Author: Badalian Vardan

MANIFESTATION POUR LA LIBERATION D’UN PRISONNIER PROCHE DU PARTI HERITAGE A EREVAN
Gari

armenews.com
mardi 31 mai 2011

Alors que Levon Ter Petrossian annoncait que l’epoque où l’Armenie
comptait des prisonniers politiques etait revolue, la veille, lors
d’un meeting a Hrazdan en hommage a deux de ses fidèles partisans qui
venaient de sortir de prison, en vertu de la loi d’amnistie decidee
par le president Sarkissian, les dizaines de personnes rassemblees
au coeur de Erevan le lundi 30 mai ne partageaient sans doute pas
cet avis. Les manifestants s’etaient rassembles devant un tribunal
de Erevan pour exiger la liberation du frère d’une parlementaire en
vue de l’opposition qui est poursuivi par la justice pour des faits
presumes de corruption.

Seule formation d’opposition, avec le Parti dachnak, representee dans
un Parlement domine par le Parti republicain du president Sarkissian,
le Parti Heritage (Jarankoutioun), affirme que les accusations
portees contre Tigrane Postanjian le frère de la deputee de son groupe
parlementaire, Zarouhi Postanjian, sont politiquement motivees. Il a
ete arrete alors qu’il travaillait pour l’administration du district
d’Arabkir de Erevan, a la fin fevrier, sous l’accusation d’avoir recu
un pot de vin d’un montant de 100 000 DRAM (275$) en echange de son
silence sur les les constructions illegales realisees par un habitant
de l’arrondissement.

Il a ete juge le mois dernier suite a une enquete criminelle menee
par le Service de Sûrete nationale (NSS) d’Armenie, successeur
armenien du KGB sovietique, qui s’occupe normalement d’affaires
criminelles autrement plus graves. L’inculpe a nie les accusations,
les liant aux activites politiques de sa s~ur Zarouhi. Soutenue par
le Parti Jarankoutioun, elle a accuse de la meme manière les autorites
armeniennes d’avoir monter l’affaire de toute pièce, designant son
frère comme un prisonnier politique.

Tigran Postanjian a entame une grève de la faim, au debut de son
procès il y a trois semaines. Il refuse encore de s’alimenter dans la
prison de Noubarachen de Erevan où il est enferme. Les manifestants
se sont rassembles a l’appel de Jarankoutioun devant le tribunal,
et cette mobilisation creuse le fosse entre ce parti et le HAK de
Ter Petrossian, au lendemain de la loi d’amnistie. Le parti de R.

Hovanissian avait en effet accuse Ter Petrossian de s’engager sur la
voie d’un compromis avec le pouvoir a des fins politiciennes.

SUSAN PATTIE TO GIVE A LECTURE TITLED “WHO ARE THE ARMENIANS?”

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 30, 2011 – 11:59 AMT

Author and anthropologist Dr. Susan Pattie, director of the Armenian
Institute in London and Senior Research Fellow, University College
London, will give a lecture titled “Who Are the Armenians? Bringing
Armenian History and Culture to Young Readers” on Thursday, June 2, at
8 p.m., at the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research
(NAASR).

While in the area, Pattie will also speak to fourth graders at St.

Stephen’s Armenian Elementary School in Watertown about her book by
the same name, The Armenian Mirror-Spectator reported.

Who Are the Armenians? is for both children and adults to learn about
the Armenian people. Aimed at children aged 5-12, the book brings the
3,000-year-old Armenian history and culture to life through folktales,
language, food, religion, music, dance, art, poetry, sports and games.

The book includes information about the Republic of Armenia and also
explains how Armenians have made homes all over the world. Who are
the Armenians? presents the lives of children in Armenia and diaspora
countries showing how they live today. A CD is included with songs,
poems, dance music and spoken words. (The book Who Are the Armenians?

has no connection with the still-existing permanent and traveling
exhibitions of the same name created earlier by the Armenian Library
and Museum of America in Watertown.)

Pattie teaches for the Syracuse University London Program and is
director of the Armenian Institute. She was a visiting scholar in
the Armenian Studies Program and Anthropology Department at the
University of Michigan in autumn 2009. Author of Faith in History:
Armenians Rebuilding Community (Smithsonian Institution Press) and
numerous other publications, Dr. Pattie’s research has focused on
Armenians in diaspora, beginning with fieldwork in Cyprus.

Why Former Speaker Abstained

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 15:16:00 – 26/05/2011

The former speaker of the National Assembly Tigran Torosyan commented
on his vote to the amnesty during a parliamentary briefing today. He
had abstained.

Tigran Torosyan noted that he could not vote against the bill because
it concerns people who could not be punished or at least should have
be given other punishment. Hence, it is right to set these people
free.

On the other hand, he could not vote for the bill because he is
against amnesties in general, since amnesty is not a process typical
of a normal and well-established country.

‘After all, if people are imprisoned for conviction under definite
provisions, their release is not logical, he noted.

Torosyan added that there are illogical points in the text of the
draft resolution on amnesty. He gave the example of Point 5 which runs
that people sentenced to maximum 10 years who served no less than the
quarter of their term must be released.

‘I think the gravity of the crime does not depend only on the Article
and on the fact whether it was due to negligence or not. 10 years is a
long period, which means the reason for such a sentence is serious.
Releasing a person after serving 2.5 years is not right, is
unacceptable,’ says Torosyan.

The authorities are trying to present amnesty as a step aimed at
easing political tensions, Tigran Torosyan says.

He says bombastic statements on the amnesty are not relevant. Tigran
Torosyan thinks it is clear that the causes of the problems the
country is facing are different and are not related to the amnesty and
those imprisoned. `If the point is the relations between the
government and the opposition, this step should not be presented as
improvement, dialogue, an act of tolerance. The roots, unfortunately,
are deeper and more serious steps are required to really improve the
situation in the country. I want it very much. But I don’t want us the
MPs, the government and especially the society, deceive ourselves that
the amnesty will produce such results,’ he said.

Mediamax, Armenia
May 26 2011

Armenia’s borders with Turkey, Iran stable – head of Russian frontier troops

Yerevan, 26 May: Lt-Gen Viktor Vlasov, head of the frontier department
of the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation in Armenia,
said that the situation at both Turkish and Iranian sectors of
Armenian border is stable and predictable. No serious problems emerge
at these sectors of the border, the Mediamax news agency quoted him as
telling a news conference on 26 May.

Vlasov said that main problems the frontier department is facing are
attempts of illegal migration and smuggling.

Assessing results of the first five months of 2011, he said 121 border
violators, seven border regime violators and five violators of
frontier regime have been detained over the period. Thirty six pieces
of firearms and cold weapons, smuggled goods to the tune of 660,000
rubbles and 21.8 grams of narcotic substances have been confiscated
over the period.

According to Vlasov, three organized crime groups composed of a total
of eight people -Turkish, Iranian, Georgian and Armenian nationals –
have been disclosed. Those groups were involved in organizing unlawful
activities in the area of responsibility of the frontier department.

Iran’s president to visit Armenia
Sat May 28, 2011 10:53PM

[Photo: Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will pay an official
visit to Armenia to discuss ways to consolidate Tehran-Yerevan
relations in various fields.]

President Ahmadinejad’s two-day tour of Yerevan will take place on
June 6 in response to an official visit to the Iranian capital by
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to attend the International Nowruz
Celebrations in late March.

The Iranian president is scheduled to hold talks with his Armenian
counterpart and other senior officials of the country, Fars news
agency reported.

Previously, President Ahmadinejad paid a state visit to Armenia in
2007 and held talks with top officials of the country. At the end of
the visit, the two sides signed four memoranda of understanding and
issued a joint communiqu? on the expansion of bilateral cooperation.

Iran and Armenia have taken major strides towards promoting mutual
relations in the past few years. The bilateral trade volume between
the two states stands at nearly $270 million, a figure that is
expected to climb in a near future, according to officials.

Economic News (Information Agency Oreanda), Russia
May 27, 2011 Friday

President Serzh Sargsyan Visited Zvartnots Airport

Yerevan . OREANDA-NEWS . May 27, 2011. President Serzh Sargsyan
visited Zvartnots airport to familiarize with the construction works
of the airports new terminal and participated at the opening ceremony
of the refrigerating complex which is built according to modern
international standards and is located next to the cargo section of
the airport.

The refrigerating complex has been built to assist the farmers of
Armenia, particularly, for the efficient and lossless storage of the
produce in refrigerators before it is sold at a favorable price. The
farmers will also have the opportunity to use the stored agricultural
produce to receive loans (securities) from the banks. Armenia
International Airports Ltd has invested almost 6 million USD in the
construction of the refrigerating complex.

Before observing the facilities at the refrigerating complex, the
President of Armenia toured the construction site of the new terminal
of Zvartnots airport and afterwards discussed with the
Armenian-Argentinean entrepreneur Eduardo Ernekian development
programs of the Armenia International Airports Ltd which carries out
the management of Zvartnots airport. The President was informed that
the new terminal of the airport has been designed in accordance with
international requirements and standards; it will accommodate over
3.500.000 passengers, with international security zone, new customs
facilities, new luggage space, fashionable halls for passengers and
diplomats, eateries and a trade center, new passage ways for arrivals
and departures and many other new facilities.

The project envisages improvement of the main terminal, which will
have a simplified and efficient practical arrangements which will
allow to separate flows of departing and arriving passengers, and
expansion of the complex.

It was noted that 78% of the construction works have already been
completed and have entered the final stage; 160 million USD have
already been invested into the project. The new terminal will be
inaugurated in fall 2011.

Fresno Bee (California)
May 27, 2011 Friday

Armenian believers to honor veterans

by Ron Orozco / The Fresno Bee

The area’s Armenian faith community will come together at Armenian
Hokehankist Memorial Services on Monday.

The Hokehankist, or Requiem Service, will be conducted at 10 a.m. at
the Armenian Martyrs Memorial at Ararat Armenian Cemetery, which is at
1925 W. Belmont Ave., and 10:30 a.m. at the Soghomon Tehlirian
Monument at nearby Masis Ararat Armenian Cemetery, which is at 250 N.
Hughes Ave.

The Revs. Vahan Gosdanian, pastor of Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic
Church, and Kevork Arakelian, former pastor of St. Gregory Armenian
Orthodox Church in Fowler, will participate in the services.

The services will remember the men and women who have died while
serving in the U.S. armed forces, the local American-Armenian
community members who have passed away and the 1.5 million Armenians
who died in the Armenian Genocide in 1915.

In preparation for the services, members of the youth group at Holy
Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church will gather today to place American
flags on the gravesites of the known veterans who served in the U.S.
armed forces.

Details: (559) 292-2415.

Targeted News Service
May 27, 2011 Friday 2:56 AM EST

Implementation of European Court of Human Rights Armenia Judgments
Focus of OSCE-Supported Conference

YEREVAN, Armenia

The U.S. Mission to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe issued the following communication:

The execution of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights
(ECtHR) on Armenia, as analysed in an OSCE-supported report, is the
focus of an international conference in Yerevan today. The report
presents the findings of a monitoring exercise implemented by the
Chamber of Advocates with the support of the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

The event is organized by the OSCE Office in Yerevan and the Armenian
Chamber of Advocates in co-operation with the Council of Europe and
the Armenian Constitutional Court.

“As the OSCE is assisting Armenia in strengthening the rule of law in
line with its commitments this first study of the execution of the
Court’s judgements is of prime importance, not only for the individual
cases concerned but for Armenia’s legal development,” said Carel
Hofstra, the Deputy Head of the OSCE Office. “The report contains
clear descriptions of the cases and recommendations for the action
needed to implement the Court’s decisions.”

Gagik Harutyunyan, the Chairman of the Armenian Constitutional Court,
said: “The ultimate goal of our work is the human being. The State is
obliged to ensure and guarantee people’s rights. The European Court of
Human Rights can effectively fulfill its mission only when national
structures function efficiently. Even one violation points to problems
that need to be addressed”.

The study attempted to review the state and progress of implementation
of judgments, examined the conformity of national proceedings for
re-opening court cases with the provisions of the European Convention
on Human Rights, indentified legislative and institutional
shortcomings and provided recommendations for further improvements.
The study includes ECtHR decisions against Armenia until December
2010, totaling 25 judgments.

Representatives of executive, legislative and judicial authorities, an
Armenian judge at the ECtHR, international and local experts, members
of the Chamber of Advocates, as well as civil society representatives
participated in the event.

Artak Zeinalyan, a member of the expert group that drafted the report
said, said: “Brief descriptions of the factual data related to the
judgments of ECtHR against Armenia, the actual Court judgments as well
as the current stage of the supervision by the CoE Committee of
Ministers of the implementation of the judgments concerned are
presented in a single publication. Considering the inadequate state of
implementing ECtHR judgments, it is necessary to continuously improve
Armenian legislation, implement training programmes and address
various factors hindering the full implementation of judgments”.

For more information please contact Gayane Ter-Stepanyan, Senior
Assistant on Press and Public Information of the OSCE Office in
Yerevan, tel.: 229610/11/12, ext. 5407, cel. 091 012603.

Interfax, Russia
May 27 2011

Armenia should heed call of U.S., Russia to liberate Azeri lands – Baku

BAKU. May 27

The joint statement of the presidents of Russia, the United States and
France on Nagorno Karabakh is an open message to Armenia about the
need to free Azeri lands, the Azeri Foreign Ministry said.

“The Armenian side must realize that the world community does not
accept the occupation of Azerbaijani lands. Proceeding from this
logic, Armenia must withdraw its troops from the territory of
Azerbaijan so that Azeri displaced persons can return, communications
can be restored and a certain situation created in the region,”
Foreign Ministry spokesman Elman Abdulallyev told Interfax.

The withdrawal of Armenian troops from Azeri territory will create
conditions for the peaceful coexistence of the Azeri and Armenian
communities in Nagorno Karabakh and the definition of the status of
the region within Azerbaijan, Abdulallyev said.

“This is the position of Azerbaijan and it remains unchanged,” he said.

“However, unfortunately, while the world community is demonstrating a
clear stance, Armenia, like before, is trying to block the peaceful
settlement of the conflict in various ways,” Abdullayev said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Head of the Foreign Relations Section of the
Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Novruz Mamedov told the ANS
channel that “Azerbaijan welcomes the declaration” of the leaders of
Russia, the Untied States and France on Karabakh and regards it as
evidence of the concern of countries co-chairing the Minsk Group about
the conflict still being unresolved.

Ml eb

AssA-Irada, Azerbaijan
May 25, 2011 Wednesday

AZERBAIJAN RATED 122ND AMONG PEACE-LOVING NATIONS

Azerbaijan ranks 122nd out of 153 countries among peace-loving
nations, a think tank has said in a report. The Institute for
Economics and Peace (IEP) report, released on Wednesday, ranks
countries based on 23 key criteria, including the size of their
military budget and the number of staff in the armed forces and law
enforcement. Iceland was ranked as the most peace-loving nation,
followed by New Zealand and Japan. Somali took the last spot,
according to the Global Peace Index (GPI). The report also claimed
that Armenia is a more peace-loving country than Azerbaijan, ranking
109th, though the country has occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijani
territory since a war in the early 1990s. Azerbaijans other neighbors
Turkey, Georgia and Russia ranked 127th, 134th and 147th respectively.
The United States ranked 82nd in the report. Founded in 2007 with
offices in Sydney and New York, the IEP is an international research
institute dedicated to building a greater understanding of the
inter-relationships between business, peace and economics, with a
particular emphasis on the economic benefits of peace.