Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

PUTIN URGES AZERBAIJAN TO SOLVE KARABAKH DISPUTE WITH ARMENIA

Europe Online Magazine
Aug 13 2013

Europe
13.08.2013

Moscow (dpa) – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday urged
Azerbaijan to find a political settlement for its territorial dispute
with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

“Russia is actively engaged in finding a quick solution of the
conflict, which is only possible with political means,” Putin told
reporters after talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev in Baku,
Russian news agencies reported.

Putin’s comments reflect widespread fear that the unsolved dispute
over the Armenia-controlled territory could lead to a new war in the
volatile Caucasus region.

There have been deadly border clashes in the past months.

Flush with oil cash, Azerbaijan has embarked on a massive arms buildup
and its leaders have threatened to retake Nagorno-Karabakh by force.

Aliev said that a solution should be based on “historical justice,
on international law and international resolutions.” He added that
Russia played an important role in the process.

The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh was the first of several ethnic
disputes that broke out in the last years of the Soviet Union. It
ended 1994 after six years of fighting and an estimated death toll
of 30,000 people.

However, more than 20 years of negotiations under the auspices of the
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe have resulted in
little or no progress.

Moscow has traditionally backed Armenia, which lacks Azerbaijan’s
resources and is a close partner of Iran.

But this summer, Russia started delivery of a billion-dollar arms
package, including tanks and rocket launchers, to Azerbaijan.

Russian analysts have said that the Kremlin is eager to ensure a
balance of forces in the strategically important region. They also
said that Putin’s visit signals political support for Aliev, who is
standing for re-election in October.

Aliev, who took over the presidency after his father Heydar Aliev
died in 2003, is criticised in the West for his authoritarian style
of government.

From: Baghdasarian

RUSSIA HOLDS ‘TANK BIATHLON’ AND SUPPOSEDLY CHALLENGED THE US TO ONE

Business Insider
Aug 13 2013

Geoffrey Ingersoll

I’ve argued that we should stop paying for tanks, basically because
the only time we’d use them in a concerted land war against another
super power would be during biblical Armageddon.

Well … I was wrong.

Russia held a tank biathlon – between them, Belarus, Armenia and
Kazakhstan – and they supposedly challenged the U.S. to one.

Check it out:

Now, here’s the explanation, from Russian news agency, ITAR-TASS:

On the first loop, the crew is to fire three shots from the tank
turret to destroy the target from a distance of 1,800, 1,700 and
1,500 kilometers. On the second loop, the crew is to destroy targets
imitating hand anti-tank grenade launchers and an infantry group from
a coaxial machine-gun at a distance of 600 and 700 meters. On the
third loop, the fire is delivered from an anti-aircraft machine-gun
at anti-tank guns and anti-tank ground missile launchers at a range
of 1,200 meters. Crews that hit all the targets make it to the finish.

Crews go on a penalty loop if it fails to destroy the target.

At the final stage, tank drivers will have to ride through impassible
areas and overcome various obstacles. The total time increases by
ten seconds if the driver knocks down or touches a post or runs into
a hurdle. The total result consists of the general time it takes to
cover the distance and extra time imposed as a penalty for failure
to fulfill estimated figures when surmounting the obstacles.

NPR reports they were unable to confirm the invitation, which
supposedly occurred during two-on-two talks between Secretary of
State John Kerry and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and their
Russian counterparts.

Russian news agency RIA-Novosti reported, on the other hand, that
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Saturday, “We’ve invited
our American colleagues to participate … and our invitation was
accepted by US Secretary of Defense [Chuck] Hagel.”

If there’s even an epic challenge that should be accepted, it’s a
tank biathlon against Russia.

Now that’s a reason to blow the dust of America’s tanks.

From: Baghdasarian

COSMIC RAY DIVISION YOUNG SCIENTISTS CARVING THEIR FUTURE IN ARMENIA

By MassisPost

Updated: August 12, 2013

YEREVAN – Several students from Yerevan State University who have
been conducting their thesis work at the Cosmic Ray Division of
the Yerevan Physics Institute have entered a new milestone in their
career preparation.

Hripsime Lazarian and Hasmik Rostomyan successfully finished their
Master in Physics courses at the Yerevan State University. Hripsime’s
Master’s thesis was titled “The Electrical structure of Thunderclouds
and Initiation of the Thunderstorm Ground Enhancements (TGEs)”, and
Hasmig’s was “The Maximal Energy of Solar Accelerators: Evidence from
Space and Earth’s Surface Measurements”. Now they have applied for
a job at the Cosmic Ray Division (CRD) of Yerevan Physics Institute
(YerPhI) and will prepare for the Thunderstorms and Elementary
Particle Acceleration (TEPA 2013) international conference to be held
at the Nor-Amberd research station, Armenia, September 9-13. They
will also prepare for the YerPhI PhD program entrance examinations
in November. Hripsime and Hasmig were the recipients of the Kirakos
Vaporciyan Scholarship for CRD students at Yerevan State University
this year. Congratulations to Hripsime and Hasmig for their recent
accomplishments and we wish them well during the coming years.

Hayk Avagyan graduated from the Computer Science Department of the
Yerevan State University and started his work at the CRD. His main
topics of interest at the CRD will be the development of new algorithms
for data analysis and the analysis and correlation of the Aragats
Space Environmental Center data, and data from other astroparticle
physics experiments.

Patrick Fasano, an undergraduate student at the University of Notre
Dame in South Bend, Indiana, USA, started his internship at the
CRD with the support of the Nanovic Institute for European Studies
at the University of Notre Dame. Patrick will work 10-weeks at the
Cosmic Ray Division, assisting with upgrades and improvements to CRD’s
data storage and processing software, as well as learning about data
analysis of Thunderstorm Ground Enhancements, a newly discovered high
energy phenomena in the terrestrial atmosphere. He will also work with
CRD graduate students to make improvements to Advanced Data Analysis
System (ADAS) file servers for conserving computer storage space.

Thirteen of the CRD’s young scientists and staff received a performance
based bonus from the Harutyun and Nadya Vaporciyan Family for their
outstanding work and their resolve to pursue scientific excellence
in Armenia. “I have their picture on my mirror, and I look at them
every day and I am so proud”, says Harutyun Vaporciyan when he speaks
of these talented young people.

“All in all, we are satisfied with the progress of our students and
our young and seasoned scientists who mentor our students”, says Prof.

Ashot Chilingarian, the director of Yerevan Physics Institute and the
head of its Cosmic Ray Division. “We are also very grateful to the
Vaporciyan family for supporting our young scientists and students
with scholarships and prizes.”

From: Baghdasarian

RUSSIA, AZERBAIJAN AGREE ON OIL, GAS JV AS PUTIN VISITS BAKU

RIA Novosti. Michail Klimenteev
23:52 13/08/2013

Tags: oil, gas, LUKoil, SOCAR, Rosneft, Vagit Alekperov, Rovnag
Abdullayev, Igor Sechin, Ilham Aliyev,Vladimir Putin, Armenia,
Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia

Related News

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Shipping Arms Worth $1 Bln to Azerbaijan – Report Russia, Azerbaijan
Seek New Oil Transit Deal Azerbaijan-Russia Trade Down 17% in 2012

MOSCOW, August 13 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian and Azerbaijani state oil
companies on Tuesday agreed to establish a joint venture on a parity
basis to prospect and produce oil and gas in Russia and Azerbaijan
and in other countries as Russian President Vladimir Putin paid a
one-day working visit to Baku.

Energy Cooperation

During Putin’s visit – designed to discuss a wide range of
bilateral issues, including trade, energy, transportation and the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict – Rosneft reported that it had also agreed
with the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) to jointly
use some pipelines and terminals to optimize supplies to consumers.

A cooperation agreement was signed by Rosneft and SOCAR respective
chiefs, Igor Sechin and Rovnag Abdullayev, in the presence of Putin
and Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev. The two oil giants also said they
would cooperate in marketing and sales of oil, gas and oil products.

Rosneft has shown interest in joining the development of the Apsheron
gas field in the Caspian Sea, whereas Russia’s largest privately
held oil company, LUKoil, is participating in the development of
the Shah Deniz gas field in the Caspian Sea and owns a network of
gasoline-filling stations in Azerbaijan.

LUKoil CEO Vagit Alekperov is accompanying Putin on his visit to
Azerbaijan, just as Rosneft chief Sechin is.

Last year, Azerbaijan delivered 1.55 billion cubic meters of natural
gas to Russia.

Bilateral interaction is set to be expanded in the military and
technical sphere, and border activities and between the two countries’
emergencies ministries. Experts polled by RIA Novosti have said Moscow
has yet failed to make Baku its ally rather than partner.

Military and Emergencies Cooperation

Azerbaijani President Aliyev told reporters after a meeting with
Putin that Moscow and Baku planned to continue military and technical
collaboration.

According to Aliyev, his country’s defense industry cooperation with
Russia is worth $4 billion and keeps growing. Azerbaijan is among
the top buyers of Russian arms and other military equipment, which,
Aliyev said, is considered the best in the world.

The two countries’ emergencies ministries signed a cooperation plan
for 2013-2015, and a new program to train Azerbaijani emergencies
staff will soon be worked out, a Russian ministry spokeswoman said.

Nagorno-Karabakh

Putin and Aliyev also touched upon the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia have been strained for over
two decades, since the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, a predominantly
ethnic Armenian region, first erupted in 1988. The region then claimed
independence from Azerbaijan to join Armenia.

“During the talks we touched upon urgent international issues,
including, of course, the Nagorno-Karabakh issue,” Putin said. “Russia
has been actively contributing to the soonest settlement of the
conflict, which is only possible through political means.”

Aliyev said the conflict may only be solved on the basis of
international law.

More than 30,000 people are estimated to have died on both sides
between 1988 and 1994, when a ceasefire was agreed. Nagorno-Karabakh
has remained in Armenian control, and tensions between Azerbaijan
and Armenia have persisted.

The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh is mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group,
which comprises the United States, Russia and France.

From: Baghdasarian

Political expert: Knowing that the Eurasian Union has become a pet project for Putin, Aliyev will try to get preferences in the matter of
Karabakh when meeting him
by David Stepanyan

ARMINFO
Tuesday, August 13, 16:46

Knowing that the Eurasian Union has become a pet project for Vladimir
Putin, Ilham Aliyev will try to get as much preferences as he can
from the Baku meeting with the Russian president in the matter of
the Karabakh settlement, political expert, Agasi Enokyan, said at
today’s press-conference.

“Unlike Armenia, Azerbaijan is not going to sign an Association
Agreement with Europe. However, from the global point of view, it
is beneficial for Moscow to preserve the conflict in its present
status-quo. For its part, Baku will use its preserving for the
propaganda purposes. So, Putin’s visit will, first of all, touch
on the Russian-Azerbaijani relations, the key issue of which is a
problem of Russia’s presence in Azerbaijan”, – he said.

Enokyan thinks that it is not principle for Moscow, if their military
presence will be implemented through the Gabala radar station or the
presence of Russian peacemakers. However, taking into consideration
the fact that Azerbaijan will not make concessions in this matter,
the settlement of the Karabakh conflict without the Russian military
presence will finally mitigate and negate the levers of Russia’s
influence upon Baku, he said.

From: Baghdasarian

CITIZENS STAGE PROTEST OUTSIDE EDUCATION MINISTRY, DEMAND MEETING WITH MINISTER

14:46 13/08/2013 ” SOCIETY

A group of citizens staged a protest outside the Armenian Education
Ministry, demanding that Minister Armen Ashotyan come down and listen
to them. They demand to review tuition fees which will be increased
in a number of universities beginning the new academic year.

A Ministry official told the protesters that Ashotyan is ready to
receive them and journalists at the Ministry, but they refused the
offer and repeated that they demand that the Education Minister come
down to talk to them.

Yesterday, a group of citizens held a protest near the government
building with the same demand. The protesters demanded a meeting with
Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan in order to hand him over a
letter stating their demands. But he did not come down to them.

Source: Panorama.am

From: Baghdasarian

YEREVAN SIT-IN ACTIVISTS PREPARE TO PLACE SUNSHADE ACROSS CITY HALL

August 13, 2013 | 10:36

YEREVAN. – The youth, who are staging a sit-in across the Armenian
capital city YerevanMunicipality building, are planning on placing
a sunshade on Tuesday.

“The sit-in, which started on July 26 in front of the municipality,
is continuing. [But] we [hereby] state that we find it appropriate
to place a sunshade today, [Tuesday] August 13 at 2pm, to protect
[ourselves] from direct sunlight, the threat to our life and health
under the current conditions.

“[But] we inform the Police that, with that, we will not obstruct
others’ freedom of movement, [and] we will not disrupt the smooth
functioning of the state or other agencies and the public order.

“We are guided by the right given to us by the Armenian Constitution,”
specifically reads the respective statement by the sit-in participants.

To note, the activists have several demands, which include the
dismissals of Municipality Transport Department Chief Henrik
Navasardyan and Yerevan Trans Company Director Misak Hambardzumyan.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, the YerevanMunicipality
recent decision to increase the public transport fares in the city
had brought about outbursts, several groups were formed in the social
networks, and the initiatives were staging protests and distributing
pamphlets against this decision. In addition, the Free Car initiative
was launched, along the lines of which Armenia’s numerous well-known
personalities, MPs, and ordinary residents were providing-with their
own vehicles-free transportation to the people.

And on July 25, Mayor Taron Margaryan suspended the decision on the
fare hike; but the wave of the aforesaid movement is still alive. The
activists demand that the persons, who made the decision on raising
the transport fares, be brought to account, and those officials,
who used violence against and cursed at the activists, be punished.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: Baghdasarian

REVUE DE PRESSE N2 – 12/08/13 – COLLECTIF VAN

Publie le : 12-08-2013

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN [Vigilance
Armenienne contre le Negationnisme] vous propose une revue de presse
des informations parues dans la presse francophone, sur les thèmes
concernant la Turquie, le genocide armenien, la Shoah, le genocide
des Tutsi, le Darfour, le negationnisme, l’Union europeenne, Chypre,
etc… Nous vous suggerons egalement de prendre le temps de lire ou
de relire les informations et traductions mises en ligne dans notre
rubrique

Par ailleurs, certains articles en anglais, allemand, turc, etc,
ne sont disponibles que dans la newsletter Word que nous generons
chaque jour. Pour la recevoir, abonnez-vous a la Veille-Media : c’est
gratuit ! Vous recevrez le document du lundi au vendredi dans votre
boîte email. Bonne lecture.

Armenie-Occident : un rapprochement contraire aux interets de Teheran
(expert) “Le nouveau president iranien mènera une politique plus
rigoureuse que son predecesseur Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Si le chef
de l’Etat armenien Serge Sarkissian ne donne pas de reponse a des
questions concrètes soulevees par l’Iran, ceci engendrera une situation
opaque”, a indique l’expert.

Affrontements meurtriers entre tribus au Darfour soudanais Des
affrontements entre deux tribus rivales se sont soldes depuis vendredi
par une centaine de morts au Darfour, province de l’ouest du Soudan,
a-t-on appris de sources tribales. Selon ces dernières, plusieurs
milliers de Rezeigat ont attaque des Maaliya dans le but de s’emparer
de leurs terres.

Un soldat armenien capture par les forces azeries près du Karabagh Un
soldat armenien a ete capture par les forces azerbaïdjanaises jeudi
matin après avoir franchi la “ligne de contact” lourdement fortifiee
a l’est du Haut-Karabagh pour des raisons inconnues.

Les precautions d’Ankara après l’enlèvement de ses deux ressortissants
au Liban Les autorites libanaises disent fournir des ” efforts
exceptionnels ” pour obtenir la liberation de deux pilotes turcs,
enleves près de l’aeroport de Beyrouth, vendredi 9 août, afin
qu’Ankara, qui soutient les rebelles syriens, contraigne ces derniers
a relâcher neuf chiites libanais. Le rapt des pilotes a eu lieu dans
une zone majoritairement chiite, contrôlee notamment par le puissant
parti Hezbollah, un allie du regime syrien.

La Turquie ferme des centres culturels a Beyrouth La Turquie a ferme
son centre culturel et son bureau commercial a Beyrouth quelques
jours après l’enlèvement de deux pilotes de la Turkish Airlines
dans la capitale libanaise. Ces fermetures, annoncees lundi 12 août
par l’ambassade turque, surviennent après qu’Ankara a appele ses
ressortissants a quitter le Liban, et ceux comptant s’y rendre a
annuler leur voyage a moins d’un “imperatif vital”.

Le Matenadaran a recu la première Bible en langue armenienne La riche
collection d’anciens manuscrits du Matenadaran a ete enrichie d’un
exemplaire unique de la première Bible en langue armenienne grâce
a un don d’un haut dirigeant d’un operateur de telephonie mobile de
premier plan.

Au moins 100 morts dans de nouveaux affrontements au Darfour au Soudan
Les conflits armes entre la tribu Rizaigat et la tribu Ma’liya ont
eu lieu samedi dans la region d’Adila dans l’Etat du Darfour du sud,
a confirme a l’agence Xinhua un leader de la tribu Rizaigat.

Retour a la rubrique

From: Baghdasarian

PRESSE ARMENIENNE : REVUE DU 12 AOUT 2013

Publie le : 13-08-2013

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
presente cette Revue de Presse parue sur le site de l’Ambassade de
France en Armenie le 12 août 2013.

Ambassade de France en Armenie

Revue de la presse armenienne du 12 août 2013

En raison de cette periode estivale, plusieurs quot idiens ont arrete
leur parution.

I. Politique interieure

1. La manifestation des jeunes contre la mairie/ Le sujet dominant
cette periode estivale reste la manifestation des jeunes activistes,
entamee le 20 juillet devant la mairie de Erevan, contre la hausse
du prix des transports en commun. Malgre la decision du maire de
suspendre l’augmentation de 50% du prix des transports publics,
quelques manifestants campent sur la place de l’hôtel de ville
reclamant la destitution de deux responsables municipaux en charge
des transports, qui auraient abuse de leur pouvoir, ainsi que le
monopole donne fin juillet a une entreprise privee de perception
des redevances de stationnement a Erevan. La declaration du maire
Taron Margarian moquant le ” groupe de trois personnes ” exigeant
le licenciement de fonctionnaires municipaux, a suscite de nouvelles
manifestations en retour, avec pour mots d’ordre : ” L’un des trois,
c’est moi !” et ” 3+1+1+1… “.

2. Un projet de loi contre ” la promotion des relations sexuelles non
traditionnelles ” retire/ Cette proposition, emanant du Departement
juridique de la Police, qui assume les fonctions de Ministère de
l’Interieur, a ete soumise a debat dans les reseaux sociaux avant
d’etre presentee au gouvernement. ” Cette initiative ne sous-entendrait
pas de poursuites contre les minorites sexuelles elles-memes ” avait
declare le porte-parole de la police. Les reseaux sociaux se sont
prononces majoritairement contre l’eventualite d’une mise a l’amende
pour delit de ” apologie ” en faveur de l’homosexualite… Certains
defenseurs des droits de l’homme voient dans cette tentative avortee
” l’ombre de la Russie “, qui a recemment adopte une loi similaire.

II. Questions regionales

1. Un soldat armenien fait prisonnier sur la ligne de contact entre
le HK et l’Azerbaïdjan/ Egare, un soldat armenien, qui avait franchi
la frontière armeno-azerbaïdjanaise, a ete arrete jeudi dernier
et transfere a Bakou. Selon Sahin Sayilov, Secretaire azeri de la
Commission gouvernementale, charge des prisonniers et des disparus,
le prisonnier armenien est actuellement entre les mains du Ministère
de la defense azerbaïdjanais, pourrait s’il en exprime le souhait,
revenir en Armenie. Le porte-parole du Ministère armenien de la
Defense a declare que ” La partie armenienne en cooperation, avec
la Croix rouge, veillera a ce que Hagop Indjighoulian beneficie de
l’application des garanties internationales a l’egard des prisonniers
de guerre, et puisse revenir en Armenie dès que possible “.

2. Le President Poutine se rendra a Bakou / La presse en ligne accorde
une importante couverture a la première visite, depuis 7 ans, du
President russe en Azerbaïdjan. Le fait que Vladimir Poutine arrive
a Bakou en navire de guerre via la mer Caspienne serait, pour RFE/RL,
une demonstration de puissance dans la region caucasienne mais aussi
une occasion pour ameliorer les relations bilaterales mises a mal par
le desaccord sur le bail de la station radar de Gabala. Les ministres
des AE, de la Defense, des Situations d’urgence, de l’Energie et
des Transports russes feront partie de cette importante delegation
conduite par le President Poutine.

Redaction : Sonia Machinian

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : Ambassade de France en Armenie

From: Baghdasarian

PILOTES ENLEVES AU LIBAN : ANKARA FERME DES CENTRES TURCS A BEYROUTH

enlèvement-Liban-Turquie-Syrie-conflit

(AFP) – La Turquie a ferme son centre culturel et son bureau commercial
a Beyrouth après l’enlèvement de deux pilotes de la Turkish Airlines
dans la capitale libanaise, a affirme lundi a l’AFP l’ambassadeur de
Turquie au Liban.

Deux pilotes ont ete enleves vendredi par un groupe qui reclame
qu’Ankara use de son influence auprès des insurges syriens pour qu’ils
relâchent neuf chiites libanais pris en otage en mai 2012.

“Le centre culturel et le bureau commercial turcs a Beyrouth ont
suspendu leurs activites par mesure de securite”, a annonce Inan
Ozyildiz.

Ces fermetures surviennent après qu’Ankara a appele ses ressortissants
a quitter le Liban, et ceux comptant s’y rendre a annuler leur voyage
a moins d’un “imperatif vital”.

L’ambassadeur a precise que “depuis mai, l’agence de la Turkish
Airlines (qui se trouvait au centre ville) a ete transferee vers
l’aeroport international de Beyrouth”, a la suite de manifestation
de parents des neuf otages.

Il a par ailleurs salue “les mesures prises par les services de
securite libanais pour proteger les interets turcs” dans la capitale.

M.Ozyildiz a egalement repete que son pays n’etait “pas implique
dans l’enlèvement des pèlerins libanais” a Azaz, au nord de la Syrie,
mais qu’il essayait de trouver une issue a ce problème.

Un groupe inconnu, le “groupe des visiteurs de l’imam al-Rida”
-du nom d’un imam venere par les chiites- a revendique l’enlèvement
des pilotes. Ce groupe a affirme que la Turquie “avait le devoir de
liberer” les neuf otages libanais, car le rapt a eu lieu a proximite de
la frontière, et qu’il considère qu’Ankara, qui soutient la rebellion
syrienne, a les moyens de faire pression sur les ravisseurs.

L’enlèvement des pilotes a eu lieu dans une zone majoritairement
chiite, contrôlee notamment par le puissant parti Hezbollah, allie
du regime syrien.

Depuis le rapt des deux pilotes, les detracteurs du Hezbollah au Liban
accusent le parti chiite d’avoir couvert l’enlèvement et denoncent
un acte qui porte atteinte a l’image du Liban.

mardi 13 août 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian