Author: Badalian Vardan

BAN KI-MOON SLAMS ISRAEL OVER EAST JERUSALEM SETTLEMENT PLANS

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 18, 2011 – 19:46 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon criticized Israel
over reports that it plans to build 2,600 more housing units in East
Jerusalem, saying further settlement activity was “unacceptable.”

“The Secretary-General is deeply concerned over continued efforts
to advance planning for new Israeli settlements in occupied East
Jerusalem,” Ban’s press office said in a statement.

“Recent developments in this regard have been unacceptable,
particularly as efforts are ongoing to resume (Israeli-Palestinian)
negotiations, and run contrary to the Quartet’s call on the parties
to refrain from provocations,” it said.

The Peace Now anti-settlement group said that Israel planned to
build the housing units in a new urban settlement in East Jerusalem,
angering Palestinians who want a halt to all such projects before
they return to peace talks, Haaretz reported.

LE CAFE DE PARIS IS NOT ON SALE, SAYS OWNER VALERI-ASHKHEN GORTSUNYAN

Tert.am
18.10.11

Yerevan-based French-Armenian businesswoman Valeri-Ashkhen Gortsunyan
has dismissed allegations that she is going to sell her business and
leave Armenia.

Speaking to Tert.am Gortsunyan, who is the owner of Le Cafe de Paris
cafe in central Yerevan, said she visits her cafe 5-6 times a day
and will continue doing business in Armenia.

“No, I have not sold my Le Cafe de Paris and am not going to do so
yet,” said she, denying also the reports that she is going to leave
the country. “That is a lie.”

Further, she said she is resentful about some media outlets who she
claimed distort her words.

“I am already afraid of transferring my thoughts to porters. I am
starting not to trust [them],” explained she, adding there are no
obstacles to her business in Yerevan.

The businesswoman’s comments come after media reports that some
Armenian high-ranking officials want to seize her business. MP of the
ruling Republican Party of Armenia Zohrab Zohrabyan was named as one
of them.

“National Assembly MP Zohrab Zohrabyan has nothing to do with me,
neither with my personal life nor with my business. Leave me alone!”~T
she said.

RUINS OF ANI UNPROTECTED IN THE FACE OF PLUNDERING – EXPERT

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 18, 2011 – 15:03 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Though officially considered a museum with ticket
only entry, ruins of Ani are unprotected in the face of plundering,
according to the head of Armenian Architecture Research Foundation.

As Samvel Karapetyan told a news conference in Yerevan, in 2004-2005,
the excavations organized by French archaeologists revealed a vast
number of gravestones, some of them carrying Armenian inscriptions.

However, in 2006, the gravestones were broken with the remainders of
those entombed taken out of graves, which proves thefts occurred even
on the museum territory.

“Rumours are afloat among Western Armenia population, asserting
Armenians have left, abandoning their treasures, leaving the territory
unprotected in the face of thefts,” Karapetyan said.

A group of experts, led by Karapetyan, visited Ani on July 30, 2012.

MIGRATION FROM ARMENIA AFFECTS KARABAKH SETTLEMENT- ALIYEV

Tert.am
18.10.11

Armenia’s decreasing population affects the Karabakh settlement
process, according to the Azerbaijani president.

Speaking of the country’s post-Soviet achievements at a an official
reception dedicated to the 20th anniversary of independence, Ilham
Aliyev characterized the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as a major
impediment to Azerbaijan’s progress.

He particularly referred to Azerbaijan’s advantages over Armenia in
terms of its military potential and population.

Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan’s military budget, which exceeds
Armenia’s State Budget by $500,000 million, as well as the difference
of population between the two countries impact negatively impacts
the final settlement of the conflict.

“Azerbaijan’s army has exceeded 9.1 million, whereas the Armenian
citizens, who live in apathy, constantly leave their country. We
will never put up with the loss of our land and will restore our
territorial integrity,” he added,

DELEGATION OF YEREVAN MAYOR’S OFFICE VISITS MONTREAL

ARMENPRESS
19:18, 17 October, 2011

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 17, ARMENPRESS: At the invitation of Montreal Mayor’s
Office and Montreal Public Consultation Office (OCPM), the delegation
of Yerevan Mayor’s Office visited Canada, headed by Staff Secretary
Vahe Stepanyan.

Press service of Yerevan Mayor’s Office told Armenpress that within
the framework of the visit the members of Yerevan delegation met with
Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay. Leader of the Armenian Diocese of
Canada Bishop Bagrat Galstanyan was present at the meeting. Welcoming
the guests, the Montreal Mayor attached importance to the need for
expansion of partner relations between the two cities, in that context
pointing out the role of the local Armenian community and regional
diocese in both economic and cultural life of Montreal.

Head of the delegation, Staff Secretary of Yerevan Mayor’s Office
Vahe Stepanyan conveyed Yerevan Mayor Karen Karapetyan’s greetings
to the Montreal Mayor and expressed gratitude for the warm reception.

During the meeting issues on bilateral cooperation were discussed.

CATHOLICOS ARAM I MEETS WITH GOV. BROWN

asbarez
Monday, October 17th, 2011

Catholicos presents Gov. Brown with a memento

BEVERLY HILLS-His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House
of Cilicia met with California Governor Jerry Brown Thursday at the
Beverly Hills Hilton to discuss issues of importance to the Armenian
community as well as more broader topics of interests.

During the more than one hour meeting, the two leaders discussed issues
of importance and concern to the Armenian community of California, as
well as ecumenical matters, especially relations between the Catholic
and Orthodox Churches. Given Gov. Brown’s theological background,
the aforementioned issued were addressed within that context.

The discussion also centered around developments in the Middle East
as well relations between Christians and Muslims, as the Catholicos
plays an important role in that realm.

The Catholicos said he was confident the governor, as the highest
official of the state, was well acquainted with issues that concern
the Armenian community of California. The governor said the he do
his utmost to assist in the realization programs and activities of
the community.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Catholicos presented Brown with
a memento from Great House of Cilicia.

Accompanying the Catholicos at the meeting were Western Prelate
Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian and community representatives Mardig
Gaboudian and Levon Kirakosian.

PUTIN TO ‘CONSOLIDATE POLITICAL SYSTEM’ AS RUSSIA’S NEW PRESIDENT

Tert.am
23:34 17.10.11

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Monday he is determined
to return to the Kremlin to consolidate the foundations of the
country’s political system and facilitate economic diversification.

According to RIA Novosti, Putin spoke in an interview with three
national TV channels seven weeks before parliamentary elections
scheduled for December 4.

Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev have backed one another to switch
roles after 2012 presidential elections.

Medvedev proposed Putin for president at the United Russia congress
in late September, saying he was ready to head the government in case
of Putin’s victory.

IRAN READY TO “CONSIDER U.S. CHARGES” OF ENVOY MURDER PLOT

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 17, 2011 – 17:56 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Iran’s Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi says his
country is willing to consider U.S. charges that an American of Iranian
decent planned to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to Washington.

“We are ready to consider the matter calmly, even if it was created
artificially, and we ask the US to provide us with all the information
about this scenario,” Salehi told the official IRNA news agency.

BAKU INVOLVEMENT LED YEREVAN, ANKARA TO STALEMATE -EXPERT

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 17, 2011 – 18:56 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – A Southeast Europe scholar at the Woodrow Wilson
International Centre for Scholars is sceptical over the possibility
of opening Armenia-Turkey border till yearend.

“At present, Yerevan and Ankara are unready to solve the issue,
differing too much in their positions on rapprochement methods,”
Alexandros Petersen said.

“Were Azerbaijan involved in rapprochement talks, the opening of
borders would have positively affected the regional situation.

However, the U.S. administration conducted the rapprochement policy,
preferring not to involve the official Baku. It was the attempt to
involve Azeri administration at the last moment that led us to a
stalemate,” 1news.az quoted the expert as saying.

NEWLY APPOINTED US AMBASSADOR HOPES THE ELECTIONS OF 2012 AND 2013 WILL BE THE BEST ONES
Anna Nazaryan

“Radiolur”
17.10.2011 19:12

“This is the first time my wife and I visit Armenia, and we’ll still
have an opportunity to get acquainted with your country and culture,”
the newly appointed US Ambassador to Armenia, John Heffern said during
his first meeting with reporters in Yerevan. He said the development
of Armenian-American relations was a priority for the US.

According to him, they pay great attention to regional integration
and economic development. The domestic political issues of Armenia
are also in the focus of attention, he added. The Ambassador said he
knows about the progress in the internal political life of Armenia
and voiced hope that the positive trends would continue.

“We are hopeful that the elections of 2012 and 2012 will be the best
ones, and we are working in that direction,” the Ambassador stated.

As for the Karabakh issue, Mr. Heffern said he stands for peaceful
resolution of the issue within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group.

Touching upon the Armenian Genocide issue, the Ambassador said:
“President Obama’s April 24th address firmly demonstrated the American
position, and I support it,” John Heffern told reporters.