Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS IN GILAN: “WE’LL TEAR THAT BUILDING DOWN WITH OUR OWN HANDS”
Kristine Aghalaryan

hetq
09:04, July 19, 2012

There’s a building in the Gilan Section of the Khosrov Forest State
Reserve whose status remains in limbo.

In 2007, the Armenian government changed the zoning status of a
118 hectare section of the reserve known as the Gilan section. This
allowed for the commercial leasing of the site and the construction
of the building in question. At the time, many were concerned that
the building was to be used as a restaurant.

Later, the government nullified its earlier decision but the question
about what to do with the nearly completed structure remains up in
the air.

Khosrov Reserve Director Varantsov Barseghyan wants the building to
stand and to be converted into a nature museum.

Barseghyan made his view known to a group of visiting environmental
activists and government officials who went to Khosrov to check on
another matter; the building of an 8 kilometer road in the reserve.

The activists also voiced their concerns about the now illegal
building to First Deputy Environmental Minister Simon Papyan, who
had accompanied them to Khosrov.

The 188 hectare section had been leased to a company called Hovazadzor
Ltd. The company claimed that the site would be used to conduct a
project seeking to preserve the flora and fauna and to study ways to
utilize natural resources in a sustainable manner.

The activists complained that at the time the public was not included
in the decision-making process regarding the rezoning of the reserve.

Most called for the building to be removed since it was a cement
eyesore.

Director Barseghyan suggested that the building could be used for
positive aims.

A government created committee to look into the matter has yet to
publish its opinion on what should be done.

First Deputy Minister Papyan told the activists that one alternate
was to compensate the builder of the structure and to use the building
for another purpose.

The young environmental activists balked at this suggestion and argued
that the official who signed the original rezoning permit should be
responsible for any compensation.

Director Barseghyan responded that the construction debris resulting
from dismantling the building would create an even larger problem
and that the structure should remain.

“If need be, we’ll tear it down with our own hands and load the debris
into the dump trucks,” said activist Yeghia Nersisyan.

From: Baghdasarian

RALLY URGES MORE GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE FOR SYRIAN-ARMENIANS SEEKING TO RELOCATE
Narek Alexanyan

hetq
16:32, July 19, 2012

Syrian-Armenians and their supporters rallied today in front of the
Government Building in Yerevan calling for greater assistance on
a national level to those Armenians fleeing Syria and wishing to
relocate in Armenia.

Saying that they expected more from the Armenian government,
the Syrian-Armenians pointed out that, on the contrary, they have
encountered a number of obstacles.

A group calling itself the Hayazn Civic Organization claimed that
the Armenian government has done precious little to facilitate the
relocation of Syrian-Armenians in Armenia.

The organization also criticized Armavia Airlines for seeking to
exploit the situation by hiking airline ticket prices on its Aleppo
to Yerevan flights.

Hayazn representatives Armen Lazarian and Davit Khosrovyan
handed a letter to government officials voicing their concerns
about the inadequacies of the government regarding the plight of
Syrian-Armenians.

The protestors then marched to the Ministry of the Diaspora and the
Foreign Ministry to voice their concerns.

One Syrian Armenian, Antranig Vartanian, told reporters at the scene
that Armenia had an obligation not only to those seeking to relocate
but to the Syrian Armenian community as a whole.

From: Baghdasarian

NEWLY APPOINTED GERMAN AMBASSADOR HANDED HIS CREDENTIALS TO ARMENIAN PRESIDENT

ARMENPRESS
19 July, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JULY 19, ARMENPRESS: New appointed ambassador extraordinary
and plenipotentiary of Germany to the Republic of Armenia Rainer
Morel gave his credentials to President Serzh Sargsyan. Armenpress was
informed from press office of Armenian President that the President
congratulated the ambassador on occasion of beginning diplomatic
mission in our country and wished successes. Serzh Sargsyan highly
estimated the relation between Armenia and Germany which recorded
great progress during the last years highlighting that Armenian side
is interested in keeping that dynamic and deepening it.

Ambassador Morel mentioned that relations between two countries have
great potential of development and as an ambassador he would do his
best to use that potential, to make the bilateral relation closer. In
the words of ambassador Germany can cooperate very productively with
Armenia which has rich culture and history in humanitarian sphere.

The interlocutors reverberated to the cooperation between Armenia and
European Union, Eastern Partnership program, bilateral trade ties
taking into consideration the fact that Germany is the first trade
partner of Armenia among EU states.

President Serzh Sargsyan and Ambassador Rainer Morel also exchanged
opinions on regional issues.

From: Baghdasarian

IDRAM LAUNCHES ELECTRONIC MONEY SERVICE IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
July 18, 2012 – 18:14 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – On July 18, Idram Ltd has officially launched
electronic money service in Armenia.

Idram Ltd became the first company in Armenia to have received permit
to issue electronic money from the Central Bank on March 6, 2012.

“The service enables a range of online money operations including
utility, tax & credit payments as well as e-shopping. One transaction
is limited to AMD 200000,” the company director Gayane Stepanyan said.

Idram Ltd clients will get a free MasterCard for e-money savings.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN-SYRIAN REFUGEES MAY SETTLE IN KARABAKH – POLITICAL ANALYST

NEWS.AM
July 19, 2012 | 13:41

YEREVAN.- Nagorno-Karabakh may become a destination for Armenian-Syrian
refugees.

Deputy Director of the Caucasus Institute Sergey Minasyan said the
refugees from Syria, including Armenian-Syrians, may settle in Karabakh
which will positively affect development of the Republic.

Talking to reporters on Thursday, Minasyan noted negative developments
in Syria contradicts the interests of Armenia. The collapse of Bashar
Assad’s regime will lead to uncontrollable processed and at the same
time will increase Turkey’s role in the region.

The voting on western and Russian resolutions on Syria at the UN
Security Council which had to take place on Wednesday was postponed
at the request of Kofi Annan.

From: Baghdasarian

TURKISH PM TO ASK PUTIN TO UP PRESSURE ON AL-ASSAD

Hurriyet
July 17 2012
Turkey

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan will meet the Russian President
Vladimir Putin tomorrow. AA photo

Syria will dominate talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin
and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan when the Turkish leader pays
a one-day visit to Moscow tomorrow.

Yet, the Syria conversation will not focus solely on the Turkish
jet shot down by Syrian forces as Turkey hopes to use this meeting
as an opportunity to reiterate their will for Russia to strengthen
its support of the international community’s efforts of intensifying
pressure on the Syrian regime, a Turkish official told the Hurriyet
Daily News.

Ankara and Moscow remain at odds over the armed conflict in Syria.

Erdoðan’s visit comes after Ankara clashed with Damascus over the
downing of a Turkish warplane on June 22 by Syrian fire over the
Mediterranean and the death of its two pilots.

Bilateral economic issues will also be on the leader’s agenda within
the framework of preparations for the upcoming meeting of a high-level
council in September which will be held in Turkey and attended by
Putin. “Significant regional and international developments led by
Syria are on the table to be discussed thoroughly [during Erdogan’s
visit],” a written statement from the prime minister’s office said
last week. The talks are a new link in the chain of effective dialogue
at the highest level between Turkey and Russia, the statement said.

Caucuses and Armenia

Putin invited Erdoðan to Sochi for a meeting three weeks ago, but both
parties agreed on a schedule for a daily visit to Moscow, a Turkish
diplomat told the Daily News. “The invitation is for a preparatory
meeting for an upcoming high-council gathering in September. But Syria
is expected to be a hot topic,” he said. Issues about the Caucuses,
including post-elections in Armenia, are also expected to be on the
agenda, the diplomat said.

Russia and Turkey agreed on the construction of a nuclear power plant
by a Russian company in Akkuyu, whose initial cost was estimated at
$20 billion, but Russian recently notified Turkey that cost might
increase to $25 billion. It is still indefinite which side will pay
the extra $5 billion.

From: Baghdasarian

SYRIA’S ARMENIANS ESCAPE FROM CONFLICT TO ARMENIA
by Vercihan Ziflioglu

Hurriyet
July 18 2012
Turkey

Many Syrian Armenians flee from conflict to Armenia, where locals
and the government are trying their best to host them despite recent
economic difficulties

Syrians are seen at a camp near the border. Turkey is hosting over
42,000 Syrians. Armenians fleeing from Syria refrain from coming to
Turkey or Lebanon, says lawyer.

The longstanding conflict in Syria has affected the country’s Christian
population causing many Armenians to flee violence in the country
and a group to be formed in Armenia to protect migrants arriving there.

Armenians fleeing Syria often migrate to Armenia first but later head
to another country due to a lack of job opportunities in the country,
according to locals. An initiative has been started in Armenia to
assist Armenians emigrating from Syria. It is not known how many
people fall into this category as no official statement on the issue
has been released.

An office has been established to house the Armenian initiative,
which includes lawyers who guide emigrants through various legal
procedures and help to protect their rights. Lawyer Lyudvig Tavtyan is
one of the founders of the group “Cross-border Protection of Migrants’
Human Rights,” which was established by Armenia’s Forensic Experts
and Jurists Association. The group has negotiated with Armenia’s
Diaspora Minister HranuyÅ~_ Hagopyan, and informed him about the new
initiative and its work, Tavtyan told the Hurriyet Daily News.

“We have limited opportunities, so we have asked the minister to
announce the formation of the initiative and to give support to
emigrants,” Tavtyan said. He underlined that migration from Syria to
Armenia has recently increased, but that the number of emigrants is
not clear yet as the Armenian Foreign Ministry has not released an
official number. According to information from migrants coming from
Syria, hundreds of Syrian Armenians have come to Armenia within the
last three months, however, it is difficult to estimate a precise
number, Tavtyan said.

Some of the emigrants have come to live with relatives in Armenia,
while some are supported by the Armenian Red Cross, Tavtyan said. It
is also difficult to determine how many of the incoming migrants from
Syria plan to settle in the country long-term. “It is very hard to
give a clear answer, because some of the Syrians coming to Armenia
plan to return to Syria after the conflict, while others plan to
migrate to another country. Consequently, giving a precise answer is
very difficult,” Tavtyan said.

Turkey and Lebanon are also hosting many Syrian refugees fleeing
violence, but Armenians do not come to Turkey as it denies that events
in 1915 constituted a “genocide.” Many Armenians migrated to Syria
in 1915, Tavtyan said, adding that Armenians also do not migrate to
Lebanon as they wish to leave the Middle East because of the many
ongoing conflicts occurring there. Armenians generally prefer to
migrate to countries where they have relatives and wish to come to
Europe of the United States, Tavtyan said.

Armenia is not prepared to welcome a large-scale migration due to
effects of global economic crisis currently being felt in the country,
Tavtyan said. However, the Armenian government is doing its best to
support immigrants from Syria and individuals have also opened their
homes to Syrian Armenians, he said.

Before the migration began, the number of Armenians in Syria was
estimated to be about 100,000. A great majority of Syrian Armenians
are concerned about the collapse of the current regime in Syria due
to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s moderate policies toward the
Christian population. They are also concerned that they will not be
able to return to their country.

Many people must now reach Armenia via land transportation, because
there are no vacant seats available on Armenian Airlines flights until
September. Tickets on these flights cost $650, which is difficult
for many families to afford, Tavtyan said.

From: Baghdasarian

PAP NOMINATED SAMVEL BALASANYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 23:21:12 – 19/07/2012

The Prosperous Armenia Party will nominate Member of Parliament
Samvel Balasanyan for mayor of Gyumri. The PAP political board made
this decision today.

The secretary of the PAP parliamentary group Naira Zohrabyan said
the decision was made after a survey of public opinion in Gyumri. The
survey found that Samvel Balasanyan is the most popular among their
possible candidates, namely Member of Parliament Martun Grigoryan and
the president of the Pedagogical College of Gyumri Vardevan Grigoryan.

Naira Zohrabyan, however, did not comment on the meeting of Samvel
Balasanyan with Serzh Sargsyan in the president’s office. Zohrabyan
said she did not know about the meeting and asked to inquire from
Samvel Balasanyan.

From: Baghdasarian

ACTIVISTS DEMAND TO ORGANIZE THE RETURN OF SYRIAN ARMENIANS
Karen Ghazaryan

“Radiolur”
19.07.2012 16:51

A group of young people held an act of protest in front of the
Government building today. Participants say many Syrian Armenian
families want to return to the Motherland, while the Armenian
authorities take no practical steps in that direction.

The participants handed letters to Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan,
the Ministers of Diaspora and Foreign Affairs.

The protesters insist that no steps are being taken to help Syrian
Armenians return home. Furthermore, artificial obstacles are being
created like the rise of air ticket prices. They demand to properly
organize the return of Syrian Armenians.

Member of the central body of “Hayazn” Union David Khosrovyan – one
of the organizers of the action – noted that Syrian Armenians should
be provided privileged conditions to make their integration easier.

From: Baghdasarian

KOCHARYAN: “TURKISH AUTHORITIES HAVE NO MORAL RIGHT TO TEACH LESSONS TO NKR”

16:08 . 19/07

RA NA Deputy Speaker Shavarsh Kocharyan answered Turkey’s statement
connected with the presidential elections in the NKR.

The Turkish authorities, which deny the Armenian Genocide
in their country, have no moral right to teach lessons to the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and the Republic of Armenia, and that with
false interpretation of the decisions of the UN Security Council and
the OSCE principles.

“Turkey can satisfy its great desire to give such lessons by persuading
itself not to organize elections in and to pull out troops from the
northern part of Cyprus. And if being guided by Azerbaijan’s interests
by Turkey is not false, it is a good opportunity for Turkey to propose
Azerbaijan to learn lessons of organizing democratic elections
and of establishing a state based on democratic values from the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic,” Kocharyan has said.

From: Baghdasarian