Author: Boshkezenian Garik

Secretary General of the Olympic Committee of Armenia Hrachya Rostomyan today announced the names of the sportsmen that will participate in the inaugural European Games in Baku from June 12 to 28.
Arman Yeremyan – taekwondo
Hrachik Babayan – shooting
Tigran Kirakosyan – sambo
Ashot Danielyan – sambo
Sose Balasanyan – sambo
Hovhannes Davtyan – judo
David Nikoghosyan – judo
Zhanna Stankevich – judo
Artyom Alexanyan – boxing
Narek Abgaryan – boxing
Aram Avagyan – boxing
Samvel Barseghyan – boxing
Hovhannes Bachkov – boxing
Nikol Arutyunov – boxing
Garik Barseghyan – free-style wrestling
David Safaryan – free-style wrestling
Musa Murtazaliyev – free-style wrestling
Levan Berianidze – free-style wrestling
Grigor Grigoryan – free-style wrestling
Volodya Frangulyan – free-style wrestling
Roman Amoyan – Greco-Roman wrestling
Karapet Chalyan – Greco-Roman wrestling
Maxim Manukyan – Greco-Roman wrestling
Mihran Harutyunyan – Greco-Roman wrestling

Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria have seized the ancient city of Palmyra and have entered the site containing prized ruins, reports say, the BBC reports.

The Syrian Observatory monitoring group says there are no reports yet of any destruction of artefacts.

It says IS also controls the nearby air base, prison and intelligence HQ. Syria has admitted it has pulled pro-government troops out of the city.

IS has previously demolished ancient sites in Iraq that pre-date Islam.

Co-ordination between different players to prevent crime among youth and children is the main focus of a roundtable discussion organized today by the Children’s Support Centre, the Police and the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

It aims to introduce the newly developed Guide on organizations which provide social services to children and their families and launch a new project to work on the development of juvenile crime prevention strategy.  The guide is based on mapping of all social services in the country and includes information on 236 public organizations, 23 foundations, 3 associations and 10 services provided by 8 church units.

“We very much hope that this initiative will be useful and instrumental for the child protection and welfare specialists in joining and doubling their efforts in strengthening the protection of the rights and best interests of a child, which forms an essential part of the OSCE Human Dimension Commitments acknowledged by the OSCE participating States,” said Lilian Salaru, Acting Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan. He said that close partnerships including families, schools and communities will be vital in developing juvenile crime prevention strategy in Armenia consistent with child-friendly justice standards.

The event brought together representatives from various state and non-state institutions including police forces, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, National Assembly Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs, Child Protection Units of the municipalities, regional administrations and civil society, which deal with juvenile crimes.

Mira Antonyan, the Executive Director of the Children’s Support Center, said: “We would like to call on our partners and all stakeholders to co-operate in the framework of the new project which strives to assist the efforts of the state bodies aimed at development of juvenile crime prevention”.

 

The roundtable follows a series of forums held last year in different regions of Armenia by the Children’s Support Center Foundation with the support of the OSCE Office in Yerevan to ensure better co-ordination and closer cooperation among different state and non-state agencies dealing with juvenile offenders.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing $4 million for a pilot project which will enable Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, to modernise its street lighting system by introducing new energy-efficient technologies.

The EBRD’s sovereign loan will be on-lent to the Street Lighting Company owned by the city of Yerevan. The loan is expected to be complemented by a capital grant of up to $2 million from the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (E5P). Technical cooperation for project preparation was financed by the TaiwanBusiness-EBRD Technical Cooperation Fund and the EBRD’s own resources.

Yerevan has a population of 1.1 million, roughly one-third of the total population of Armenia, and the street lighting network consists of old, inefficient and environmentally polluting mercury-based lights. The heavy-metal based content of the current lighting system contributes to energy waste and is a considerable environmental hazard. Due to the antiquated condition of the current system and the high percentage of lights that are not working, large parts of the city are not sufficiently illuminated.

To overcome this problem the pilot project will introduce new energy-efficient LED lighting, a control and monitoring system, pole replacement and renovation as well as power cable replacement. This will result in better service quality and improved environmental standards due to reduced energy consumption and the minimisation of operating and maintenance costs. Lighter streets will also be safer for pedestrians and motorists alike.

Mark Davis, EBRD Head of Office in Yerevan, said: “We welcome this project and are pleased to support it with financial means as well as technical assistance. The new street lighting will contribute to Yerevan’s goal of reducing its CO₂ emissions, while at the same time significantly reducing the city’s energy bill. In addition, the project will contribute to the comfort and safety of residents.”

Since the start of its operations in Armenia in 1992, the EBRD has invested over €900 million in more than 135 projects in the country’s financial, corporate, infrastructure and energy sectors, with 87 per cent of investments being in the private sector.

Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), preached at the 7 May ecumenical service in Washington, D.C.’s National Cathedral commemorating the centennial of the Armenian genocide.

The event, entitled “The Holy Martyrs of the Armenian Genocide: A Prayer for Justice and Peace,” gathered thousands of guests and multi-faith leaders to remember those lost in the genocide and to demonstrate gratitude for the regeneration of life for the survivors and those who aided them.

Presided over by H.H. Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, and H.H. Aram I, Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, the event was also attended by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and the President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan.

2015 marks the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the Armenian genocide, in which an estimated 1.5 million Armenians perished at the hands of Ottoman Turks from 1915 to 1923. With a message of awareness, gratitude and unity, the ecumenical service served as the signature event for three days of services, exhibitions, concerts and an award ceremony led by the National Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide Centennial, a project of the Armenian Apostolic Churches of America.

In light of the centennial, Tveit urged a “shared commitment to address and name crimes against humanity” in today’s world.

Urging his listeners, and governments everywhere, to move beyond the debate about how the violence is named, Tveit said, “ We should with these acts of commemoration also have passed the point when governments – including my own Norwegian government – discuss whether what happened to the Armenians in 1915 should be named as we do by our common moral sense: a genocide.”

Instead, Tveit urged, we should see the victims of the genocide in their larger significance for all humanity.

“We are commemorating them not only as witnesses to cruel death, but also as witnesses to life. They gave witness to the dignity and meaning of life before their death. Today their testimonies call us to become witnesses to life in the midst of sin and death of our time,” he said.

Drawing attention to the widespread violence in Syria and the Middle East, in South Sudan, and elsewhere, Tveit noted that “We live in a world that is facing new levels of brutality, crimes against humanity, systems of injustice, of poverty, of lack of ability and willingness to overcome conflicts through political and diplomatic processes.”

Yet, alluding to recent violence in the U.S., Tveit said all nations, even one that has become “a home for many who needed shelter from the whole world,” are challenged to witness to life and hope. “The same hopes for justice and peace we hear from this country, from cities like Ferguson and Baltimore. All lives matter!”

Drawing lessons of accountability for today, Tveit said, “The time has come for all of us to be much more than bystanders observing the sin and cruelty in this world, but together with these martyrs and saints to be ambassadors of justice and peace. At the time when also many countries in the world [also] commemorate 70 years after the end of World War II, let us together with all people of good will, of all races, beliefs or identities, explore and celebrate the deep meaning and richness of peace.”

AZERBAIJAN REFUSES TO WITHDRAW SNIPERS FROM FRONT LINE – ARMENIAN DIPLOMAT

Interfax
May 19 2010
Russia

The authorities in Baku have rejected Armenia’s request to withdraw
Azeri snipers from the front line separating the armed forces of the
two countries, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan
said on Wednesday.

"Among recent examples, Azerbaijan has categorically rejected a
proposal to withdraw its snipers from the front line," Kocharyan said.

The Madrid principles presented by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen
offer a viable solution to the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, the
Armenian diplomat said.

"We know for certain that only one document is now present on the
negotiating table. These are the Madrid principles of 2007, which
were adopted by both sides as the foundation for their talks," he said.

"After it, the co-chairmen [of the OSCE Minsk Group] forwarded other
proposals, most of which were rejected by Azerbaijan," he said.

The declassified part of the Madrid principles says that the conflict
over Nagorno-Karabakh should be settled based on three international
norms – self-determination, territorial integrity and the non-use of
force, Kocharyan said.

"The essence of this process is the self-determination of the people
of Nagorno-Karabakh," he said.

"Is Azerbaijan ready to accept the will of the people of Nagorno-
Karabakh? Judging by its statements, it is not. Is Azerbaijan ready to
return the territories of Nagorno-Karabakh that it occupies? Obviously
not. Azerbaijan’s position will become constructive after fundamental
status-linked issues are resolved. There will be no progress as long
as Azerbaijan continues its maneuvers in this issue," he said.

VARUZHAN AKOBIAN MOVES INTO 6TH PLACE AT U.S. CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 20, 2010 – 15:12 AMT 10:12 GMT

6th tour of U.S. Chess Championship was held on May 19 in St. Louis.

The championship hosted 24 chess players, including Armenia’s Varuzhan
Akobian, Melikset Khachiyan and Levon Altounian.

In the 6th tour of U.S. Chess Championship Akobian and Khachiyan
shared points with Yermolensky and Gurevich, while Altounian lost to
Robert Hess.

After the 6th tour, Varuzhan Akobian moved into 6th place with 3,5
points: Khachiyan – 20th place (2 points); Altounian- 24th place
(1,5 points).

Hikaru Nakamura is leading the championship with 4,5 points to
his score.

BAKU DIDN’T LET ITS DELEGATE TO ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 21, 2010 – 14:34 AMT 09:34 GMT

Caucasus 2009 international conference organized by Caucasus Institute
kicked off in Yerevan on May 21.

"Representatives from Azerbaijan did not arrive to take in the event
for the first time during its 6-year history," Caucasus Institute
Director Alexander Iskandaryan said. "This is probably conditioned
by the domestic situation in the neighbor republic. 10 days ago the
Azerbaijani rapporteur said he can’t participate in the conference
for a variety of reasons."

As PanARMENIAN.Net came to know from an informed source, the
Azerbaijani delegate wasn’t allowed to depart for Yerevan.

‘FROM ARARAT TO ZION’ AWARDED AS ‘THE BEST EUROPEAN DOCUMENTARY’

ARMENPRESS
MAY 20, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS: Edgar Baghdasaryan’s ‘From Ararat to Zion’
documentary won the award of ‘The Best European Documentary’ at Swansea
Bay Film Festival (SBFF 2010). Harutyun Khachatryan, director of the
‘Golden Apricot’ film festival, reported journalists today that the
list of SBFF 2010 winners was announced this morning.

‘From Ararat to Zion’ documentary highlights its first award. The
film appeared in the final of the SBFF 2010 along with some French,
German, Dutch, Spanish, UK, Danish, Norwegian, Polish, Israeli
films. ‘From Ararat to Zion’ documentary appeared in the finals of
7 other international film festivals as well.

AZERBAIJANI PARLIAMENT WELCOMES RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

news.az
May 21 2010
Azerbaijan

The vice speaker of Azerbaijani parliament has commented on the
resolution of the European Parliament adopted on May 20.

"We welcome the resolution adopted by the European parliament
that contains an appeal to Armenia to withdraw its troops from the
occupied Azerbaijani lands. This is an important document of one
of the influential organizations as the European parliament. If
Armenia considers itself to be a member of the world community,
it must fulfill its demand and withdraw from the occupied lands",
vice speaker of Milli Medjlis Bahar Muradova said.

She said the number of international organizations urging Armenia
to observe international law is growing each time and this is a
serious warning that the world does not intend to close eyes on its
occupational policy on Azerbaijan.

"As is known, the UN, Council of Europe, OIC and now the European
parliament have adopted resolutions condemning Armenia for its
occupation of Azerbaijani lands. We expect the NATO Parliamentary
Assembly to take the same decision too. That is, the world has got
assured about the nature of Armenia. And I do not think that it will
avoid responsibility and continue protracting the Karabakh conflict",
she said.

As for the criticism of Armenian FM Edward Nalbandian regarding
the resolution adopted by the European parliament, Muradova noted
that "this is an old tactics of the Armenian leadership to express
resentment over the just resolutions of international organizations".

"However, this will not help the as time is pressing and the world
expects Armenia to show a constructive approach to the conflict
settlement, otherwise, it will face the rest of the world", Muradova
said.