Author: Badalian Vardan

VIKTORIA PLZEN DEFEATS 5-1 PYUNIK YEREVAN IN CHAMPIONS’ LEAGUE

Czech News Agency
July 19, 2011 Tuesday

Plzen, West Bohemia, July 19 (CTK) – This is the result of a return
match of the 3rd qualifying round of the soccer Champions’ League
played today: Viktoria Plzen vs Pyunik Yerevan 5-1 (3-0) Scorers: 38.

and 42. Bakos, 45.+1 and 57. Kolar, 90.+2 Pilar – 49. Malakyan.

Referees: Munukka – Heininen, Aravirta (all Finland). Crowd: 5400.

First match 4-0. Plzen advances. Lineups: Plzen: Pavlik – Rajtoral,
Cisovsky, Bystron, Limbersky – Petrzela (65. Duris), Jiracek, Kolar
(81. Darida), Horvath, Pilar – Bakos (74. Hora). Coach: Vrba. Pyunik:
Israelyan – Hovsepyan, Haroyan, Yuspashyan, K. Hovhannisyan (59. Gagik
Poghosyan) – Alexanyan, Yedigaryan, Manoyan (78. Bakalyan), Malakyan
– Manucharyan, H. Hovhannisyan (54. Ghukas Poghosyan). Coach: V.
Minasjan.

US PANEL PRESSES TURKEY ON RELIGIOUS RIGHTS

Agence France Presse
July 20 2011

WASHINGTON – A US congressional committee on Wednesday urged Turkey
to ensure religious freedom and return church properties to their
“rightful owners” in a vote opposed by the Ankara government.

After a spirited debate, the House Foreign Affairs Committee
approved a text that says Turkey should “end all forms of religious
discrimination” and “return to their rightful owners” all churches
and other Christian historic sites.

“Religious minorities are under grave threat in today’s Turkey,”
said Representative Ed Royce, a Republican from California.

“Rather than enjoying protection, very vulnerable religious minority
groups including the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Greek Orthodox
Church are denied full legal status,” he said.

Turkey in 1971 closed a major seminary of the Orthodox Church, which
has been seated in Istanbul since Byzantine times, as the secular
state tried to bring universities under its control.

Turkey does not recognize Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I’s title
as head of Orthodox Christians and considers him only the spiritual
head of Turkey’s tiny Greek Orthodox minority.

Turkey had voiced opposition to the amendment — which was included
in a spending bill — and noted that the country has historically
been home to large numbers of Christians and Jews.

“Turkey opposes the language in the measure because it presents a
biased, one-sided perspective and wholly disregards the constructive
steps Turkey has taken to safeguard and expand religious freedom and
tolerance and to preserve places of worship belonging to Jews and
Christians,” Namik Tan, Turkey’s ambassador to Washington, said in
a statement.

The measure enjoyed support from both major US parties. But
Representative Dana Rohrabacher, a Republican from California who
eventually voted for the text, questioned why the House zeroed in
on Turkey.

In comments that angered some colleagues, Rohrabacher said that Turkey
had a better record than most Muslim-majority countries and suggested
that fellow lawmakers were acting to please constituents of Greek or
Armenian heritage.

“We have a terrible double standard when it comes to Turkey. Yes,
they have legitimate concerns, but that doesn’t mean we have to be
inconsistent, singling them out,” Rohrabacher said.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee last year voted to describe the
1915-1917 mass killings of Armenians as “genocide,” leading Turkey
to withdraw its ambassador temporarily.

‘KARABAKH SETTLEMENT TO HELP UNTIE OTHER FROZEN CONFLICTS’

news.az
July 20 2011
Azerbaijan

Settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will
pave the way for resolution of other frozen conflicts.

The statement came from Oleh Bilorus, Vice-President of the OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly.

According to Bilorus, the OSCE is close to combining efforts of those
who want just resolution of the conflict. He said the Nagorno-Karabakh
problem was the issue discussed the most at the 20th session of the
OSCE PA held in Belgrade.

Bilorus also underlined the necessity of settlement of frozen conflicts
for protection of human rights.

‘I have been to Azerbaijan and saw how thousands of Azerbaijanis,
forced to leave Nagorno-Karabakh, suffer. The justice requires return
of them to their native lands. I think heads of the OSCE members states
understand how much important the settlement of the conflict is.’

The OSCE PA`s Vice-President also expressed hope that necessary steps
would be taken towards resolution of the conflict.

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Economic Association
Contact: Zareh Asatryan
Email: [email protected]
Website:

Call for Papers: Armenian Economic Association 2011 Conference

The Armenian Economic Association will hold its 2011 annual meeting on October
24-26, 2011, at the Armenian State University of Economics (ASUE), in Yerevan,
Armenia.

Scholars, graduate students, and researchers are invited to present their
research in all areas of economics. The language of the conference is Armenian
and English, and sessions will be organized by language and field.

Please email your abstract of less than 500 words to annual2011 [at] aea.am by
July 25, 2011. The deadline is extended to September 15 for papers written in
Armenian. Abstracts should include: title of paper, name(s) of author(s),
affiliation, current position, an email address, and at least one keyword. In
the abstract, please identify the research question, data sources, estimation
methodology, and outcomes obtained or expected.

Authors will be informed of the acceptance of their proposals by August 5th,
2011 (September 20th for papers written in Armenian). The final draft is
required by October 15, in time to share with session chairs and discussants.

The aim of the conference is to bring together scholars, researchers and
students to promote the exchange of ideas and advance economics scholarship.

Conference page:

LE PREMIER MINISTRE INCERTAIN QUANT A SON AVENIR POLITIQUE
Marion

armenews.com
mercredi 20 juillet 2011

Le Premier ministre Tigran Sarkissian a officiellement declare que
le dialogue entre le gouvernement armenien et l’opposition pourrait
mettre son mandat en danger.

Dans une interview ce week-end accordee a RFE/RL, M. Sarkissian a
egalement avoue etre en ” concurrence ” avec les principaux membres
politiques du pays.

Sarkissian a ete la cible d’attaques verbales de la part des
representants du Congrès National Armenien (HAK) lors du dernier
rassemblement organise par l’opposition le 30 juin. Le Congrès National
Armenien pourrait alors attenuer la pression sur le President Serge
Sarkissian (avec lequel il n’entretient aucune relation) si ce dernier
renvoyait son Premier ministre reformiste.

A la question ” Pensez-vous que votre travail puisse vous mettre en
danger ? “, Tigran Sarkissian repond : ” Dieu le sait “. Il n’a pas
souhaite commenter davantage.

L’ancien gouverneur de la Banque centrale d’Armenie s’est montre
reserve quant au succès du dialogue entre l’opposition et les
autorites. ” Attendons de voir “, a-t-il declare.

Durant les trois annees de mandat de Sarkissian, des rumeurs avaient
evoque son limogeage imminent. Le president du Parlement Hovik
Abrahamanian, âge de 51 ans et considere comme son principal rival,
avait lui-meme alimente ces rumeurs en avril dernier. Sarkissian
avait dedramatise ces declarations a l’epoque.

Lors de son interview a RFE/RL, Sarkissian a reconnu qu’il etait
non seulement conteste par les leaders de l’opposition mais aussi
par certaines personnalites et factions du gouvernement. Cependant,
il a insiste sur le fait que cela est une caracteristique ” normale
” des pays democratiques.

” Toute force politique doit etablir des programmes, promouvoir
ses dirigeants a travers une concurrence loyale et honnete “, a-t-il
declare. ” Une telle competition est normale et je n’ai aucun problème
avec ca “.

” Nos analystes, nos elites politiques, nos partis politiques doivent
introduire progressivement ces traditions democratiques dans la
Republique d’Armenie. Il doit y avoir une concurrence non seulement
entre les partis mais aussi en leur sein. ”

Tigran Sarkissian et Abrahamanian sont tous les deux membres eminents
du parti republicain d’Armenie (HHK) du president Serge Sarkissian.

Abrahamanian a affirme la semaine dernière, que malgre les certitudes
de certains, le premier ministre ne sera pas en tete de liste des
candidats aux elections legislatives du parti HHK l’annee prochaine.

Sarkissian n’a pas nie, ni confirme cette hypothèse. ” Cette question
n’a pas encore ete examinee par le gouvernement “, a-t-il annonce.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION WILL START REVOLUTION IF AUTHORITIES DISAGREE ON SNAP ELECTIONS – PUBLICIST

news.am
July 19 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – Authority-opposition negotiations may last one day or
one month unless authority decides to hold snap elections, writer,
publicist Tigran Paskevichyan told at a press conference on Tuesday.

“The only demand by Armenian National Congress (ANC) is snap elections
and it wants to reach it through negotiations. If authorities
disagree with this demand, then ANC will stop negotiations and start
revolution,” Paskevichyan stressed.

He believes that authorities will eventually agree to hold snap
elections. Paskevichyan added that his friends in authority told him
that the situation in the country is worse than it sounds from aside.

AZERBAIJAN WANTS COMPROMISE IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH PEACE PROCESS

vestnik kavkaza
July 19 2011

Baku supports the territorial unity of Azerbaijan in
theNagorno-Karabakh peace process and is ready for a compromise,
ArazAzimov, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister and Special
PresidentialRepresentative for the process, said, 1news.az reports.

Azerbaijan wants control over the region but is ready to be
flexible.Azimov believes that Armenia is sticking to an extreme
position andwants the separation of Nagorno-Karabakh, while Azerbaijan
wantsrestoration of the demography in the area.The deputy minister
expressed hope that Armenia would reconsider itsview on a settlement
of the conflict and start demonstrating aconstructive approach.

Azerbaijan would promote cooperation withArmenia once control over
the territory is restored.

Azimov says that the main reason for the lack of progress in theprocess
is Armenia’s devotion to the separation of Nagorno-Karabakh.Azerbaijan
has already expressed readiness for flexibility at thesummit in Kazan,
while Armenia is yet to reach it.

POLITICAL CONSULTATIONS TAKE PLACE BETWEEN ARMENIAN AND GREEK FOREIGN DEPARTMENTS

Noyan Tapan

19.07.2011

(Noyan Tapan – 19.07.2011) On July 19, Political consultations
take place between Armenian and Greek foreign departments at the RA
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From the Armenian side, the consultation
was headed by the head of the European department Armen Liloyan and
from the Greek side it was headed by the director of the department
of CIS countries Carolos Gadis.

A wide circle of issues related to the bilateral cooperation were
discussed at the meeting. The sides positively appreciated the level
of Armenian-Greek political dialogue. The steps undertaken for the
promotion of trade-economic relations were discussed.

The Armenian side presented the process of RA-EU cooperation. The
agreement was reached over the further steps undertaken for promoting
Armenian-Greek cooperation in the frames of EU Eastern partnership.

As the department of press, information and public relations of the RA
Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed, on July 19, the deputy Foreign
Minister Arman Kirakosyan received Greek delegation and presented
Armenian relations with the regional countries.

The Deputy Minister touched upon the regulation process of
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The Greek side said that it would support
the efforts of the co-chairs of OSCE Minsk Group in the regulation
process of the conflict.

“A GAME TO WIN TIME”

09:02 pm | July 19, 2011 | Politics

ARF MP Lilit Galstyan says the HAK-authorities dialogue topic is
boring.

“This is a game to win time and nobody is asking who won the
game. The HAK truly gave the authorities the opportunity to gather
its administrative resources and “take a breath”,” Mrs. Galstyan told
“A1+”.

Galstyan believes the HAK’s political reputation is decreasing due
to the HAK-authorities dialogue.

Mrs. Galstyan says the government won in the HAK-authorities dialogue.

“The HAK, as well as other opposition forces lost.”

As far as the content of the main dialogue is concerned, Galstyan
believes it should be viewed in the focal point of foreign challenges.

“This dialogue refers not only to domestic, but foreign challenges
as well.”

Mrs. Galstyan didn’t rush to speak about the agenda of the dialogue
since it still remains unpublished.

“The issues should be clear. To this day, we only know that the agenda
includes issues of keeping or changing power. Both sides have political
ambitions. One can see political egoism among HAK and government
representatives. The HAK thinks it represents the entire opposition.”

What is standing in the ARF’s way of fighting and representing the
opposition? In response, Mrs. Galstyan said: “First, we should be
able to hold fair elections in Armenia.”

Will the ARF participate in the dialogue if the agenda of the
HAK-authorities dialogue includes issues concerning the ARF? In
response, the MP said: “There are different formats of dialogue and
the main podium is the National Assembly in which we are represented.

The ARF has had many occasions to announce that it is ready to
contribute to the solution of any issue that is in the nation’s
interest.”

ISHKHAN ZAKARYAN SAYS 10 THOUSAND TOURISTS ARE SUPPOSED TO ARRIVE IN YEREVAN

Panorama
July 18 2011
Armenia

“The Pan-Armenian Games are aimed to reinforce Armenia-Diaspora
relations through sport,” Ishkhan Zakaryan, the Chairman of
Pan-Armenian Games Committee said in a news conference. Mr. Zakaryan
said that the participants present cities and not states.

10 types of sport are included in the Pan-Armenian Games, including
football, basketball, volleyball, tennis, table tennis, badminton,
athletics, swimming, chess and mini football.

The official opening ceremony of the Games will take place on August
13 in the “Republican” stadium after Vazgen Sargsyan, and the closing
ceremony will take place on August 21 in sport-concert complex after
Karen Demirchyan.

It’s supposed that 10thousand tourists will arrive in Yerevan to
follow the Games.