Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

MOSCOW HOLDS PRESENTATION OF “AZERBAIJANI HISTORICAL-GEOGRAPHICAL FALSIFICATION” BOOK

18:33, 5 March, 2014

YEREVAN, MARCH 5, ARMENPRESS: The Embassy of the Republic of Armenia
to Russia on March 4 held a presentation of Russian-language book
“Azerbaijani Historical-Geographical Falsification” by Ruben Galichyan.

The Department of Mass Media and Public Relations of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia informed Armenpress
that at the course of the event Ambassador of Armenia to the Russian
Federation Oleg Yesayan made a speech. He noted that the abovementioned
book is of great interest to the scientific, social, as well as to
a wide range of readers. “This work by Ruben Galichyan is valuable
primarily in the sense that it represents the real history of the
region, the deliberate distortion of which creates serious obstacles
to a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

It also undermines the development of good-neighborly relations
between the peoples of the region,” Ambassador Yesayan highlighted.

Then, the author of the book made a speech speaking about the policy
towards the distortion of the history pursued by Azerbaijan, its
origins and purposes. He noted that the book is a result of long,
thorough work and gives objective presentation experience of the
real history.

(c) 2009 ARMENPRESS.am

From: Baghdasarian

RUSSO-UKRAINIAN STANDOFF: EXPERTS SEE CONSEQUENCES FOR ARMENIAN ECONOMY

ECONOMY | 05.03.14 | 12:52

By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow reporter

The escalation of tensions between Russia and Ukraine, according to
experts, will also affect the Armenian economy as remittances wired
by migrant workers abroad are likely to reduce.

After the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych and the formation of
a pro-Western government in Kyiv late last month Russia effectively
moved to establish its military control over Crimea, an autonomous
republic in the south of Ukraine with a predominantly ethnic Russian
population that hosts Moscow’s strategic naval base on the Black Sea.

The Russian parliament also empowered President Vladimir Putin to
use military force as appropriate to defend the ethnic Russian and
Russian-speaking population elsewhere in the territory of Ukraine.

About 100,000 Armenians live in Ukraine, according to official
figures, but unofficial accounts put their number at between 400,000
and 600,000.

According to the Armenian National Statistical Service, in 2012,
among former Soviet countries the top trade partner of Armenia was
Russia, followed by Ukraine. According to the data of the Central Bank
Bulletin, in 2013 alone, Armenia received $1 billion, 607 million via
the banking system through individuals, with the bulk of the transfers
made from Russia. Some of the transfers were also made from Ukraine.

Member of the opposition Armenian National Congress party, economist
Vahagn Khachatryan says that Ukraine is an important partner for
Armenia and any event taking place there will also have its impact
on Armenia. The economist says that at this moment the situation
is still uncertain, there is no publication about how the events of
recent days will impact the Ukrainian economy.

The economic situation appears to be worsening in Russia, too.

Armenian oppositionist David Shahnazaryan says in the last couple of
days the country lost more on its stock exchanges than it spent during
the recent Olympics in Sochi that cost the Russian budget $52 billion.

During a meeting with journalists on Tuesday Shahnazaryan said that
the main reason for that is that “the accounts of Russia’s political
elite have already been frozen in Western banks.”

A devaluation of securities by some 13 percent has been observed
on Russia’s stock market, which also led to the depreciation of the
Russian ruble. The Russian currency also lost its grounds in Armenia.

Since February 24, it depreciated by about 4 percent against the dram.

Economist Vahagn Khachatryan believes that the devaluation of the
ruble will also have a negative impact on Armenia.

“There was a similar thing happening during the 2009 crisis,
when Russia was in trouble and the amount of transfers from there
dramatically decreased, and Armenia’s construction sector then also
shrank significantly. And now there are two compelling circumstances –
one is the tightening of immigration laws in Russia, and the other is
the policy of the Russian Central Bank regarding the national currency
exchange rate, which will result in the reduction of remittances from
Russia,” says the economist.

From: Baghdasarian

VAZGEN SARGSYAN WOULD BE 55 TODAY

13:17 05.03.2014

Vazgen Sargsyan

Alisa Gevorgyan
Public Radio of Armenia

Vazgen Sargsyan would be 55 today. He was a politician and writer,
Defense Minister, leader of the Republican Party, co-president of the
“Unity” alliance, Prime Minister, Hero of the Republic of Armenia
and Artsakh, member of the USSR Union of Writers.

Twenty-seven years ago he was searching for his place and role in
Armenian literature. It was the Artsakh war that made him a soldier.

He was one of the first to understand that the salvation of the
Armenian nation was in the weapon.

He passed the way from being a writer to soldier very quickly, as the
war imposed on us was demanding soldiers and there was no time to wait.

“During our first meeting in 1989 I understood that I was dealing
with a man too far from military craft. In just six months I saw a
completely different Vazgen,” says Vova Vardanov, participant of the
Artsakh liberation war.

The Armenian Army became his dream and his belief. “The Army was
Vazgen’s home, his pride,” says Mrs. Greta, Vazgen Sargsyan’s mother.

Any national liberation movement bears its heroes. At the end of the
20th century Vazgen Sargsyan was destined to lead the Armenian Army,
which did not even exist at the time.

“Army is the mirror of national self-recognition and the look into
future,” Vazgen Sargsyan used to say

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIE : DES CHASSEURS MIG-29 RENFORCENT LA BASE MILITAIRE RUSSE

ARMENIE

Plusieurs chasseurs polyvalents de 4e generation MiG-29 ont renforce
la base aerienne russe d’Erebouni, en Armenie, a annonce mardi le
porte-parole de la region militaire russe du Sud Igor Gorboul.

“Plusieurs chasseurs multirôles de 4e generation MiG-29 sont arrives
a la base aerienne russe d’Erebouni de la region militaire du Sud
après reparations. A present, la base aerienne s’apprete a mettre
les avions en service operationnel”, a indique le colonel Gorboul.

Selon le porte-parole, les pilotes de MiG-29 ont effectue plus de 50
combats d’entraînement depuis le debut de l’annee.

Le chasseur sovietique et russe MiG-29 est destine a mener des combats
aeriens et a detruire des cibles terrestres en utilisant des armes
de precision, ainsi qu’a surmonter la defense antiaerienne par tous
les temps, de jour comme de nuit.

RIA Novosti

mercredi 5 mars 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

MKHITARYAN MATCHDAY 23’S PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Bundesliga – official website, Germany
March 4 2014

Munich – There was only going to be one winner of the bundesliga.com
vote for Matchday 23’s Player of the Week, with Borussia Dortmund’s
Henrikh Mkhitaryan clearly dominating the post-match poll.

The Armenian playmaker’s outstanding performance in BVB’s 3-0 win over
1. FC Nurnberg, which included both a goal and an assist, earned the
25-year-old a whopping 67 per cent of the vote.

‘Always believed’

Mkhitaryan was all smiles after his persistence and belief paid off
against a defensive Nurnberg side. “I always believed I would get
my goal,” said the 25-year-old. “In the end, it worked out and I was
even able to set one up, so I’m delighted with that.”

It was goal number six and assist number eight of the season for
the Armenian, who has taken the Bundesliga by storm and proven he
has what it takes to fill the boots of Mario Gotze, who joined FC
Bayern Munchen in the summer. Mkhitaryan insisted he would not be
getting carried away, however. “It’s still going to be a difficult
path ahead,” he said.

Lewandowski in second

Mkhitaryan provided the assist for Robert Lewandowski’s 64th-minute
goal at Signal Iduna Park on Saturday. The Poland international came
second in the vote with 14 per cent, three ahead of FC Bayern Munchen’s
Arjen Robben, who received eleven per cent of the vote following his
hat-trick against FC Schalke 04.

1899 Hoffenheim’s Anthony Modeste came fourth with seven per cent
after his inspirational display in the 6-2 humbling of VfL Wolfsburg,
while 1. FSV Mainz 05 goalkeeper Loris Karius and SV Werder Bremen
match-winner Zlatko Junuzovic shared fifth place.

Find out why Mkhitaryan was voted Matchday 23’s best player on the
Bundesliga’s official YouTube channel.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA ROLLS OUT RED CARPET FOR EUROPEAN CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

The Voice of Russia
March 4 2014

By Elina Kazaryan and David Kerans

YEREVAN (VR)– The Oscars in Hollywood had no monopoly on ceremony last
night, as Yerevan, Armenia staged a spectacle of its own to mark the
opening of the European Individual Chess Championship (EICC). This is
the 15th EICC, an event which attracts over 100 grandmasters because
it is a stepping stone to the World Championship. The top 23 finishers
in the EICC will qualify for the 2015 Chess World Cup, with the top
two in that event gaining entree to an 8-man Candidate’s Tournament
in 2016 that will determine the challenger in a World Championship
match at the end of that year.

0Chess occupies an extraordinary place in Armenian culture, thanks to
the legacy of 1960’s World Champion Tigran V. Petrosian and a golden
generation of grandmasters who have won three of the last four chess
Olympiads (the championship for national teams, held in even-numbered
years). Further, Armenia is the first nation to include chess as an
obligatory school subject, so it is no accident that Yerevan put on
a memorable show to kick off the EICC.

0Radio VR’s Elina Kazaryan was at the National Academic Theatre of
Opera and Ballet for the event.

The ceremonies began without any official speeches. A military band
played the Armenian national anthem, followed by a documentary film
about the legendary world champion Tigran Petrosian. He would have
turned 85 in this year, and the Armenian Chess Federation is devoting
the EICC to his memory. Colorful costumes and choreography followed,
in an impressive vocal-ballet performance titled “64 by 32”, which
drew parallels between decisions in life and in chess.

0As regards the tournament itself, a huge contingent of 53 players
from Russia are competing in Yerevan, but Armenia has even more
entrants, about 80. Overall, 263 players are involved, from 27 European
countries. They will duel over 11 rounds, with the winner taking home
20,000 Euros.

0Fedoseev, one of the young guns

0Russian Grandmaster Vladimir Fedoseev from St. Petersburg (but
now living in Moscow) is an outsider in the EICC picture, but he
has only just turned 19, and is still developing as a player. He
has had great success at the junior level, including victory at a
European Junior Championship, but says he hasn’t set himself the goal
winning the EICC. He was very impressed with the opening ceremonies
in Yerevan, and said he simply wants to show his top level of play in
the tournament. Elina Kazaryan had the opportunity to inquire about
his mood and preparation for the EICC.

0

0

Download audio file

0

0Kazaryan: Have you prepared a lot for this tournament in particular,
do you have a second with you?

0Fedoseev: No, I can’t say I have prepared in any special way. And I
am only now leaving junior chess to play in senior events, so for the
moment I have some helpers, but I don’t have the luxury of bringing
a true second with me here. So I’ve come alone, and hope it turns
out well.

0Kazaryan: Is the EICC the top event in your calendar for this year?

0Fedoseev: Absolutely, for me this is the most important event I’ve
entered in recent years, and I hope I can show everything I am capable
of here.

Kazaryan: Does the Russian Chess Federation help you in various ways?

0Fedoseev: The federation does help me, yes. I have a good relationship
with them; they have been assisting me since 2011, in fact, and it
has helped me to secure the successes I have achieved so far. I
really appreciate that the federation helps young players. For
the EICC, however, I didn’t ask them for any help, I paid my own
way entirely. This is a senior event, after all, not a junior one,
and being under age 21 I am still a member of the national junior
team. So I didn’t feel comfortable asking for any assistance.

0Predictions, anyone?

0Top observers of the chess scene are just as careful as Fedoseev
about identifying clear favorites for the EICC, as Vice-President
of the Armenian Chess Federation Ashot Vardapetyan explained to
Elina Kazaryan.

Kazaryan: How would you characterize this tournament, for the chess
public, for the specialists, and for the players?

0Vardapetyan: Well, you know, official tournaments like this one are
always different from unofficial ones. Unofficial ones can be very
interesting in their own right, of course, but official tournaments
which lead to a world championship are special. The players aren’t
just playing for a title or a monetary prize. Here they can stamp
their ticket towards the next stage of the world championship. Every
serious grandmaster wants to play in this kind of tournament, alongside
well over a hundred grandmasters, and many of the very strongest
women players too. Obviously this is a real holiday of chess. And
it is a holiday not just for Armenian chess fans, not just for the
young developing players of Armenia. It is a chess holiday for the
participants themselves. This is exactly where they want to be.

Kazaryan: Can you offer any predictions on the outcome?

0Vardapetyan: Oh, I have to say it is very difficult to predict
who will rise to the top here. At the moment Etienne Bacrot {from
France} has the highest rating of all here, but I think there are 14
grandmasters with ratings above 2700, the elite or super grandmaster
level. So there are quite a few favorites. But it is a Swiss system
tournament {players at the top of the standings play each other
each round, but no one ever faces the same opponent twice}, which
is always tense and exciting. So we’ll wait until the leaders emerge
from the pack.

Jobava, perhaps?

0But we have an inkling that the talented and mercurial Baadur Jobava
could be ready to break through. Jobava is not just the greatest player
Georgia has ever produced, but has demonstrated a very high ceiling:
he has beaten world champion Magnus Carlsen twice, against only one
defeat, and won the individual gold medal at the 2004 Olympiad. He
finished 3rd and 2nd at consecutive EICCs in 2009 and 2010, and comes
to Yerevan fresh off a victory in the Bronstein Memorial tournament
in Minsk, Belarus. He must be full of confidence.

But so are many of the top contenders.

0The tournament commenced Monday, and in his first game, against
lower-rated Vilka Sipila, Jobava allowed an exchange of Queens but
opened up the board for what played out like a long hunt against his
opponent’s King. He allowed Sipila to send a pawn within one square
of promotion to a new Queen:

Jobava

0But Jobava’s next move, 42.Rc6, extinguished the threat {if
42…a1(Q), 43.Bf6+ and 44.Rxa1}, and he went on to deliver checkmate
on move 62.

0Vladimir Fedoseev also won his first game, over lightly regarded
Nathan Birnboim. So, a good start for Jobava and Fedoseev…

From: Baghdasarian

QURAN MEMORIZATION CONTEST PLANNED IN ARMENIA

Ahl-ul Bayt News Agency , Iran
March 4 2014

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) – On the occasion of birth anniversary of
Hazrat Zeynab (SA), a Quran memorization contest is planned to be
held by the Islamic Association of Iranian Students in Armenia.

The Blue Mosque in Yerevan, the capital city, will host the competition
on March 5.

The association announced that those willing to participate in the
competition should refer to the Dar-ol-Quran of the mosque from 4 p.m.

to 7 p.m. local time.

Participants will compete on memorization of Surah Hujurat of the
Holy Quran.

Top 5 Quran memorizers in the competition will be awarded in a ceremony
to be held on the auspicious birth anniversary.

From: Baghdasarian

AZERBAIJAN HANDS OVER 77-YEAR-OLD “COMMANDO” TO ARMENIA (UPDATED)

March 4, 2014 – 14:43 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – A 77-year-old captive Mamikon Khojoyan who had been
interned in Baku, Azerbaijan, returned to Armenia today (March 4)
under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross
(ICRC). The man was placed in the care of Armenian officials on the
road between the Azerbaijani town of Gazakh and the Armenian town of
Ijevan, at the international border. ICRC delegates had visited the man
prior to his repatriation in order to assess the conditions in which
he was being held and the treatment he received, ICRC Armenia reported.

Defense Ministry spokesman Artsrun Hovhannisyan earlier confirmed
reports of Azerbaijan’ transfer of Khojoyan over to Armenian side. As
he noted, representatives of the International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRC) Yerevan office were headed for the transfer site.

“Armenian citizen Khojayan Mamikon, who was detained while crossing
the contact line of troops on January 28, is expected to be handed over
to his country today,” Secretary of the State Commission on Prisoners
of War, Hostages and Missing Persons Shahin Sayilov earlier told APA.

Azerbaijan’s capture of an elderly Armenian, dubbed a member of an
“Armenian commando group” came as another one in a series of increased
tensions at the frontline.

As Azeri media claimed earlier, “a 65 year-old member of an Armenian
commando group, injured in a diversion attempt, was detained at the
contact line near the village of Alibeili, Tovuz region.”

Novosti-Armenia said the Defense Ministry refuted Azeri claims,
noting that no soldier at the military units stationed near the region
indicated was absent from service.

According to Panorama.am, the head of Verin Karmraghbyur village
reported local resident Mamikon Khojoyan missing, with a search
initiated.

As the Armenian Police spokesperson Armen Malkhasyan noted, the
77-year-old, who suffered from a mental disorder, lived alone and
was under medical observation.

The villagers last saw Khojoyan near the settlement of Maflar. Their
description of the captive matched the photo of a man posted on
Azeri websites.

Baku describes the elderly Armenian as a subversive agent, which
does not mean it’s true, Azeri analyst Zardusht Alizadeh said, citing
previous cases where Armenian captives were accused of espionage with
no proof at hand.

Uzeir Jafarov, an Azerbaijani military analyst, also dismissed the
official Azerbaijani version of Khojoyan’s capture. “That man has
nothing to do with the sabotage group,” he told RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani
service. “He is an old man who seems to have health problems. There
is not a single sign that the Defense Ministry’s claims are true.”

“The Defense Ministry had better explain why Khojoyan was caught
by ordinary [Azerbaijani] villagers,” said Jafarov. “What were the
Azerbaijani soldiers stationed in that area doing?”

Azeri Ministry of Defense stood by its claims that Khojoyan is
a saboteur. However, later, Baku slightly changed its version of
the events. The elderly man was described as a part of the commando
group – a guide well familiar with the area – captured in a botched
diversion attempt.

The head of the village of Alibeili, however, refuted the report,
noting that Khojoyan was spotted by one of the villagers and further
detained by Azeri soldiers who took him to Baku.

Azeris remain true to their traditional scenario of capturing an
Armenian, a soldier or not, coming up with a suitable legend, and
interviewing him to “prove” the legend. Nothing’s different this time.

ANS TV channel, greedy for such conversations, interviewed a
77-year-old Armenian hostage.

Khojoyan was shown sitting on a hospital bed, with his right arm in a
cast. “I broke my arm but am fine now,” he was quoted as saying. “My
arm is now healing. They are taking good care of me.” According to
Azeri media, Khojoyan gave ambiguous information, sometimes presenting
himself as a special service agent, and sometimes a wine-grower.

Journalists seemed to make no allowances for the mentally challenged
elderly man. Also, previous footage shows Khojoyan with an unbroken
arm at the time of his capture. It was beyond doubt that the Azeri
side forced the elderly man into giving the “necessary statement.”

From: Baghdasarian

SHIPMENT OF MIG-29 FIGHTERS SUPPLIED TO EREBUNI AIRDROME

Tuesday 4 March 2014 11:46
Photo: img43.imageshack.u

Shipment of MiG-29 fighters supplied to Erebuni airdrome

Yerevan /Mediamax/. After repairs, shipment of multipurpose 4th
generation MiG- 29 fighters was supplied to Russian air base located
at Erebuni military airdrome in Yerevan.

Head of the press service of Southern Military District, Colonel Igor
Gorbul told journalists today, RIA Novostireports. According to the
press release the airplanes are being accepted and adjusted in the
air base.

Igor Gorbul added that since the beginning of the year, pilots of
MiG- 29 fighters held over 50 maneuver air training battles within
both single duels and groups at the altitudes of from 500 up to 8
thousand meters.

Mediamax recalls that earlier it was reported that the supply of
Russian air equipment of Erebuni airdrome is scheduled for the 3rd
and 4th quarters of 2014.

From: Baghdasarian

LA RUSSIE EST SATISFAITE DE LA MISE EN OEUVRE DE LA > DE L’ARMENIE POUR SON ADHESION A L’UNION DOUANIERE

ARMENIE

C’est ce qu’a declare le PM armenien, Tigran Sarkissian, au terme
de son entretien avec son homologue russe Dmitri Medvedev a Sotchi
où il s’etait rendu pour la clôture des JO. Le PM armenien a indique
aux journalistes qu’il a passe en revue, avec son homologue, tous les
aspects de la cooperation armeno-russe, ainsi que les travaux en cours
quant a l’adhesion a l’Union douanière. La partie russe a, selon lui,
> les efforts des >
mis en place par le gouvernement armenien pour gerer les negociations
d’adhesion.
From: Baghdasarian