Author: Badalian Vardan

AZERBAIJAN HARDLY TO MANAGE TO SHOOT DOWN PLANES FLYING TO STEPANAKERT – EXPERT

TERT.AM
15:19 ~U 04.02.13

The civil planes that will fly from Yerevan to Stepanakert will appear
on Azerbaijani radars for 1-2 minutes after landing which is a very
short period for the Azerbaijani side to use the moment and harm the
planes, military expert Davit Jamalyan told the reporters on Monday.

He convinced that Baku’s statements on shooting down the planes are
of more propaganda nature.

After they fail to do anything, they will start ignoring the flights.

“No doubt, Aliyev’s statements have inner-political context, but if
Baku is convinced it can shoot down the planes nothing will stop it,”
he said, adding that the fact that the Armenian side may give them
adequate response restrains them from this step.

Jamalyan said the opportunities of Armenia’s air defense systems
give our minister an opportunity to state about the security of the
flights. “It is very difficult to harm planes technically and besides,
the Armenian side is undertaking necessary steps to ensure safe
flights,” he said, stressing that operation of Stepanakert airport
is unavoidable.

“Zerkalo”: Azerbaijan Is To Have Serious Demographic Problems; Young Generation Against Of Having More Than One Child

14:17 04/02/2013 ” SOCIETY

“It should be noticed that many Azerbaijani families do not want to
have more than one child because they are not sure that they will be
able to feed them, maintain properly and provide them with education.

To date the child has become, pardon me for the cynicism, an
“expensive pleasure”, how much money is spent on food, diapers,
kindergarten, etc. Often these costs cannot afford even people with
average incomes, not to mention the low-income families,” the
Azerbaijani paper Zerkalo reports.

According to the article demographers believe that in 20-30 years
Azerbaijan will face problems with aging of population. According to
statistics, during 2012, the rate of births in Azerbaijan amounted to
an average of 479 babies a day. This means that compared to last year,
the average fertility rate decreased from 19.3% to 19.1%. In
Azerbaijan, there are 1.3 million families that have children under
18. Some of these families (529,000), have two children. In the same
time, in towns and villages the figures are identical.

There are 261 000 families in Azerbaijan that have three children and
more than 126 000 (10% of all families) have four children.

The author points out that if the government wants to increase the
birth rate in Azerbaijan, it should take care of the financial side of
the problem and to pay normal child benefit and not the ridiculous
amount of money that is provided now, to take care of the free
kindergartens and nurseries, etc. The article brings the example of
Russia, where “maternity capital” is given for the birth of each child
which gives the parents at least some confidence that they will be
able to bring up their children normally, and not just to give birth
to a child, who is doomed to a perpetual need.

The author also notes that increasing the birth rate can help the
fight against unemployment. He notes that the unemployed cannot risk
giving birth to children but if they are given a job, the problem will
be solved the family will get a stable income, and they will give
birth to children.

“The current Azerbaijani youth is really against of having several
children in the family. Most of the couples want to have only one
child, while back in the Soviet times there was almost no family with
less than 2-3 children. Then, the material welfare for some reasons
was not taken into account too, even in the poorest Azerbaijani
families many children were growing. Today even among those who are
well-off there are many who have only one child,” the material says.

The article says that a lot of money is spent on providing the child
with the most necessary things. That’s why, people in Azerbaijan are
afraid of having many children, The Mirror writes.

Source: Panorama.am

STEPAN DEMIRCHYAN BACK TO LEGISLATIVE WORK AFTER SURGERIES

3:39 04/02/2013 » SOCIETY

Member of Armenian National Congress (ANC) parliamentary faction
Stepan Demirchyan is attending today the first sitting of spring
session of Armenian National Assembly of fifth convocation after
undergoing surgeries abroad.

Head of Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) parliamentary faction Gagik
Tsarukyan is also attending today~Rs sitting. According to
Parliamentmonitoring.am, Tsarukyan is one of the MPs who had poor
attendance record during the previous session of parliament.

Source: Panorama.am

EXPERT SLAMS TURKISH INDIFFERENCE TO ANTI-ARMENIAN ATTACKS

February 4, 2013 – 17:23 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – A Turkologist commented on a February 1 blast
outside the U.S. embassy in Turkey at a news conference in Yerevan.

“At first, Syria was blamed for the attack. Very soon it became clear
that outlawed Turkish center-left forces, who’ve long been refraining
from anti-U.S. acts, are behind the explosion,”Andranik Ispiryan said.

According to international affairs expert Menua Soghomonyan, the
center-left forces aim at establishing a socialist order and release
of political prisoners in Turkey.

The expert further criticized Turkish authorities’ indifference to
recently increased attacks on Armenians in Istanbul.

“Turkish authorities didn’t fail to dub the embassy blast as terrorism,
while completely ignoring attacks on Armenians,” the expert said,
slamming the fact as “permissiveness.”

FBI JOINS SEARCH FOR MURDERER OF US MOM SIERRA, ISTANBUL POLICE TO TAKE DNA SAMPLES

ISTANBUL – Hurriyet Daily News

AA Photo The FBI is playing a significant role in the investigation
into the death of a New York City woman found dead in Istanbul while
on a vacation, a U.S. congressman has said.

Rep. Michael Grimm, a former FBI agent, said U.S. investigators were
invited by Turkish authorities to assist as they try to find out what
happened to Sarai Sierra, The Associated Press reported Feb. 4.

Grimm and Sierra’s parents, Betzaida and Dennis Jimenez, said the
family’s immediate concern was repatriating Sierra’s body to the U.S.

The Istanbul police will collect blood, DNA and saliva samples from
21 people who testified earlier about the death of Sierra, who had
been missing since Jan. 21.

Sierra’s body was found in Sarayburnu, 13 days after she went missing,
with evidence of head injuries. Her jewelry was still on her, but her
tablet computer and smart phone were gone. A blanket was found nearby,
suggesting Sierra may have been taken from another crime scene to
Sarayburnu. The police have been searching for the tablet and the
mobile phone with detectors in the surrounding area.

The samples are expected to be collected Feb. 5 upon a demand by
Istanbul prosecutor Huseyin Kaplan, Dogan news agency reported. The
prosecutor had listened earlier in the day to Sierra’s husband Steven
Sierra and her brother David Jimenez, who came to Turkey to search for
their lost relative. The family collected Sierra’s body later on Feb.

4 from the Forensic Medicine Institute following a post-mortem.

Her body was taken to a morgue at an Armenian church, Surp
Yerrortutyun, before being sent to the U.S.

Preliminary autopsy results from Sierra’s body suggest the cause of
death was a single blow to the head. There was no evidence of sexual
assault, according to initial reports. However, the results of the
full autopsy report will reportedly be announced in three months.

Crime scene investigators arrived on the scene early on Feb. 4,
accompanied by security officials and canine units.

The Fatih Municipality cleared the bushes from the area to make the
search easier for officials, according to Anatolia news agency. Some
260 policemen searched for Sierra using Istanbul’s security cameras
after she was reported missing on Jan. 25.

Sierra’s mother said her two grandsons did not yet know what had
happened to their mother. “Their father is going to talk to them when
he comes back, and we’ll all be there to support him,” she told NBC’s
Today show on Feb. 5.

“I wanted to see my daughter alive. At least we have closure. At least
they found her,” mom said in tears. “There are some people who are
still waiting for their loved ones,” the New York Times Daily News
quoted her as saying.

Sierra’s sister could not join them “because she’s too broken. All she
does is cry.” “I wanted to see my daughter, her beautiful smile. She
was full of life. She loved her children, her husband. She was my
friend. We did many things together.”

“We traveled together. This was the first trip she took by herself,
taking photos and photos she took,” Sierra’s mother said. She thanked
the Turkish police and an association in Istanbul for missing loved
ones for sharing Sierra’s photo while she was missing. Her brother’s
church also helped fund the trip to bring her back, mom said.

Sierra’s father, Dennis, recalled when going to pick her up from the
airport. “I didn’t want her to go, but she wanted to go because this
was an opportunity for her to sight see and to pursue her photography
hobby,” he said.

“Turkey was a land of rich culture and ancient history. She was very
fascinated with that.” He said she kept them abreast of every side
trip and move she made and talked daily on Skype.

Sierra’s body taken to Armenian Church

Body of missing US woman found in Istanbul

February/04/2013

VAZGEN SARGSYAN’S BROTHER TO SUPPPORT SERZH SARGSYAN

04:54 pm | Today | Politics

Armen Sargsyan, the brother of Armenia’s Sparapet (Commander) Vazgen
Sargsyan slain during the October 1999 parliamentary carnage, today
attended Serzh Sargsyan’s campaign rally in Ararat city.

Talking to reporters, Armen Sargsyan said he would back Serzh Sargsyan
in the upcoming presidential election. He called on his co-villagers
and friends to follow suit and second Sargsyan in the ballot.

To disperse journalists’ surprise Armen Sargsyan explained that Serzh
Sargsyan needs to continue his unfinished work and he wants to enable
Sargsyan to complete his work.

Vazgen Sargsyan, an outstanding Armenian military commander, politician
and writer, was assassinated with seven senior officials during the
October 1999 parliamentary carnage.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION BLOC TO COMMEMORATE 03/08 ANNIVERSARY WITH RALLY AND MARCH

News | 04.02.13 | 11:00

The Armenian National Congress (ANC) will stage a public rally and
a subsequent march in capital Yerevan on March 1 to commemorate the
anniversary of the bloody post-election events of 2008.

Ten people, including eight civilians, were killed in the violence in
which opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s supporters demanded a
rerun of the presidential election that they claimed had been rigged
in favor of the current president, Serzh Sargsyan.

An ANC representative has notified Yerevan’s municipal authorities of
the planned political event that is due to start and end in Liberty
Square.

The ANC did not field a candidate in the current presidential election
(slated for February 18). If the election is postponed by two weeks (in
view of the shooting attack at one of the candidates), the opposition
bloc’s demonstration may be held amid a presidential campaign.

ORANGE AS LEADING 3G+ MOBILE INTERNET NETWORK IN ARMENIA

Business – Monday, 04 February 2013, 14:17

Orange Armenia has been recognized as the leading 3G+ mobile
internet network in Armenia, according to the study conducted by the
independent and internationally recognized “P3 Communications” German
consulting firm, by the request of Orange France Telecom Group. The
study, based on the use of international standards, has evaluated
several parameters, such as access to static websites, including
the YouTube homepage, video streaming, sending and receiving emails,
file upload and download and website access time of 26 mobile networks
in 8 European countries. All tests were conducted with commercially
available USB modems, smartphones and specific software.

As a result of the study, performed in Armenia twice last year, it has
been concluded that Orange Armenia provides the best speed and quality
for internet services in Armenia, for all above-mentioned services.

“In the last years, we have worked to build in Armenia one of the best
European networks. In 2012 we have increased the network capability
with a speed of up to 42Mbps in Yerevan, Gumri and Vanadzor and
21Mbps in the countryside. We are pleased that our strategic focus
on network quality is bearing its fruits. We will continue to focus
on improving the speed and the network performance so that we can
offer customers of our mobile voice and data services the best user
comfort,” said Francis Gelibter, CEO of Orange Armenia. In Armenia,
measurements took place from June 13 to July 5 and from November 19 to
30, 2012 in Yerevan, Gyumri, Vanadzor, and Etchmiadzin considering
that almost 80% of the data traffic is generated in these areas
due to concentration of population. Measurements were made in city
centres, business, commercial and suburban areas, with around 20%
of measurements performed in motion, travelling within cities. The
overall study was carried out in Armenia, Belgium, Luxemburg, Moldova,
Poland, Romania, Spain and Slovakia from May to August 2012 and from
October 17, 2012 to January 15, 2013. The study has been conducted on
behalf of Orange Group by “P3 Communications”, a leading international
independent consulting firm. It is part of continuing measurement
campaigns focusing on the quality of selected 3G mobile data service
operators in Europe, comparing measurement results from 26 mobile
networks compared in Orange markets across Europe.

DELOITTE CIS ANNOUNCES OFFICIAL OPENING OF ITS NEW OFFICE IN ARMENIA’S CAPITAL

20:47 ~U 04.02.13

Deloitte CIS is pleased to announce the official opening of its new
office in Yerevan, the firm’s 17th office in the CIS and the first to
be opened in Armenia.

Deloitte has been operating in the CIS for more than 20 years and
currently employs nearly 3,000 people in the region. The firm made the
strategic decision to open an office in Yerevan to deepen its
long-running relationships with local companies and to tap into the
country’s rapid economic development.

“In addition to adding a new office to our CIS network, we are
delighted to be expanding in the Armenian market which, in our
opinion, represents significant opportunities for growth. We will be
providing the expertise, knowledge and integrated solutions our
clients need to meet their growth ambitions. We look forward to
supporting Armenia and its business community in realising its huge
potential,” said David Owen, Deloitte CIS CEO.

Srbuhi Hakobyan will lead the new office dividing her time between her
responsibilities as Audit Partner in Moscow and Yerevan. She has a
diverse background, including experience in the banking, retail, real
estate, healthcare and manufacturing sectors. Srbuhi is a member of
ACCA and the Association of Accountants and Auditors (Armenia).

“This is a very exciting time for the new practice in Yerevan, and I
would like to take the opportunity to welcome our new hires. I am
confident that we will build a strong team here which will be able to
deliver top quality services to our clients. I look forward to
delivering our exemplary services to existing clients, as well as
expanding the Deloitte member firms’ local and international client
base in the region,” said Srbuhi.

About Deloitte CIS

Deloitte CIS is one of the world’s foremost audit and consulting
firms, offering audit, consulting, corporate finance, enterprise risk,
and tax and legal services and leveraging the professional experience
of approximately 3,000 employees in 16 offices spread across 10
countries in the region. Known as an employer of choice for its
innovative human resources programmes, Deloitte is dedicated to
helping its clients and people excel.

SIERRA’S BODY TAKEN TO ARMENIAN CHURCH IN ISTANBUL

22:07 ~U 04.02.13

American Sarai Sierra’s family collected her body today from the
Forensic Medicine Institute following the post-mortem. Her body was
taken away to the Armenian church, Surp Yerrortutyun, The Hurriyet
Daily News reports.

The Institution of Forensic Medicine released Sierra’s body earlier
today. Preliminary autopsy results from Sarai Sierra’s body hint the
cause of death was a single blow to the head.

There was no evidence of sexual assault, according to initial reports.

However, the full autopsy report will reportedly be announced in
three months time.

Police forces are continuing their search for those responsible
for the murder of the 33-year-old American Sarai Sierra, with units
focusing on the Istanbul site where her body was found on Feb. 2,
10 days after she went missing.

Crime scene investigators arrived on the scene early this morning,
accompanied by security officials and unit dogs. Fatih Municipality
cleared out the bushes in the area to make the search easier for
officials, according to Anatolia news agency.

Sierra’s body was found in Sarayburnu, 13 days after she went missing
on Jan. 21, with evidence of head injuries. Her jewelry was still on
her, but her tablet computer and smart phone were gone. A blanket was
found nearby, hinting at a different crime scene from where Sierra
was carried off to Sarayburnu.

Her body was sent to Istanbul forensic medical teams for an autopsy on
the evening of Feb. 2. She was killed with a single blow to the head,
the Istanbul Public Security Branch Office confirmed earlier yesterday.

Some 260 policemen searched for Sierra using Istanbul’s city cameras
after she was reported lost on Jan. 25, he said.