Author: Badalian Vardan

IRAN’S FM SPOKESMAN CALLS FOR EXPANSION OF TRADE TIES WITH ARMENIA

Fars News Agency, Iran
April 4 2013

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast
in a meeting with Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian said that
Tehran is ready to enhance economic and trade relations with Yerevan.

During the meeting in Yerevan on Wednesday, Mehman-Parast pointed
to Iran-Armenia Joint Economic Commission as a suitable framework
for broadening of bilateral economic ties, and said, “The economic
conditions of Iran and Armenia have appropriate capacities to increase
the level of trade ties between the two countries.”

The Armenian foreign minister, for his part, said that Tehran and
Yerevan are witnessing good developments in their ties.

Mehman-Parast, heading a high-ranking delegation, arrived in the
Armenian capital city on Monday night for a four-day visit to the
country.

Mehman-Parast’s visit to Armenia comes after he paid a visit to
Belarus. He is slated to discuss the latest regional and international
developments with the Armenian officials, including his counterpart
Tigran Balayan.

Mehman-Parast started his regional tour last Wednesday by paying a
visit to Belarus in the first leg of his trips.

Earlier this year, Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsian appreciated
Tehran for its effective mutual cooperation with Yerevan, and
underlined his country’s enthusiasm for the further expansion of ties
with Iran.

Sargsian appreciated Tehran for its effective bilateral cooperation
with Yerevan during the past years.

He said that his country “attaches great importance to expansion
of relations with Iran” despite efforts made by the US-led western
states to reduce Tehran-Yerevan ties.

Addressing people in the Armenian city of Meghri, President Sargsian
said “Armenia will continue efforts” to promote bilateral cooperation
with Iran.

In recent years, Iran and its Northern neighbor Armenia have signed
agreements on energy cooperation and agreed to cooperate in technology
and research and to enhance ties in commerce and economy.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Sargsian pledged in December
2011 to further expand “high-level relations” between their nations
and, in particular, give new impetus to the implementation of joint
energy projects that have fallen behind schedule.

HEROES KILLED IN ‘SECURE’ ARMENIA – FREEDOM FIGHTER

TERT.AM
18:31 ~U 05.04.13

The freedom fighter Sargis Hatspanyan, who took part in the funeral of
Hrach Muradyan, head of the Proshyan village community, cannot put up
with his companion-in-arms’ murder.

“Our nation has few people like Hrach. And instead of being defended
and protected such people are killed in secure Armenia,” he said.

“I cannot understand when a person is so loyal to his country, but has
such an end of his life. Is this secure Armenia? Is not Serzh Sargsyan
ashamed of the fact that such a man is murdered in broad daylight
during his presidency?” Mr Hatspanyan said.

“Serzh Sargsyan should have resigned last night. As a man who has seen
war does not he feel ashamed?” he said.

Funerals of Proshyan village governor

Residents of Proshyan village about murdered village governor

Armenia: Crowd Heads to Proshyan to Attend Village Governor’s Burial

ARF-D Rep. on Assassinated Village Governor

RUSSIAN LAWMAKER: ARMENIA, RUSSIA CAN SUCCESSFULLY COOPERATE IN TOURISM AREA

YEREVAN, April 5. /ARKA/. Mikhail Slipenchuk, head of the environmental
committee of the State Duma (the lower chamber of Russia’s parliament),
speaking today on the sidelines of a regular session of the European
Business Congress’ Committee on Legislation, Banks and Finance in
Armenia’s popular resort of Tsakhkadzor, said Russia and Armenia can
cooperate not only in energy, but also in tourism area.

“Russia and Armenia have been connected to each other for centuries,”
he said. “Russians love Armenia very much, and I think it is possible
to develop tourism here. There are deep cultural and religious roots
and beautiful nature in Armenia,” he said answering ARKA News Agency’s
question.

The Russian lawmaker also that Tsakhkadzor was a center of development
of sports in the Soviet Union and this can be revived here.

The session was focused on management of risks amid the world energy
market transformation.

According to the National Statistical Service of Armenia, 843,330
tourists visited Armenia in 2012 – 11.3% more than in 2011.—0—-

ARTAK ZAKARYAN: ALIYEV NOT ACCEPTABLE TO THE WORLD ANY MORE
Anna Nazaryan

“Radiolur”
17:13 05.04.2013

The domestic political developments cannot have any negative impact
on Armenia’s standing on the foreign policy arena, as the respected
international organizations and observers have already positively
assessed the presidential elections of February 18, Chairman of the
National Assembly’ Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Artak
Zakaryan told a press conference today.

He described second-placed Raffi Hovhannisyan’s steps as “illogical.”

President Serzh Sargsyan has always been the proponent of solution
of issues through dialogue, and the dialogue with the Heritage Party
will take place, when they start looking at things more realistically.

As for the perspectives of progress in the settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, Artak Zakaryan said: “Azerbaijan has hit a deadlock
and is ready to take any radical step.”

Presidential elections are expected in Azerbaijan in October, and
many analysts believe Aliyev might aggravate the tension at the
line of contact to divert the attention of the society from domestic
political issues.

Aliyev’s reelection is beneficial to Armenia. “I would like Aliyev
to be re-elected, as he is not acceptable to the world any more,”
the MP noted.

COMMEMORATIVE MARCH FOR MURDERED PROSHYAN MAYOR

04:03 PM | TODAY | POLITICS

A group of citizens today marched from a Yerevan district to Proshyan
village to attend the funeral of its murdered mayor Hrach Muradyan,
a member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun.

The group involved environmentalists, representatives of
Dashnaktsutyun, members of NGOs, Muradyan’s friends and schoolchildren,
walked to the the village administration carrying flowers and posters.

Lessons were suspended at the village school and people did not go
to work to participate in the funeral of the village mayor.

Vardan Balyan, a participant of the march, said in this way they
express their attitude to the April 2 shooting death and voice their
dissatisfaction against the system.

“Hrach Muradyan became the next victim of this rotten system,” he said.

“We express our protest against the fact that a citizen of Armenia
was assassinated by his compatriot(s), a person who dedicated his
life to the liberation of Artsakh,” said Suzan Simonyan.

Muradyan, 50, was shot dead outside the village administration
on Tuesday. On April 4, the police said they had detained several
suspects in connection with the shooting death.

” FRANCOPHONIE : UNE CHANCE POUR L’ARMENIE ”

Hayastani Hanrapetoutioun, Azg, Aravot, Arminfo et plusieurs
chaînes de television rendent compte d’un colloque a l’Universite
francaise en Armenie, dans le cadre de la saison de la francophonie,
sur le thème ” La Francophonie : une chance pour l’Armenie “, en
presence du Ministre des Affaires etrangères, Edouard Nalbandian,
de l’Ambassadeur de France en Armenie, des Ambassadeurs de l’Union
Europeenne, de Suisse, de Pologne, de Roumanie et de Grèce. Saluant la
” qualite exceptionnelle des relations franco-armeniennes “, Edouard
Nalbandian a rappele que le gouvernement, tout comme les collectivites
locales, poursuivraient leur engagement pour le developpement de
la francophonie. L’Ambassadeur de France a pour sa part rappele les
liens unissant la France et l’Armenie et souligne que la formation des
elites, la promotion du francais et le dialogue culturel etaient au
c~ur de l’engagement de la France en Armenie, prenant pour exemple
l’UFAR, ” fleuron de la cooperation franco-armenienne “.

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 28 mars 2013

jeudi 4 avril 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

LES AMBASSADEURS ETRANGERS SOUTIENNENT-ILS CIVILITAS ?

Les quotidiens rendent compte de la conference de presse au think-tank
Civilitas, en presence des Ambassadeurs des Etats-Unis, d’Allemagne,
de Suisse, ainsi que des consuls honoraires de la Norvège et de la
Finlande. Ceux-ci ont fait l’eloge de la fondation Civilitas, de la
fiabilite des partenariats noues avec elle, appelant indirectement
les autorites armeniennes a ne pas entraver ses actions. L’Ambassadeur
americain a notamment releve : ” Nous n’avons pas de questions sur la
facon dont l’argent des contribuables americains a ete depense dans
le cadre des projets mis en ~uvre par Civilitas au sujet desquels
le Service de securite nationale mène une enquete. Et nous estimons
qu’il n’y a aucune victime en l’espèce “. L’Ambassadeur d’Allemagne
a remarque que Civilitas ” fait la difference ” en Armenie : ” Son
travail est crucial et respectueux de la loi et c’est pour cette
raison que nous sommes impliques dans le financement de ses actions “.

L’editorial de Jamanak considère les declarations des Ambassadeurs
etrangers comme un ” veritable camouflet ” adresse aux autorites
armeniennes ou, a tout le moins, un message plus politique que
diplomatique. L’editorial d’Aravot remarque que, très curieusement, les
pressions sur Civilitas et les poursuites contre son fondateur Vartan
Oskanian, s’intensifient a la veille de consultations electorales.

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 28 mars 2013

jeudi 4 avril 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

521 ELEVES SYRIENS DANS LES ECOLES A EREVAN

Un total de 521 elèves armeniens de Syrie est desormais inscrits dans
les ecoles secondaires d’Erevan, avec 300 qui poursuivent leurs etudes
dans un collège particulier adapte a leurs besoins.

Gayane Soghomonyan, en charge du Departement de l’education a la Mairie
d’erevan, a declare que les programmes dans les autres ecoles est en
armenien oriental pour tous, avec seulement le Collège de Cilicie
(a côte de l’ecole Nar Dos) qui offre une education en armenien
occidental.

Gayane Soghomonyan a declare en outre qu’une commission inter
institutions a ete mise en place pour coordonner l’assistance.

jeudi 4 avril 2013, Stephane ©armenews.co

EXERCICES TACTIQUES AU KARABAGH

Des exercices tactiques auront lieu dans l’une des divisions de l’armee
du Haut-Karabagh a annonce le ministre de la Defense du Karabagh,
le commandant en chef de l’Armee de Defense lieutenant-general Movses
Hakobyan lors d’une reunion au siège de l’armee.

Les preparatifs des prochains exercices militaires ont ete discutes
lors de la reunion a declare le ministère de la Defense.

jeudi 4 avril 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

EVENTS DEDICATED TO 98TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TO BE HELD IN HAGUE

16:07, 3 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 3, ARMENPRESS. “April 24” Committee of the Federation
of Dutch-Armenian Organizations will organize a commemoration concert
dedicated to the 98th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. As reports
“Armenpress” speeches, music, and dancing have been involved in the
concert program. Dutch “Armeens Oratorium” chorus will introduce
“Oratoria” by Khachatur Avetisyan conducted by Ines Leijen. The Dance
Group of Abovian Cultural Association directed by Gagik Avetisyan
will present the dances “Caravan” and “Dance with the Candles”.

The commemoration concert will be held at 20:00 o’clock, on April 19.

After laying of wreaths at the Armenian Genocide monument,
Commemorative Ceremony will be followed by a meeting in the auditorium
of the Boskamp cemetery with artistic performances and speeches.