Author: Badalian Vardan

YEREVAN MUNICIPALITY DISCLAIMS ALL RESPONSIBILITY FOR ILLEGAL FELLING OF 20 TREES IN CITY CENTER

ArmInfo
2010-05-06 14:27:00

ArmInfo. Yerevan Municipality has disclaimed all responsibility for
illegal felling of 20 trees in the city center for construction of
a cafe in the "Student Park."

The official website of the Yerevan Municipality says the Ministry
of Nature Protection of Armenia is authorized to control and apply
penalties. In the meanwhile, during the discussions on the given
problem on April 27 a representative of the Ministry Garnik Manukyan
said the owners of the cafe have all the necessary documents for
construction. Crucial is that the document have been approved by the
Yerevan Municipality.

The main problem is that the park, which earlier belonged to the
Agrarian University, has been transferred to the Yerevan Municipality,
which approved large-scale construction on the place of the park
despite its love to flora and fauna. G. Manukyan said the decision
to allot the area for construction was not coordinated either with
the Ministry or with other authorities concerned. Unfortunately,
the municipality and the ministry disclaim all responsibility for
the situation.

To recall, the cafe in one of the Yerevan parks has been a subject for
ceaseless disputes between ecologists and Municipality of Yerevan
for over a month. According to the Association of Consumers of
Armenia, the cafe "swallowed" 20 trees, which is proved by photos
and video-materials. At the same time, the official position of the
Municipality is that the trees became the victims of not an axe, but
excavators, which allegedly caught them accidentally. Transparency
International Anti-Corruption Center has already pledged to sue the
owner of the construction. Internet users also came out in support of
the park. A group "We are the owners of our city" has been created at
Facebook social net that has involved over 2000 people. They initiated
signature collection under the open letter to President Serzh Sargsyan
demanding restoration of the park. Discussions on the given problem
were held at the Municipality on May 5 with participation of the group
members who say that no specific decisions and agreements were made.

WHEN BAKU CAN ASK THE NKR…

Aysor
May 6 2010
Armenia

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Shavarsh Kocharyan answered to
the questions of one of the Medias, "Today one of the deputies of
foreign minister has made a series of allegations on the process of
the Karabakh conflict settlement. Are those allegations reasonable?"

The press, information and public relations department of the RA
MFA informs that the answer runs as follows: "When Azerbaijan will
be ready to return the lands of the occupied Nagorno Karabakh and
recognize the independence of the NKR, when it will get rid of the
medieval mentality and activities, only then Baku can ask the NKR to
hold discussions over the issues presenting general interest."

LILIT MKRTCHTYAN AND ELINA DANIELYAN SETTING GOOD RECORDS

Tert.am
05.05.10

Though playing with black figures the Armenian chess players Lilit
Lazarian and Elina Danielyan had a comparatively good performance
in the 8th tour of Women’s FIDE Grand Prix competition in Nalchik,
Kabardino-Balkaria, reports Armenian news web source Armsport.am.

Lilit Lazarian defeated Baira Kovanova (Russia), while Denielyan
earned 0.5 points in a set with Chen Zhou (Qatar).

With her 4 points Lilit Lazarian is among the 6-7th in the winners’
list, while Elina Danielyan is the last one (1.5 points).

Russian players Tatyana Kosintseva is still heading the list in this
competition with her 6.5 points.

STATEMENTS BY SOME ISRAELI POLITICIANS DON’T REFLECT THE COUNTRY’S OFFICIAL POSITION

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 4, 2010 – 12:23 AMT 07:23 GMT

Statements by some Israeli political activists periodically published
by Azerbaijani media do not reflect the official position of Israel,
said Alexander Tsinker ex-member of the Knesset, director of the East
European States & CIS Institute.

"No one in Israel takes rabbi Avraham Shmulevich for serious.

Surrounded by a few number of supporters, he just pretends to be a
political figure," Dr. Tsinker told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter when
commenting on Shmulevich’s recent statement that Israel will support
Azerbaijan in case the latter is attacked.

GENERAL SECRETARY OF FRANCOPHONIE INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION ABDOU DIOUF SENDS THANK-YOU LETTER TO THE RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT

National Assembly of RA
May 4 2010
Armenia

The General Secretary of Francophonie International Organization
Abdou Diouf, who recently was in Armenia and met the President of
the RA National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan, sent thank-you letter to
the President of the RA National Assembly. The General Secretary of
Francophonie International Organization expressed his deep gratitude
to Hovik Abrahamyan for his big contribution in the development
of Francophonie.

"I wish that the cooperation between the National Assembly of Armenia
and the Francophonie Parliamentary Assembly will more deepen for
everybody’s benefit," Abdou Diouf’s letter says.

We’ll remind that on May 4-6 in Yerevan in the building of RA National
Assembly the 23rd forum of the European Region of the Parliamentary
Assembly of Francophonie will be held.

More than 80 representatives from different countries of Europe will
take part in the forum.

VLADIMIR ZAKHAROV: AZERI ATTEMPTS AT REVANCHE DOOMED TO FAILURE

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 4, 2010 – 18:22 AMT 13:22 GMT

Karabakh will never become a subject of trade in negotiations,
according to Russian political expert Vladimir Zakharov .

"In near future, I expect no new developments in Karabakh conflict
settlement process," he told PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

As the same time he pointed out Azerbaijan’s awareness that its
attempts at revanche are doomed to failure. As Vladimir Zakharov noted,
NKR has already been formed as a state, and acknowledgement of Nagorno
Karabakh is only a matter of time.

AZERBAIJAN MUST GET RID OF ITS MEDIEVAL MENTALITY

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 4, 2010 – 21:20 AMT 16:20 GMT

Azerbaijan must get rid of its medieval mentality, according to Deputy
Foreign Minister of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan .

As he said commenting on recent statement by his Azeri counterpart
Araz Azimov, "As soon as Azerbaijan is ready to return occupied
Nagorno Karabakh regions and recognize NKR independence, Baku can
ask NKR for talks."

"Co-Chairs suggest returning 5 occupied territories of Azerbaijan
and Lachin corridor, followed by Armenia’s requesting official Baku
for time to return Lachin and Kelbajar," Deputy Foreign Minister of
Azerbaijan Araz Azimov said in an interview with public television.

VAZGEN MANUKYAN: BETTER RESULT IN ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROCESS IMPOSSIBLE

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 3, 2010 – 18:32 AMT 13:32 GMT

A meeting of the Public Council took place in Armenia, during which
the Armenian-Turkish relations and further steps were discussed.

Chairman of the Public Council Vazgen Manukyan stated at the meeting
that a better result could not be achieved in the Armenian-Turkish
process. "Armenia’s involvement in the Armenian-Turkish normalization
was more important at this stage, than the border’s opening, as the
Armenian-Turkish process has united all Armenians and facilitated the
Armenian Genocide international recognition," Manukyan noted. In his
opinion, though the Armenian-Turkish Protocols contain a provision
on mutual recognition of the borders, the document could not be better.

Manukyan stressed that now the Karabakh problem is a priority.

According to Manukyan, one should not expect Turkey to recognize the
Genocide. "I consider this stage to be positive, while the continuation
will strengthen our possibilities," said Manukyan, the press service
of the RA Public Council reported.

ABOUT 93 THOUSAND TOURISTS ARRIVED IN ARMENIA IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2010

ARMENPRESS
MAY 3, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 3, ARMENPRESS: About 93 thousand tourists have arrived in
Armenia in the first quarter of the running year. This index, compared
with he same period of the last year, has increased by 9.4 %. Ninety
thousand 95 people have left for other countries from Armenia, which
is more by 7.1 % compared with the first quarter of the last year.

Anadolu Agency, Turkey
May 1 2010

Turkey committed to continue talks with Armenia – premier

Ankara, 30 April: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on
Friday [30 April] said his country maintained its willingness to
settle problems with Armenia, despite the coalition government in
Yerevan has decided to suspend the ratification process of two
protocols the two countries had signed to normalize relations and
restore diplomatic ties.

"We have kept our positive stance and remained loyal to the word and
the spirit of the protocols from the very beginning and we will
continue to do so," Erdogan told a televised address to the nation.

Erdogan said US President Barack Obama voiced in his remarks on 24
April "allegations which cannot be accepted by our nation although he
has taken into account part of our sensitivities."

The Turkish premier was referring to Obama’s annual speech on April
24, the date accepted by Armenians as the anniversary of the incidents
of 1915 in the Ottoman Empire.

In his speech, Obama described the incidents of 1915 as "one of the
worst atrocities" of the 20th century and "a devastating chapter" in
history.

Erdogan reiterated Turkey’s proposal to leave the issue to historians,
criticizing "third parties of trying to forge domestic political
clout."

A US House panel and the Swedish parliament have earlier approved two
separate bills that affirmed Armenian allegations on the incidents of
1915.

"Turkey is very much disturbed from such insincere attitude of
countries which we see as our friends, whoever they might be," Erdogan
said.

The two protocols between Ankara and Yerevan aims to normalize
relations, reopen their border and restore diplomatic ties which broke
down in 1994 following the Armenian occupation of Karabakh region in
Azerbaijan.