Author: Bedik Zaminian

Quatre soldats turcs tués dans une attaque de rebelles kurdes

TURQUIE

samedi1er mai 2010, par Stéphane/armenews
Quatre soldats turcs ont été tués et au moins sept autres blessés dans
l’attaque d’un poste de commandement militaire de l’est de la Turquie,
dans la nuit de vendredi à samedi, apprend-on de source proche des
services de sécurité turcs.

Des séparatistes du PKK (Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan, hors la
loi) ont donné l’assaut vendredi soir à partir de 23h00 locales, dans
les montagnes de la province de Tunceli.

Le commandant du poste figure au nombre des morts. Le brouillard dense
qui s’étend sur la région et la pluie qui tombait gênaient samedi les
opérations de l’armée pour retrouver les assaillants.

Le PKK, dont les combattants sont basés pour l’essentiel dans le nord
de l’Irak, ont pris les armes contre l’Etat turc en 1984. Le conflit
séparatiste a fait depuis lors plus de 40.000 morts.

IZYUM CITY COUNCIL CANCELS ITS DECISION ON RECOGNITION OF SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

APA
April 1 2010
Azerbaijan

Rahim Humbatov: It is high time to struggle on the international
level for the cancellation of the decisions on the recognition of
the so-called Armenian genocide

Crimea – APA. Izyum City Council of Khrakov province cancelled its
decision passed on the eve of the New Year on the recognition of the
so-called Armenian genocide. Head of Crimea Azerbaijanis community
Rahim Humbatov told APA that the City Council passed the decision
at the next session. Mayor of Izyum sent letters about it to head of
Crimea Azerbaijanis community Rahim Humbatov and Crimea organization
of Ukrainian Azerbaijanis’ congress. Rahim Humbatov said they worked
much to achieve the cancellation of the decision on the recognition
of the so-called Armenian genocide.

"This decision contradicted Ukraine’s legislation, local authorities
have no right to pass such a decision. We also appealed to Izyum
prosecutor’s office for giving legal assessment to the decision of the
Izyum City Council. After long struggle we achieved the cancellation
of the illegal and unfair decision. It is high time to struggle on
the international level for the cancellation of the decisions on
the recognition of the so-called Armenian genocide. There are enough
grounds for this," he said.

This is the first case in the world when the decision on the
recognition of the so-called Armenian genocide was cancelled.

AMBER CHESS: ARONIAN RUNS 9TH, IVANCHUK LEADS

Panorama.am
15:13 22/03/2010

Sport

In Round 7 of Amber Tournament underway in Nice, France, Armenian GM
Levon Aronian won against the former world champion Vladimir Kramnik
in the rapid while lost to him in the blindfold game.

In Round 8 the Armenian GM ended in draw both sets with Boris Gelfand.

So, in two rounds Levon Aronian scored 2 and now runs 9th with 7
points. Gashimov and Svidler have scored 1,5 points more than Aronian
and rank 7-8th. The leader is Ivanchuk with 11 points.

Round 7

Blindfold

Kramnik – Aronian 1:0 Gelfand – Smeets 0,5:0,5 Gashimov – Carlsen 1:0
Grischuk – Ivanchuk 0,5:0,5 Dominguez – Svidler 0,5:0,5 Ponomariov –
Karjakin 0:1

Round 8

Blindfold

Svidler – Ponomariov 1:0 Karjakin – Grischuk 0:1 Ivanchuk – Dominguez
0,5:0,5 Smeets – Gashimov 0,5:0,5 Carlsen – Kramnik 0:1 Aronian –
Gelfand 0,5:0,5

Kramnik – Aronian 1:0

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. e3 a6 5. Nc3 d5 6. cxd5 exd5 7. g3 Bg4
8. Bg2 cxd4 9. exd4 Bb4 10. O-O O-O 11. h3 Be6 12. Ne5 Bxc3 13. bxc3
Qc8 14. g4 Qxc3 15. Rb1 Nc6 16. Rb3 Qa5 17. Rxb7 Nxe5 18. dxe5 Ne4 19.

f4 Nc3 20. Qd2 d4 21. f5 Bc4 22. Re1 Qxa2 23. Rb2 Qa1 24. f6 1:0.

Aronian – Gelfand 0,5:0,5

1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Qa4+ Nbd7 6. Qxc4 c5 7.

O-O b6 8. d4 Bb7 9. Rd1 cxd4 10. Bg5 Be7 11. Nxd4 Bxg2 12. Kxg2 Qc8
13. Nd2 h6 14. Bxf6 Bxf6 15. Rac1 Qb7+ 16. N2f3 O-O 17. Qc6 Qxc6 18.

Nxc6 Nc5 19. b4 Rfc8 20. Nfd4 e5 21. Nb3 Rxc6 22. bxc5 Rac8 23. Rd6
bxc5 24. Rxc6 Rxc6 25. Rxc5 Rxc5 26. Nxc5 Be7 27. Nd3 e4 28. Ne5 f6
29. Nc6 Bc5 30. Nd8 Bb6 31. Nb7 f5 32. Nd6 g6 33. f3 exf3+ 34. Kxf3
Kg7 1/2:1/2.

Standings

1. Grischuk-6 2. Carlsen-5 3. Ivanchuk-5 4. Gelfand-4,5 5. Karjakin-4,5
6. Kramnik-4,5 7. Gashimov-4 8. Svidler-4 9. Aronian-3 10. Ponomariov-3
11. Smeets-3 12. Dominguez-1,5

Round 7

Rapid

Aronian – Kramnik 1:0 Smeets – Gelfand 0:1 Carlsen – Gashimov
0,5:0,5 Ivanchuk – Grischuk 1:0 Svidler – Dominguez 1:0 Karjakin –
Ponomariov 1:0

Round 8

Rapid

Ponomariov – Svidler 1:0 Grischuk – Karjakin 0,5:0,5 Dominguez –
Ivanchuk 0,5:0,5 Gashimov – Smeets 1:0 Kramnik – Carlsen 0,5:0,5
Gelfand – Aronian 0,5:0,5

Aronian – Kramnik 1:0

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 O-O 5. Bd3 c5 6. Nf3 b6 7. d5 exd5
8. cxd5 h6 9. e4 Nxe4 10. Bxe4 Bxc3+ 11. bxc3 Re8 12. Nd2 f5 13. O-O
fxe4 14. c4 d6 15. Bb2 Qg5 16. f3 Bh3 17. Qe2 e3 18. Ne4 Qg6 19. a4
Nd7 20. Ra3 Ne5 21. Kh1 Nxc4 22. gxh3 Rxe4 23. Rg1 Qh5 24. Rxg7+ Kf8
25. Rh7 Nxb2 26. Rxe3 Rxe3 27. Qxe3 Kg8 28. Rxh6 Qf5 29. Rh4 Nd3 30.

Rg4+ Kf7 31. Re4 Qxd5 32. Re7+ Kf8 33. Rh7 Kg8 34. Rc7 Nf2+ 35. Qxf2
Kf8 36. Qe3 Qd1+ 37. Kg2 Qc2+ 38. Kg3 Qg6+ 39. Kh4 Qf6+ 40. Qg5 Qxg5+
41. Kxg5 d5 42. f4 d4 43. f5 Re8 44. Kf6 d3 45. Rf7+ Kg8 46. Rg7+
Kh8 47. Rd7 c4 48. Kf7 Rc8 49. f6 c3 50. Rd4 Rc7+ 51. Kg6 1:0.

Gelfand – Aronian 0,5:0,5

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. e3 Bg7 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. Nxd5 Qxd5 7.

Ne2 O-O 8. Nc3 Qd8 9. Be2 c6 10. O-O e5 11. dxe5 Bxe5 12. e4 Qxd1 13.

Rxd1 Be6 14. f4 Bc7 15. Be3 Nd7 16. Rac1 Bb6 17. Kf2 Nf6 18. h3 h5 19.

Bf3 Rfd8 20. e5 Ne8 21. b3 f6 22. Na4 Rxd1 23. Rxd1 fxe5 24. fxe5 Ng7
25. g4 hxg4 26. hxg4 Rf8 27. Ke2 Bc7 28. Nc5 Bc8 29. Nd7 Rd8 30. Nf6+
Kf7 31. Rxd8 Bxd8 32. Bxa7 Bc7 33. Bd4 Ne6 34. Bb2 Ng5 35. Bg2 Ke6 36.

Ne4 Nf7 37. Nd6 1/2:1/2:

Standing

1. Ivanchuk 6 2. Carlsen 5 3. Gelfand 5 4. Kramnik 5 5. Svidler
4½ 6. Karjakin 4½ 7. Gashimov 4½ 8. Aronian 4 9. Ponomariov 3½
10. Grischuk 3 11. Dominguez 2 12. Smeets 1

Final Standing

1. Ivanchuk 11 2. Carlsen 10 3. Kramnik 9.5 4. Gelfand 9.5 5. Grischuk
9 6. Karjakin 9 7. Gashimov 8.5 8. Svidler 8.5 9. Aronian 7
10. Ponomariov 6.5 11. Smeets 4 12. Dominguez 3.5

AMBASSADOR CALLS FOR HIGH WYCOMBE TO GET ARMENIAN TWIN
By Lawrence Dunhill

Bucks Free Press
ssador_calls_for_Wycombe_to_get_Armenian_twin/
Feb 17 2010
UK

THE ARMENIAN ambassador last night called for High Wycombe to be
‘twinned’ with two towns in his homeland.

He was visiting an exhibition of children’s art and ‘illuminated
manuscripts’ from the former Soviet Union republic, at High Wycombe
library, set up by the Chiltern Armenian Society.

The society was founded in 2003 and has been trying to forge links
with towns Igevan and Dilidjan with a view to getting a formal
twinning agreement.

The towns are known for furniture production as well as forestry and
nearby fauna.

His excellency Vahe Gabrielyan told the Bucks Free Press: "There’s a
small but very vibrant Armenian community here in Wycombe and we’ve
already signed a linkage agreement between the three towns.

"We see that there are special values that we share and common spheres
of interest.

"We have to come up with several projects like this exhibition before
twinning can happen, but we believe we can succeed."

Foremr mayor of High Wycombe Liaquat Ali visited Armenia in 2005 and
deputy mayor, Muhammad Abdul-Karim, welcomed the ambassador yesterday
and praised the Chiltern Armenian Society.

He said: "The work the society is doing is excellent and I’m in full
support of these events taking place."

But he said he was "not sure" about twinning the towns because High
Wycombe is already twinned with Kelkheim in Germany.

Errol Baker, the chairman of High Wycombe Twinning Association,
attended and said he would talk to members about the idea.

Odette Bazil, chairman of the Chiltern Armenian Society, said: "There
are a lot of similarities between the towns but British people know
very little about Armenia.

She moved to Britain 50 years ago and wants Britons to find out more
about her homeland, which is bordered by Turkey, Azerbaijan, Georgia
and Iran and is about the size of Wales.

Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its state
religion in 301 AD. Its parliament was formed and a constitution
drawn up in 1995 after 70 years of Soviet rule.

Former health minister Lord Darzi is of Armenian Christian origin
and is a member of the Chiltern Armenian Society.

There are about 18,000 Armenians in the UK.

EUROPEAN ARMENIANS’ LETTER TO DAVUTOGLU
By Hovik Afyan

AZG DAILY
11-02-2010

International

Forum of Armenian Associations of Europe addresses an open letter
to the Foreign Minister of Turkey, Ahmet Davutoglu saying, "During
the two presentations you gave in London this January, in answer to
the questions put forward to you by the representative of the Forum
of Armenian Associations of Europe (FAAE), you stated twice that
Turkey was not prepared to ratify the Turkey-Armenia protocols if
Armenians did not give up their campaign for the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide of 1915 and return to Azerbaijan the territories
liberated by blood during the war. Thus, the very fact numerous
Armenian organisations in Europe and around the world pointed out –
i.e. that despite the fact that Armenia respecting the agreement
did not incorporate any preconditions within the protocols, whereas
Turkey breaching the agreement will attempt to create preconditions
both for the Genocide as well as an issue between a third country
and Armenia – has today turned out to be accurate. Hence Turkey
is not prepared to stop the blockade of the Armenian border and is
not prepared to establish good relations as a normal neighbour and
a country adhering to European standards and thus resolve problems
accumulated over a century with its important neighbour. Meanwhile,
Turkey presents itself as a country following the path to democracy
with great ambitions having taking upon itself the important role of
resolving many of the key issues in the region". "…if Turkey does
not ratify the Armenian-Turkish protocols in the next few weeks,
the international community will objectively assess that fact and
the European Armenian organisations will enhance even further their
struggle for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by more and
more countries, thus enlarging the geography of countries that have
recognised the Armenian Genocide. What is more, the FAAE will review
its position on Turkey’s accession to the EU and will take a firm
decision against it", the letter stated.

But one thing is unclear – why the European Armenians’ organizations
continue their traditions of blackmailing Turkey with the Armenian
Genocide and what prevents them, and not only them, from widening
the geography of the genocide’s internationalization parallel to
the Armenian-Turkish processes, when the dialogue between the two
countries may set up a base for it.

SAAKASHVILI BETTER MIND HIS OWN BUSINESS: TOROSYAN

news.am
Dec 23 2009
Armenia

Let Saakashvili mind his own country territorial problems and
not meddle in others’ conflicts, RA National Assembly MP and the
chairman of Javakhk Compatriotic Union Shirak Torosyan told NEWS.am
correspondent, commenting on Georgian President’s statement that
Karabakhi conflict should be settled with respect for Azerbaijani
state sovereignty and Armenia-Turkey relations’ to be coordinated
with Azerbaijan.

"It’d be better for Saakashvili to obtain the Georgian national
minority rights respect to evade ethnic conflicts", said Torosyan,
underlining that the Karabakhi conflict was settled long ago — in
1991, when NKR gained independence trough national referendum. "I
should emphasize that Karabakh shed blood for its independence
and no one has the right to usurp upon it. Raising a question of
NKR territorial integrity, the Georgian President shouldn’t try to
create favorable ground for his own territorial conflicts settlement,"
the MP stated.

"As for the statement on Armenia-Turkey normalization process should
consider Baku’s interests, I can state that Tbilisi is interested in
establishment of relations between the two countries and consequently,
Armenia-Turkey border opening, as in that case Georgia will lose
transit control over Armenia," Torosyan said.

YEREVAN MAYOR RECEIVES LETTER OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

Tert
Oct 30 2009
Armenia

Yerevan city mayor Gagik Beglaryan welcomed guests from the 2nd
SunChild International Environmental Film Festival on October 29.

While speaking to the guests, Beglaryan noted that though Armenia
adopted the Aarhus Convention which protects the right of all people to
a healthy environment, the public’s attention on environmental issues,
as well as their participation in environmental decision-making,
is somewhat lacking.

Yerevan’s mayor placed importance on cooperation with SunChild festival
Golden Partner Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural
Assets in the Republic of Armenia (FPWC): already there are suggestions
whose implementation, as well as cooperation with the organization,
will promote the population to be more compassionate towards the
surrounding environment alongside planting greenery in Yerevan.

SunChild festival organizing committee submitted a letter of
acknowledgement, printed on recycled paper, to Yerevan’s city mayor
for supporting the festival. In fact, in Yerevan’s city hall, they
are already discussing long-term projects to recycle waste materials,
into paper in particular, which will contribute to resolving numerous
municipal issues, including waste disposal, informs Yerevan city
hall’s information and public relations department.

AMERIABANK PLANNING ISSUE OF CORPORATE BONDS HEDGING FOREIGN EXCHANGE RISKS

ArmInfo
2009-07-22 15:12:00

ArmInfo. Ameriabank is planning an issue of corporate bonds hedging
foreign exchange risks by means of financial instruments at the end
of the year, Ameriabank Director for Development Tigran Jrbashyan told
media on Wednesday. The issue will total several billion drams and the
yield will be commensurately to the yield in the market at that moment.

T. Jrbashyan said the issue terms are connected with the activity
of issuers and investors in the capital market of Armenia expected
at the end of the year. In addition, he forecasts that interests
rates in the market will be reduced as CB reduced refinancing rate
and regulators are implementing refinancing programs. All this will
encourage emitters to issue new corporate bonds.

As regards the possible adoption of a law allowing issue of debt
securities in freely convertible currency, T. Jrbashyan said there is
deferred demand in the debt market of Armenia by corporate emitters
for issue of bonds.

‘Adoption of the given law will have an explosive effect leading to a
great number of new issues that were postponed influenced by certain
external and internal factors. The law is likely to be adopted which
will attract the interest of investors and boost financial flows’,
he said.

THE WORLD’S MOST DELICIOUS FESTIVAL, MOVIES AND APRICOTS

Hurriyet

July 10 2009
Turkey

ISTANBUL – Turkish directors are in Armenian capital of Yerevan to
attend the International Golden Apricot Film Festival, which will
be organized for the sixth time this year. Directors from all around
the world will gather around the theme of ‘Directors Across Borders’

One after another, renowned international festivals are rolling into
the region this summer. This July, the big festival destination is
the Armenian capital, Yerevan. Between July 12 and 19, more than 110
films from 65 countries, including Turkey, will be shown during the
6th International Vosge Zsiran (Golden Apricot) Film Festival.

One of the most comprehensive film festivals in the Caucasus, the
international festival bears the name apricot, one of the symbols
of Armenia.

Speaking to the Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Review, the festival’s
program director Michael Stampolsyan and press representative Seda
Papoyan provided information about the festival.

Papoyan said many national and international festivals are organized
in Yerevan in the spring and summer, and added that the city was
ready to be painted the color of apricots and welcome its guests in
July once again.

This year the festival will also feature renowned directors Rob
Nilsson (United States), Jerzy Skolimowski (Poland) and Kohei Oguri
(Japan). Atom Egoyan and his actress wife, Arsineh Khanjan, are also
expected to attend this year’s festival.

In previous years, the festival hosted many other celebrated directors,
including Atom Egoyan (Canada), Wim Wenders (Germany), Abbas Kiarostami
(Iran), Catherine Breillat (France), Nikita Mikhalkov (Russia) and
Goran Paskelevic (Serbia).

Apricots will be blessed

The opening film of the festival will be French director Laurent Tuel’s
"Le Premier Cercle" (The First Circle), starring Jean Reno.

As in previous years, Armenia’s newly harvested apricots will be
blessed during special church ceremonies before the opening of
the festival. In addition to apricots, grapes are also blessed in
churches during the grape harvest in Armenian tradition. Every year,
on the second Sunday of August, grapes are blessed during celebrations
organized for the memory of the Virgin Mary, which are also honored
by the tradition of fasting. The celebrations go back to pre-Christian
times.

Turkish and Armenian directors have been producing common projects for
some time, with mutual filming sessions held in both countries. This
collaboration has been seen at festivals in both Turkey and Armenia.

Turkish films met with Armenian audiences for the first time last
year at the Golden Apricot Festival. This year, the festival will
welcome a Turkish director again, Ozcan Alper, and his film "Sonbahar"
(Autumn). Among thse that were released last year, the film won
a number of national and international awards, such as the Art &
Essay CICAE Prize at the International Locarno Film Festival.

Stampolsyan said examples of Turkish cinema would not only be limited
to Alper’s film, adding that films from contemporary Turkish cinema
would also be screened under the section titled "Directors Across
Borders." "Eniz Rıza from Turkey will be among the jury members of
documentary films," he said.

Papoyan said the festival had many sections. He said films from French,
German, Dutch and Czech cinema would be shown under the titled "One
Day in Europe."

Another attraction at the festival will be "Arabian Nights." Papoyan
said this section would present the masters of Arabian cinema to
the audience. According to Stampolsyan, the most special part of
the festival is the one that is dedicated to the 85th birthday of
Russian director with Armenian origin Sergey Parajanov. The section
will screen the director’s films. There will also be workshops and
panels as part of the festival.

PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA MEETS KALININGRAD GOVERNOR

armradio.am
17.06.2009 18:35

President Serzh Sargsyan today received the Governor of the Russian
Kaliningrad region, Georgy Boss.

President Sargsyan appreciated the dynamic development of the strategic
relations between Armenia and Russia and emphasized the importance
of reinforcement of direct ties and expansion of cooperation between
territorial administrative units of the two countries.

Governor Boss stressed the traditionally friendly Armenian-Russian
relations, which are reinforcing and developing year by year. Noting
that many Armenians live in Kaliningrad region, Georgi Boss said they
are fully integrated into the life of the region, have their school,
church, a cultural center is being constructed.

President Sargsyan noted with gratitude that all the conditions had
been created for our compatriots to be able to preserve their language
and culture.