Author: Badalian Vardan

Expert advises Prosperous Armenia not to form coalition with RPA

May 12, 2012 – 14:56 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian political analyst said it would be better
for Prosperous Armenia party not to form a coalition with the ruling
Republican Party of Armenia.

As Levon Shirinyan told a press conference, RPA is likely to take the
step due to the `need of support ahead of presidential elections.’

Dwelling on Armenian National Congress (ANC) bloc’s 7% threshold
level, the expert noted that the National Assembly was in `severe
need’ of ANC’s presence, given its representation of the whole
opposition.

`The number of MPs won’t be of great importance in case the Congress
pursues sound policy,’ Mr. Shirinyan said.

Reflecting on Republic party head Aram Sargsyan’s statement on
abandoning the depute mandate, he said, `They are good friends and
have passed a long way together. But when the party takes a decision,
it can’t please everyone.’

Nalbandyan: `Azerbaijan has made a step back each time not allowing
reaching agreements’

13:47 . 12/05

RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan received the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs Robert Bradtke, Igor Popov, Jacques Faure and the Personal
Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk who
have arrived in Yerevan within the frames of a regional visit.

Edward Nalbandyan, considering the co-chairs’ visit to Yerevan on the
day of the 18th anniversary of establishing a ceasefire in the zone of
the Karabakh conflict to be symbolic, has said that after the
ceasefire was established, the parties have had an opportunity for
several times during the past years to come closer to the settlement
of the problem but each time Azerbaijan has made a step back not
allowing to reach agreements.

`During these years Azerbaijan could not stand above the temptation to
settle the issue by use of force and instead preparing its people for
peace continues its military rhetoric, provocations on the contact
line, acquisition of armament of large volumes, which hinders the
settlement process and threatens the fragile situation in the region,’
minister Nalbandyan has added.

During the talk they touched upon the implementation of the agreements
reflected in the joint statement of the Russian, Armenian and
Azerbaijani presidents issued on January 23 in Sochi, particularly the
establishment of an investigation mechanism.

RPA MP: all have their share in election bribery

May 12, 2012 – 12:29 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The political parties that are most involved in
bribery are those talking about electoral bribing, Karine Atchemyan
said on May 12.

MP, member of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) said at the
meeting with journalists that the society should keep away from
electoral bribery adding that `all have their share in this’.

`We do not claim we’ve had perfect elections. Still, we are convinced
that we’ll be able to rectify some shortcomings of these elections
next time,’ Atchemyan stated.

`Only a perfect society can have perfect elections,’ she further
mentioned, saying that despite much criticism, RPA’s strategy yielded
good results.

`Campaign also requires working; the pace of our meetings with the
people, especially in remote communities and villages, will be much
helpful in implementing the programs we’ve developed,’ MP said
promising to settle issues faced by rural communities in the coming 5
years.

Iran seeks to emerge as regional power transit hub: Minister

Iran’s electricity network is integrated into the power grids of seven
neighboring countries, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Turkey,
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

press tv
Sat May 12, 2012 9:59AM

Iran’s Energy Minister Majid Namjou says the Iranian government plans
to turn the country into a center for the transit of electricity in
the region.

`The [Iranian] government is following up many development plans
outside the country pertaining to power and energy and seeks to emerge
as the regional power transit hub,’ Namjou said on Saturday.

The Iranian minister further stated that the country seeks to provide
countries including, Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan with
electricity.

Namjou underlined the necessity to prepare the infrastructures for the
transfer of nuclear electricity from Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and
Russia to other countries in the region.

Iran’s electricity network is integrated into the power grids of seven
neighboring countries– Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Turkey, Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

Iran had a total annual electricity generation capacity of 53,000 MW
before 2009, which currently exceeds 60,000 MW as a result of the
country’s plan to add 5,000 MW of capacity to the grid annually.

The Islamic Republic has attracted more than USD 1.1 billion in
investment to build three new power plants.

Vice Speaker of Armenian Parliament thanks Lithuanian Seimas for
declining anti-Armenian resolution

arminfo
Saturday, May 12, 14:16

Vice Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia, the Armenian
co-chair of the Armenian-Lithuanian Inter-parliamentary Friendship
Group Edward Sharmazanov has thanked the Lithuanian co-chair of the
group Algis Kaseta for the Lithuanian Seimas’s decision to decline the
resolution on the peaceful
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The press service of the National Assembly of Armenia quotes
Sharmazanov as saying that the resolution was anti-Armenian.

“By declining it Lithuania has reconfirmed its well-balanced stance on
the Nagorno-Karabakh problem and has demonstrated the futility of
Azerbaijan’s destructive efforts,” Sharmazanov said.

Kaseta congratulated Sharmazanov and the Republican Party of Armenia
on the victory in the May 6 parliamentary elections. “The Lithuanian
observers have confirmed the transparency of the elections and their
compliance with democratic values,” the Lithuanian MP said.

Sharmazanov and Kaseta pointed out the need to further deepen
Armenian-Lithuanian inter-parliamentary ties.

`League of Arab States’ model-conference held in Yerevan

tert.am
12:20 – 12.05.12

`League of Arab States’ model-conference was conducted at Armenia’s
youth foundation aimed at increasing the level of awareness among the
young people of Middle East policy, Arab-Iranian relations, regional
security as well as history of Arab League and its structure.

According to Turkologist Artak Shakaryan, UN model-conferences
relating to Europe have been conducted in Armenia many times but no
event dedicated to the Arab states has been conducted though Iran is
our direct neighbor country.

He stressed that Armenia is the only country in the region to organize
such event. Thirty students from different universities of Yerevan
participated in the event.

Armenians awarded the second and third places in Classical Eurovision-2012

12:32 . 12/05

Qanun player Narek Kazazyan, 15, representing Armenia was awarded the
second place in Classical Eurovision-2012 yesterday. Kazazyan together
with pianist Anahit Dilbandyan and Australian State Symphonic
Orchestra performed concerto for qanun and orchestra No. 2 by
Khachatur Avetisyan.

Representatives from the Czech Republic, Armenia, Austria, Poland,
Germany, Belarus and Norway were participating in the final.

The violinist Emanuel Chknavoryan representing Austria was awarded the
second place. Eivind Holtsmark Ringstad from Norway won the Classical
Eurovision -2012 competition.

Armenia was participating for the first time in the 16th TV music
concert held in Vienna.

PRESS RELEASE
United Nations Development Programme / Armenia
14 Petros Adamyan St., Yerevan 0010
Contact: Mr. Hovhannes Sarajyan, Communications Associate
Tel: +37410 566 073
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site:

The needs of local communities in the focus of UNDP and Fruitfull
Armenia

Yerevan, 12 May 2012 – The level of human deprivation in rural
communities of Armenia is higher than in urban areas mainly due to the
lack of access to economic opportunities and poor quality of public
services, such as healthcare, education and social protection. UNDP’s
experience worldwide and in Armenia over the past 20 years suggests
that poverty is a complex and multidimensional phenomena, which is
context specific and addressing it requires concerted and
comprehensive efforts across all levels of government and all sectors
of economy. A home grown and effective approach that was spearheaded
by UNDP in an attempt to improve people’s wellbeing and lift them from
poverty is the Integrated Community Development approach. Communities’
needs, challenges and development opportunities are best addressed
when the intervention is holistic, focusing on the three pillars of
sustainable development (e.g. social, economic and environmental) and
fostering decentralization, good local governance and democracy.

Agricultural activities are the main source of employment and income
generation for the residents of Baghramyan, Arevadasht, Artamet and
Myasnikyan rural communities of Baghramyan sub-region (hereinafter,
micro-region) in Armavir region. The poor conditions of the irrigation
and water supply networks, the lack of agricultural equipment and the
obsolete machinery, as well as the lack of knowledge about new
agricultural technologies are the underlying reasons behind the low
level of agricultural productivity and high level of poverty in the
micro-region.

During the recent years large-scale investments have been made by
Fruitfull Armenia in this region in the fields of vineyards-grapes
growing, including orchards for vegetables and fruits, water
reservoirs, drip irrigation and modern cultivation methods, which,
overall, positively impacted on the socio-economic growth in the
micro-region.

Capitalizing on the successful past experience of UNDP and the
Fruitful Armenia in local development, taking stock of the tangible
results achieved and recognizing the power of partnerships for
advancing sustainable development agenda, today Ms. Dafina Gercheva,
UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP Resident Representative in Armenia, and
Mr. Eduardo Eurnekian, a prominent Argentinean-Armenian businessman,
signed an agreement to support agricultural and micro-business
activities in Baghramyan, Arevadasht, Artamet and Myasnikyan
communities. This partnership is aiming at promoting the economic
revitalization of the micro-region and improving the living standards
of the population. The parties firmly believe that the shared value is
the foundation of a real partnership!

“UNDP’s best practices and experience across the world suggest that
promoting sustainable development requires an integrated approach
which targets social, economic and environmental pillars of
development. We are well positioned to proceed rapidly with the
implementation of integrated development in these communities, as it
has helped to rehabilitate social and economic infrastructure and
generate sustainable income in more than 150 rural and urban
communities across the country. This approach involves several
communities working together in a cluster, and focusing on the
holistic approach to development, i.e. infrastructure rehabilitation,
income generation, institutional capacity development, good
governance, and environmental protection,” said Dafina Gercheva, UN
RC/UNDP RR.

Within the framework of “Armenian Village Revival: A Drive for
Employment and Income Generation” project, UNDP Armenia aims to create
farmers’ associations, improve the economic rural infrastructure as a
key element for rural poverty alleviation, establish micro food
processing facilities, and return of non-cultivated arable land into
the sowing cycle through distribution and planting of quality seeds
and seedlings.

Based on the participatory planning approach, UNDP Armenia will
support the four communities to develop their Strategic Community
Development Plans – a tool to prioritize local community
needs. Moreover, an environmental impact assessment will be conducted
in the region to gauge the situation and prevent from environmental
damages that agricultural and agro-processing activities may cause.

The total cost of the project is USD 230,000 from which Fruitfull
Armenia’s share is USD 204,000.

***

UNDP partners with people at all levels of society to help build
nations that can withstand crisis, and drive and sustain the kind of
growth that improves the quality of life for everyone. On the ground
in 177 countries and territories, we offer global perspective and
local insight to help empower lives and build resilient nations.
UNDP in Armenia has been established in March 1993 and supports the
government to reach national development priorities and the Millennium
Development Goals by 2015.

PRESS RELEASE
ARPA Institute
18106 Miranda St. Tarzana, CA 91356
Contact: Hagop Panossian
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

ARPA Institute 20th Anniversary Celebration ConferenceCo-Sponsored by
the ARPA Institute and the Glendale Public Library

Saturday, May 19, 2012, 11:00am
– 4:00pm
Gelndale Public Library
222 E. Harvard St., Glendale, CA

Current Issues Facing Armenia And The DiasporaConference General
Chair: Prof. Richard Hovannisian

11:00 Introduction: Elizabeth Grigorian, Armenian Outreach
Coordinator, Glendale Public Library, CA11:05 Opening

Remarks: Richard Hovannisian, University of California, Los Angeles

Session I – Armenia

11:15-12:30 DEVELOPING ARMENIA INTO A VIABLE DEMOCRACY & SUSTAINABLE
ECONOMY Chair:
Speakers: Edgar Martirosyan, Pettit Kohn Ingrassia & Lutz, Los
AngelesDavid Joulfaian, US Department of the Treasury, Washington,
DCProspects of & Challenges to Economic Growth in ArmeniaMarina
Kurkchiyan
Problems of Development of Civil Society in Armenia: Human Capital &
Democratization
Razmig Shirinian, College of the Canyons, Santa Clarita, CA
The Dilemmas of Development & Democratic Governance
Discussants:
Mark Chenian, UBS Financial Services, Beverly Hills, CA
12:30-13:15 Panel Discussion and Q & A13:15-14:00 Lunch Break (Lunch
will be made available)

Session II – Diaspora
14:00-15:15 THE CHANGING NATURE OF THE ARMENIAN DIASPORA
Chair:
Speakers: Dikran Dalian, The Aerospace Corp., El Segundo, CA
(Retired)Stephan Astourian, University of California,
BerkeleyArmenia’s Governments, Diaspora Political Parties, & Issues of
Coordinated ActionSimon Payaslian,

The Evolution of the Armenian Diaspora: A Century of Diasporic
Existence, 1900-2000Hagop Gulludjian, University of California, Los
AngelesOn The Demotion of Language as the Virtual Territory Sustaining
Diaspora
Discussants: Talar Chahinian, California State University, Long Beach, CA
Myrna Douzjian, University of California, Los Angeles
15:15-16:00

For more information please contact Dr. Hagop Panossian at
[email protected]

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Director
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Watch our latest videos on YouTube here:

“A SPECIAL IMPORTANCE NEED TO BE GIVEN TO CHRISTIAN EDUCATION”
HIS HOLINESS ARAM I

Meeting with the General Assembly of the diocese of Tehran, His Holiness
Aram I emphasized the particular importance of Christian education as a
vital dimension of the Christian mission. He said: “The church fulfills
itself as a community of faith through its missionary outreach. Christian
education is an important area of the church’s missionary engagement. For
the Armenian Church Christian education has always been a top priority. I
welcome the growing activities of the diocese in the sphere of Christian
education. Bible studies, Sunday schools, popular lecture series are indeed
concrete manifestations of the church’s to Christian education”. His
Holiness greatly appreciated the Primate’s major initiatives in the area of
Christian education.

In His message to the General Assembly Aram I reminded that “the Armenian
Church is the people’s church. Therefore, the active participation of our
people, men and women, young and old is essential. Discrimination should
have no place in the life of the church. All the members of the church are
equal. This sense of belonging to each other in Christ must sustain the
church’s life and witness”.

His Holiness also referred to the Armenian Church’s involvement in
activities pertaining to human rights and genocide. “Human rights are not
man-made, they are the gifts of God. Therefore, violation of human rights is
a sin against God”. According to His Holiness, the church must become
advocate of human rights as integral part of its Christian vocation.

In His opening word, Archbishop Sarkissian warmly welcomed His Holiness’
pontifical visit to the Armenian community, considering it a spiritual event
which will certainly re-strengthen the community’s faith and its dedication
to the Gospel message.

At the end of the meeting His Holiness Aram I answered to questions related
to Christian education, the role of the Armenian school, the challenges
facing the Christian communities in the Middle East, Christian-Muslim
dialogue and the Armenia- Diaspora relations.
##
Photos: