Author: Badalian Vardan

IRANIAN MP: AZERBAIJAN WOULD NOT DARE TO SEND SPY DRONE TO IRAN BORDER

17:29 10/12/2012

It is little likely that Azerbaijan would dare to send a spy drone to
its border with Iran, Mansour Haghighat-Pour, Vice Chairman of Majlis
National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said, commenting
on the Iranian media reports suggesting that Azerbaijan is using
drones to carry out spying missions along its border with Iran,
Arannews.ir reported.

We will remind that Amin Partu, post-graduate student at Tehran
University Political Science Chair, wrote in an article in IRAS
recently, “Azerbaijan bought military equipment worth about $3.6
billion during the past two years. Most of the equipment was purchased
from Israel. In 2012 alone, Israel and Azerbaijan signed a deal on
purchase of military equipment worth about $1.9 billion.

Besides, Azerbaijan announced its intention to produce warships in
2013. Surely, Israel will have a big role in this project.”

The Iranian analyst named the types of ammunition, which Azerbaijan
purchased from Israel over the past years, and asked, “What threat
is Azerbaijan going to fight using this military equipment?”

“Baku states that this military equipment is directed against
Armenia. But studies by military experts show that it is directed
against Iran or Turkmenistan because Armenia has no outlet to sea.

So, Azerbaijan’s anti-ship rockets are only directed against Iran
and Turkmenistan,” the author concluded.

Read also: Azerbaijani drones on spy missions along Iran border,
says Iran

CHARLES AZNAVOUR HAD A MEETING WITH CHAIRMAN OF SEMRA

17:21, 10 December, 2012

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, ARMENPRESS. Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia
to Switzerland Charles Aznavour had a meeting with the Chairman and
Deputy Chairman of SEMRA foundation, Consultant of State Council of
Switzerland Claude Hesh and Professor Jean-Pierre Bernhard.

In the course of the meeting the results of the activity of the
foundation have been introduced.

The Department of Press, Information and Public Relations of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia informed
“Armenpress” that the chairman of the foundation stated that Aznavour’s
call for supporting Armenia served as a reason for creating the
foundation. Among other things he underscored that the mere fact
that Charles Aznavour became the honorary member of the foundation
was a new stimulus for the activity of the foundation cheering many
donators up and encouraging the increase of the funds.

Ambassador Aznavour expressed his gratitude to the foundation and all
its members for supporting Armenia and in this respect he emphasized
the significance of future efficient activity of the foundation in
Armenia. SEMRA foundation was created in 1988 after the devastating
earthquake in Gyumri.

GALINA DAVIDYAN: LESS AND LESS SPACE LEFT FOR HIGH-STANDARD MEDIA

Eurasian integration is becoming a major trend today. May creation
of an idea-driven common media help promote Eurasian integration
processes? FEAM-2012 participant, general director of Novosti-Armenia
international news agency Galina Davidyan answers the questions.

– What do you think, do the Eurasian project proposals keep up with
the current global political and economic tendencies, and what is
media’s role in the process?

– In principle, all the processes toward integration, which help
increasing transparency and uniting around a common interest platform,
may be considered positive. In today’s rapidly changing world, where
you need to run not to be stuck, it is probably one of the means to
withstand political challenges and economic crises. People, societies
and, more globally, states are built in a way that they need first to
come closer to each other, then to scatter, while moving forward. It
should be noted that both processes have lots of supporters and
opponents. And probably the time came to gather stones together,
not cast them away, and to see obvious advantages of rapprochement.

In particular, it is time to see the huge potential of the Eurasian
Economic Space with 170 million populations, open markets, free flow
of capital and goods, and spectacular opportunities for mass media.

Development of modern technologies has driven progress forward in all
fields and gave mass media outlets incredibly powerful instruments
to influence large audiences. Today media cannot imagine themselves
being outside the Internet. Social networking websites enter into
dialogue with traditional media more and more often. It is a process
that cannot be stopped. Practically all players of media market
understand this well and try to keep up with the modern trends.

– Will a common media space formed around certain ideas help promote
the European integration initiatives?

– Everything depends on what content the ideas have. Of course,
no consolidation can occur and exist on its own. There are some
universal, political and economic interests and there are ideas of
principal importance to certain societies.

For instance, today Armenia’s core national doctrine includes
recognition of the 1915 genocide of Armenians and the settlement of
Karabakh conflict. Now, here is a question – are journalists from
other countries willing to study these issues, perceive them like
their own concepts and communicate them to their societies using
all the possible instruments of multimedia journalism? Of course,
a counter-question may also be asked: will be the Armenian society
concerned about resettlement of Middle Asian Koreans in CIS countries.

Therefore, I think that Eurasian integration initiatives and common
media space formed around them should be based on reasonability and
common ideas as promoting factors, including mass media.

– In general, do Armenian mass media meet modern requirements? Can
Armenian media outlets be referred to as high-quality and professional?

– Unfortunately, today we can hardly claim we have high-standard
and professional media outlets in Armenia. Moreover, we should admit
that our mass media become more and more financially dependable. In
fact, media market entities produce uncompetitive products, but still
continue functioning, with no loss suffered despite small circulation
and big return. Some Internet media produce weak yellowish content and
use copy-paste. But they still show good visit statistics, and promote
themselves in social networks zealously and no journalism principle
can stop them. They survive from sponsors’ subsidies and work them
off well. Unfortunately, our media are split up into political and
economic camps and serve the interest of the respective forces.

Local media market does not make special efforts – today’s consumer
is willingly using almost all what is offered. Less and less space
is left for high-standard and serious mass media outlets.

Small local media market becomes even smaller as it is divided into
interest groups and develops bypassing market competition. Besides,
doubtful information sources appear spontaneously in the cyber space.

All this creates problems for serious media.

Can this situation be reversed? Yes, if the attitude toward
professional journalism changes in the society and if people start
understanding that mighty, high-level and independent mass media
outlets are needed.

Galina Davidyan graduated from the linguistic faculty of Yerevan State
University. She started her professional career in 1994 as reporter of
“Lragir Or” newspaper. Today she is general director of Novosti-Armenia
international news agency.

Galina Davidyan is the first and only female reporter who was awarded
with a jubilee medal on 15 years of the Collective Security Treaty
Organization (CSTO) in January 2011 for prompt coverage of CSTO
initiatives. -0-

NO APPROPRIATE CONTROL FOR EARTHQUAKE RESISTANCE OF NEW BUILDINGS IN YEREVAN-EXPERT

YEREVAN, December 10./ARKA/. The newly constructed buildings in Yerevan
seem to have a lack of seismic resistance due to low control of the
construction works, Mikael Melkumyan said Monday.

Mr. Melkumyan is the head of the Armenian Association for Earthquake
Engineering, the deputy chief of the International Association for
Earthquake Engineering in the CIS.

“I am not sure, the last constructions are as reliable as some
interested individuals present it. We cannot control them due to
corruption in the construction sphere,” Melkumyan said.

According to him, the construction companies have a lack of qualified
personnel nowadays.

At the same time, he said the technology for seismic isolation of
buildings, which was patented in Armenia, allows to spend 5-6 times
less funds than the traditional technologies for strengthening
constructions do, ensuring 9 and more point earthquake resistance.

“I am the author of the seismic isolation technology, which can
strengthen buildings without stopping their commissioning and
evacuation of people. We are recognized as leaders there, as no one
has ever strengthened the populated buildings,” Melkumyan resumed.

-0-

ARMENIA’S CITIZENS HAVE DISTRUST OF JUDGES AND PROSECUTORS

news.am
December 10, 2012 | 12:11

YEREVAN.- Armenian citizens still have profound distrust in courts,
Ombudsman Kren Andreasyan told reporters on Monday.

“That is the institution supposed to protect human rights,” Ombudsman
emphasized. He said high poverty level contributes to increasing
mistrust of state authorities.

Armenians have distrust of electoral processes as well. Although,
no cases of violence and gross violations during the vote count were
registered during the May 6 parliamentary elections, Armenians have
little confidence in the process.

The Central Electoral Commission, the police and prosecutors are
responsible for it, Karen Andreasyan concluded.

“IF ONLY EVERYONE” CONTINUES ITS TRIUMPHANT MARCH

13:46, 10 December, 2012

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 1, ARMENPRESS: “If Only Everyone”, which has entered
into “Oscar” award list in nomination of “the Best Foreign Language
Film”, has got great reviews from the international media.

Everyday international journals refer to the film. As reports
Armenpress today The China Post turned upon the history of the film
and stated that “the movie was conceived as a story of how humanity
triumphs over prejudice~T. The film, “If Only Everyone,” tells the
story of an Armenian man who helps a half-Russian, half-Armenian woman
go to her father’s grave and plant a tree there. The father died in
the early-1990s conflict over Nagorno Karabakh. The journal states:
“Since a cease-fire was signed in 1994, no peace deal has been
signed, and little progress has been made toward an agreement on a
final status for Karabakh.” The film’s protagonists have to cross
the Armenian-Azerbaijani front line. There they meet an Azerbaijani
shepherd, who asks them to plant a tree on his son’s grave when they
return to the Armenian side.

Actor Michael Poghosyan, who wrote the screenplay, stated: “The story
for the film was written in 2010, and filming began in spring 2010.

Before we wrote the story, we met people, who had lived through the
Artsakh heroic battle.”

This is the fourth work that Armenia’s film academy has submitted for
consideration for an Oscar, but the first to be officially nominated.

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences accepts a single
submission from each country for the best foreign-language film prize,
and its members vote for a shortlist and then the winner.

This year, a record of 71 films have been accepted as submissions,
including first entries from Armenia and Azerbaijan.

IRANIAN WEBSITE: IRANIAN DIPLOMAT DEPORTED FROM AZERBAIJAN

Panorama.am
10/12/2012

An official of the Cultural Center of Iranian Embassy in Azerbaijan
has been deported from the country, Iranian news website Ghafghaz.ir
reported.

Despite the fact that the Iranian diplomat had an official passport
and three months visa from the Azerbaijani Embassy in Tehran, he was
deported from Azerbaijan from Astara Customs House while returning
from leave, said the Iranian website.

“Azerbaijan’s unfriendly attitude to Iranian diplomats is not limited
to this. Azerbaijan recently refused to issue one-year visa to Iranian
Supreme Leader’s representative in Baku.

Azerbaijan puts pressure on Iranian diplomats working in Azerbaijan
and limits their activities, while Iran one-sidedly lifted visa
requirements for Azerbaijani citizens two years ago.”

THE MYSTERY OF HAGHTANAK BRIDGE

08-12-2012 01:02:12 | Armenia |

Evidence of pre-civilization in Yerevan ?

No attempt has been made so far by Armenian scientists and their
colleagues from other countries to reveal the factual evidence, which
was discovered in Yerevan about 70 years ago and shows that another,
highly developed civilization existed on the earth in prehistoric
times. Experts call it “pre-civilization” for convenience.  The last
publication about it was released in 2005 when resident of the city
of Hrazdan Aramayis Gareginian, the son of the man who had discovered
the factual evidence, implemented his father’s last will and spoke
about the discovery made by Armenian builders in 1943.

Aramayis Gareginian recounted how the builders of Haghtanak Bridge in
Yerevan came across a strange object, after they reached the necessary
depth, while digging a base for a supporting column of the bridge in
the bed of the Hrazdan River.  His father, military engineer Hrant
Gareginian was in charge of the team of builders.

After finishing excavation works, Hrant Gareginian made the last
measurements, and the area was soon to be covered with concrete when
a builder suddenly approached him, saying that they found a strange
object.  It was the upper part of a metal pole, 25 centimeters in
diameter, with a cone-shaped head. There was no doubt that it was
an artificially made object, and the metal was so hard that the
builders were unable even to scratch it with a tool. There were
no rust stains on the metal, although the pole had remained in the
wet soil of the riverbed for a long time, perhaps for thousands of
years.  When the builders attempted to hit the unfamiliar metal object
with heavy hammers, the hammers bounced back like rubber balls. It
is well known that a metal hammer always leaves dints even on the
hardest steel, but the tools used for cutting metal did not leave
any marks on the found object. Hrant Gareginian decided to deepen
the hole in order to remove the larger part of the unusual pole
from the soil. He informed the management about the object and asked
them to give him time for deepening the hole. Receiving permission,
the builders made an attempt to pull the pole out of the ground,
but their attempts were futile.  They came to the conclusion that the
pole was only part of a much larger object, which had been made using
high technologies – to judge from the metal.  Gareginian suspended
the construction work and asked the management to get into touch
with the Academy of Sciences, but before scientists could visit the
site, on the same day he received an order to resume and finish the
work. The managers took a decision to pour concrete into the pit and
then to inform the appropriate bodies about the found thing. However,
Gareginian realized that they would not do it because at the time,
informing the authorities about such an event posed a double danger:
on the one hand the construction managers could be accused of covering
the discovered object with concrete, while on the other hand they
could be accused of falling behind schedule. In wartime, in case of
non-execution of an order or even a delayed execution, one faced the
risk of being tried by a military tribunal. In the postwar period,
it was also dangerous to tell anyone about the discovery so all the
witnesses of the event kept silent.

It was not until his father’s death that Aramayis Gareginian told the
public about the event in a program of ALM Television Company. After
the broadcast of the program, there were a lot of enthusiasts ready to
open the supporting columns of the bridge, which would be a dangerous
and possibly futile attempt because, in order to find the mysterious
pole, it is necessary first of all to scan and explore the riverbed
with special equipment. Yet, when experts undertake this work,
it is quite likely that one of the most sensational archeological
discoveries awaits us.    The article is based on Armen Petrosyan’s
documentrary film “Unkown Pro Civilzation”.

  Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

  – News from Armenia and Diaspora – Noyan Tapan

NO EFFECTIVE HUMAN RIGHTS MECHANISMS IN ARMENIA – RIGHTS ACTIVIST

tert.am
10.12.12

While human rights are commonly violated worldwide, in Armenia there
are no effective remedies to guarantee their protection , according
to an Armenian rights activist.

“We still have a lot of unsettled problems,” Edmon Marukyan, a member
of Armenia’s National Assembly, told a news conference on Monday.

“Courts keep resorting to detention as a precautionary measure,
and that creates crowding in the penitentiaries, causing problems
in terms of space, clean air etc. I recently got familiarized with
legal judiciary reforms. I have to call for rapid efforts to bring
them to an end.”

As positive achievements, Marukyan referred to the more transparent
work of the government bodies and their more sensitive approach to
the Armenian citizens.

Avetik Ishkhanyan, the Armenian Helsinki Committee’s president also
attending the news conference, agreed that human rights violations
are committed in all countries across the globe, but he said very
few of them see the abuses occur repeatedly.

“Many countries are not even aware of the existence of human
rights centers as they never need them. In very rare cases do
NGOs have a success, but we do not have a separation of powers in
Armenia. Without an independent judiciary, the protection of human
rights is impossible,” he said.

Baku to host European Olympic Games in 2015

ROME, December 8 (Itar-Tass) – – The European Olympic Committee (EOC)
has adopted the decision to hold European Olympic Games at its 41st
U.N. General Assembly in Italy on Saturday, December 8.
The decision was passed by a 38-8 vote with three abstentions.
Baku will host the first European Olympic Games in June 2015. The
Azerbaijani capital was the only candidate city.
The exact dates of the Games are not known yet but they are expected
to bring together some 7,000 athletes. The programme will include 15
of 28 Olympic sports, plus two non-Olympic ones that have yet to be
chosen.
European Olympic Games will be held every four years.
The host city contract was signed shortly afterwards by EOC President
Patrick Hickey, EOC Secretary General Raffaele Pagnozzi, the Minister
of Youth and Sport Azad Rahimov, for the Government of Azerbaijan and
the Vice President of the NOC of Azerbaijan, Dr. Chingiz Huseynzada.
As President Hickey said, Baku will be a test, that it is hoped will
turn into a long series in years to come.