Author: Badalian Vardan

UNE SERVEUSE D’UN HOTEL DE GYUMRI CONDAMNEE A 3 ANS DE PRISON POUR PROXENETISME
Stephane

armenews.com
vendredi 29 juin 2012

Tous les clients reguliers de l’Hôtel Andranik de Gyumri et de son
restaurant connaissent Toma âgee de 55 ans.

La femme travaille dans l’hôtel depuis 2001 quand elle a commence a
travailler comme prepose au nettoyage. Toma a eu de la promotion en
2006, devenant une serveuse.

Les clients reguliers savent aussi que Toma, qui s’est separe de son
mari il y a 30 ans, s’occupe de sa fille handicapee.

Elle a ete accusee d’inciter a la prostitution en 2010 et a ete
condamne a payer 300000 drams. Son patron ne l’a pas renvoyee. Donc
elle est retournee a son poste de travail et a continue son business
de mettre en contact des femmes pour des clients. Toma avait besoin
d’argent.

Mais les honoraires qu’elle a mis dans sa poche pour chaque entente
etaient un maigre revenu – juste 1000 drams. Elle a ete mise en
accusation une deuxième fois et Toma a dit aux policiers que le
proprietaire du restaurant M.Grigoryan n’etait pas conscient de son ”
travail ” en marge et qu’elle allouait de temps en temps des chambres
de l’hôtel a plusieurs prostituees.

Il est difficile de dire si le gestionnaire de l’hôtel n’avait en
effet aucun indice quant a ce qui se passait sous son nez.

Toma a ete accuse de ce deuxième crime le 2 fevrier 2012. Les
prostituees ont aussi ete poursuivies.

Les filles ont temoigne qu’elles avaient donne a Toma leurs numeros de
telephone et qu’elle pouvait les appeler a l’hôtel quand les clients
etaient la.

Une des femmes s’occupe de sa mère a la retraite et d’une soeur
handicapee. Elle a dit qu’elle etait ” dans le jeu ” depuis trois ans
pour faire de l’argent pour sa famille. Cette femme et Toma ont fait
la connaissance a l’hôtel et ont echange leurs numeros de telephone.

Toma est accusee de l’avoir appele 40 fois a l’hôtel pour des actes
sexuels de janvier 2010 jusqu’a novembre 2011.

La prostituee a dit qu’elle est paye 5000 drams pour chaque rencontre
et qu’elle a donne a Toma 1000 drams pour ses services.

Une autre femme a temoigne qu’elle a travaille comme prostituee juste
un an afin ausis de joindre les deux bouts. Elle est une maman isolee
avec deux gosses. Elle a aussi rencontre Toma a l’hôtel.

Le 12 juin lors du procès le procureur a au commencement demande que la
cour condamne Toma a trois ans de prison puisque c’etait sa deuxième
condamnation. Il a plus tard change de position demandant trois ans
avec sursis pour clemence, tenant compte que Toma avait avoue ses
actions et que personne ne pouvait a la maison s’occuper de sa s~ur
de 33 ans handicapee si elle avait ete emprisonnee pendant trois ans.

L’avocat de Toma, Mamikon Mouradyan, avait aussi appele l’attention
de la cour sur le fait que sa cliente s’occupe aussi de sa fille
handicapee qui est tombee du troisième etage a l’âge de 17 ans en
accrochant du linge.

Toma a plaide pour la clemence et promis de quitter son ancien travail.

La cour a condamne Toma a trois ans de prison avec sursis.

Hetq.am

EXCEEDING AMOUNT OF METALS FOUND IN HONEY SAMPLES NEAR MINES IN ARMENIA

news.am
June 29, 2012 | 01:33

YEREVAN. – In honey samples from mining regions in Armenia an excess
of maximum allowable concentration of metals is discovered, expert
Olga Belayeva told Armenian News-NEWS.am presenting the annual report
for honey samples for 2011.

Answering to the question whether any excess of metals should be
tied with mines the expert explained that in this case the reason
is pollution caused by production emissions by plants in Yerevan. In
tow honey samples DDT was found with an excess of MAC 20 and 18 times.

The samples were from Armenia’s Aragatsotn and Gegharkunk regions
were the substance is used.

ARMENIA PARTICIPATES IN WORLD EXPO IN SOUTH KOREA

news.am
June 28, 2012 | 14:51

YEREVAN. – Armenia is among the countries participating in the Expo
2012 Yeosu Korea world expo, which is being held between May 12 and
August 12 in Yeosu, South Korea.

And during its session on Thursday, the Armenian Government approved
the petition for a AMD 74 million (approx. US$ 176,550)-funding for
participation at the event.

To note, 105 countries and nine international organizations are
partaking in the Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea. And Armenia’s participation
in the event is under the theme “Technologies of New Resources.”

AZERBAIJANI FM: “ARMENIAN TROOPS MUST BE WITHDRAWN FROM ALL OCCUPIED TERRITORIES”

APA
June 28 2012
Azerbaijan

Baku. Dunal Gurbanov – APA. “Azerbaijan has signed the Helsinki Final
Act and we are guided by the principles of non-use of forces,
territorial integrity and self-determination.

This document also underlines that the problem must be solved only
within the territorial integrity”, Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov said commenting on Armenian president
Serzh Sargsyan’s statement about importance of the solution of Nagorno
Karabakh problem on the basis of Helsinki Final Act.

The minister said Azerbaijan could only give a status of high autonomy
to Nagorno Karabakh. “Armenians expelled our people from their
homeland. The international community also recognizes that the
internally displaced persons should return to their homelands and then
express opinion on autonomy. Armenians must leave the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan and the Azerbaijanis must return home”.

Answering the question about the US proposal on new approaches during
Paris meeting on June 18, Mammadyarov said a final statement was
issued in that meeting. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs will visit the
region in July. “The process will continue. We would like to announce
that the agreement was reached and Armenians left the occupied
territories and displaced persons could return home, but it is not so.

We think that this is not a frozen conflict and we will find its
solution. Armenian troops must be withdrawn from all occupied
territories.”

AZERBAIJANI FM: ARMENIA SPECULATES SELF-DETERMINATION PRINCIPLE OF PEOPLES

Trend
June 28 2012
Azerbaijan

Armenia speculates the self-determination principle of the peoples,
ignoring the rights of the Azerbaijanis of Nagorno-Karabakh, who
of course want to live in a part of Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said during a press conference with his
Portuguese counterpart in Baku on Thursday.

“The self-determination principle does not mean seizing the territory
of another country and in particular, Azerbaijan,” Mammadyarov said.

“Azerbaijan signed the Helsinki Final Act on Security and Cooperation
in Europe,” the minister said. “It adheres to the three basic
principles in this document in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: non-use
of force, preserving territorial integrity and the self-determination
principle.

“But the self-determination principle does not mean the occupation
of Azerbaijani lands,” the minister added.

No new proposals have been presented to the parties during the Paris
meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers, he said.

“We will continue the negotiation process, but would like to start
working on the final variant of the big peace agreement,” Mammadyarov
said.

Mammadyarov added that OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen will arrive in
the region in mid-July to continue negotiations with the parties to
the conflict.

Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Portas said that the principle of
territorial integrity must be the main one while solving the conflict.

“I believe in a diplomatic way of resolving the conflict,” he said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the U.S. –
are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

FORMER CHIEF ADVISER: ARMENIA TO REMAIN WEAKEST COUNTRY IN REGION UNTIL NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT IS RESOLVED

Trend
June 28 2012
Azerbaijan

Armenia will continue to be the weakest country in the region,
but Azerbaijan and Georgia will develop, until the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict is resolved, former chief adviser to ex-Armenian President
Levon Ter-Petrosyan Zhirayr Libaridyan told media today.

“We are in conflict with the two neighboring countries – Turkey and
Azerbaijan,” Libaridyan said. “Armenia will not develop until these
conflicts are resolved.”.

He said that the parties must abandon maximalist demands to resolve
the conflict.

“I do not trust the mediators from the OSCE Minsk Group,” he said.

“The negotiations must be conducted directly.”

Libaridyan, as well as president of the Georgian Foundation for
Strategic and International Studies Alexander Rondeli and Azerbaijani
MP, political analyst Rasim Musabayov attended the international
conference “Joint efforts for the future of the Caucasus: lessons
of the past 20 years” in Baku today. It was organized jointly by
the Centre for Strategic Studies under the Azerbaijani President,
Caucasus International and Turkish Policy Quarterly magazines.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the U.S. –
are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

MUSIC PUTS IRAN AND AZERBAIJAN AT LOGGERHEADS

PRAVDA
June 28 2012
Russia

Iran’s ambassador to Azerbaijan, revoked home in connection with a
scandal, is returning to the country. The reason the two countries
have recently been at odds is pretty surprising – the “Eurovision”
musical contest held in Baku. In any case, Muhammadbaghir Bahrami
will continue his work as the Islamic Republic needs to become more
active in the Caucasus.

How it all began? Last year, the Azerbaijani won “Eurovision” in
Germany, and under the rules of the competition, Azerbaijan became
the next host. But Islamic fundamentalists did not like the fact that
song and dance competition will take place in an Islamic country,
even if it presents itself as a secular state, and went as far as to
compare it with gay parades. The Azeris responded by a picket outside
the Iranian diplomatic mission. The humiliated Tehran then immediately
recalled its ambassador home, allegedly for “further consultations”.

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According to the CIA, 16 percent of the total population of
Azerbaijanis who consider themselves a single nation with the Turks
resides in Iran, and live mainly in the north-west of the state.

Turkey is actively pulling Azerbaijan into NATO and is preparing to
host U.S. missile defense elements. This does not please Russia, whose
“southern underbelly” has such a problem as the Caucasus. If Baku
falters, deceived by sweet speeches of Ankara, the situation will
deteriorate. Russia will be surrounded by enemy radars, supposedly
aimed at Teheran, but in fact, directly threatening Moscow.

After all, the borders in the Caucasus, despite being traced by
regional states, do not actually exist. The situation resembles
a third-rate TV-series: Azerbaijan is friendly with Turkey, while
Turkey, desperately trying to become a leader in the region, is
trying to be friends with everyone, except Armenia. Poor Yerevan,
locked between the two countries and Georgia, is hoping for the help
of Moscow that sees Armenia as a full member of the Collective Security
Treaty Organization and its only outpost in the Caucasus.

And where, one wonders, is the place of Iran, criticized by the
international community over its nuclear program? Of course, near
Moscow. The Iranian ambassador Muhammadbaghir Bahrami had to return
to Baku. Aggravation of diplomatic relations in a complex region is
fraught not only with musical scandals. Everyone remembers August
of 2008, when Georgia attacked South Ossetia, provoking a serious
conflict. Does Iran, in addition to the threats of war with the United
States, need small “affairs” with the neighbors? Moreover, Armenia,
seeing the flame, immediately offered to cancel the visa regime with
Iran. This is a serious slap in the face of Azerbaijan.

But Russia that has long been mediating between Baku and Yerevan,
restraining the passions, is not the only one who can reconcile Iran
and Azerbaijan. Tehran has one trump card that allows it to keep the
wrath of the Azerbaijani and Turkish politicians – the economy.

Regardless of Ankara’s behavior on the geopolitical stage, the economic
component is very important to it. Turkey’s trade with Georgia amounts
to only $500 million dollars, and with Azerbaijan – $3.5 billion.

Turkey is ready to invest in banking, energy and other sectors of
the economy. Now Ankara has about $2 billion dollars of “free money”
that is just waiting to be invested. If Tbilisi does not want to
be on the margins of the region, it is necessary for it not only to
maintain trade relations with Turkey, but also to develop them with
Iran, whose exports to the country amount to only 1 percent.

For example, trade with Yerevan in the Islamic Republic reaches one
billion dollars. On August 22, the ceremony of laying of the foundation
of HPP “Meghri” will take place in the southern city of Armenia, and
Tehran will become the importer for 15 years after the launch of the
station, which will more than pay for its current investment in the
“occupied” Armenia.

Of course, Mikhail Saakashvili has repeatedly called on Tehran to
abolish the visa regime, and in 2010 an agreement was finally signed,
but it did not increase the flow of Iranian tourists in Sakartvelo. He
even advised to invest in the energy sector of Georgia, but to no
avail. Iran is cautious towards such a partner as Tbilisi. In addition,
Georgia is not a Caspian state, and hence, it does not have a serious
unified interest with Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia.

Thus, Iran, rejecting the momentary emotion, will substantially
strengthen its position in the region. Moreover, it is in the most
winning situation because it made friends with Russia that still
holds has the entire Caucasus in check.

Daria Deryabina

Pravda.Ru

Q&A WITH SINGER, SONGWRITER TAMAR KAPRIELIAN
by Lori Cinar

June 27, 2012

NEW YORK (A.W.)-Weekly contributor Lori Cinar recently had the chance
to interview Tamar Kaprelian, a budding singer-songwriter originally
from Arizona whose new album, “California,” was released on June 19.

Read on to find out about her life, influences, and plans for the
future.

Kaprielian’s album “California” was released on June 19.

Lori Cinar: Where are you originally from? Where do you live now?

Tamar Kaprelian: I was born in Scottsdale, Az., but I moved around
quite a bit as a kid. I lived in Atlanta, Ga. for 6 years and in Los
Angeles, Calif. for 10. Currently, I am living in New York City.

LC: How did you get started musically? Did you always like to sing
or was it something that developed over time?

TK: According to my parents, I was singing before I was talking, so
music was something that always came naturally to me-it has always
been something that I love. I started writing songs when I was 15
and started developing my craft as a songwriter from that point on.

LC: Your name really got out there during the OneRepublic cover
contest with your rendition of the song “Apologize.” Can you tell us
more about that experience?

TK: My producer Xandy Barry told me about the contest and suggested
that I enter it. I taught myself the song on the piano that same
day, recorded the cover in one-take, and submitted it-not having
any expectations from it. Two weeks later, I got an e-mail from
Interscope Records saying that I had won the contest and that they
wanted to set up a meeting. That meeting led to a record deal, which
led to me recording my first album, “Sinner or a Saint.”

LC: Some of your music has been featured on shows like MTV’S “The
Hills.” How does that make you feel as a new artist?

TK: When you work in an industry that is constantly changing,
new methods of getting your music out there for people to discover
you becomes a crucial part of the process. My songs are upbeat and
positive and I hope to find many more opportunities similar to “The
Hills” sync as a way of exposing my music to new audiences.

LC: Do you write your own songs or music? What is your inspiration?

TK: I do write my own material and I find that process to be very
therapeutic. I find inspiration from everything around me, from great
music (such as Billy Joel and Paul McCartney), from great books,
from inspiring films.

LC: How have you been involved in the Armenian community throughout
your life?

TK: My Armenian culture has always been something that has been
incredibly important to me. I speak the language and I am constantly
looking for opportunities to better connect with the Armenian
community. I hope to make a trip to Yerevan next summer.

LC: You’re a student at Columbia University. How has it been to
balance school and your musical career?

TK: I deferred school for six years (I got accepted to UC Berkeley
right out of high school) and decided last year that starting that
chapter of my life was important. I started studying at Columbia last
spring and feel honored to be a part of their incredible student body.

I am studying creative writing because I want to constantly better
my songwriting and my ability to write lyrics and poetry.

LC: You also have a blog (tamarkaprelian.tumblr.com) that deals with
fashion, food, etc. What was your reason for starting a blog?

TK: I wanted for my fans and for people, in general, to get to know
me on a different level outside of the music that I write and record.

Starting my Tumblr blog was another way for me to remain creative and
to share/blend three of my life’s passions: food, fashion, and music.

LC: Your new album is being released this week. (Congrats!) What was
the experience of working on the album like?

TK: The amazing Xandy Barry, who produced my album “Sinner or a Saint,”
produced this set of material. This EP is an honest, organic, and
upbeat group of songs that hopefully takes listeners on a fun and
visual journey.

LC: Lastly, what are your goals for the future, both musically and
in general?

TK: To continue to do what I love for a living-writing, recording,
and releasing new music.

CONSTITUTIONAL COURT CONTINUES HEARINGS ON ARMENIAN OPPOSITION MP’S CLAIM

news.am
June 28, 2012 | 17:50

YEREVAN.- Armenia’s Constitutional Court will continue hearings on
a claim filed by MP from the opposition Armenian National Congress
bloc Nikol Pashinyan starting from June 15.

On June 15 the Court suspended the hearings reasoning its decision
by a necessity to get additional materials from the state agencies.

Nikol Pashinyan has appealed to the Constitutional Court with the
demand that the May 6 parliamentary elections in #7 precinct should
be recognized invalid.

EZETOP PHONE RECHARGE SERVICE AVAILABLE FOR ARMENIANS WORLDWIDE

PanARMENIAN.Net
June 28, 2012 – 16:57 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Orange Armenia has started a partnership with ezetop
– one of world leaders for mobile service payments. From now on,
Armenians living abroad will be able to send a mobile credit back
home from over 400,000 retail stores in 20 countries worldwide as
well as

Also with ezetop service, Orange subscribers traveling abroad will
now be able to top their mobile phones while they are in international
roaming, with Visa, Master card or a PayPal account.

Ezetop is an international network enabling people living or working
abroad to instantly top up mobile phones of friends and family
worldwide.