Author: Badalian Vardan

AYF MEETS WITH IFM-SEI AND YES LEADERSHIPS

October 18, 2013

On October 14, representatives from AYFEurope chapters met with the
leaderships of theInternational Falcon Movement-Socialist Educational
International(IFM-SEI) and the Young European Socialists (YES),
at the latter’s premises in Brussels, Belgium.

AYF is a member of the above mentioned organizations.

The discussion with the IFM-SEI leadership went around the possibility
of upgrading the AYF membership status and the cooperation of the
two organizations in various activities. The AYF delegation expressed
its readiness to host one of the future IFM-SEI meetings in Yerevan,
Armenia.

Moreover the sides discussed about how children from Artsakh
(Mountainous Karabakh) could take part in Falcon’s annual summer
camps. This could serve as a fine opportunity for Artsakh’s children
to travel, meet new people, and speak about the history, culture and
people of Artsakh.

Both delegations agreed to keep working on the issues touched in the
meeting and to fortify their cooperation.

AYF is IFM’s largest partner in the wider region.

Later on the same day, the AYF delegation met with the leadership
of the Young European Socialists. The topics of the discussion were
the deepening of the bilateral relations and the upgrading of AYF
membership status. Again, the AYF delegation expressed its readiness
to host one of the YES meetings in Yerevan, Armenia.

The YES representatives expressed their wish for the AYF to be more
active in the activities of the organization considering that the
AYF has a socialist direction and advocates for democratic values.

In both meetings, the AYF delegation passed over a folder with
information about the organization as well as booklets about the
Armenian Genocide and issues related to Artsakh.

The atmosphere in both meetings was cordial.

ARF Youth Office

ARMENIAN MPS COMMENT ON READMISSION AGREEMENT

20:07 ~U 01.11.13

The Agreement on Readmission, which was discussed along with the
Visa Facilitation Agreement, caused panic in the Armenian Diaspora,
among Armenian national illegally staying abroad.

Naira Zohrabyan, Chairwoman of the Standing Committee on European
Integration, Parliament of Armenia, received calls from Armenian
national staying in France and Belgium.

“Armenian nationals illegally staying abroad misperceive the Agreement
on Readmission. They think that they will be deported after the
agreement has been ratified. I believe that we have to raise public
awareness of the Visa Facilitation Agreement as well,” Zohrabyan said.

The Standing Committee on European Integration and the Standing
Committee on Foreign Relations plan to hold hearings on the Armenia-EU
relations.

Tevan Poghosyan of the Heritage parliamentary group told Tert.am
that Armenia has had readmission agreements with 13 European states,
and only 32 people have been deported to Armenia.

“Secondly, even if they want to deport Armenians, it will not be done
under the Agreement on Readmission. Laws allow the authorities to
deport Armenian nationals without any problems, while the Agreement
on Readmission will regulate the process,” Poghosyan said.

Armenian News – Tert.am

DARCHINYAN READY FOR DONAIRE: I WILL COME AND DEMOLISH HIM, I AM COMING TO DESTROY HIM

18:43, 1 November, 2013

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS. Former world champion Vic “The Raging
Bull” Darchinyan (39-5-1, 28 KOs) of Armenia is eager and ready for
his rematch against former world champion Nonito “Filipino Flash”
Donaire (31-2, 20 KOs). Darchinyan will get his shot at redemption
when he takes on Donaire next Saturday November 9 the American Bank
Center in Corpus Christy, Texas as part of a big HBO Boxing After
Dark tripleheader.

“This is an important fight for me. I am training well. I will be
in the best shape,” Darchinyan promised when Fightnews.com caught
up with him at the Glendale Fight Club in Glendale, California,
Armenpress reports. The 2000 Armenian Olympian turned pro shortly
after the Olympics and launched his pro career in Australia.

He has been training in Glendale for the last two months. “Everything
is good, I am very happy with my training. We have 9 more days. This
is the moment,” Darchinyan said about his training camp.

He has been sparring with 2012 Mexican Olympian Oscar Valdez in
preparation for Donaire. “Sparring with that kid Oscar is very similar
to Donaire. I think he is faster than Donaire,” Darchinyan said.

It was six years ago, when then undefeated Vic Darchinyan was
defending his IBF flyweight title for a seventh time against a
young and inexperienced challenger in Nonito Donaire. However a
monster left hook by Donaire to the jaw of Darchinyan floored him,
resulting in a fifth round knockout which received “Knockout” and
“Upset of the Year” honors.

“I didn’t know who he was six years ago,” said Darchinyan. “I made
him. No one ever heard of him. He was the number eight or nine
contender. Everyone knows if he didn’t get me with the left hook,
I would knock him out. I was coming out for a big punch. Everyone
thinks he is a big deal.”

Since the loss to Donaire, the “Raging Bull” moved up in weight then
went on to win another world title one year later when he knocked
out Dmitry Krilov for the IBF super flyweight title and three months
later became the unified super flyweight champion when he scored
another brutal knockout over Cristian Mijares winning the WBA & WBC
super flyweight titles. After conquering the super flyweight division
Darchinyan then moved up to participate in the Showtime Bantamweight
tournament in which he lost a close decision at the hands of Abner
Mares and then scored a technical decision win over former world
champion Yonnhy Perez.

“It was my first loss and after that I became undisputed champion
I proved to everyone that it was my mistake in the Donaire fight,”
Darchinyan explained.

The veteran hard hitting southpaw continued his run for a shot at
a world title but came up short in losing decisions to WBA super
bantamweight champion Anselmo Moreno in December of 2011 and Japan’s
undefeated WBC bantamweight champion Shinsuke Yamanaka last year.

Darchinyan wasn’t done yet, however, as his experience and toughness
was the difference when he won a dominating unanimous decision
over previously unbeaten prospect Luis Orlando Del Valle. After his
promotional contract with promoter Gary Shaw had expired after the
fight with Del Valle, the Armenian pondered his options and future
where he signed with Top Rank as well as managerial contract with
Frank Espinoza. Darchinyan is coming off a fourth round knockout over
Javier Gallo in his Top Rank debut in May.

“I talked to Frank because I know with Gary Shaw I had nothing going.

I would never fight Donaire. I became number one contender at 122 for
the WBC so I talked with Frank and signed with him. I know what he
is about. So I told Frank to please talk to Top Rank and put a fight
with Donaire,” Darchinyan said. “I waited for this fight six years and
Gary Shaw couldn’t put it, thanks to Top Rank they gave me a rematch.”

Darchinyan-Donaire will be a ten round featherweight bout. Now just
over a week away from the rematch, Darchinyan is in the final phases
of his training camp as he is anxious to get back in the ring with
the man that handed him his first loss and knockout.

“I am still looking for the knockout. This time I won’t be silly
with one punch. This time I will use my skill. I know he is scared
and chicken.

I am coming to prove it. I have been in with him, I know how scared
he is of my punches. I will come and demolish him. I am coming to
destroy him. I made him. I am coming to break him,” Darchinyan said.

“Mentally I am ready for this fight. I am coming to send him to
retirement. It is going to be a great fight. I will be ready. I am
coming to destroy him. I am coming to beat the 2012 Fighter of the
Year. I want to prove to everyone he is no one,” Darchinyan concluded.

GEORGIA TO RETURN OVER 470 THOUSAND KG OF POTATOES TO ARMENIA

[ Part 2.2: “Attached Text” ]

Friday,
November
01

Georgia will return over 470 thousand kg of potatoes to Armenia.

According to the Revenue Service of Georgian Finance Ministry, during
the primary inspection of a cargo at the Sadakhlo checkpoint, signs
of potato contamination with brown rot and E Synchytrium endobioticum
microorganisms were revealed, Rosbalt new agency reported.

Potato samples were sent to a special laboratory for testing. As a
result, contamination of 114,500 kg of potato with brown rot disease
was confirmed, while samples of remaining 356,200 kg are still being
examined.

The correspondent of Aysor.am asked the State Food Safety Service
(SFSS) of Agriculture Ministry to provide an explanation.

‘The cargo underwent a check at the Armenian checkpoint, but
no suspicious microorganisms were found on potatoes,” SFSS
spokeswoman Armine Sukiasian said, adding that the information about
sending samples for testing is doubtful. In her words, the information
does not correspond to reality.

“The head of the SFSS went to Georgia on Tuesday to find out
what happened. He will meet with representatives of the respective
structure to discuss the problem,” she noted.

Cases of potato contamination with Synchytrium endobioticum were
recorded in Krasnoselsk village of Gegharkunik province, but potatoes
were not exported from that village to Georgia, Armine Sukiasian said.

TOP POLICE OFFICIAL DISMISSED

15:03 01/11/2013 ” LAW

Deputy head of Arabkir Police Department Arayik Petrosyan has been
relieved of his position this morning, police press service told
Panorama.am.

Petrosyan is known for violence against participants of civic actions
in Yerevan, including the protest action against the construction of
high rise at 5 Komitas Street.

Source: Panorama.am

OPINIONS DIVIDED OVER RUSSIAN MILITARY BASE COMMANDER’S STATEMENT

15:35 ~U 01.11.13

The statement by Andrey Ruzinsky, Commander of Russian Military Base
#102 stationed in Gyumri, Armenia, was his personal statement, Koryun
Nahapetyan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Defense, National
Security and Internal Affairs, Parliament of Armenia, told Tert.am.

“I do not think it is a U-turn. Only authorized representatives
can make statements on behalf of the Collective Security Treaty
Organization. And the statement by the Russian military base
commander should not be viewed as being in conflict with the previous
statements,” Mr Nahapetyan said.

“The politico-military situation in the area of responsibility of the
Russian military base remains strained because of possible aggravation
of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.”

As to the security guarantees for Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh the
statement may imply, Mr Nahapetyan said: “The point is that Armenia’s
membership in the CSTO is a component of the security system. In
this respect, Russian forces’ presence and involvement in different
frameworks is within the CSTO rules of procedure,” he said.

Rubik Hakobyan, a lawmaker of the opposition Heritage party, who was
formerly Armenia’s consul in St Petersburg, thinks just the other way
round. According to him, Razinsky’s statement was made on behalf of
the CSTO.

Asked whether there has been a precedent, he said, “I don’t remember
whether or not there has been a precedent, but the military base is
not stationed there just for formal purposes,” he said.

Responding to the remark that the base, nonetheless, keeps watch
over the Armenian-Turkish border, he said, “That’s a CSTO border
too. It forms part of the CSTO, so it stems directly from the CSTO
regulations.”

Commenting on the statement, Masis Mayilyan, the president of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Public Council for Foreign Policy and Security,
said it was unconventional.

“It is still, of course, early to speak of a policy change over the
security of Nagorno-Karabakh until high-ranking officials publicly
confirm the commander’s words,” he added.

LE CIRQUE D’EREVAN DONNERA DES SPECTACLES DE CHARITE DANS LA PROVINCE DE LORI

ARMENIE

Le Cirque d’Erevan se produira dans la province septentrionale de
Lori a annonce son directeur, Sos Petrosyan. Il a dit qu’au cours de
la tournee de cinq jours dans la region le cirque se produira pour
des unites militaires et la population rurale locale.

Il dit que la troupe avait deja donne des spactacles en Juin et
Juillet dans la region de Tavush et au Nagorno-Karabagh.

Le bâtiment du cirque d’Erevan a ete demoli en Septembre 2012 pour
construire a sa place un complexe moderne en conformite avec les normes
internationales. Le nouveau bâtiment aura plus de sièges. Leur nombre
passera de 1563 a 2050, et la hauteur de la coupole sera de 21 mètres,
au lieu de 16 mètres. L’ancien bâtiment a ete construit en 1962.

vendredi 1er novembre 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

LE GOUVERNEMENT ARMENIEN MET FIN AUX ALLOCATIONS CHOMAGE

ARMENIE

L’Assemblee nationale d’Armenie a adopte mercredi en première lecture
un projet de loi du gouvernement qui abolira de modestes avantages
verses aux milliers de chômeurs.

Selon les donnees du gouvernement, il y a actuellement quelque 70000
personnes sans emploi enregistrees auprès des divisions competentes
du ministère du Travail et des Affaires sociales.

Environ 10000 d’entre eux recoivent 18.000 drams (45 $) par mois
de l’Etat.

La maigre somme est la raison pour laquelle la plupart des personnes
au chômage dans le pays ne se soucient pas d’etre officiellement
enregistre. Le gouvernement estime leur nombre a environ 200000.

Le gouvernement a declare que les allocations de chômage sont de peu
d’utilite a leurs destinataires et devraient etre supprimes au total.

Hakob Hakobian, le president d’une commission parlementaire sur les
affaires sociales, a presente des arguments similaires avant le passage
preliminaire du projet de loi. Il a dit que les fonds budgetaires
alloues a cette aide devraient etre consacres a l’organisation de
cours de recyclage pour les personnes incapables de trouver un emploi.

L’opposition dans le Parlement armenien a categoriquement rejete
ces explications. Des deputes de l’opposition ont declare que le
gouvernement devrait au contraire augmenter les benefices.

L’un d’eux, Artsvik Minasian, a dit que la mesure gouvernementale
serait contraire a une disposition de la Constitution qui stipule que
l’Armenie est un ” Etat social “. Un autre depute, Naira Zohrabian,
a affirme que le gouvernement veut economiser de l’argent pour financer
les hausses de salaires promis aux employes du secteur public ;

Certains beneficiaires des prestations ont egalement denonce cette
mesure, disant que les 18000 drams leur permettent de repondre
a certains de leurs besoins fondamentaux. ” Cela a ete une très
assistance a des gens comme moi ” a declare Sedrak Baghdassarian, un
resident d’Erevan actuellement au chômage. ” Au moins, nous pouvons
payer nos factures d’electricite avec cet argent “.

vendredi 1er novembre 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

KARABAGH : L’ACTIVITE DES MEDIATEURS SUR FOND DE RUMEURS DE PLANS POUR UNE MISSION DE MAINTIEN DE LA PAIX DIRIGEE PAR LA RUSSIE DANS LA ZONE DU CONFLIT

ARMENIE

Les co-presidents du Groupe de Minsk de l’Organisation pour la securite
et la cooperation en (OSCE) ont l’intention de visiter la region du
conflit du Haut-Karabagh a nouveau debut Novembre. Selon les medias,
ils ont l’intention de discuter de la question de l’organisation
d’une reunion des presidents de l’Armenie et de l’Azerbaïdjan.

Près de deux ans se sont ecoules depuis la dernière reunion de Serge
Sarkissian et Ilham Aliyev et cela est en grande partie attribuable
a des elections tenues en Armenie et en Azerbaïdjan au cours de cette
periode. Les deux leaders ont ete reelus presidents dans leurs pays,
obtenant ainsi un mandat pour le règlement du problème du Karabagh.

Les presidents peuvent etre ” prets “, mais y a-t-il un accord entre
les trois copresidents du Groupe de Minsk de l’OSCE – les Etats-Unis,
la France et la Russie – sur les principes du règlement ? Tous les
trois pays ont longtemps parle du caractère inacceptable du statu quo
dans la zone de conflit, mais chacun de ces pays ne permet pas aux
autres de changer le statu quo en sa faveur. Il y a trois ans la France
et les Etats-Unis, en effet, ont saborde l’intention de la Russie
de changer le statu quo. Maintenant, Moscou va apparemment faire une
autre tentative afin de le changer. La question est de savoir jusqu’où
sa tentative est en accord avec Paris et Washington cette fois-ci.

La politique pour la creation d’une Union eurasienne qui a ete proclame
comme un imperatif des politiques russes par Vladimir Poutine couvre
la totalite de l’espace post-sovietique, y compris les republiques
dites non reconnus. Lors d’une recente conference de presse a Minsk le
president d’un des pays membres de l’Union douanière, la Bielorussie,
Alexandre Loukachenko a declare que le format de l’adhesion a l’Union
douanière couvre egalement pour les entites non reconnus, y compris
le Haut-Karabagh.

Bako Sahakian president de la Republique du Haut-Karabagh n’a pas
nie une telle possibilite, en disant que si le Karabagh recoit une
invitation a rejoindre l’Union douanière, ils discuteront de cette
offre.

Il est a noter que l’Azerbaïdjan n’a nullement reagi a la decision
de l’Armenie de se joindre a l’Union douanière et aussi face a la
probabilite de l’entree du Karabagh. Certains experts estiment que cela
pourrait indiquer la presence d’accords entre Moscou et Bakou. Et ces
dispositions peuvent concerner la mise en place de forces de maintien
de la paix de l’Organisation du Traite de securite collective (OTSC,
un pacte de defense des six anciennes nations sovietiques dirige par
la Russie). Si Moscou deploie sa force pas le long de la frontière de
la Republique du Haut Karabagh en cours, mais un peu plus profondement
a l’interieur de la première ligne de defense, l’Azerbaïdjan pourrait
obtenir un couple convoite de districts.

Apparemment, la visite inattendue du co-president americain du Groupe
de Minsk James Warlick a Bakou avant le voyage de tous les mediateurs
etait liee a ces intentions presumees. A Bakou, Warlick a rencontre
le President Aliyev ainsi que le ministre des Affaires etrangères
azerbaïdjanais, et de la capitale de l’Azerbaïdjan, il est alle a
Londres ” pour discuter de la question du Karabagh “.

Peut-etre que Washington n’aime pas les accords separes entre la
Russie d’un côte et de l’Armenie et de l’Azerbaïdjan de l’autre.

Certains experts militaires proches des cercles du pouvoir en Armenie
disent que l’Armenie n’est pas contre le deploiement des forces
de l’OTSC au Karabagh. Recemment, le secretaire general de l’OTSC
Nikolay Bordyuzha a declare que des unites de maintien de la paix
de l’OTSC ont deja ete crees et ils ont depose une demande auprès
de l’Organisation des Nations Unies pour un mandat participatif
aux operations de maintien de la paix. A la question de savoir si le
Karabagh pourrait devenir le lieu de la première mission de maintien de
la paix des forces de l’OTSC, Bordyuzha a dit qu’ils ne fixent pas une
telle tâche, mais si les presidents de l’Armenie et de l’Azerbaïdjan
sont d’accords …

Par Naira Hayrumyan

ArmeniaNow

vendredi 1er novembre 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

Yeni Musavat: Azerbaijan lost more than 5,000 soldiers in post-war period

17:49 02/11/2013 » SOCIETY

Azerbaijan has not yet announced a specific number of victims though
21 years have passed after the end of Karabakh war. The newspaper
“Yeni Musavat” conducted its own investigation and found out that the
major losses of the Azerbaijani army were on the Aghdam region, as
well as at winter and spring of 1994 in Qelbajar. Because of the
committed strategic errors, thousands of Azerbaijani fighters have
been killed.

According to the newspaper, 20,000 people were lost at the Karabakh
war in Azerbaijan, 50,000 were injured and 486 people are still
missing. The most serious losses were in Aghdam region. There it
reached 7,000.

“However, the losses are not limited with the period of hostilities
only. After signing a cease-fire in 1994, the Azerbaijani army lost
thousands of soldiers. According to our data, Azerbaijani army has
lost more than 5,000 servicemen since 1995 up to now,” the newspaper
writes.

Azerbaijani officials often present different figures of casualties of
armed forces suffered during the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, in order
to understate the number of losses. For example, if the previous
President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev in June 1994 spoke of 21,000
deaths, than Ilham Aliyev in an interview to “Al Jazeera” (October
2011) stated about 13-15 thousand dead and missing Azerbaijanis. It is
noteworthy that in February of 2007 a group of 9 Azerbaijani NGOs and
3 experts released their data, according to which in the course of
hostilities in Karabakh 24,000 Azerbaijani soldiers have been killed,
and another 4.5 thousand are missing.

Azerbaijani officials also present different numbers of disabled
during the Karabakh war – from 10 to 50 thousand. Azerbaijani
officials also called a different number of disabled Karabakh war –
from 10 to 50 thousand.