Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION THE COMPLICATED RELATIONS OF ARMENIA WITH AZERBAIJAN AND TURKEY, SETTING UP OF A SINGLE SECURITY SYSTEM IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS IS ABSOLUTELY UNREALISTIC

arminfo
Friday, July 13, 20:11

At present stage, taking into consideration the complicated relations
of Armenia with Azerbaijan and Turkey, setting up of a single
security system in the South Caucasus is absolutely unrealistic,
representative of National Institute for Strategic Studies under
the president of Ukraine, Anna Shelest, told Arminfo correspondent
within the frames of the project of the Investigation centre “Region”
(Armenia)”Security of South Caucasus countries and NATO”.

“Security system does not only mean membership in any organization. It
is an instrument which may be effective and at the same time absolutely
senseless. The security system should consist of international
and legal machinery for settlement of relations in this sphere; the
multilateral and bilateral cooperation of the countries of the region;
measures of trust; absence of conflicts between the countries; the
collective measures for providing security; coordination of actions
and information exchange and many other things which are not available
in the South Caucasus”, – she said.

She also added one should not unite all the three countries of the
region as all of them have different tasks. Thus, in fact Azerbaijan
and Armenia have been upgrading their armies and do not pay the needed
attention to direct reforming of the armed forces. For instance, in
Azerbaijan this happens first of all because they do not want to see
civilians in the board of the Defence ministry, and to demonstrate
transparency of the budget of the ministry – which is NATO’s demand.

“Formally, the Defence Ministry explains it by the fact that Azerbaijan
is in war against Armenia. But at the same time the army forming has
been taking place according to the NATO standards, as they are more
effective, plus cooperation with Turkey – NATO member-state.

As for Georgia, here the defence restructuring was a part of the
general reform of the security sector, which was provided by the
support from the side of NATO, the USA, the Great Britain, France,
Germany and Turkey”, – the Ukrainian expert concluded.

From: Baghdasarian

SERBIAN DIRECTOR PRESENTS FILM ABOUT CUBA AT GOLDEN APRICOT

news.am
July 13, 2012 | 16:36

YEREVAN.- Serbian director Goran Radovanovic said he wants to shoot
a film about Armenia.

The director is in Yerevan to present his With Fedel Whatever Happens
documentary at the 9th Golden Apricot International Film Festival.

Talking to reporters on Friday he first of all noted presence of
Mormons in Armenia.

“I didn’t know you have Mormons. Why do Armenians, having centuries-old
Christian tradition, need Mormons. I would like to make a film about
it,” he emphasized.

Radovanovic said his film is depicting the life of common Cubans in an
ironical manner and is not aimed at solving political problems. The
director stressed that his own communist past helped him ponder over
the Cuban society.

In his documentary Serbian director tried to show what he calls
“communism under palm trees” touching upon three main problems –
limitation of movement, fear for system and huge difference between
the declared values and reality.

“Anyway my film is not about politics, it is about life. I am not
criticizing, I am only mocking,” he said.

Goran Radovanovic is a member of the European Film Academy.

From: Baghdasarian

NEWLY APPOINTED BELGIUM AMBASSADOR PRESENTED HIS CREDENTIALS TO SERZH SARGSYAN

ARMENPRESS
13 July, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JULY 13, ARMENPRESS: The President of the Republic of
Armenia Serzh Sargsyan received the credentials of the newly appointed
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Guy Trouveroy (residence
in Moscow).

As the Presidential press service briefed Armenpress, the head of the
coutry congratulated the Ambassador on assuming office and wished all
the success. Serzh Sargsyan noted with gratitude that Armenian-Belgian
relations are at a high level, and Armenia is concerned in deepening
those relations with EU founder member state.

President Sargsyan thanked Belgium government and the people for the
support shown since 20 years of independence as well as the friendly
attitude shown towards the Belgium Armenian community. Serzh Sargsyan
spoke with respect about our compatriot genocide survivors, whose
generations currently make the core of Belgium Armenian community for
providing asylum and living conditions. The President also stressed
that Armenia and the Armenian people high estimate the fact of
recognizing Armenian Genocide by Belgium.

Ambassador Guy Trouveroy attached great importance to the repair of
bilateral relations and the role of the Armenian community, emphasizing
that due to that community Belgium people refer with sympathy to the
rich history and culture of Armenian people.

During the meeting both sides stressed the importance of international
organizations and the development of Armenian-Belgian cooperation
within the frame of EU Eastern Partnership program.

From: Baghdasarian

ANC: RPA HAS SOMETHING TO CONCEAL IN DOCTOR’S HARSNAKAR DEATH PROBE

PanARMENIAN.Net July 13, 2012 – 15:14 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian National Congress (ANC) opposition bloc
parliamentary group leader Levon Zurabyan met with the head of the
ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) parliamentary group Glust
Sahakyan, suggesting for RPA to convene a special sitting to probe
the beating death of Major Vahe Avetyan at Harsnakar restaurant.

“If RPA and President Serzh Sargsyan are interested in transparent
investigation into the case and weren’t aiming at hushing it up,
the special sitting would be in order,” Zurabyan said.

“However, I got a refusal, which means they definitely have something
to conceal,” Zurabyan stressed.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT NOT READY TO RECEIVE ARMENIANS FROM RUSSIAN KRASNODAR

news.am
July 13, 2012 | 01:09

YEREVAN. – The Armenian Government is not ready to do two vital things:
raise the prices of wheat and host flows of Armenians suffered as
a result of the flooding in Krasnodar, Russia, MP from Armenian
Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun (ARFD) Artsvik Manukyan told
Armenian News-NEWS.am.

He also mentioned that currently he is not as worried about the
possible price increases on wheat as he is worried about the possible
inflow of people from not only Krasnodar but also other troubled
regions like Syria.

“Our Government must be ready for it. However, judging from the
current behavior the Government is not ready to approach the matter
appropriately,” he said.

From: Baghdasarian

UKRAINIAN ARMENIANS’ UNION PRESENTS CULTURAL, HISTORICAL PROJECT

news.am
July 13, 2012 | 09:57

KIEV. – The “Ukraine: Armenians” project, which is a book to
be published, will present in a wholly new way the cultural and
historical legacy of the Armenians of Ukraine. Professor, Candidate
of Philosophical Sciences, and Ukraine’s Armenian cultural personality
Oleg Gabrielyan told this to Analitika.at.ua.

In the words of Gabrielyan, who is the person behind this project,
the aforesaid book features an innovative approach. And the Armenians’
history in Ukraine is portrayed as a part of the road of the people
and of their culture.

“Life in the diaspora has become an important part of the Armenians’
everyday living. Numerous Armenian communities in many countries
not only have proved their vitality-by being able to preserve and
multiply the national way of life and culture-, but also have created
new phenomena of their culture,” said Oleg Gabrielyan.

From: Baghdasarian

SOUTH CAUCASUS NEEDS COORDINATED PROGRAMS OF DONOR COUNTRIES: ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR TO UN

ARMENPRESS
13 July, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JULY 13, ARMENPRESS: In the Security Council of UN on July
12 took place a discussion dedicated to peace building theme in post
conflict period. Security Council reverberates to mentioned theme
once a year during which the mechanisms of restoring and implementing
peace building processes for the societies and countries involved in
it are studied including the works of peace building committee of UN.

Armenpress was informed from Media, information and public relations
department of Armenian Foreign affairs ministry that in the session
took part and had a speech Secretary General of UN, representatives
of almost 30 member-countries of the organization, including Armenian
ambassador to UN Karen Nazaryan. Calling the international experience
in different parts of the world Armenian ambassador mentioned that
cooperation programs in economic sphere can be considered measures
of strengthening confidence even in case when the sides conduct
negotiations on settlement.

Ambassador Nazaryan also mentioned that South Caucasus needs
coordinated regional programs of donor countries and international
finance organizations in order to encourage the efforts directed to
stable development.

From: Baghdasarian

HRANT BAGRATYAN: “WHY DOES PREMIER MEDDLE?

11:10 am | Today | Economy

Armenian MP Hrant Bagratyan held a regular meeting with his voters
at Liberty Square in Yerevan on July 12.

One of the attendees asked the former prime minister about the true
price of gas. “Now they say it costs $ 150, then $230. We do not know
whom to believe,” he said.

“The price of gas is $406, but as [Minister of Energy and Natural
Resources] Armen Movsiyan [whom I do not like at all] says, we
are given gas at $ 180 or 230… but I do believe that man goes to
Russians and says you can increase the tariffs. He flatters Russians
to receive remuneration,” said Hrant Bagratyan.

He is surprised when Minister Movsiyan says the tariffs are being
agreed upon with Russia, and the issue is still under consideration.

“I wonder what connection he (Movisiyan) has with gas. Why should he
negotiate the price with Russia? Why should he or the prime minister
meddle at all? Why does the President go and ask Russia to reduce
the price? There is not need to go to anyone,” said Mr. Bagratyan.

From: Baghdasarian

OZCAN ALPER: TURKEY IS LIKE AN APARTMENT BUILDING, IN WHICH ALL DOORS ARE LOCKED

arminfo
Friday, July 13, 00:09

Turkey is like an apartment building, in which all doors are locked,
film director Ozcan Alper (Turkey) said at today’s press conference
in Yerevan.

Ozcan Alper has brought his latest film “Future Lasts Forever” to
IX Golden Apricot International Film Festival. The film raises the
problems of the Kurds living in Turkey. Despite this acute topic for
the Government, the film has received the following awards: Best Actor,
Best Music, Best Cinematography (Golden Boll IFF, Adana, Turkey, 2011);
Best Film, SIYAD (Turkish Film Critics Association) Awards; Best Film
(Malatia IFF, 2011); Best Director, Best Film, Best Music (Festival
on Wheels, Ankara, 2011); FIPRESCI Award (Kerala IFF, 2011); Special
Mention (Festival International de Cinema de Asia de Vesoul, 2012).

Alper thinks that Turkey resembles an apartment building with all its
doors locked. As soon as a problem arises, the door of an apartment is
simply locked. “It was in 1915 during the Armenian Genocide, in 1925
during the rebellion of Kurds, in the 1930s when Turkey was cooperating
with Nazi Germany, during the years of the World War II, when the taxes
affected first of all the national minorities, as well as during the
massacres of the 1950s”, he said. In the meantime, he said that the
situation in the country has a bit changed over the past few years,
and one can raise certain issues more openly. “For instance, 15 years
ago I could not shoot the film “Future Lasts Forever”, he said.

Ozcan Alper (born 1975, Hopa, Artvin, Turkey) is a Turkish director and
screenwriter of Armenian descent. He studied Physics and History of
Science at Istanbul University. He participated in cinema workshops
in Mesopotamia Culture Center and Nazim Culture House between
1996-2000. Since 1997 he has been working as assistant director and
production manager on a variety of productions. He directed short
fiction and documentaries. His feature debut, Autumn, won awards
at Locarno, Tbilisi, Sofia, Ankara IFF, as well Jury Special Prize
and FIPRESCI Prize at Yerevan Golden Apricot IFF. He has shot the
following films: Momi (2001), Voyage in the Time with a Scientist
(2004), Rhapsody and Melancholy in Tokai City (2005), Autumn (2008),
Future Lasts Forever (2011).

From: Baghdasarian

NO PASSPORTS FOR SYRIAN ARMENIANS
Ruzan Hovhannisyan

13/07/2012

Invited by the ministry of Diaspora, many young Armenians from Diaspora
are currently in Armenia to attend the school of young Armenian
Diaspora leaders. The first impressions of the young Armenians from
all over the world are not positive.

A young Armenian from Syria is surprised seeing the protests and the
cries of mothers of killed soldiers in front of the governmental
house. The Syrian-Armenian says they are worried with the bad
social-economic situation of Armenia and the high emigration rate. As
they can see, people have no job so they leave the country.

The young Armenian from Syria Palik Azarkyan notes since the situation
in Syria is tense, the number of Syrian-Armenians leaving for Armenia
has sharply increased. But the flights to Armenia are no rare that
everyone can’t get a ticket.

There is one more problem: Armenians from Syria who come here want
to have double citizenship and have an Armenian passport. While,
there is the passport issue. They say there should be real positive
facts about Armenia for the Diaspora youth to return.

Member of the Pashkovski Armenian cultural center of Krasnodar,
Arthur Tashchyan is surprised at the bad acceptance by the Armenian
youths. He says they feel foreigners here.

According to Taschyan, in order to eliminate this feeling of
foreigners, the state has much to do. He thinks the reason for such a
bad behavior of the Armenians is the hard social-economic conditions,
since they are jealous towards the Diaspora, but they don’t know that
it is not because the life was great so we spread all over the world,
he says.

The young professor says he is ready to start working in Armenia
since September, he says he is willing to return, but he wonders what
conditions could be offered to him as a young professional.

Artur and his friends are going to launch volunteer activities to help
border vulnerable families of bolder villages, Artsakh and Javakhk.

Artur notes that if the Armenian authorities don’t hinder, many
Diaspora representatives will invest in Armenia.

Arin Ghazaryan from Beirut says that being in Armenia for only 2 weeks,
he has already understood it is hard to live and work here.

From: Baghdasarian