GERMAN TOURIST LOST IN ARMENIA MOUNTAINS
epress.am
09.08.2011 12:32
At around 10 pm on Sept. 7, the RA Ministry of Emergency Situations
rescue service received a call that German tourist Stefan Slabek is
lost in the mountain next to the village of Hankavan in Kotayk marz
(province).
The provincial rescue squad went to the scene and is currently carrying
out a search mission.
WORKPLACES USED AS ORGANIZATIONAL HUBS, CO-OPTED IN SERVICE OF SERZH SARGSYAN: US DIPLOMAT
epress.am
09.08.2011 13:29
During and following the 2008 presidential election, US diplomats
frequently heard accounts of workplaces being used as “organizational
hubs” in support of the candidacy of new president Serzh Sargsyan,
as well as a place for harassment and intimidation of opposition
supporters, wrote then US Charges d’Affaires in Yerevan Joseph
Pennington in a diplomatic cable sent to the US State Department
recently published by WikiLeaks.
The cable mentions a Apr. 16, 2008 meeting between an embassy official
and Karine Davoyan, a professor of English and Public Relations at
the Russian State University of Tourism and Service for 8 years.
Pennington notes that the university is “officially supervised (and
funded in part)” by the Russian government, though in practice it
operates as a sovereign institution run by its Rector, Mushegh Asoyan.
Davoyan recounted her experiences in the weeks preceding and
following the Feb. 2008 presidential election and Mar. 1 crackdown
on demonstrations.
“Davoyan’s teaching methods included organizing debates between
students, conducting public opinion polls and bringing students to
US Embassy film presentations. Late last year the Rector summoned her
to his office and told her he didn’t like her propagation of American
values in his institution and that she should make her teaching more
nationalistic. He said he could easily fire her simply by calling in a
few students and dictating to them the text of a complaint against her.
“During the presidential campaign she was again summoned to the
Rector’s office, where she was interviewed by two NSS agents,
who apparently were called in by the Rector. They asked about her
previous work (which included two years as a translator for the Greek
Ambassador) and asked if she campaigns for any political candidates in
her class. She said she never campaigns for anyone, but when students
ask for her opinion, she expresses it along with her reasoning, but
never seeks to impose her views. One of the NSS agents apparently
agreed that she had a right to do this, and that seemed to be the
end of the matter.
“When the election period began, the Rector declared that this is
a pro-Russian university, so its staff should support a pro-Russian
President, i.e. Serzh Sargsyan. Despite the Rector’s efforts, many
professors and department heads gradually began to support Levon
Ter-Petrossian (LTP) and Davoyan would meet them at rallies (both
before and after the election), and at their request would provide
them LTP campaign DVDs.
“On Mar. 15, the Rector called a staff meeting and in front of everyone
discussed Davoyan’s behavior, labeled it unacceptable and issued her a
severe public reprimand. He claimed that evaluations by students had
given her very low marks for her teaching. His denunciation went on
for nearly an hour, during which time none of the other staff stood up
for Davoyan, although some later called to offer support and criticize
the Rector’s action. Another professor reportedly began to survey
students to determine whether such an evaluation had indeed occurred,
and was called in by the Rector’s wife (who also works in the school,
apparently as his enforcer) and warned she could suffer the same fate
as Davoyan.
“Davoyan told Emboff [embassy official or officer] that during her
eight years at the school she had consistently received very high marks
from students. She characterized the staff meeting as something out
of the Stalin era, when the head of an institution would target one
employee for his/her political views and discuss the case in front
of the entire staff as a warning to them all not to step out of line.
Davoyan has not returned to the school since that incident, but says
students keep calling her and asking her to return. They even went
to the Rector to demand her return, only to be told that “students
don’t like her way of teaching.” Her contract with the university
expires in September and she does not expect it to be renewed.
“Davoyan’s account seems of a piece with many we have heard about
workplaces being turned by the GOAM [Government of Armenia] into
operations used to support Sargsyan or punish opposition supporters…
It is not clear whether the Rector is serving as a political enforcer
at the GOAM’s behest, or is acting on his own initiative. However,
given the way such institutions have been co-opted in the service of
Sargsyan in recent months, it seems likely that his methods would be
met with approval. ,” reads the cable.
ARMENIAN BUSINESSMEN DISCONTENT WITH ECONOMIC COMPETITION LEVEL
news.am
Sept 7 2011
Armenia
YEREVAN. – In general, the businessmen who took part in a survey in
Armenia gave a negative assessment of the country’s competition sphere
and did not see any positive change, Economy and Values Research Center
Chairman Manuk Hergnyan said during a press conference held today.
As a result, Armenia continues to occupy lower spots in the Global
Competitiveness Report. From 142 countries, Armenia is 139th in
“domestic competition power,” 138th in effectiveness of antitrust
policies, and 133rd in the presence of dominant groups in the market.
It is distinctive that, since April 2011, Armenia made substantial
changes in its law on the protection of economic competition.
Accordingly, powers of the antitrust body are extended and penalties
for abuse of dominant position have become harsher. Even though the
businessmen respondents of the aforesaid survey have not mentioned
any positive change, is conceivable that the reason for this also lies
on the fact that the related law was put into effect just recently.
ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN VICTIMS OF KARABAKH CONFLICT – EU ENVOY
news.az
Sept 7 2011
Azerbaijan
The EU’s new envoy for the South Caucasus has described both Azerbaijan
and Armenia as victims of the Karabakh conflict.
Philippe Lefort told a joint press conference in Yerevan with Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian that the EU wanted to assist the
OSCE Minsk Group in its mediation to find a solution to the conflict.
“The European Union has mechanisms and experience in monitoring
and supporting peace processes and expresses the wish to provide
assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan, as we think that both states
are victims of the conflict,” News.am reported Lefort as saying.
He told the press conference he had first visited Armenia back in
1988 after the devastating earthquake.
“I became familiar with the history of Soviet Armenia, its achievements
and difficulties. I am pleased to accept my new mission which gives
the opportunity to visit your country more often.”
After long debates, the EU decided to preserve the post of special
representative for the South Caucasus and to combine it with the post
of special representative for the crisis in Georgia.
“This post is very important as the EU attaches importance to the
region which has great potential for economic and cultural development
after peace is established,” Lefort said.
Philippe Lefort made similar remarks during a visit to Baku, where he
met President Ilham Aliyev, Defence Minister Safar Abiyev and other
officials on 5 September.
US PATENT ISSUED TO YEREVAN BRANDY ON AUG. 30 FOR “BOTTLE” (BRITISH INVENTOR)
US Fed News
September 6, 2011 Tuesday 9:09 AM EST
ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 6 — United States Patent no. D644,115, issued
on Aug. 30, was assigned to Yerevan Brandy Co. (Armenia).
“Bottle” was invented by Francesco Bonadio (London).
The patent was filed on May 24, 2010, under Application No. D/362,345.
For further information please visit:
INTERNATIONAL TENDER TO RECONSTRUCT 3 CHECK-POINTS ON ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN BORDER TO BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY
Mediamax
Sept 7 2011
Armenia
Yerevan/Mediamax/. Design and estimate works for the reconstruction
of three check- points on the Armenian-Georgian border are over and
an international tender will be announced in the nearest future.
UN Resident Coordinator in Armenia Dafina Gercheva said this today
at the meeting with the Secretary of the Armenian National Security
Council, Artur Baghdasaryan.
Artur Baghdasaryan said for his part that new check-points should
fully meet EU standards and construction works should be carried out
under a tight schedule.
56 YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE MASSACRE OF ISTANBUL ARMENIANS
Panorama
Sept 7 2011
Armenia
56 years ago Turkish vandals have attacked the Christian population
living in Istanbul, they robbed them, killed and burned. Though 56
years have passed, the massacre is as fresh in our memories as if it
happened yesterday.
“Ermenihaber.am” news website writes as soon as Turkish “Ekspres”
published the story titled “Greeks blasted the house of Ataturk in
Salonik” the Muslim vandals attacked on September 6-7, 1955 against
the local non-Muslim population and their homes.
The paper used to have 20 thousand printing volume, but on that day
they published 290 thousand copies of it and spread among the people.
The vandal groupings arrived in from other cities and invaded in the
houses of Christian population killing, robbing and burning them and
their homes.
This was a demonstration of Turkish strategy to force non-Muslims
become Turkish.
Local Christian population was scared and shocked by the events.
“After those events I was forbidden to go to street alone. I was
forbidden to speak in Armenian. Everybody was trying to show they
are Turks,” said editor-in-chief of “Agos” daily Bagrat Estukyan.
POLICE DEMAND TEACHERS’ NAMES AND PARTY AFFILIATIONS IN TALIN
Tert.am
20:42 07.09.11
The police in Armenia’s region of Talin have demanded from the
principals of all schools the names of the teachers and their party
affiliation, opposition party Heritage’s office in Talin has said.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the party said it tried to contact
the chief of police or his deputy, but neither could be reached.
Police officers in Talin Police Station told representatives of
Heritage that both are not at work.
“Heritage will be consistent in finding out the reasons and instructors
of such illegal actions by the police,” read the statement by the
party.
The Heritage also said once it learns something new on the issue,
it will inform the media about it.
DEMOLISHING KIOSKS IN ARMENIAN CAPITAL PUT ON HOLD, SAY KIOSK OWNERS
epress.am
09.07.2011 16:56
The fate of a few kiosks on Papazyan St. in Yerevan is still
uncertain. Recall, 9 of the kiosks were demolished upon a Yerevan City
Hall decision last month, since the city did not extend its contract
with the owners of these kiosks.
Kiosk owner Narine Kirakosyan told Epress.am that her stall is
currently in operation, though initially she was told it would
be demolished in 7 days. According to Kirakosyan, the outcry that
resulted from the initial announcement that the kiosks would be
demolished was the reason the process was put on hold.
Furthermore, she added, her contract is in effect till 2012.
Kirakosyan noted that several kiosk owners have information that the
district chief will meet with them on Saturday and try to offer help
(by way of offering alternative employment options), which Yerevan
mayor Karen Karapetyan had promised earlier.
“They tear down a person’s house and then they say let’s offer help.
What help can they offer? If someone were to lay a finger on what they
have, their restaurants or car wash stands, they’d smash people’s
heads in. The whole country is emptying; I don’t know what will be
the end for Armenia,” said Kirakosyan.
She said she will fight with other kiosk owners and attend all protest
rallies to voice her concerns.
SYRIA TO SELL OIL TO RUSSIA, CHINA AFTER EU IMPORT BAN
PanARMENIAN.Net
September 7, 2011 – 16:13 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net – Syria is looking to sell the oil it can no longer
export to Europe to Russia, China and other non-Arab countries,
its finance minister said on Wednesday, September 7.
The European Union, the biggest buyer of Syrian crude oil, banned EU
imports of the country’s oil on Saturday to put pressure on President
Bashar al-Assad. Syria, which exports around 110,000-150,000 barrels a
day of crude mainly to Germany and Italy, is now looking for other
buyers.
“We will either refine it … or sell it directly to Russia, China or
any country that accepts to buy our extra oil,” Syrian Finance Minister
Mohammad al-Jleilati said. “Otherwise we will keep it as reserves,”
he added, without explaining whether that meant not pumping it from
Syria’s oil fields or pumping into storage sites. He said the Syrian
government was not concerned about sanctions and that they would have
no direct impact on economy, Reuters reported.