the incidents of 1915 after taking out a life insurance,
to file lawsuits against insurance companies to get the insurance.

San Francisco Court of Appeals annulled the law in 2009, but in
December 2010 it again ruled that the descendants could file lawsuits.

Last November, the court decided to re-handle this provision.

This recent decision of the Court of Appeals is its third decision
on the same case.

American media says that unless the High Tribunal refuses to handle
this issue, this decision of the Court of Appeals can be the last stage
regarding this matter and most probably, descendants of Armenians who
died in the incidents of 1915 can end their efforts to force German
insurance companies to pay them compensation.

This verdict is important for Turkey, even if not directly, as it
can affect other cases regarding incidents of 1915 and be showed as
an example.

ARMENIAN SINGERS WANT TO BOYCOTT BAKU EUROVISION

Vestnik Kavkaza
Feb 24 2012
Russia

A group of Armenian singers has published a message urging the country
to skip the Eurovision Song Contest in Baku, News Armenia reports.

Artur Grigoryan, Art Director of the State Song Theater, said that
a group of Dorianz with solo singer Gora Sunjyan is willing to take
part. He emphasized that art should not be confused with politics.

Eurovision is a show, not art, the art director says.

Baku will host the Eurovision Song Contest on May 22-26.

Azerbaijan won the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest in Dusseldorf, with the
“Running Scared” pop-ballade performed by Eldar Gasimov and Nigar Jamal
(stage name Ell&Nikki).

ARMENIA THE AMBIDEXTROUS

Strategy Page

Feb 24 2012

February 24, 2012: The U.S. and Armenia have agreed to hold joint
military training exercises this April, in Rumania. Armenia has 130
troops in Afghanistan, and is sending more. Armenia wants to develop
better relations with the United States. The week long exercises
will enable both countries to improve the ability of their troops to
operate together.

Armenia lives in a rough neighborhood, and needs all the friends it
can get. Neighbors include Georgia (another American ally), Turkey
(a NATO member) and Azerbaijan (an ancient enemy). What is odd about
all this is that Armenia, formerly part of the Soviet Union, is now
a Russian ally, and hosts a permanent Russian garrison.

Last month Russia announced that the major military exercise this
year, “Caucasus-2012”, would be held in Southern Russia (including
the Caucasus), Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Armenia and would simulate
operations if there were a war against Iran by Israel and the United
States. Russia is a staunch ally of Iran.

In the early 1990s, Armenia went to war with Azerbaijan to annex
an Armenian majority district (Nagorno-Karabakh) that was separated
from Armenia by a strip of Azerbaijan territory (populated largely
by Azeris). Although Azerbaijan is larger than Armenia, and has oil,
the Armenians are better fighters, and the conflict festers, despite
a 1994 ceasefire.

ARAM I CLAIMS CHURCH-OWNED PROPERTY SEIZED BY OTTOMAN TURKEY

ARMENPRESS
18:37, 24 February, 2012

“Armenian Genocide: From Recognition to Compensation” international
conference was held February 23 in Antelias Mother Cathedral with
participation of Armenia and foreign lawyers, political scientists,
genocide research specialists and representatives of different
structures.

As an official from the Catholicostate of the Great House of Cilicia
told Armenpress, Nora Bayrakdaryan, lecturer of international law
during the conference, said it is already 100 years justice has not
been restored in the issue of Armenian Genocide, and discussed the
issue from judicial, legal viewpoints and human rights forwarding
the idea of claimant.

Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I, stressing the
wording “genocide”, cited from U.N. Convention on the Prevention and
Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. He said the church-owned estates
and community properties seized by the Ottoman authorities must be
returned by Turkey to its real owner – Catholicostate of the Great
House of Cilicia.

Judge of international judicial institution Joe Verhov noted he
has read numerous studies and books about Armenian Genocide and is
surprised at the denial position of Turkey.

ARMENIAN TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION MINISTER AND WORLD BANK REPRESENTATIVE VISITED INTERSTATE ROAD IN ARMENIA

news.am
February 24, 2012 | 20:20

YEREVAN. – Armenian Minister of Transport and Communication Manuk
Vardanyan and World Bank Armenia Country Manager Jean-Michel Happi
visited an interstate road leading to Aghveran on Friday.

The Ministry offered to reconstruct the road this year based on
Lifeline Roads Improvement Project (LRIP) of the WB, ministry’s
spokesperson Susanna Tonoyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Manukyan and Happi touched upon the preparation process of the new WB
investment project (amounting to $40 million). Both sides discussed
the issue of concluding road reconstruction, their further operation
and maintenance of works.

V. HOVHNANNISYAN: “AUTHORITIES STARTED RIGGING ELECTIONS”

While the authorities continually say they are not going to rig the
upcoming parliamentary elections, they have already started violations,
says member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun)
Vahan Hovhannisyan.

“Election fraud started ahead of elections. They are bribing voters
in advance,” Hovhannisyan told reporters on February 24.

To get out of the situation, he suggests that the country should
switch from the majoritarian electoral system to the proportional one.

“Bribes are mainly given by majoritarian candidate(s) or their
headquarters,” said the Dashnak MP.

Mr Hovhannisyan says his party will also name candidates on the
majoritarian system if they fail to eliminate the majoritarian
voting system.

“We know that the authorities will show resistance since they
understand that if they do not have a majority of seats in the
parliament they cannot be in the minority either.”

UNICEF, ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT DISCUSS INTEGRATED SOCIAL SERVICES TO REDUCE POVERTY

ARMRADIO.AM
24.02.2012 16:40

UNICEF and the Government of Armenia convened today a high-level
conference to discuss integrated social services model as a way to
reduce poverty and ensure full access of the most vulnerable families
to social support and protection services.

“This conference represents a major milestone in the progress of a
strategic reform which we all consider determinant for the improvement
of lives of the most vulnerable families and children in Armenia,”
UNICEF Representative in Armenia, Henriette Ahrens said, addressing
high-level participants, including Prime Minister, Deputy Prime
Minister and Minister of Labour and Social Issues of Armenia.

“Our objective is to put in place a system where individuals can come
to one place and receive all possible information and services they
need. We need a system where social protection offices and social
workers will have comprehensive information about the needs of each
vulnerable family,” Armenia’s Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said,
addressing the conference participants.

The Prime Minister noted that the Government of Armenia has shifted
its policy of provision of income for vulnerable families onto a
policy of strengthening resilience of vulnerable families through
building up their human capacity. Social inequity stems from two
main reasons that are unemployment and inaccessibility of education,
the Prime Minister stressed.

“Budgetary resources will be channeled to provide socially and
economically vulnerable families with employment and quality
education,” the Prime Minister said.