Author: Badalian Vardan

EXPERT: MAJOR INCREASE IN SUICIDE RATE OBSERVED IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
June 9, 2011 – 15:27 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Major increase in suicide rate among youth and the
elderly was observed in Armenia, a psychologist stated.

At a news conference in Yerevan, Karine Nalchajyan explained youth
suicide by feeling of loneliness. “Suicides among the elderly are
conditioned by believing they’re a burden to their families. Severe
social and economic situation is one of the most common reasons,”
she said.

Ms. Nalchajyan advised media against providing details of suicides
avoid traumatizing vulnerable individuals.

KARABAKH DID NOT BELIEVE CO-CHAIRS

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 16:09:51 – 09/06/2011

Apparently, Karabakh has rejected the document proposed by the
mediators. Judging by the press release of the NKR office of president,
during the meeting with the co-chairs Bako Sahakyan talked about the
withdrawal of snipers and stated that the talks in which Karabakh
does not participate will not lead anywhere.

The co-chairs did not say anything. During the briefing in Stepanakert,
the American co-chair only said he informed Bako Sahakyan about the
meetings of the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan with
the U.S. Secretary, and the Russian co-chair told about the efforts
of Russia and Sergey Lavrov. Each party wanted to underline that
they hold the key to the settlement, at least there will not be a
one-sided settlement.

In the meantime, the NATO- Russia negotiations on joint missile
defense ended in Brussels without any results. The clash between
the West and Russia over building a missile defense system and the
Nabucco gas pipeline continues. In this context, they will hardly
reach agreement on Karabakh.

What awaits the sides in case the talks in Kazan fail? The presidents
of Armenia and Azerbaijan will take a deep breath and get down
to the elections. Meanwhile, the mediators may gain the right to
“deciding steps”.

At first, the French co-chair may be replaced by a representative
of the EU. The second step could be deployment of mobile military
troops in the region in response to a border skirmish. The United
States may use the opportunity to occupy a couple of miles on the
border of Karabakh and Iran, while Russia may deploy in Russia.

Certainly, this course of developments seems hardly possible
considering that the only airport which is able to receive these
troops is under reconstruction. In the beginning of the month it
became known that a certain commission has found the runways of the
airport in Stepanakert not wide enough, and they will be reconstructed
by this autumn.

JAVAKHETI PETITION TO THE CATHOLICOS

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 11:04:55 – 09/06/2011

On the eve of the visit to Javakheti of All-Armenian Catholicos Garegin
II, the Armenian population of Javakheti issued a public petition to
Garegin II. The authors of the petition call upon the Catholicos to
raise the issue on the unlawful arrest and trial of Vahagn Chakhalyan,
a national, public and political figure, a devotee of the values of
the Armenian Apostolic Church in Georgia, political prisoner, during
his meetings with the Patriarch and top officials of Georgia.

The petition is signed by more than 1200 Armenians living in Georgia.

AGHDAM IS MY HOMELAND
ARMEN GRIGORYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 11:36:01 – 09/06/2011

Passions are heating up in Armenia and Artsakh over the upcoming
Sargsyan-Aliyev meeting in Kazan. Recent events made clear the
readiness of the Armenian side to concessions and deployment of
peacekeepers in Aghdam and Fizuli. By the way, some sources say that
the foreign minister Edward Nalbandyan has met with NKR President Bako
Sahakyan and Ara Haruytunyan and discussed the peacekeepers’ issue.

They said they prefer the status quo.

The story of the deployment of peacekeepers is as old as the hills.

Serzh Sargsyan with his thesis “Aghdam is not our homeland” has done a
lot of work in this relation. Later, in his interview with the Russian
Radio Echo Moskvi, the President elaborated on this idea saying that
Armenia had established control over several regions of Azerbaijan
for security reasons.

These statements caused the indignation of the society. A number
of underground groups started working out strategies for such
developments. I have recently talked to a group of Armenians in the
United Stated who said to be indignant over this process and shared
with me their ideas on possible actions they would take if an attempt
to return a single territory is made.

A possible compromise in Kazan would act as a bomb for the Armenian
society. The rules of this game will change both in Artsakh and
Armenia, and some other way out can threaten to the actors of the
concession process. The question whether Serzh Sargsyan and Levon
Ter-Petrosyan might share the destiny of Yitzhak Rabin has been
asked recently. This question can be answered only after possible
concessions in Kazan.

As to the President’s thesis “Aghdam is not our homeland”, it cannot
apply to everyone since Aghdam is my homeland and its protection from
Azerbaijan and from peacekeepers is my personal duty.

BURGLARS ENTER STORE OWNED BY ARMENIAN-AMERICAN SHOPKEEPER THROUGH ROOF

epress.am
06.09.2011 14:47

Police are investigating a brazen burglary Sunday at a grocery store,
which burglars entered by cutting a hole in the roof, reports Glendale
News-Press.

The burglary was reported about 7:58 a.m. after Grand Central Market
store owner discovered his business on the 1200 block of North Central
Avenue had been ransacked and about $5,000 was stolen, according to
Glendale Police Department reports.

“It’s cowardly,” store owner Arbi Faroukhians said of the theft,
which took place late Saturday night or early Sunday morning.

Thieves cut a hole into the building’s roof and entered the storage
room and bathroom, according to police reports. Police said a hand
saw could have been used to cut the hole.

The portion of the roof was peeled back to allow enough room for an
average-sized person to slide through and into the store, which was
ransacked. Thousands of dollars in cash also was stolen, Sgt. Tom
Lorenz said.

Faroukhians said he noticed debris from the roof was scattered on
the floor, and he also found a knife that didn’t belong to him or
store employees.

Video surveillance footage showed debris falling from the ceiling,
but the burglars were not seen, according to police reports.

Police found two shoe prints on a ladder outside the building that
led up to the roof.

Thieves covered the rooftop hole with a swamp cooler, which police
said was removed from another business.

Faroukhians said the store had never been burglarized.

RA PRIME MINISTER MET HUNGARIAN PRIME MINISTER VICTOR ORBAN IN VIENNA

Noyan Tapan

09.06.2011

(Noyan Tapan – 09.06.2011) RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan who is
in Vienna for participating in the meeting of World Economic Forum
on Europe and Central Asia, met the Hungarian Prime Minister Victor
Orban on June 8.

During the meeting Tigran Sargsyan presented the economic state in
Armenia and the process of reforms. In his turn, Victor Orban touched
upon Hungarian economics and the state existed there. The meeting
proceeded in warm atmosphere, the heads of the governments expressed
thought on economic reforms. The Prime Ministers invited each other
to visit their countries.

As the department of information and public relations of RA Government
inform, Vistor Orban is also the vice-president of National Party
of Europe. During the meeting they also spoke about the cooperation
with NPE.

ACTIVATION OF SECTS EXPLAINED BY ONCOMING ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA?

PanARMENIAN.Net
June 9, 2011 – 09:14 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Intensification of religious structures’ activities
is caused by Armenian government’s decision to introduce amendments
to laws on religious structures, according to the head of the centre
for aid and rehabilitation to the victims of destructive cults.

As Alexander Amaryan told a PanAREMENIAN.Net reporter, “to secure aid
from foreign organisations, sectarians insinuate being pressured in
Armenia. Since no structure in Armenia is authorised to pressure the
sects, the pressure is being imitated.”

Besides, the expert explained activation of religious sects by the
oncoming parliamentary and presidential elections in Armenia. As he
noted, through their actions the sectarians attempt to offer themselves
as a 300000-member electorate to party leaders.

OSCE MEDIATORS DISCUSSES RUSSIA’S EFFORTS WITH KARABAKH PRESIDENT

news.am
June 8 2011
Armenia

The OSCE mediators met with President of Nagorno-Karabakh Bako
Sahkayan and will arrive in Yerevan to meet with Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan and Foreign Minister on Thursday, said French Co-Chair
Bernard Fassier.

He recalled that several days ago the presidents of the OSCE Minsk
Group Co-Chairing states issued a statement stressing there is no
alternative to peaceful resolution of the conflict.

“It is an important momentum. They also stressed that the sides should
finalize Basic Principles to start drafting of peace settlement,”
said Fassier.

In his turn U.S. Co-Chair Robert Bradtke said that they had a good
opportunity to discuss the events which happened since the last
meeting in April.

According to him, it was a tensed period in terms of diplomatic
activities.

“I had an opportunity to inform President Sahakyan of the visits of
Armenian FM and Azerbaijani FM to Washington,” Bradke said.

Russian Co-Chair Igor Popov stressed that the sides discussed Russia’s
efforts into finalizing the Basic Principles.

TEN-MAN ARMENIA OVERCOME MONTENEGRO

UEFA.com

June 8 2011

Despite playing for over an hour with ten men, Armenia began their
Group 3 campaign with a comfortable victory against Montenegro.

by Khachik Chakhoyanfrom Yerevan Republican Stadium after Vazgen

Despite playing for over an hour with ten men, Rafayel Nazaryan
marked his first game in charge of Armenia with a convincing 4-1
victory against Montenegro in 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship
qualifying Group 3.

Edgar Malakyan headed the home side in front after just three
minutes and despite being reduced to ten men when Artak Aleksanyan
was dismissed, Malakyan’s superb solo effort doubled Armenia’s lead
after the break. Substitute Hovhannes Hovhannisyan’s goal extended
the advantage and although Stefan NikoliÄ~G’s goal gave Montenegro a
glimmer of hope, the victory was sealed courtesy of Valter Poghosyan’s
strike six minutes from time.

Armenia got off to the perfect start against a side who won 5-0 in
Andorra on Friday when Malakyan headed Artak Edigaryan’s cross past
Nemanja Å Ä~GekiÄ~G. However, on 23 minutes Aleksanyan’s foul on
Andrija KaludjeroviÄ~G earned him a second yellow card.

This did not deter Armenia who continued to attack after the break
and were rewarded for their efforts when Malakyan skipped past three
defenders to double the lead. Hovhannisyan then extended the advantage
with a powerful strike from Malakyan’s cross before NikoliÄ~G’s header
gave the visitors hope of a comeback. Any chance the visitors had
were extinguished when Poghosyan scored from ten metres after beating
two defenders.

Armenia return to qualifying action on 3 September when they travel
to Andorra three days before Montenegro welcome Wales. The Czech
Republic are also in the group.

DIALOGUE BETWEEN AUTHORITIES AND OPPOSITION SHOULD NOT BECOME CORE ISSUE OF ARMENIA’S PUBLIC LIFE – MP

news.am
June 8 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – The dialogue between the Armenian authorities and the
Armenian National Congress (ANC) should not become a core issue of
Armenia’s public life, MP from “Prosperous Armenia” party Vardan
Bostanjyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

According to him, there are some topical issues the Armenian
authorities and opposition hold different views on.

“One should seek approaches, which will bring the positions closer.

That’s the whole salt of it!” Bostanjyan said, adding that the
ANC-proposed format of dialogue causes laughter. “The formation of
any delegation for the dialogue with the authorities is absurd.”

Recently, Armenia’s government and opposition have been in disagreement
on the dialogue. The Armenian National Congress insisted on a dialogue
format through a group of “negotiators” and merely on snap elections,
whereas this format and agenda is unacceptable for the incumbent
authorities