Author: Badalian Vardan

A REMINDER TO EU COMMISSION PRESIDENT J.M. BARROSO, ON THE OCCASION O AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT’S VISIT TO BRUSSELS

Brussels, June 24, 2013.- On the 21st of June 2013, EU Commission
President Mr. Jose Manuel Barroso, after his meeting in Brussels
with the President of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, made a statement
for the mass media. In this statement there are some points that
we have to point out, since once again, EU Commission President,
has undermined his basic responsibility to promote and defend Human
Rights and the Rule of Law – core values of the European Union.

President Barroso’s text of 818 words, there are less than 50 vague
words referring to Human Rights, but not a single word calling on
President Aliyev to stop the repression and cruel violations of
Human Rights, Rule of Law and plurality in an autocratic and feudal
Azerbaijan.

Having in mind only the energy and the gas supply corridors of
Azerbaijan, Mr. Barroso considers fruitful the exchanges of his
visit to Baku and Mr. Aliyev’s in Brussels. How can such visits be
fruitful, for an appointed official at the highest rank of the EU,
having as basic mandate the defence and promotion in all his capacity,
of Human Rights values, when every day, the situation in Azerbaijan is
deteriorating and whoever dares to have a different opinion than the
government is prosecuted and imprisoned? We would like to remind Mr.

Barroso, that the European Parliament, the only body elected directly
by the people, in the last two years, has voted several resolutions
condemning Azerbaijan for violating Human Rights, plurality, Rule
of Law and Democrativ values, calling the EU Council and of course
the Commission, to consider the possibility of targeted sanctions
against those responsible for the violations, should they persist
(paragraph 18, of the Motion for a resolution B7-0256/2012 of 22.5.201
on the situation in Azerbaijan). After two more resolutions against
Azerbaijan, the one just some days ago at the plenary of the European
Parliament, President Barroso still declares his “personal commitment
to supporting Azerbaijan” in improving its record of Human Rights.

The members of the cabinet of Barroso should have informed him,
that just one day earlier, the survey “Nations in Transit 2013”
of the Freedom House was published, where regarding Azerbaijan,
“the democracy gap between Azerbaijan and its Caucasus neighbors
continued to grow in 2012”. In the same survey, Azerbaijan’s score
is one of the worst between the 29 countries in transition together
with Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Belarus. It is really to wonder,
how the President of the EU Commission can feel a great pleasure
when he meets with the President of a country which is considered a
“Consolidated Authoritarian Regime” (Nations in Transit 2013).

Regarding the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, we state once again, that
Azerbaijan’s negative role to any solution all those years, by the
bellicose statements and armed incidents provoked by the government
in Baku. It is difficult to imagine how the peace talks can lead
to a progress. We would like to remind Mr. Barroso once more, the
statement of the President of the European Armenian Federation for
Justice and Democracy (EAFJD), Mr. Kaspar Karampetian, commenting on
the resolution of the EU Parliament on 12th June, 2013: “We expect the
EU to uphold its principles in its dealing with Azerbaijan, as it is
demanded in this resolution by the Members of the European Parliament.

A democratic Azerbaijan is the only key to sustainable peace in the
South Caucasus”.

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SYUNIK FORMER GOVERNOR’S NAME ERASED FROM NAGORNO-KARABAKH MONUMENT (PHOTOS)

13:50 ~U 24.06.13

Unknown individuals have erased the name of Syunik region’s
former governor from a monument situated near the entrance of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

A photo, sent to theA1+ new website by a reader, features the monument
with the missing name of Suren Khachatryan, who resigned from office
earlier this month over a high-profile murder near his house.

The author of the photo links the fact with the scandal.

The monument dates from 2005.

COMMUNIST LEADER: WE SHALL NEVER SUPPORT RAFFI HOVANNISIAN

04:07 PM | TODAY | POLITICS

The world has turned upside down; one the one hand, there is the
ongoing conflict in the Arab countries, on the other hand, the shameful
obscenity and grave economic situation in Europe, Chairman of the
Armenian Communist Party Ruben Tovmasyan told reporters on June 25.

In the given situation Armenia must rely on Russia, says the chief
communist. “Russia has always been and continues to remain our main
strategic ally,” he said.

The fact that Russia is selling weapons to Armenia’s enemy –
Azerbaijan, does not make Ruben Tovmasyan change his opinion about
the country.

“Russia is also selling arms to Syria. Similarly, Russia can sell arms
to Azerbaijan, yet we should not consider it as an anti-Armenian step,”
he said.

Regarding the political situation in Armenia, Ruben Tovmasyan said,
“A season has started when everyone is silent as they do not know what
to say. The cuckoo praises the cock, for the cock praises the cuckoo.

They are all looking for praise.”

Tovmasyan says his party was the only political force to have given a
clear evaluation of all elections held in Armenia and now he announces
that the elections were rigged.

The leader of the Communist party says will never unite with Heritage
Party Leader Raffi Hovannisian and his calls for the consolidation
of opposition forces. Though today Hovannisian does not urge the
opposition to unite around him, the communist believes that he will
do it sooner or later.

“The Communist Party of Armenia created the Soviet Armenia with
sweat and assiduous work. Look out of your windows and say whether
you see anything new in your neighbourhood. They have pulverized and
sold everything that was created by our party. We shall never second
Raffi Hovannisian,” Ruben Tovmasyan said in conclusion.

FOSSILS OF DINOSAURS, FLYING LIZARDS, ELEPHANTS AND THREE TOE HORSES DISCOVERED IN ARMENIA

15:17 25/06/2013 ” SOCIETY

Nowadays Armenia pays little attention to archeology, Hayk
Melik-Adamyan, a research officer at the Institute of Geology of the
National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, told reporters in Yerevan,
adding that the management of the Institute of Geology pays more
attention to seismology.

“The territory of Armenia and Artsakh is very interesting from
the geological viewpoint. In fact, the 45,000 km of territory is a
geological museum in the open air,” said the scientist.

Speaking of archeological excavations, Melik-Adamyan said that fossils
of dinosaurs were discovered in the territory of Armenia lately. These
were not big, wild dinosaurs dating back 88-83 million years.

According to the geologist, fossils of flying lizards were also
discovered in excavations. These lizards were unique in the region.

They date back 90 million years, were weighing 40-50 kg, were
discovered in the territory of Vayk province of Armenia and the study
in Saint Petersburg confirmed that they were flying lizards.

Elephant fossils were discovered in the territory of Armenia and
Artsakh, the scientist said. In particular, elephant fossils were
discovered in the 30-40s near Gyumri, and fossils of rare forest
elephants were discovered near the village of Norabats.

Also, fossils of mammoths and three toe horses were discovered in
Armenian excavations, Melik-Adamyan said.

ARMENIA AND WB TO IMPLEMENT JOINT HEALTH-TARGETED PROJECT IN 2014

YEREVAN, June 25./ARKA/. Armenia is to implement a large-scale
health-targeted project in 2014 supported by the World Bank, said Saro
Tsaturyan, head of the State Health Agency at Armenian Health Ministry.

“The goal of the project is to prevent non-transmissible diseases,
such as cardiovascular ones, cancer and diabetes,” he told reporters
on Tuesday not mentioning the estimated cost of the project.

According to him, the grants may be received for the program
implementation.

Tsaturyan has clarified a mass screening (initial examination) of
the population will be conducted within three years to diagnose the
diseases, if any, at a very early stage.

“For instance, in order to diagnose diabetes at an early stage, we
will examine at least 60% of the adults in the republic,” he resumed.

The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved in March a 35-
million-dollar credit for the Disease Prevention and Control Project
in Armenia.

The credit will be provided on standard blend IDA terms at a fixed
interest rate of 1.25 percent per annum with a maturity of 25 years
and a 5 year grace period.

Total financing of the project is $45 million, of which the Government
of Armenia will provide $8.2 million. The Health Results Innovation
Trust Fund (HRITF) will contribute grant funding in the amount of
$1.8 million.

The project will support the Government of Armenia in improving
maternal and child health services, and the prevention, early
detection, and management of selected non-communicable diseases
at the primary health care level, as well as the efficiency
and quality of selected hospitals in Armenia.-0- – See more at:

ARMENIAN ARMY SERVICEWOMAN ARRESTED FOR SPYING

NEWS | 25.06.13 | 11:06

A female member of the Armenian Armed Forces has been arrested for
passing military secrets to an Azeri agent via social networking
sites.

The National Security Service (NSS) of Armenia said on Tuesday it had
undeniable evidence that Mane Movsisyan, a 31-year-old resident of
the town of Kapan who has served under a contract at one of the
military units of the Armenian Defense Ministry, in January 2012,
still before joining the Armed Forces, got acquainted with a
Turkey-based employee of Azerbaijan’s special services using “S.

Dr”, “Seryan Dervisyan” and “Tigran Dervisyan” accounts in the
Odnoklassniki, mail.ru agent and Facebook online social networking
sites.

Movsisyan, according to the NSS Department of Investigations,
continued her online correspodence with the mentioned accounts also
after joining the Armed Forces, passing information containing
military and service-related secrets that became available to her
during her military service.

Nagorno-Karabakh’s NSS also arrested two persons on suspicion of
committing similar crimes by passing information to the mentioned
accounts. One of the arrested persons is a serviceman of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army. These cases are currently tried in a
Karabakh court.

TURKISH FILM PRODUCING COMPANY TO SHOOT TV SERIES ABOUT LOVE OF ARMENIAN GIRL AND AZERBAIJANI GUY

12:23 ~U 25.06.13

Turkish Ay Yapim film producing company is planning to shoot TV
series in 2014 about love of an Armenian girl and Azerbaijani guy,
Turkish Vatan reports.

The role of the Armenian girl is entrusted to actress Meriem Uzerli,
who has left the well-known Magnificent Century TV series and departed
to Germany for treatment. The role of the Azerbaijani guy will be
embodied by well-known Turkish actor Kivanc Tatlitug.

If the information is right, the shooting of the TV series will launch
in February 2014 and already in September 2014 the film will be shown
on Turkish Kanal D TV Channel.

Armenian News – Tert.am

WISE MAN RESIGNS FROM POST OVER TURKISH PM’S STANCE DURING GEZI PARK PROTESTS

11:52 â~@¢ 25.06.13

Academic and columnist Murat Belge has announced his resignation from
the Wise Persons’ Committee, which had been formed by the Turkish
government to assist the country’s bid to find a peaceful solution
to the Kurdish issue, The Hurriyet Daily News reports.

Belge, who was a member of the southeastern region committee, said
the atmosphere created by the government with the Gezi Park unrest
in Turkey was not appropriate to finding peace and he would not
attend Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s meeting with
the 60-member committee on June 26.

Belge announced his resignation in his column today in daily Taraf,
saying the choice of words and language of the prime minister during
the unrest in the country since May 31 was a “personal insult” to
him as well.

“Like all those Gezi things did not happen, like all those insults
were not said [by the prime minister] I found it meaningless and also
impossible to speak about peace,” he said.

Armenian News – Tert.am

WATERTOWN CHILD FINDS INSPIRATION ON STAGE

Watertown TAB & Press, MA
June 24 2013

By Marcelle Abi Esber

Aram Varjabedian, 10, has been dancing Armenian Folk Dance since he
was 4-years-old. His love and talent for dance is an example of how
children with Down Syndrome can thrive with complete inclusion.

Last Tuesday, Aram performed with the ABAKA Armenian School for the
Performing Arts at the Watertown High School auditorium. Before the
performance, he was eager to start dancing.

“I love the stage. I like to dance in front of people and hear them
clap,” said Aram.

His mother Pearlene Varjabedian pointed out that Aram thrives in
performing with his dance group.

“He thrives on imitation and thrives on being part of an inclusive
setting. He can still be a part of a culture and have that cultural
identity. He enjoys being on stage and showing what he can do,”
said Varjabedian.

Others who have seen Aram perform noticed he really shines in dancing.

“He is so energetic, his face lights up. He’s just like any other
kid, maybe even more energetic than most,” said a dance instructor
Lori Keverian.

“You can tell that this is what he loves to do. The minute he gets
in his dancing clothes, you can tell this is where he belongs, this
is when he comes to life,” added another instructor, Niari Keverian.

Before the show, Aram got ready backstage the other boys in his dance
group. They played clapping games, and as his mother said, he was
just like one of the boys. Neither his friends nor his instructors
treated him differently than the others.

“He’s in a group full of typical children. He loves being with his
friends,” said Varjabedian.

Varjabedian hopes that people see Aram and realize children with Down
Syndrome can succeed just as much as other children, they just have
to be given the same opportunities and be included.

“It is really important to realize that you don’t have to hold back.

Treat these children as normal and typical as possible. Treat them
like any other child. Aram has been in inclusive settings since he
was four,” said Varjabedian.

Aram’s 13-year old sister Lara is also part of the ABAKA performance
school, and her mother says she is also amazingly supportive of Aram.

“I think he’s going to be a dancer when he grows up,” said Lara.

Arms and Meaning: No alarm over Russia-supplied armament to Azeris, say experts

Karabakh | 20.06.13 | 17:35

By Gayane Lazarian
ArmeniaNow reporter

Russia has started supplying $1billion worth of heavy weaponry to
Azerbaijan, which, experts say, has different sides to it. On the one
hand Russia is keeping Azerbaijan under its influence decreasing
Baku’s procurement in the international market; one the other,
Azerbaijan is strengthening its land positions to resolve the Karabakh
issue in case of flare-ups of tension and aggravation in the conflict
zone.

Russian media report that as part of the deal signed between Russia
and Azerbaijan in 2011-2012 Russia has started large-scale supply of
military equipment to Azerbaijan. Gazeta.ru reports that it includes
battle tanks, fighting vehicles, rocket launchers, etc.

Political analyst Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan believes that the
high-level military cooperation between the two countries has resumed,
and respective conclusions should be drawn to keep the balance of
forces in the region.

`I believe that the types of military equipment Azerbaijan has
purchased cannot shift the situation [with the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict]; however our foreign diplomacy has to make respective
conclusions. With such an arms deal Russia is first of all advancing
its own interests, and when it comes to its own interests, Russia
forgets all about commitments to its strategic partners. It is obvious
that in the event if the war resumes the weapon sold to Azerbaijan
would be used against the same Russian army, should things get to a
point when CSTO’s involvement is required upon Armenia’s request,’ he
told ArmeniaNow.

Russian expert Alexander Krilov stated that supplying any kind of
Russian weapon to Azerbaijan, even for the sake of commerce, evokes
negative response among the Armenian society, but that response is
oblivious of the fact that Armenia purchases arms from Russia at
domestic Russian prices, which balances the supply of weaponry to
Azerbaijan… He believes that by doing so Russia is keeping Azerbaijan
under its influence decreasing Baku’s weaponry procurement in the
international market.

`Zavtra’ (Tomorrow) newspaper’s editor-in-chief, military expert
Vladislav Shurigin wrote that Russia is not interested in
destabilizing the situation, and the best guarantee for it is the
presence of Russian military contingent in the territory of Armenia.

`The motive is clear – the Russian side needs money. At the same time
Moscow expects that Azerbaijan would not attack Armenia, the territory
of which holds the troops of the country supplying weaponry to them,’
wrote the expert.

Armenian defense ministry spokesman Artstrun Hovhanisyan made a
Facebook post saying that Azerbaijan’s acquisition of arms and
armament is not viewed as controversial or problematic, because the
respective services of Armenia have known all about it starting from
the moment the deals were signed.

`The types and quantity of weaponry sold does not break the balance of
forces and does not create prerequisites for the Azeri leadership, of
course given a reasonable approach, to launch hostilities against
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. The defense ministry of Armenia will
refrain from making any statements or taking positions, considering
certain elements of misinformation found in the press,’ he wrote.

Military expert Arkadi Grigoryan told aysor.am that Azerbaijan is very
consistent in its preparations for the war and has been planning in
two separate directions, however the Armenian side has a rather
effective counterattack capacity in any scenario.

`In one scenario it is the day-by-day growing quantity of means to
strike at the same military facilities of Azerbaijan. I want to stress
– not at the peaceful population, as Azerbaijan does, but directly its
military facilities. In the second case, we have more than enough
means to stop them at any defensive line, even if through bloodshed.
Today’s Armenian army, at its combined units, has a record-breaking
quantity of antitank and other types of arms and armament,’ said the
expert.