Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

RUSSIA, BULGARIA INK 10-YEAR GAS SUPPLY DEAL

November 15, 2012 – 20:23 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Russia’s energy giant Gazprom and Bulgaria’s largest
natural gas distribution company Bulgargaz signed on Thursday, November
15 a new contract on the delivery of Russian gas to Bulgaria for the
period until 2022, RIA Novosti said.

The deal was signed during a working visit by Gazprom CEO Alexei
Miller to Bulgaria.

The document envisions annual supplies of 2.9 billion cubic meters of
natural gas initially via “a traditional gas transportation route,” and
via the future South Stream gas pipeline after it becomes operational.

Gazprom delivered 2.81 billion cubic meters of natural gas to Bulgaria
in 2011.

The signing of the new contract comes shortly after Russia and Bulgaria
inked a final deal on Thursday to build the Bulgarian stretch of the
South Stream gas pipeline project to bring Russian natural gas to
Europe along the Black Sea seabed bypassing transit countries.

The offshore section of the South Stream gas pipeline will run under
the Black Sea from the Russkaya compressor station to the Bulgarian
coast. The total length of the Black Sea section will exceed 900
kilometers (559 miles) and its maximum depth will be more than two
kilometers (1.24 miles).

Following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s orders, Gazprom has
accelerated the South Stream pipeline’s construction schedule, with
work now to begin before the end of 2012.

The pipeline’s commercial deliveries of natural gas to Europe are
expected to start in the first quarter of 2016 and the project is
set to reach its designed capacity of 63 billion cu m in 2018. The
project’s cost, including the pipeline’s overland sections, is
estimated at 16 billion euros ($20 billion).

0

From: Baghdasarian

REPRESENTATIVES OF NATO TO VISIT ARMENIA AND HAVE SEMINARS IN YEREVAN IN NEAR FUTURE

20:10, 15 November, 2012

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS: During NATO Parliamentary Assembly
Armenian NA delegation has presented at a high level. Armenpress
quoted member of NA delegation Koryun Nahapetyan as saying during
November 15 press conference.

“The 58th sitting of NATO Parliamentary Assembly took place in
Prague on November 9-12. The three-day sitting embraced a number of
discussions during security policy, the security measure, and science
and technology measurement conferences. The debates were dedicated
to both regional and general issues. Arabic spring, its consequences,
NATO after Afghanistan and Syrian situation have been discussed during
the Urban Forum meetings” Armenpress cited Koryun Nahapetyan.

According to him 16 reports and 8 draft resolutions were presented.

Referring to Syrian conflict Nahapetyan noted that he has repeatedly
spoken about Armenian community which was forced to live the country
because of the created situation.

“In my speech I have underlined that Armenian community in Syria
was formed in a result of the Genocide and that about 46 Armenians
have been killed in the Syrian civil war. It was surprising when
Bulgarian deputy said that there weren’t aware of that situation
and underlined that our statement would be taken into consideration”
Nahapetyan informed.

Nahapetyan also mentioned that it was preplanned to have seminars
in Yerevan in near future as well as to host NATO representatives
in Armenia.

From: Baghdasarian

FRANCOIS HOLLANDE TO VISIT ARMENIA

NEWS.AM
November 15, 2012 | 13:45

YEREVAN.- France’s President Francois Hollande will pay a state visit
to Armenia, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian told reporters on
Thursday during a joint press conference with his Latvian counterpart.

Speaking about results of Armenian President’s recent visit, Nalbandian
said Sargsyan’s fourth trip to France was effective. He held meetings
with President Hollande, Premier, heads of Senate and National Assembly
and with the representative of parliamentary friendship groups. The
delegation also visited Lyon where President met with the members of
the Armenian community and local businessmen.

Nalbandian recalled France is Armenia’s second largest trade partner
with 155 French companies functioning in Armenia. The Minister said
Armenia is interested in development of decentralized cooperation,
adding that Hollande’s visit will give an impetus to bilateral ties.

From: Baghdasarian

CSTO IS CONSIDERING THE CREATION OF THE COMMITTEE OF THE CHIEFS OF STUFFS

14:16, 15 November, 2012

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 15, ARMENPRESS. The military Committee of the
Chiefs of Stuffs of the member states can be formatted in frames of
the Collective Security Treaty Organization. As reports “Armenpress”
this was announced by the Secretary-General of CSTO Nikolay Bordyuzha.

Currently the consultative and executive bodies consist of the Council
of the Ministers of Defense, the Council of the Ministers of Foreign
Affairs, and the Committee of the Secretaries of Security Councils.

Bordyuzha stated: “From the viewpoint of the issues regarding the
decisions and administration of purely military questions we must
change our approaches. The Council of the Ministers of Defense is
not enough. It’s desirable to involve the Chiefs of Stuffs either.”

“Ria Novosti” states that this issue will find its final solution
in frames of the session of Collective Security Council in Moscow on
November 19.

From: Baghdasarian

OBAMA’S REDEMPTION?
BY GAREN YEGPARIAN

Tuesday, November 13th, 2012 | Posted by Garen Yegparian

Everyone knows the current administration hasn’t been significantly
better or worse, substantively, than previous presidential
administrations when it comes to things Armenian. What has made
the Obama administration particularly objectionable is the explicit
Genocide related promise he made as a candidate, raising hopes to a
very high level. But with Obama’s first foreign visit being to Turkey,
the Armenia-Turkey protocols, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s
despicable comments about the Genocide, the usual bias of the executive
branch of the U.S. government has been shown in stark relief.

But now a German insurance company and the Turkish government,
basically working together, have provided the Obama administration
an opportunity to, at least partially, redeem itself.

Some background and reminders are necessary before going on. Less than
two weeks ago, we learned that the U.S. Supreme Court has invited
the Solicitor General to file a brief detailing the U.S. government
position on the Ninth Circuit Court decision earlier this year
which struck down a California law that allowed Armenian Americans to
pursue Genocide-era life insurance claims. You may recall that this is
the case where a German insurance company (referred to as Victoria,
initially, but now as Munich Re) has fought against paying the heirs
of those who bought life insurance policies from it. This matter was
heard three times by the 9th Circuit court, which ultimately decided
that the California law was unconstitutional, based on a wrongheaded
interpretation that the federal government’s rights preempt the ability
of the states to pass laws such as the California one in question.

Now, the Supreme Court, which received some 2000 petitions to hear
appeals, has decided to hear half a dozen of those, and has asked
the Solicitor General for input on another half dozen. The California
Munich Re case falls into that second group. So whether the Solicitor
General does file a brief regarding this matter, and what that brief
says, will have a large impact on the Supreme Court’s ultimate choice
to hear the appeal or not, and what its final ruling will be.

What we want is for the Solicitor General to say “no, we have no
policy regarding this matter” which means there can no question of
“preemption”. This would then likely lead the Supreme Court to find
that because there is no issue of preemption, the California law
is constitutional, and will remain in force. If the Supreme Court
finds otherwise, not only would the California life insurance law
be invalidated, but the Turkish government would start twisting the
meaning of the ruling. The Turks would argue that the proclamations
and resolutions about the Genocide we have obtained from state and
local legislatures and officials would become null and void, and future
ones would be precluded. They would also use the same argument to try
to eliminate state curriculum requirements that call for teaching of
the Armenian Genocide.

From: Baghdasarian

PAPER: SHUSHAN PETROSYAN “ACCIDENTALLY” VOTED FOR HERITAGE PROJECT

November 15, 2012 – 10:42 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – According to Hraparak paper, Heritage party-initiated
project to set up an ad hoc committee to curb corruption has recently
been turned down by the Armenian parliament, with only two Republican
Party of Armenia (RPA) members Razmik Zohrabyan and Shushan Petrosyan
voting for the motion.

However, the singer MP later said it was a mere mistake, saying that
she stood against establishment of the committee, the paper says.

From: Baghdasarian

DECAPITATED BODY WAS THROWN INTO WATER CANAL FROM YEREVAN – NEWSPAPER

news.am
November 15, 2012 | 08:04

YEREVAN. – The decapitated body, which was discovered on November 6
in the water canal that passes through Jrashen village of Armenia’s
Ararat Region, was thrown into the water canal from capital city
Yerevan, Haykakan Zhamanak daily reports.

“In other words, the murder was committed in the capital. Jrashen
prefect Artyom Ghazaryan made such assumption in an interview with our
reporter. “The victim definitely is not from our village. The water
brought the body from Yerevan; that’s why we think he was thrown into
the water from the water canal’s section that passes through Yerevan,’
[he said].

[And] The Police told our reporter that the identity of the body is
not yet determined. At the same time they neither denied nor confirmed
that this brutal and bizarre murder was committed in Yerevan, since the
circumstances are still being ascertained,” Haykakan Zhamanak writes.

From: Baghdasarian

ICRC INFORMED ON AZERBAIJANI CITIZEN TAKEN HOSTAGE BY ARMENIA

APA
Nov 14 2012
Azerbaijan

Baku. Kamala Guliyeva – APA. “The International Committee of the
Red Cross (ICRC) has been informed on an Azerbaijani civilian taken
hostage by Armenia”, media contact person for the ICRC Delegation to
Azerbaijan Ilaha Huseynova told APA.

According to her, the sides informed ICRC on the incident: “The ICRC
Delegation to Azerbaijan is working with the government agencies of
Azerbaijan and will take steps on the hostage civilian in accordance
with its mandate.”

Armenia’s Defense Ministry reported that resident of Mazamli village
of Gazakh region Telman Javanshir Aliyev, 41, crossed the border
in the direction of Tavush province at 07.45 on November 12. The
international organizations have been informed on the incident and
the details are being investigated.

From: Baghdasarian

WE WON’T KEEP SILENCE” INITIATIVE LAUNCHES A “GARBAGE FROM TV AIR” CONTEST

arminfo
Wednesday, November 14, 14:21

The initiative “We Won’t Keep Silence” is launching a “Garbage from TV
air” contest, which will last from November 15 till December 15.

The winners receive 100 AMD by mail to clean the TV air from the
garbage. The previous prize holders of the contest were Haylur
(Public Television of Armenia), “Anna” film serial (Public TV of
Armenia), “Army” film serial (Shant TV channel) and “Hard Life” film
serial (Armenia TV channel), as well as “Let’s Marry” show (ATV).

From: Baghdasarian

DRONES TO BE TESTED AHEAD OF ARMROBOTICS CONTEST

news.am
November 14, 2012 | 16:54

YEREVAN.- Unmanned aerial vehicles participating in ArmRobotics,
Armenian Robots Open Championship, will have their test flights in
Arzni airport on Saturday.

The main goal is to study the degree of preparedness, provide the
participants with an opportunity to test the drones in real conditions
and make the last changes for the final rounds of the contest to be
held next May.

The contestants were assigned to design and produce a plane which will
study the territory, identify the signs, find place of destination,
unload 300 grams of cargo and come back.

The flight and landing can be carried out automatically and by means
of distant control.

From: Baghdasarian