Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR TO CHECH REPUBLIC TO SPARE NO EFFORT FOR BILATERAL TIES

PanARMENIAN.Net
September 7, 2011 – 17:31 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – On September 7, Tigran Seyranyan, Armenian ambassador
to Czech Republic handed credentials to Czech President Vaclav Klaus.

As reported by the press service of Armenian Foreign Ministry
the President welcomed the new ambassador. He was hopeful on the
ambassador’s contribution to strengthening bilateral ties between the
Czech Republic and Armenia. Seyranyan in turn thanked the President
for warm welcome noting that he will spare no efforts for enlargement
of relationship between the two countries.

In the course of the meeting issues of bilateral collaboration,
particularly economic ties were discussed. The issue of Karabakh
conflict resolution was also touched upon.

From: Baghdasarian

NO POLITICAL CATACLYSMS OR ECONOMIC CRISIS MAY HINDER FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE PEOPLES OF UKRAINE AND ARMENIA
by Alexandr Avanesov

arminfo
Wednesday, September 7, 16:58

Interview of Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary ambassador of Ukraine
to Armenia Ivan Kukhta with ArmInfo news agency

Mr. Ambassador, Ukraine has recently marked the 20th anniversary of
independence. The similar anniversary will be soon marked in Armenia.

How will you assess the present level of the Ukrainian-Armenian
relations?

I should says that in 2011 the bilateral relations of Ukraine and
Armenia were intensified, first of all, after decisions adopted by the
top leaderships of the two countries. In particular, on February 10-11
2011 Foreign Minister of Ukraine paid an official visit to Armenia,
which resulted in signing of a two-year program of cooperation between
the two countries’ ministries. The program implies organization of
consultations, meetings and sessions of intergovernmental commissions
etc. In fact, the first step towards implementation of the plan was
the visit of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to Ukraine on July 1-2.

The Armenian president had rather fruitful negotiations with his
Ukrainian counterpart. The two presidents came out for enhancement of
the political, economic and cultural relations. Afterwards, on July
11-12 Chairman of the Supreme Rada of Ukraine V.M. Litvin visited
Armenia. The Ukrainian delegation comprised parliamentarians –
members of the Ukraine-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group.

The two countries’ interest in boosting the bilateral relations is
obvious: the commodity turnover between Ukraine and Armenia totaled
$134 million. The two countries plan to increase this indicator to
$300 million till the end of the year.

The presidents of our countries have charged both the heads of
diplomatic missions and delegates participating in the negotiations
with that task. On sidelines of the visit, the intergovernmental
commissions convened and discussed all aspects of the bilateral
cooperation. The two parties once again studied the existing
contractual base to make sure that it meets modern standards. It just
needs certain changes to boost the trade and economic relations to
increase the commodity turnover to $300 million. Armenia imports from
Ukraine building materials, wheat and barley, dairy and fat-and-oil
products, alcohol and soft drinks, tobacco and medicines.

We are interested in importing molybdenum from Armenia. This issue
was discussed at the session of the Intergovernmental Commission. In
addition, we offered the Armenian party participation of Ukrainian
companies in development of one of the copper-and-molybdenum deposits
in Armenia. Ukraine imports fruits, vegetables, brandy and crayfish.

At the moment, Ukraine has a favorable balance of trade with Armenia.

What are the directions of the trade and economic cooperation between
Ukraine and Armenia today?

Ukraine has a significant experience in construction/turnkey of
small hydro-power plants (HPP) and could directly participate in
implementation of such projects in the territory of Armenia. In
addition, he said, Ukraine is ready to participate in construction
of motorway Yerevan- Batumi as part of North-South project.

Ministry of Transport and Communication of Armenia has announced a
relevant tender and we have informed the Ukrainian Government of it.

Ukrainian companies will probably participate in implementation of
the given project. Ukraine has rather big opportunities to modernize
also the Yerevan Underground.

We have technologies to modernize rolling stock and the underground
infrastructure in general. Yerevan Municipality studies also delivery
of Ukrainian buses to Yerevan. Technical parameters of Ukrainian
buses allow their exploitation in highly mountainous areas. They
are reliable and comfortable as Armenian drivers say. At present,
we study opening of service centers for the Ukrainian buses delivered
to Armenia previously. Both the parties will study the given issue. I
think that we have good perspective for this dimension.

The availability of falsified Ukrainian vodka at the Armenian market
is one of the problematic issues of the bilateral relations. As I know,
the Ukrainian companies are even going to appeal to the WTO..

What has been taken in this direction?

The problem of the local vodka, which imitates the Ukrainian one,
seems to be not relevant today. The local vodka, which imitates the
Ukrainian one, has been gradually disappearing from the counters of
Yerevan stores since the beginning of summer. The measures taken by
the Armenian government are effective and they hope in Kiev that the
problem will be finally settled in the near future. At the same time,
Ukraine worries about discrimination in taxation of the Ukrainian
alcohol and tobacco production.

At the top level as well as at the level of ministries and departments
we raised the problem of exporters of Ukrainian vodka which were put
in unequal position if compared with producers of similar production
in Armenia. As a result, the parties arranged to settle the problem
not at the WTO level but in the bilateral format. The ways of unfair
competition are also applied from time to time regarding Ukrainian
confectionery products. In particular, in April of the current year
the local “AR” TV channel broadcast that the population should not
buy Ukrainian confectionery products as allegedly they are of low
quality and even radioactive. This issue was raised at the session of
the inter-governmental commission, as here we have a case of unfair
competition. Imagine, you will have similar adverse publicity calling
not to buy Armenian brandy.

Presidents of Ukraine and Armenia discussed in Kiev the cooperation
issue of both states in the international structures…

Ukraine and Armenia are going to intensify bilateral cooperation
within the frames of their participation in the work of international
organizations and on the level of the heads of legislative bodies
of Ukraine and Armenia. I mean UN, Council of Europe, OSCE, BSEC and
other international organizations.

The Days of Armenian Culture were already held in Ukraine. What about
the Days of Ukrainian Culture in Armenia?

Undoubtedly, they will be held. During the final press-conference in
Kiev President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan officially invited President
of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovich to pay an official visit to Armenia in
2012 any time he wants.

I think that the Days of Ukrainian Culture in Armenia will be held
within the frames of this visit. Holding of such events in the context
of deepening of the bilateral cultural and humanitarian relations
is very much important. I have recently visited one of the Yerevan
schools after Taras Shevchenko, were I was pleased with the attitude
of the teachers and pupils to Ukraine. The key slogan of the meeting
was that nothing may hinder friendship between the peoples of Ukraine
and Armenia. Today special attention is drawn to Armenian language
study in Ukraine. The Armenian language is officially taught in 7
schools of Kiev. The programme on study of the Armenian language in
the schools at the territories of the compact settlement of Armenians
of the Crimea has been already endorsed.

From: Baghdasarian

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN MEETS EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE PHILIPPE LEFORT

armradio.am
07.09.2011 16:34

President Serzh Sargsyan received today the newly appointed EU Special
Representative for the South Caucasus and crisis in Georgia Philippe
Lefort.

The President of Armenia congratulated Philippe Lefort on his
appointment and expressed hope that his rich diplomatic experience
and knowledge of our region would be useful in strengthening the
Armenia-EU relations.

Serzh Sargsyan stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation between
the European Union and Armenia, EU assistance and experience-sharing
for the implementation of reforms in our country.

From: Baghdasarian

ROBERTINO LORETTI TO GIVE A CONCERT IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
September 7, 2011 – 17:25 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Renowned Italian singer Robertino Loretti will give
a concert in Yerevan’s Aram Khachaturian concert hall on October 23.

As the concert hall employee told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter Jamaica,
Ave Maria, Santa Lucia and other Neapolitan songs will be performed.

Robertino Loretti was born to a large family with eight other
children. His family was poor, and when he was 10 his father fell
sick and Robertino helped the family deliver bakery products to
restaurants. He enjoyed singing folk songs on his way and was noticed.

After a request to perform at a wedding in a restaurant, Robertino
was sought after by other restaurants for the same services.

Robertino sang in Cafe Grand Italia where Neapolitan actor Toto and
Danish TV producer Volmer Sorensen noticed him. Their interest in him
led to performances on Danish TV shows. Robertino recorded an album
while in Copenhagen, and later published several albums and appeared
in movies. For about 10 years he was engaged in film production and
commerce. Since 1982 he has been performing all over the world and
recording CDs.

From: Baghdasarian

SOCIETY MUST STOP CSTO
Naira Hayrumyan

Lragir.am News

15:01:45 – 07/09/2011

According to the CSTO General Secretary Nikolay Borduzha, the alliance
of the ex-Soviet republics agreed to create a mechanism which will
allow protecting “the constitutional order upon the request of
the legitimately elected heads of state”. Cooperation may suppose
political, law-enforcement or military support, he noted.

In fact, Borduzha announced that they have already agreed, and
the Armenian government has agreed to the introduction of such a
mechanism. This question will be discussed in the CSTO Summit in
December.

Does the society in Armenia agree to this decision? Do the Armenian
National Congress, Dashnaktsutyun, the Heritage Party agree that the
CSTO forces disperse their rallies? Will there be a final decision
on this issue and will the CSTO prompt action forces be deployed on
the square for the political parties to think on it? Isn’t it better
to organize public debates on this issue? Maybe this will stop Serzh
Sargsyan and he will reject this perspective.

“The events in North Africa opened our eyes to a lot of things,”
announced Nikolay Borduzha, in a briefing in Dushanbe on September 3.

“An understanding of what is happening there is necessary, as well as
corresponding measures must be taken for the protection of each state.”

“The use of the CSTO’s potential to protect constitutional order is
meant. When the national forces are unable to deal with the situation,
when situation gets out of control, the life and security of citizens
is threatened, mass stealing and looting takes place, the CSTO can
interfere,” Nikolay Borduzha commented for the Izvestia.

Only Armenia can reject this stupid idea, at least Uzbekistan has
already announced that it may leave CSTO in case there is a decision
that the organization will pass decision by simple majority rather
than consensus. Armenia may reject the idea of interference with
internal affairs, if this is not the idea of the Armenian government,
of course. And if the government wishes to get the OSCE as a gendarme,
the society should stop this process. For the time being, the society
is indifferent to this issue.

From: Baghdasarian

YEREVAN CITIZENS DISLIKE LAW ON LANGUAGE

Tert.am
15:34 07.09.11

The amendments to Armenia’s laws that came into force on July 17
specified some functions of Armenia’s Language Inspection. The
amendments mostly deal with billboards.

At his Sept. 7 meeting with journalist Sergo Yeritsyan, acting chairman
of the Language Inspection, said that the amendments have resolved
the problem.

This year, the Language Commission has registered 60 violations of
the Law on Language in Yerevan, with 21 of them involving billboards.

“However, economic entities can rectified the errors before we go to
law,” Yeritsyan said.

Most of the violations are registered in Yerevan. In Armenia’s regions
banks are mostly violating the law.

The fines for violating the Law on Language have been raised from
AMD 50,000-75,000 up to an amount equal to 300 minimum monthly wages.

Advertising must only be in literary Armenian, Yeritsyan said.

From: Baghdasarian

ISTANBUL NON-MUSLIMS REMEMBER SEPT 1956 POGROMS, HOPING FOR POSITIVE CHANGES

Tert.am
09:52 07.09.11

Fifty-six years after the Sept 6-7, 1955 pogroms in Istanbul,
minorities still remember the tragic events, but with the Turkish
government’s recent move to return properties seized from the
country’s non-Muslim groups, there is a hope for future, Hurriyet
Daily News reported.

“The Sept. 6-7 [events] were definitely a traumatic time for Turkey
and many people still remember that day but the government’s recent
decisions regarding the return of properties and help for minority
newspapers are good signs,” Ivo Molinas, the editor-in-chief of the
Shalom, a weekly publication of Turkey’s Jewish community, was quoted
as saying the 56th anniversary of the events.

“After September 6-7, we started looking at each other with different
eyes. We learned what revenge meant,” said Mihail Vasiliadis, the
operator of daily Apoyevmatini, a four-page Greek newspaper printed
in Istanbul.

“The government’s recent step to return the minority properties is a
good sign. First they took our properties from us and now they return
it. But who is going to own those? There is no one left,” he said.

There are now only 2,500 Greeks left in Turkey, Vasiliadis said,
adding that more were leaving every day.

The 1955 events were triggered by reports that the house where modern
Turkey’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, was born in present-day
Thessaloniki, Greece, had been bombed the previous day. The news,
which was later proven to be fabricated, resulted in pogroms throughout
Istanbul against the city’s Jewish, Greek and Armenian residents.

Thousands of people fled Turkey afterwards, especially the Greek
minority in Istanbul. Before the pogroms, there had been 119,822
Greeks in Turkey; by 1978, however, there were just 7,000.

From: Baghdasarian

ONE MORE DEATH IN THE ARMY: UPDATED

Lragir.am News

11:14:03 – 07/09/2011

Early in the morning of September 7, another death was reported at
the military unit of Askeran, NKR. According to News.am referring to
the Defense Ministry source, Hayk Lazarian, 19, from Echmiadzin was
killed. No details are available.

On September 7, the ministry of defense of Armenia informed in regard
to the death of Haik Vasili Lazarian, 19, passing his military
service in the defense army of NKR that Haik Lazarian died from
gunshots made in the result of violation of the rules of handling a
gun by Lendrush Nazlukhanyan.

The investigative service of the RA Ministry of Defense started
proceedings under Article 373 Paragraph 3. Investigation is underway.

From: Baghdasarian

THE ARMENIAN FILM CRITIC AS A JURY MEMBER AT VENICE FILM FESTIVAL

Panorama
Sept 6 2011
Armenia

Susanna Harutyunyan, prominent Armenian film critic and the Artistic
Director of GOLDEN APRICOT International Film Festival is invited
to be FIPRESCI (The International Federation of Film Critics) Jury
Member at the 68th Venice Film Festival, from August 31 to September
10, 2011, Golden Apricot press service reports.

She has an experience to be a jury member at film festivals, such as
Berlin, Locarno, Karlovy Vary, Rotterdam, Antalya, Tallinn and etc.

The FIPRESCI Prize is given to the films, which indicate new ways
and enrich the language of cinema.

From: Baghdasarian

DARCHINYAN VICTORY PAVES WAY FOR WORLD TITLE SHOT

The Gold Coast Bulletin (Australia)
September 5, 2011 Monday
B – Main Edition

VIC Darchinyan is eyeing a major boxing world title clash with
Panama’s WBA bantamweight Super champion Anselmo Moreno after making
a triumphant return to Armenia.

Sydney-based Darchinyan retained his IBO bantamweight world title
with a convincing 12-round unanimous points win over South African
challenger Evans Mbamba in the Armenian capital of Yerevan yesterday.

It was Armenia’s first professional boxing promotion and Australian
citizen Darchinyan’s first bout in the country of his birth since
his amateur days more than a decade ago.

The Armenian President and several Russian dignitaries were among
a capacity crowd of almost 8000 who witnessed a dominant display by
Darchinyan (37-3-1, 27 KOs). He controlled the fight after knocking
down Mbamba (18-2, 9 KOs) in the first round. The game South African
absorbed plenty of power punches, as Darchinyan won 120-107 on two
cards and 119-107 on the other.

“Evans Mbamba was very, very tough. He was a great warrior,”
Darchinyan’s manager Elias Nassar said.

Nassar revealed Darchinyan would probably fight again in December,
with Moreno (31-1-1, 11 KOs) the likely opponent.

From: Baghdasarian