Author: Badalian Vardan

MOST FAMILIES IN ARMENIA STILL HAVE NO COMPUTERS AT HOME

November 28, 2012 | 09:59

YEREVAN. – The number of households in Armenia that have computers is
still small, with 28.7 percent in 2011, the National Statistical
Service reports.

Yet the number of those with computers has virtually tripled as
compared with 2008.

Also, 39 percent of Armenia’s city-dwelling families have computers at
home, but this figure is a mere 12.4 percent in the villages.

According to the 2011 data, 19.1 percent of the country’s households
have permanent, whereas 3.1 percent have temporary Internet
connection. Also, 24.8 percent of the household members make use of
the Internet from elsewhere, such as from their places of employment,
education institutions, and mobile phones.

IF INVITED AGAIN, ARMENIAN OPPOSITION PARTY LEADER WILL BE PLEASED TO VISIT BAKU

November 28, 2012 | 12:39

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s opposition Heritage Party Chairman Raffi
Hovannisian has not regretted going to Azerbaijani capital city Baku
and, if invited again, he will be pleased to go, Hovannisian himself
stated during a press conference on Wednesday.

To note, Raffi Hovannisian had visited Baku to attend and address
the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP),
to which he was invited as leader of the Heritage Party.

The party chairman informed that the ICAAP conference kicked in the
morning of November 22, but, prior to that, the Azerbaijani reporters
had approached him and posed questions on the Armenian-Azerbaijani
challenges and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

“It was decided that my keynote address be covered as little as
possible. The address was followed by the addresses of the Azerbaijani
co-chairs,” Hovannisian said.

Also, he informed that in the morning of the previous day, a draft
resolution-which reflected neither on Armenia nor Azerbaijan nor
Karabakh-was included in the conference agenda. “But on the morning of
November 23, when I came to deliver my address, a change was apparent.

The agenda had changed, [and] the adoption [of the aforesaid
resolution] was removed from the agenda. It was apparent that something
else was being prepared. They had decided to create an illusion of
ratifying [the resolution] by way of reading [it]; that resolution was
read, but it was never agreed upon,” the Heritage Party Chairman said.

Also, Raffi Hovannisian noted that many were hearing the Armenian
viewpoint for the first time, and he underscored that Armenia needs
to be present everywhere to balance the diplomatic shortfalls.

While in Baku, the Armenian opposition party leader also asked that
he meet with an Armenian family, but this meeting did not take place
because no such family was found.

Photo by Sona Barseghyan/NEWS.am

“ARMENIAN THREAT” CAUSES CARROLL COUNTY TO MAKE ENGLISH OFFICIAL LANGUAGE

TERT.AM
28.11.12

It was the Armenian threat that caused Carroll County Commissioner
Haven N. Shoemaker Jr. to act.

After hearing that a Washington suburb had spent a fortune translating
some land-use documents into Armenian, Shoemaker proposed an ordinance
that would make English the county’s official language, The Washington
Post reports.

The measure has opened a fierce debate in this once-rural farming
community, where the rolling countryside is now dotted with rapidly
spreading bedroom communities.

But Commissioner Richard Rothschild said the ordinance has nothing
to do with xenophobia and everything to do with common sense.

“If you immigrate to America, then you’re going to learn our language.

I’m not going to learn yours,” Rothschild said. “It’s simple – when
in Rome, do like the Romans.”

DECLARATION OF TURKISH BUSINESSMEN ABOUT YEREVAN-VAN FLIGHTS IS A RESULT OF MISUNDERSTANDING

13:18, 28 November, 2012

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS. The declaration of the Turkish
businessmen about Yerevan-Van flight, according to which the flights
will launch in two weeks, is a result of misunderstanding. This is
how the Chairman of Armenian Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen
(Employers) Arsen Ghazaryan characterized the aforesaid announcement.

One week ago Arsen Ghazaryan announced in the conference hall of
“Armenpress” that the Yerevan-Van flights will possibly launch in
spring. He said: ~SThe organizers told me that nothing about this.

Possibly the declaration of the Turkish businessman is a result of
misunderstanding.”

The Press Service of the Chief Department of the Civil Aviation of
Armenia will comment on this topic a little later.

In a conversation with Hurriyet Daily News businessman and member of
the Van Industry and Trade Chamber (VATSO) Ayhan Fidan stated that
Yerevan-Van flights will launch in two weeks. The Turkish businessman
stated: “The land distance between Van and Yerevan is 230 kilometers.

It is possible to cover this distance by car if the border was open.

Now it will take 25 minutes for a plane to take off in Van and to
land in Yerevan.” 30 travel agencies of Van developed a package of
suggestion, which will support the flights between the two countries.

Fidan said: “We aim for 79 percent occupancy rates in the flights.”

Also the Turkish businessman said that he is hopeful that the shuttle
trade in Istanbul may shift to Van as a result of the flights, thanks
to its lower transportation costs.

AZERBAIJAN MAY CLOSE ITS EMBASSY IN MEXICO

The Azerbaijani Ambassador to Mexico has threatened that should a
statue of Azerbaijani dictator Heydar Aliyev be removed from a popular
park in Mexico City then Baku will close its embassy in Mexico.

“If the monument is removed, it will undoubtedly lead to a sharp
deterioration in relations between Azerbaijan and Mexico, including
closure of investments and the most extreme measure – closing of the
embassy itself,” Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Mexico Ilgar Mukhtarov
stated.

He also was quick to claim that the Armenian community of Mexico was
marshalling the opposition to the statue.

Over the summer, Mexico City mayor Marcelo Ebrard unveiled the statue
at the main park in the city after Baku reportedly paid $10 million
for renovation and landscaping.

The large bronze statue has not only been an eyesore for many
Mexicans, but also a source of contention for activists and press who
have objected to having a statue of a known despot adorn their city
and in the very park that also houses monuments to Mahatma Gandhi and
Abraham Lincoln.

After complaints from citizens, the mayor appointed a committee to
probe the matter. The committee recommended on Friday that the stature
be removed.

“In addition to Mexico, I represent Azerbaijan in six other countries
of the Latin American region, I can theoretically move to one of these
states, in the case of the decision to move the monument,” explained
Mukhtarov.

He said if another location if offered by the government, there will
be room for discussion.

“If we are suggested a better place, then we can agree, but currently
we are acting in a lawful manner, as the agreement on the placement of
the monument to Heydar Aliyev on the boulevard was signed by the
federal government, city authorities and the Embassy,” Mukhtarov said.

Muktarov also said Azerbaijan would cancel $4 billion in investment
projects for Mexico.

Ebrard, for whom the entire episode has been a major embarrassment,
said he would study the recommendations, according to Los Angeles
Times.

“If Ebrard decides to remove the monument, we will cancel the
projects, close the embassy, it would hurt the relationship between
the two countries, and it would not be good for his image to be the
person who prevented a $4-billion investment,” the ambassador was
quoted as saying.

The issue of the statue, as well as an earlier Mexican Senate decision
to adopt pro-Azerbaijani legislation was a topic of discussion when
Armenia’s Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian made his fist visit to
Mexico.

In talks with federal authorities, including the foreign minister,
Nalbandian raised Armenia’s concerns over these developments.

28.11.12, 11:28

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF “AREVIK” NATIONAL PARK KILLED THE LAST LEOPARD LIVING AT THE TERRITORY OF THE PARK

Wednesday, November 28, 12:48

According to the monitoring of WWF, there are only 4-5 Caucasus
leopards in Armenia.

This number has not been changed for many years. “This number does not
grow, as we do not have territorial leopards which do not migrate and
stay in Armenia and brood”, – the head of WWF-Armenia, Karen Manvelyan,
said to Arminfo correspondent. He also added that the last territorial
leopard was killed in 2006 by the present deputy director of “Arevik”
National Park, known by his nickname “Shakal Hovik”.

The ecologists often raise a problem that often persons which poach are
appointed to the leading positions at specially guided territories. For
instance, a poacher with a nickname “Nono” has been recently appointed
to the position of director of Khosrof reservation.

After that WWF-Armenia and Caucasus Nature Fund stopped financing
the reservation.

As for the population of leopards, Manvelyan hopes that opening of
specially guided territories in the south of Armenia will attract
these rare animals. He said that a new closed wood Khustup will be
created in the south and the territory of Zangezur closed wood will
be increased. “We hope that all this will make it possible to have
territorial leopards in Armenia”, – he said.

WE SUFFER FROM OUR LAZY FOREIGN POLICY – RAFFI HOVHANNISYAN

tert.am
28.11.12

We suffer from our lazy foreign policy, Heritage party leader Raffi
Hovhannisyan told the reporters today, referring to his recent visit
to Baku.

Upon his return from the Azerbaijani capital, the political figure
stated that in case of other opportunity he will visit Baku again.

Hovhannisyan said Armenia should be present everywhere and be able
to voice its viewpoint. “National interests are not being defended
in national isolation. My step was not a courageous deed, it was
a common step that should always be done. We suffer from our lazy
foreign policy that stems from our inner democratic stance,” he said.

The party’s leader said the representatives of about 25 countries
present at the event in Baku where listening to Armenia’s viewpoint
for the first time.

“Till that they have many times listened to Azerbaijani rhetoric.

After my speech many approached me, expressing their support. In
Azerbaijan thousand people say one thing, here hundred things are
being said. Every person has a right to have own opinion but national
interest should also be taken into consideration. A whole state should
pursue national interests and take the country out of the gap,”
he said, adding that he would be happy to be a participant in the
creation of de jure state.

Raffi Hovhannissyan was in Baku November 21-23 to participate in the
7th international conference of Asian political parties. On November
23 he tried to deliver a speech but faced the hysterical response of
the Azerbaijani delegates.

66TH LOCARNO FILM FESTIVAL TO FOCUSES ON ARMENIA, GEORGIA, AZERBAIJAN

09:04 28.11.2012

The Locarno Film Festival’s Open Doors co-production mart will focus
on films from Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan this year, Variety.com
reports.

The prominent Swiss fest dedicated to international indie cinema has
recruited Russian and Euro-Asian cinema expert Joel Chapron, who is
also a Unifrance collaborator, as consultant in selecting a dozen
participating projects from these countries in the South Caucasus.

Film industry in this area is growing. Countries participating at
next year’s Open doors have all submitted candidates for best foreign
language at the 2013 Oscars.

Purpose of the mart/workshop, which will run Aug. 10-13, is to help
selected projects connect with co-production partners, especially
European producers.

Open Doors also assigns a prize worth 50,000 Swiss Francs ($54,000),
and other smaller cash nods offered by Gaul’s CNC and broadcaster ARTE.

The format is being modified with one-on-one meetings to be scheduled
in the morning and panels and presentations in the afternoon.

Previous editions of Open Doors have focused on Central Asia, Greater
China and, last year, Africa.

Locarno will have its 66th edition Aug. 7-17.

AZERBAIJANI-AMERICANS FOR DEMOCRACY SUPPORTS MEXICO’S DECISION TO REMOVE ALIYEV STATUE

12:59 28.11.2012

Azerbaijani-Americans for Democracy (AZAD) has sent a new letter on
November 27 to the government of Mexico City, supporting the decision
of the committee of Mexican intellectuals that the giant bronze statue
of the Azerbaijani dictator Heydar Aliyev be removed from the city’s
public park,

In his letter, AZAD’s chairman Elmar Chakhtakhtinski says that he was
“dismayed” by the Azerbaijani government’s response to the Mexico
City committee’s removal recommendation. The Azerbaijani authorities
publicly threatened Mexico with closing down the Azerbaijani embassy
there and canceling oil industry investments. The letter calls these
threats “bullying tactics” and expresses hope that the Mexican side
will not allow the Azerbaijani regime to dictate the residents of
Mexico City what they can do in their own parks.

The letter identifies Heydar Aliyev an “enemy of democracy” responsible
for human rights violations and says those who value freedom will
appreciate “a speedy removal of this statue from your beautiful city”.

This is the second letter from AZAD to the Mexico City officials. The
letter was sent on October 3rd, Azeri Report writes.

ROMANIAN CITIZENS GRABBING MILLIONS FROM ARMENIA BY FAKE BANK CARDS

18:53, 27 November, 2012

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS: First instance court of Kentron
and Nork-Marash administrative districts considered reasonable and
accepted the charges against Dragosh Ionut Botezatu for legalizing
income obtained by theft and illicit ways. He was also sentenced
to years of imprisonment. Armenpress was informed from the General
Prosecutor’s Office of Armenian Republic.

According to the evidence Dragosh Ionut Botezatu was involved in the
criminal gang of Konstantin Sherban in 2008, which is specialized in
gripping money with false bank cards. The sum of the thefts is about
30 million AMD.