Author: Badalian Vardan

NCCA JOINS PRODUCTION OF “PARADJANOV: LOVER OF BEAUTY” FILM

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 17, 2011 – 18:42 AMT

As part of an agreement reached in 2010, the National Cinema Center
of Armenia (NCCA) joined Interfilm Production studio to create
“Paradjanov: Lover of Beauty” feature film.

During the May 17 meeting held in the Ukrainian Pavilion as part
of the Cannes film market, Director of NCCA Gevorg Gevorgyan and
producer of the film project Olena Fetisova agreed to sign a contract
for joint production.

According to preliminary agreement, NCCA will allocate the sum required
for shooting the film in Armenia. Fetisova noted that the film budget
makes 1.9mln euros, 50% of which will be covered by the Ukrainian
side. Besides, French, Swedish and Georgian sides will contribute to
the film production.

2010 Palm d’Or Winner, Armenian French actor Serge Avedikian will
play the lead role of Sergei Paradjanov in the film, NCCA press
service reported.

TURKISH POLITICAL SCIENTIST SAYS NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA NOT A POLITICAL PRIORITY FOR TURKEY

ARMENPRESS
YEREVAN
MAY 17, 2011

Even after the parliamentary elections of Turkey strict changes are
not expected in the process of normalization of the relations with
Armenia, Aybars Gyorgulu, political scientist, project coordinator of
the TESEV organization, said today at the “Caucasus-2010” international
conference in Yerevan.

He added that the normalization of the relations with Armenia is not
among the political priorities of Turkey. He says Turkey has more
serious issues. “The process of normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations is frozen and it seems this situation is advantageous for
the two parties,” the Turkish political scientist said.

He said the two countries expect parliamentary elections in the
near future. “We have several months to resume the process, but I do
not know what format the authorities of the countries will chose,”
Aybars Gyorgulu said.

SARKOZY EN ARMENIE AVANT LA FIN DE L’ANNEE
Jean Eckian

armenews.com
mercredi 18 mai 2011

Le ministre des Affaires etrangères armenien Edouard Nalbandian a
rencontre hier son homologue Alain Juppe.

Au cours de la reunion, les ministres ont discute de
l’approfondissement des relations bilaterales et des questions
regionales et internationales, notamment de la cooperation.

Concernant la question du Haut-Karabakh, les parties ont convenus
l’absence d’alternative a un règlement pacifique.

A l’issue de la rencontre, Edouard Nalbandian a invite son homologue
a venir a Erevan.

Le chef de la diplomatie armenienne a egalement rencontre le conseiller
diplomatique de l’Elysee, David Levitte, avec lequel il a ete discute
des preparatifs de la future visite du chef de l’Etat francais en
Armenie cette annee.

ARMENIAN CATHOLICOS DECLARED HONORABLE BUENOS AIRES CITIZEN

news.am
May 16 2011
Armenia

Buenos Aires Mayor Mauricio Macri declared Armenian Catholicos Garegin
II an honorable citizen of Buenos Aires.

Catholicos thanked the city authorities for showing a care for the
Armenian community. Garegin II participated in AGBU dinner devoted to
the hundredth anniversary of local AGBU branch. He stressed that 80%
of Armenian Church’s budget is composed of funds allocated by AGBU.

SASHIK SARGSYAN INSULTS AND ABUSES JOURNALIST

A1Plus.am
16 May 2011

Armenian parliamentarian Alexander (Sashik) Sargsyan, the brother
of President Serzh Sargsyan, has sworn “Hraparak” daily journalist
Marine Kharatyan, using abusive language against her.

The newspaper is going to send the recording to the presidential
residence.

Marine Kharatyan came up to the MP in the corridor of the National
Assembly to ask whether he is going to run for Parliament during the
next elections. The furious MP seized the recorder and pressed all
the buttons to erase the recording.

“You do not have a right to ask me questions,” said Sargsyan.

“After I tried to explain that journalists have a right to address
questions to parliamentarians in the parliament premises, Sashik
Sargsyan started to insult me,” said the journalist.

Head of the Republican faction Galust Sahakyan was present at the
incident but did nothing to help the desperate journalist. Seeing
Marine’s confusion, he said indifferently, “Don’t you see that the
man does not want to answer your questions?”

The journalist says Sashik Sargsyan even called her “brazen-faced”

“I am only asking you about your future activities, while you insult
me. You do not have any right to talk to journalists in such a way,”
said Marine.

“Go away! This dog has probably been seen…,” said Sargsyan.

“I am not a dog,” said the journalist.

CITIZEN OF ARMENIA KILLED IN RUSSIA

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 18:46:09 – 16/05/2011

The Union of Armenians of Russia informed about cruel beating of
Armenian citizens in Russia. The incident was reported on May 8
in the village of Novi Bit, in Moscow region. The three Armenians
were attacked by several tens of nationalists. Grigor Usnyan, 22,
got severe head injuries and was taken to the intensive care unit of
the local hospital. Usnyan died in hospital on May 15. The other two
were also injured.

Grigor Usnyan worked in Moscow region as a builder and was the only
earner of his family. He supported his sister who had lost her leg
in the earthquake in 1988 and his old mother.

SEYRAN OHANYAN: “THE WAR OF SNIPERS DOESN’T GIVE PREFERENCE TO ANY OF THE SIDES”

Noyan Tapan

16.05.2011

(Noyan Tapan – 16.05.2011) On May 15, the Armenian Defense Minister
Seyran Ohanyan, during an interview to Public Television, referred to
the cases of violation of cease-fire regime by Azerbaijan, activation
of snipers as well as organizational works for the spring draft.

Answering to the question whether the opinion that the establishment
of cease-fire regime allowed Azerbaijan to avoid serious losses,
to win time and to get prepared for further military adventures
while if the ceasefire regime didn’t take place, the Armenian side
could have registered greater achievements, Seyran Ohanyan said,”In
order to give professionally right assessment, first of all it is
necessary to realize what issues the Artsakhi armed forces faced and
how the issue was solved. The Artsakh war wasn’t aimed at invading
the whole Azerbaijan, the goal of the war was to liberate Artsakh,
ensure the security of its people. I think it is obvious that the
issue was completely solved. Artsakh people, as a model character of
democratic society progress today. I think it would be a naivety to
think that only Azerbaijan used the opportunity of winning time”.

Speaking about the violation of ceasefire regime and provocative
acts by Azerbaijan, S. Ohanyan said, “To my mind, Azerbaijani
military-political leaders try to break among his soldiers the
stereotype of being defeated, surely also trying to have impact on
the Armenian public. On the contrary, those activities give to the
Armenian public and the army a chance to unite. Of course, those
activities also have inner and outer political motive”.

Referring to the activation of Azerbaijani snipers as a result of which
Armenian soldiers and peaceful population are killed, Seyran Ohanyan
noted, “The so-called war of snipers does not give any preferences to
any of the sides. A response is given to the activities of snipers,
but as these actions have become widely discussed by our public,
I would like again to repeat that unequal response is given to these
actions by using disproportionate punishment. It means that they are
punished with more losses, another thing is that the Azerbaijani mass
media present it in their way. Nevertheless, the activity of enemy’s
snipers is open violation of arrangements reached during negotiations
and the international community should give corresponding assessment
to it.

The Minister of Defense also referred to the conduction of spring
draft. “Corresponding mechanisms are created for the implementation
of inner and outer control over the draft process. Today this process
is controlled not only by the Ministry of Defense, but by the Security
Council, law enforcement bodies and civil society structures”.

TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY IS NOT INVIOLABILITY OF BORDERS

Aysor.am
Monday,May 16

“The principle of territorial integrity does not mean inviolability of
borders. Otherwise no new states would be established in the world,
while dozens of new countries appeared on world map over the past
20-30 years,” Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said in an interview
to the Moskovskiye Novosti newspaper.

According to the Armenian President, Armenia and Azerbaijan really
differ in how they understand the principle of territorial integrity.

“But the entire world follows these principles. The two principles –
territorial integrity and right of nations to self-determination –
gave Azerbaijan and Armenia the possibility to achieve independence.

How can they be interpreted in different ways? This is illogical.”

“The problem can only be resolved through compromise. Through all
these years we have sought to find a compromise. Nagorno Karabakh
must decide its own fate, must get all opportunities to live safely
in its native land.”

S. Sargsyan stressed that OSCE Minsk Group proposed the document
we call Madrid Principles. This document implies that the conflict
resolution must be based on three principles – non-use of force or
threat to use force, right of nations to self-determination and
territorial integrity, and gives a possibility to continue the
negotiations and prepare a key agreement.

“We clearly understand the meaning of these three principles. After
long reflection, Azerbaijan also said “yes” but for some reason they
interpret these principles in a unique way. Azerbaijan’s leadership
is constantly threatening to resume military operations. It is a
violation of the first principle. Both they and we understand the
principle of territorial integrity, though there is an impression that
they absolutize this principle outside the context of international
law. They understand the right of self-determination as pure
self-determination within Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

Therefore, it will be very difficult to achieve conflict resolution
until Azerbaijan understands the meaning of this principle. Karabakh
has achieved independence in a bloody and cruel war, in very hard
circumstances, and it would be naïve to think that the people of
Karabakh can abandon something they have achieved,” President Serzh
Sargsyan said.

PARLIAMENT APPROVES CHANGES TO MARRIAGE REGISTRATION PROCEDURES

Tert.am
16.05.11

The National Assembly has adopted amendments to the Law on Civil
Registration Acts, reducing the period of marriage registrations.

Under the new law, marriages shall be registered within seven days from
the time of submitting an application to civil registration offices,
Deputy Minister of Justice Aram Orbelyan told reporters on Monday.

The previous law required marrying couples to wait for a month before
the marriage was registered. The new law considerably reduces that
period.

“We believe the changes will have a positive outcome in facilitating
marriage registration procedures. A lot of families nowadays cannot
register their marriages. That leads to certain problems later ,
making divorce impossible and causing difficulties in the maintenance
of property rights,” the deputy minister said, adding that the new
law might also reduce corruption risks.

Speaking further on the issue, sociologist Aharon Adibekyan said that
the average age for marriage has risen by 5 years for men and 3-4
years for women. “[Couples] have grown older, and there are reasons
for that. Later marriages result in less children, hence the society
grows older,” he said.

Disagreeing with the new amendments, the expert further noted that
two out of ten married couples get divorced, with most of them being
residents of Yerevan.

In response to Adibekyan’s remark, the deputy minister said that seven
days is quite enough for people to rethink their marriage decision.

AZERBAIJAN WILL LOSE MORE OF ITS LANDS IN CASE OF NEW WAR IN KARABAKH, EXPERT SAYS

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 16, 2011 – 16:47 AMT

The president of Far Centre, the centre for political and economic
studies, former ambassador of Azerbaijan to Russia presented his
vision of the development of events in case of a new war in Karabakh.

“Should Azeri authorities start a new war in Karabakh, the events
will probably follow 2008 Russian-Georgian war scenario. Russia will
interfere at once, with planes without distinguishing signs flying
all over us. Azerbaijan will lose even more lands, TNs, ets. However,
I do not see this happening,” Hikmet Hajizadeh stated.

As he noted, increased incidents of ceasefire violation is part
of Azeri strategy. “An actual war would become a tragedy to Baku,”
he remarked.

“The probability of Moscow’s supporting Armenia’s passing some
of territories over to Azerbaijan is inexistent. Perhaps, western
mediators pressured Yerevan into ceding territories; still, Moscow
has never attempted it. As far as I know, Moscow has always forbidden
Armenia to make such steps,” newcaucasus.com cited the expert as
saying.