Author: Badalian Vardan

3 ARMENIANS HOSPITALIZED IN MOSCOW AFTER SCUFFLE

Tert.am
27.05.11

Three Armenian young men were hospitalized in Moscow after a scuffle
outside a school, the Russian news agency Interfax reported.

Eyewitnesses told the police that the scuffle which involved seven
people was accompanied by gunfire. An 11th grade schoolboy and a
student from the Medical College reportedly were injured on the head;
another high-grader was hospitalized with a leg injury caused by a
traumatic gun.

Life News publication has identified them as Zakaryan, Sadoyan and
Karakhanyan.

The police have launched an investigation.

ONE SINGLE STEP WILL NOT CHANGE THE ATMOSPHERE

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 12:26:55 – 27/05/2011

Interview with the former speaker of the National Assembly, Tigran
Torosyan

The most frequently discussed topic is the dialogue of the authorities
and the opposition. What are your thoughts on this?

I think it is misunderstanding when it is stated that a dialogue has
started between the Armenian National Congress and the authorities. I
have already stated that the word ~Sdialogue~T, if it refers to
political processes, implies concrete realities, such as problems
existing between the sides, adoption of a joint agenda of dialogue,
discussion of issues on the agenda and regular disclosure. None of
these points is in place. Hence, there is no dialogue as such. This
is the reality, no matter what the attitude is. Moreover, both the
Congress and the authorities say there is no dialogue. There is a
sequence of interrelated steps by the authorities and the opposition,
which causes the misunderstanding that there is a dialogue. In reality,
this situation is favorable for both of them, and both of them would
like to preserve it till the parliamentary elections, but I think
they will not be able to.

The Congress leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan said, after the fulfillment of
their three demands, it will be possible to engage in a dialogue. Till
now, the door of the dialogue was half-open, now it will be ajar.

This statement makes it clear there is no dialogue yet. As for the
three demands, I am sure, at a superficial glance, two of them have
been met, in fact. The first one referred to the freedom of assembles.

At first sight, we may think that if rallies in Freedom Square were
authorized, the demand has been met. But I would like to note that the
permission, as well as, all the bans before it were arbitrariness,
none of them observes the law. I would like to remind that it was
not allowed to hold the rally in Freedom Square, it was allowed to
hold it near Matenadaran. Then, the demonstrators walked to Freedom
Square and “negotiated” with the police. Remember that the Police
is not authorized to allow or ban a rally. But since the police
“allowed”, the rally was held there. This is arbitrariness. To say
that the first demand has been met only for this permission would be
naive because tomorrow or the day after tomorrow they may again ban
rallies with the same arbitrariness. The first demand would be met
if the law were enforced. I should remind that there was a period
before and in 2007 when rallies were authorized, and everything was
done in accordance with the law.

The second demand of the opposition refers to the renewed investigation
of the events of March 1. When Serzh Sargsyan stated necessary to
renew the investigation and reveal the cases, the opposition considered
the demand met. But the authorities used to make similar reiteration
in 2008. Just a statement on the necessity to investigate does not
imply that the demand is met. It could be considered so if answers
were given to the questions at last, particularly concerning those
10 casualties. The demands have not been met.

Regarding the unblocking of Freedom Square for demonstrations, Serzh
Sargsyan said it would become a place for expression of alternative
opinions. Isn’t it enough to consider Freedom Square will always be
open to the opposition?

I think, those who made such vows should explain what they meant. If
certain problems were solved through breaches and now they wish to
correct their mistakes, the first step should be to explain why the
law was violated, who violated the law and who was punished. After
that one will be able to believe that further actions will be legal.

If there is no such thing, illegal steps can repeat anyway.

Do you support a dialogue? Is a dialogue between the authorities and
the opposition necessary?

In normal countries there is always a dialogue between different
layers of the society, and it is absolutely necessary. But if it is
imitation, no one needs it.

Do you think the opposition will force the authorities to hold snap
elections?

If parliamentary elections are meant, I think it is impossible. Today
was the last meeting of parliament in this session, and the next is
scheduled in September. The stipulation of the Armenian Constitution on
disbanding the parliament is its inability, which must be observed for
three months. Consequently, even if the parliamentary majority loses
its prudence and chooses this ridiculous way, it will be possible
to disband the parliament no sooner than in December. In this case,
three months will be left to go before the scheduled elections.

It makes no sense. I think the authorities will not choose such an
artificial and absurd way.

But snap elections will change the atmosphere.

Those who think that the atmosphere will change with just one step,
no matter it is snap elections or amnesty are either naive or think the
society is naive. The real issues are much deeper. Serious programs and
serious steps in a number of directions are necessary to solve them.

UN PROPOSED TO CREATE TASK GROUP TO STUDY THE ISSUE OF WORLD DIASPORAS

ARMENPRESS
MAY 27, 2011
YEREVAN

The UN is being suggested to create a task group to study the issue
of world diasporas. Diaspora Minister Hranush Hakobyan said at the
“Prospects of Diaspora in the Globalizing World” international
two-day conference that the policy toward Diaspora has got not only
national but above national and global significance. She said the
policy toward diaspora is an important way not only for improving
state-diaspora relations but using the potential of diaspora, promoting
the repatriation, ensuring the viability of diaspora communities.

Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian attached great significance to the
circumstance that the conference is being conducted in Armenia, in
a country which has multi-million diaspora spread throughout the world.

The minister said having diaspora in other state is an original visit
card for the country and it makes a peculiar bridge in bilateral
relations between the states. Diaspora is an important factor in
contacting with the outside world.

“What I say particularly refers to the Armenian Diaspora as the 2/3d
of our people live outside of Armenia, in more than 100 countries. At
the same time, unfortunately, the Armenian diaspora distinguishes
from other ones with its genetics. It is the direct consequence of
the genocide”, Nalbandian said.

Presenting the issues of the Armenian diaspora Hranush Hakobyan
said that one of the contemporary issues is the preservation of the
Armenian language. He said the number of mixed marriages increases,
number of students in Armenian educational establishments of diaspora
reduces. She said a number of events are being undertaken to reinforce
ties between the Diaspora and Armenia, all-Armenian conferences,
games, programs for young people are being organized.

She noted that it is necessary not only to reinforce diaspora-homeland
ties but diaspora-diaspora, as well as diaspora-international
establishments ties.

ARTHUR JAVADYAN LEAVES FOR CYPRUS

ARMENPRESS
MAY 27, 2011
YEREVAN

CBA President Arthur Javadyan has left for Cyprus to attend IMF/WB
Netherlands subgroup meeting in Limassol from May 27 to 29.

On the meeting will be discussed issues concerning the “Developments
in Europe”, “Problems that the World Bank faces”, “Green Energy and
eternal growth”, “Global and regional financial stability: prospects,
risks and political problems”, etc.

Javadyan will meet with IMF Executive Director Age Bakker, President
of the Greek Central Bank Georgios Papaconstantinou on the sidelines
of the visit, CBA press office reported.

DEEP PURPLE’S IAN GILLAN TALKS ABOUT HIS PASSION FOR ARMENIA
by Carlos Ramirez

Noisecreep

May 27 2011

The term “legend” gets thrown around a lot in the metal blogosphere,
but there are few people more worthy of that particular honor than
Ian Gillan. Not only does the 65-year-old singer front eternal hard
rock icons Deep Purple, he’s also had a successful solo career and
even joined Black Sabbath for their 1983 album ‘Born Again.’

“I feel very fortunate to have been able to do what I do for a living,”
Gillan said. “That’s why I want to get the word out about this school
[in Armenia] with the music. It’s the best way I can help out.”

Gillan is talking about a music school he’s helping to rebuild in
Gyumri, Armenia. Noisecreep spoke on the phone with the singer while
he was in Israel promoting WHOCARES, the new project featuring himself,
Tony Iommi, ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted, and others.

The band just released a two-song single whose royalties will go
towards funding the music school.

“I’ve been visiting and performing in that part of the world for
years now,” said Gillan. “I feel very connected to the people and
their culture there. Last year I performed with the State Philharmonic
Orchestra of Armenia and it’s one of the highlights of my career. In
1988, there was an earthquake in Armenia and the country is still
trying to recover from it. I think getting this music school up in
Gyumri will make a huge difference.” Gillan has also received the
Armenian Presidential Medal of Honor for his work in the country.

The last time Gillan and Iommi recorded together was on Black Sabbath’s
‘Born Again’ album. Noisecreep asked him if it took a little bit of
time to dust the creative cobwebs off. “It actually happened pretty
quickly. I’ve known Tony for a long time and we came up in the same
scene and music. One of the songs we did for this WHOCARES project
is called ‘Out of My Mind.’ For that one, Tony wrote the most of the
music, the riffs, and then I took that and added the lyrics. It felt
so natural to me.”

‘Holy Water,’ the other track on the WHOCARES single, was co-written
with guitar wizard Steve Morse, Gillan’s bandmate in Deep Purple.

“Tony plays on that one too and did some great stuff for it,”
said Gillan.

The two-song WHOCARES single will be out in America on June 27th via
Eagle Rock Entertainment. The CD will also include a music video and
a 40-minute documentary about Gillan and Iommi’s involvement with
the school.

ONE ARMENIAN WAS WOUNDED DURING THE ISTANBUL EXPLOSION

AZG DAILY
27-05-2011

On May 25, an Armenian was wounded as a result of deafening explosion
near “Akmerkez” business center in Ethyler district of Istanbul. The
name of the Armenian is Hakob, his second name; age and citizenship
still are not known. He was taken to Sisli Etfal hospital.

KARABAKH PRESIDENT OPENED SHUSHI CITY CENTRAL LIBRARY

news.am
May 26 2011
Armenia

SHUSHI. – Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Artsakh) President Bako Sahakyan
participated in opening ceremony of Shushi city Central Library and
Khazanchetsots street.

The construction was made possible through Hayastan All-Armenian fund
donations. Bako Sahakyan expressed his acknowledgement to Hayastan
All-Armenian fund for implementing rehabilitation projects in Shushi,
emphasizing that the fastest ground for city’s development is the
consolidation of Armenians’ forces and implementation of joint projects
there, NKR presidential press service informs Armenian News-NEWS.am.

US AMBASSADOR: STATEMENT BY PRESIDENTS STRESSES IMPORTANCE OF PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

Trend
May 26 2011
Azerbaijan

The statement by the presidents of the USA, Russia and France stressed
the importance of the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, the U.S. ambassador to Azerbaijan Matthew Bryza said
Thursday.

“I have not yet read the text of the statement, but I think it
is similar to previous ones. I can say that the very existence
of that statement says about how closely the Presidents Barack
Obama of the U.S., Dimitry Medvedev of Russia and Nicolas Sarkozy
of France are watching what is happening in the process of peace
talks on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The statement reiterates that
there is nothing more important than making maximum efforts within
the OSCE Minsk Group in the negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict peaceful settlement,” Bryza told reporters Thursday during
presentation of “The Great Theft” by Khaled Abou El Fadl, as well as
its translation into Azerbaijani.

The Presidents of the U.S, Russia and France called on the Armenian
and Azerbaijani leaders to demonstrate the political will and to
finalize the work over the basic principles [of the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict] during the upcoming Armenian-Azerbaijani
summit in June.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the
occupied territories.

L’ANCIEN DIRIGEANT CHYPRIOTE-TURC DENKTASH DANS UN ETAT “CRITIQUE”
Ara

armenews.com
vendredi 27 mai 2011

NICOSIE, 26 mai 2011 (AFP) – L’etat de sante de l’ancien dirigeant
chypriote-turc Rauf Denktash, hospitalise mardi après une embolie
cerebrale, s’est deteriore et est desormais “critique”, a-t-on appris
jeudi de source medicale. “Sa respiration s’est deterioree pendant
la journee (…) son etat est stationnaire mais critique”, a indique
Finn Rasmussen, membre de l’equipe medicale en charge de M. Denktash,
dans la partie nord de la capitale divisee.

Retraite depuis 2005, le premier dirigeant de la Republique turque
de Chypre Nord (RTCN), une entite reconnue par la seule Turquie, a
ete hospitalise mardi soir a l’âge de 87 ans a la suite d’une embolie
cerebrale qui a provoque des pertes de conscience sporadiques et une
perte importante de mobilite sur son côte gauche.

“La paralysie est en regression. Il a commence a bouger partiellement
(…) et c’est un developpement positif”, avait commente mercredi le
Dr Mehmet Ozmenoglu, ajoutant que M. Denktash etait egalement soigne
pour des problèmes cardiaques recurrents chez lui depuis des annees.

Mais une complication pulmonaire “a inverse l’avis positif d’hier”,
a explique jeudi le Dr Erkan Kaptanoglu, precisant que M. Denktash
etait sous assistance respiratoire.

Le problème est un developpement “indesirable mais attendu”, a-t-il
ajoute, indiquant que les medecins se montraient confiants et
esperaient “qu’un traitement fort inverserait la tendance”. Après
des etudes en droit en Grande-Bretagne, Rauf Denktash a represente
la communaute chypriote-turque pendant plus de 40 ans, notamment
comme “president” de la RTCN après sa proclamation en 1983. Fervent
nationaliste, M. Denktash a choisi de renoncer a la politique en
2005 après un vote massif des Chypriotes turcs en faveur d’un plan de
reunification de l’île soumis a referendum par l’ONU en avril 2004,
auquel il etait hostile.

Le plan de paix a echoue en raison du vote negatif des Chypriotes
grecs. Chypre est divisee depuis 1974, date a laquelle la Turquie
a envahi le nord de l’île après un coup d’Etat fomente par des
nationalistes chypriotes-grecs visant a rattacher le pays a la Grèce.

UN COMMISSAIRE DE L’ONU FAIT PRESSION POUR PLUS D’ARGENT POUR LES REFUGIES ARMENIENS
Stephane

armenews.com
vendredi 27 mai 2011

Le haut commissaire des Nations unies pour les Refugies Antonio
Guterres a soutenu les efforts de l’Armenie d’attirer des financements
de donnateurs pour la mise a disposition de logements adequats a des
milliers d’armeniens qui se sont enfuis de l’Azerbaïdjan il y a plus
de deux decennies.

Antonio Guterres a fait appel aux agences internationales et aux
gouvernements alors qu’il participait a une conference internationale
sur la question qui se tenait a Erevan.

Le gouvernement d’Armenie espère que la conference l’aidera a attirer
45 millions de $ d’aide qu’il dit etre necessaire pour construire ou
acheter de nouvelles maisons pour environ 1200 familles de refugies
qui vivent toujours dans des conditions difficiles.

Plus de 350000 armeniens d’Azerbaïdjan se sont refugies en Armenie
après le debut du conflit du Nagorno-Karabakh en 1988.

La plupart des refugies armeniens ont ete a la hâte heberges dans
des hôtels, des foyers d’etudiants et autres abris provisoires entre
1988 et 1990. Beaucoup d’entre eux ont par la suite emigre en Russie
et vers d’autres anciennes republiques Sovietiques en raison des
conditions socio-economiques difficiles, tandis que d’autres ont
reussi a trouver des logements convenables soit tout seul ou bien
avec l’appui du gouvernement.

Selon le Service des Migrations 1175 familles manquent d’un logement
de base.

S’exprimant lors de la conference, Antonio Guterres a rappele sa visite
en 2006 a quelques-unes de ces familles. ” ” J’ai ete choque par la
difficulte extreme de leurs conditions, qui affectent inevitablement
les conditions physiques et mentales de ces gens ” a-t-il dit.

” Il y a une solution de cette situation, il a juste besoin d’avoir des
fonds “” a ajoute le fonctionnaire de l’ONU, qui a tenu des reunions
separees avec le President Serge Sarkissian et le Premier ministre
Tigran Sarkissian.

Plus de 80 familles vivant dans un hôtel dans le district de
Nork-Marash d’Eevan, tous des anciens residants de Bakou, ont attendu
une telle solution depuis plus de 20 ans. Gayane Zakharian partage
une pièce avec sa mère et sa fille depuis 1989.

” Nous esperons beaucoup que quelque chose sera decidee lors de cette
conference ” a-t-elle dit au service armenien de RFE/RL. ” On nous
a dit que les donnateurs viennent et ils peuvent fournir l’argent
necessaire pour la construction de nouvelles maisons pour nous “.

” Chaque annee ils promettent que ce sera la dernière annee de
privation mais rien n’est fait en pratique ” a ajoute Zakharian
avec scepticisme.

” Nous ne croyons plus rien desormais ” a dit Anya, une femme âgee. ”
Nous vivons ici depuis 22 ans “.

Le gouvernement armenien a promis en 2004 de fournir a tous les
refugies indigents de nouvelles maisons. Il a arrete d’allouer des
fonds pour ce but avec le debut de la crise financière en 2009.

” Nous nous attendons a ce que la communaute internationale ne
meconnaisse pas les vieux problèmes dont le problème des refugies
armeniens ” a dit le Premier Ministre.

” Nous voulons resoudre ce problème aussitôt que possible ” a dit
Tigran Sarkissian dans des commentaires separes au service armenien
de RFE/RL.

Le seul engagement d’une aide immediate est venu du gouvernement du
Bresil. L’Ambassade bresilienne a Erevan a dit qu’elle contribuera
a hauteur de 50000 $ au programme de logements.

” À cette etape nous n’avons aucuns fonds alloues pour prendre en
charge ce problèmes de logements directement ” a declare le chef de la
Delegation de l’UE a Erevan, Raul de Luzenberger au service armenien
de RFE/RL.