Vic Darchinyan Wins IBO Bantamweight Crown

VIC DARCHINYAN WINS IBO BANTAMWEIGHT CROWN

Panorama.am
14:12 21/05/2010

Sport

Armenian-born WBC and WBA super flyweight (115 pounds) champion Vic
Darchinyan won a clash of southpaws for the vacant IBO bantamweight
(118 pounds) crown with Thursday’s 12-round, unanimous decision
over Eric Barcelona before his hometown fans at the Leagues Club,
Parramatta in New South Wales, Australia.

The 34-year-old Darchynian (35-2-1, 27 knockouts) floored the
28-year-old Barcelona (51-8-4, 19 KOs) once each in the fifth and
11th round, and also benefited from Barcelona’s being deducted a
point for low blows during each of the sixth, and, 12th rounds.

BAKU: ‘No Changes Should Be Expected On Karabakh Fronts’ – Analyst

‘NO CHANGES SHOULD BE EXPECTED ON KARABAKH FRONTS’ – ANALYST

news.az
Akper Hasanov News.Az
May 21 2010
Azerbaijan

Alexander Iskandaryan News.Az interviews Alexander Iskandaryan,
famous Armenian political scientist.

Turkish Premier Erdogan paid a visit to Azerbaijan which made it
clear that the relations between our countries are sustaining almost
the warmest period in their development. Is it possible to say that
the expectations of official Yerevan that hoped for the cooling in
the Turkish-Azerbaijani relations by results of the Turkish-Armenian
"football diplomacy" have been unsuccessful?

If we judge the relations of the countries, according to the statements
of the politicians voiced during the official visits and Mr.Erdogan,
the relations between your countries have never worsened a bit,
while the transfer of Karabakh to Azerbaijan in the nearest future
is a solved case. As for the real politics, the fact of a serious
concern in Azerbaijan related to Turkey and indignation in Turkey
about Azerbaijan is obvious even for Yerevan. Some things have already
occurred in the relations between the two countries and this cannot
be changed anymore. The Armenian-Turkish process has changed the
region. The relations between the countries do not go traceless.

The very fact of signing the protocols by the Turkish side which
did not mention Azerbaijan or Karabakh cannot be rejected. As it has
already occurred, it can repeat in the future, therefore, the current
state is quite different from the state of 2004.

How does Armenia comment on the warming in the Turkish-Russian
relations?

Armenia is cautious about it. The historical reminiscence popular in
Armenia prompts quite a nervous perception of such rapprochements
between the two regional powers. Therefore, negative comments
prevail here.

What can you say about the statement in Armenian mass media that
Russia has presented the 2+3+2 scheme of Azerbaijani lands deoccupation
to Armenia?

Armenian mass medias publish such schemes at least once in a quarter.

I heard about such a scheme in 1989, if I am not mistaken, next time I
will hear it in autumn, I think, after completion of vacations. These
"schemes" prove the internal political situation and professional
diseases of media than of the possibility of the negotiation process.

These schemes proposed by anyone are not appropriate for execution, the
negotiation process is at an early stage. Even if we propose such an
exotic conduct of Russia, it is impossible to image the implementation
of such schemes in the real regime of coordination with all actors,
not speaking of the fact that the names of the regions, mentioned by
the authors of the schemes, prove their geographical incompetence.

What can you say about the current internal political situation
in Armenia?

It is quite stable. The economic situation is nice, opposition has
not been able to launch serious meeting activity, no elections are
predicted, the Armenian-Turkish process, which is one of the annoying
factors in domestic policy, has been frozen. No changes should
be expected on the "Karabakh front", it is summer-the traditional
dead season.

In other words, should we not view the upcoming visit of Armenian
ex-president L.Ter-Petrosyan to the United States as showing that
the United States prepare changes in powers in Armenia?

Certainly, not. The visits of the reserve presidents in the United
States are quite a routine practice. In addition, the candidates for
the presidential posts undergo castings usually not in Washington
but on the streets of their own capital cities. If they are held
successfully, the United States decides whether they are ready to
accept this reality or not. But not vice versa.

Parliament Rejects Bill On Introduction Of Amendments To RA Election

PARLIAMENT REJECTS BILL ON INTRODUCTION OF AMENDMENTS TO RA ELECTION CODE

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 19, 2010 – 14:48 AMT 09:48 GMT

The bill submitted by Heritage party was supported by Heritage
parliamentary group and ARF Dashnaktsutyun and defeated by the ruling
coalition is stipulating for equal number of representatives of
authorities and opposition in the election committees. It also offers
not to raise ad tariffs during election campaigns and to publish the
lists of voters after the elections.

As PanARMENIAN.Net parliamentary correspondent reports, the NA
commission gave a negative conclusion on the bill. "It’s inexpedient to
put the bill on the NA floor unless it’s discussed by all parliamentary
groups," member of the committee on state and legal issues Artyusha
Shahbazyan said.

According to RA Justice Minister Gevorg Danielyan, publication of the
list of voters after the elections conflicts with the Constitutional
Court’s decision on secret ballot.

Armenia Should More Actively Fight Azerbaijani Propaganda In France:

ARMENIA SHOULD MORE ACTIVELY FIGHT AZERBAIJANI PROPAGANDA IN FRANCE: FRENCH JOURNALIST

ArmInfo
2010-05-19 12:49:00

ArmInfo. Armenia should seriously fight the Azerbaijani propaganda
in France, said Varuzhan Sirabyan, editor-in-chief of the French
Magazine Europe and the East, a member of Ramkavar Azatakan Party,
in a press conference on Wednesday.

He said that both Turkish and Azerbaijani organizations are actively
engaged in anti-Armenian propaganda in France and invest colossal
funds in it. "Activity of Turkish organizations aims genocide denial,
whereas Azerbaijani agitprop is creating the image of the people that
suffered from the so-called "Khojalu genocide"," Sirabyan said. He
called on the Armenian organizations and authorities of Armenia
to bolster efforts to counteract the Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem,
because Mass Media efforts are not equal to settle that problem.

Armenian Parliament Adopts Law On Mandatory Vehicle Insurance

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT ADOPTS LAW ON MANDATORY VEHICLE INSURANCE

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 18, 2010

On May 18, the Armenian parliament adopted the law on mandatory
vehicle insurance.

According to the law, the mandatory vehicle insurance will be
enacted in Armenia on January 1, 2011, PanARMENIAN.Net parliamentary
correspondent reported.

Meanwhile, a bureau of companies to be established by the Central
Bank of Armenia will be regulating the mandatory insurance procedure.

"Moscow Can Push Both Azerbaijan And Armenia To Resolve Karabakh Con

"MOSCOW CAN PUSH BOTH AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA TO RESOLVE KARABAKH CONFLICT"

Today
May 19 2010
Azerbaijan

Interview with Doctor of Geographical Sciences, Professor at
Russian Economic and Social Geography Department of the Moscow State
University, political expert Vyacheslav Baburin.

In your opinion, may Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s latest visit
to Turkey have a positive impact on resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict?

Any improvement in the overall climate around the conflict will help
to move resolution process forward. However, I do not believe that
fundamental conditions of the conflict resolution will change. In other
words, the climate has become more favorable, but, macro-conditions
remain the same.

How do you assess Turkey’s chances to become co-chair of the OSCE
Minsk Group?

I think many parties involved in conflict resolution want this. But
Turkey’s co-chairmanship depends on many factors. There are a lot of
undercurrents and hidden mechanisms. There are also those who will
oppose it.

I know that there are talks that France can be replaced by Turkey.

However, it is impossible, because France has always been an active
player in the Caucasus starting with the 19th century. In my opinion,
Turkey’s joining the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs can be useful for the
conflict resolution. However, all depends on how the U.S., France and
Russia see Turkey because each new participant complicates the process
of coordinating positions to pass common decisions. Turkey is also
a very significant competitor for the three aforementioned countries.

Does Russian President’s statement that Ankara and Moscow share the
same position mean that Russia has realized that the Karabakh conflict
should be solved based on terms acceptable for Azerbaijan?

I think that, first of all, Moscow is interested in resolving conflict,
and it will push both Armenia, and Azerbaijan to do this.

Moreover, if a mediator openly sides with one of the parties, it
ceases to be a mediator. In this respect, Turkey becoming one of
the co-chairs with known pro-Azerbaijani stance also raises many
questions. The sides must keep relative neutrality at least.

Azerbaijan has lately announced it is running out of patience and
if the sides fail to solve the conflict peacefully, the country may
resort to military ways…

I think that this year the conflict resolution will see no major
chances, because the world community is now more concerned about the
danger of a second wave of a global financial crisis than resolution
of local conflicts. However, in my view, conflict must be resolved
in stages and gradually. First of all, the control of territories
around Nagorno-Karabakh must be returned to Azerbaijan and then the
Karabakh problem should be solved.

Azerbaijan insists on phased solution of the conflict. Azerbaijan
has already approved the Madrid Principles while Armenia is still
slow to express its attitude…

Azerbaijan is more promising and powerful state from economic point
of view. Development of the country provides country with respective
defense capabilities. So, Armenia is concerned that Azerbaijan will
employ force at a certain stage of conflict resolution.

In your opinion, how ill Armenia act in this case? Will it approve
the Madrid Principles in this case?

I think it will not accept them until it receives guarantees that
Azerbaijan will not use military ways to resolve the conflict.

In your opinion, what are further scenarios of events?

I am sure that Azerbaijan will not use force in near future. It will
seek a new solution to the conflict peacefully. I think that today
the general geopolitical situation in the region is not favourable for
military action and it would be better to solve the problem peacefully.

‘By Constantly Saying Halva Their Mouth Is Not Being Sweetened’: Sha

‘BY CONSTANTLY SAYING HALVA THEIR MOUTH IS NOT BEING SWEETENED’: SHAVARSH KOCHARYAN

Tert.am
19.05.10

"Today there is a document on the table which is the 2007 Madrid
Principles. After that various proposals have been by the [OSCE Minsk
Group] co-chairs which have mainly been rejected by Azerbaijan,"
Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan said at a program
yesterday aired by the public TV in reference to a statement by the
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

As a proof of the said Kocharyan pointed to the proposal to drawing
back the snipers from the borderline – something Azerbaijan has
strongly rejected.

"In fact, based on the statements made by Azerbaijan and compared
to the disclosed part of the Madrid Principles, where it is
clearly mentioned that the issue must be resolved based on three
international principles – nation’s right to self-determination,
territorial integrity and non-use of force – it leaves the impression
that the Baku negotiates with itself, comes to a solution beneficial
for itself and then attempts to present it as a result of talks,
because what Azerbaijan states is definitely contradicting to the
Madrid Principles," said Kocharyan.

Speaking about the possible return of some regions adjacent to Nagorno
Karabakh to Azerbaijan, something that has recently been much spoken
about, Kocharyan said the following: "In an Eastern style by constantly
saying ‘halva’ their mouth does not turn sweet; on the contrary,
it tastes bitter. The issue has its essence, and the conflict has
its causes, and there is someone responsible for it. The essence of
the issue is clear for all: it is the realized self-determination of
the people of Nagorno Karabakh," said Kocharyan.

Turkey Building Up Its Role As Euro-Asian Oil And Gas Crossroads

TURKEY BUILDING UP ITS ROLE AS EURO-ASIAN OIL AND GAS CROSSROADS
Andrei Fedyashin

RIA Novosti
MOSCOW

Turkey experienced a flurry of diplomatic activity in mid-May,
similar to periods of "heightened solar activity."

On May 12, President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan met with visiting Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Two
days later, Erdogan paid an historic visit to Greece and on May 16th
he dropped by Tehran where a nuclear deal was signed between Iran,
Turkey and Brazil. From Tehran, he flew to Azerbaijan and then Georgia
non-stop. It was curious how the issues discussed at one meeting merged
with those on the agenda for the next: Iran’s nuclear program, the
Nagorny Karabakh conflict and the Caucasus conflict (discussed at the
meeting with Medvedev), Black Sea pipelines and European energy issues.

It looks like Turkish leaders are deliberately travelling along
the perimeter of the Anatolian Peninsular to make their concept of
regional "geopolitical and energy pluralism" somehow more real. Their
end goal could be described as making Turkey a "regional superpower,"
if such a paradoxical term existed. But who knows, maybe Turkey’s
efforts will eventually make it happen.

Turkey is looking to consolidate its role in the region connecting
Europe and Asia, the Islamic and Christian worlds, the Caucasus and
Russia. This region is set to become the world’s largest oil and gas
"transshipment" hub. It is a region where Moscow’s interests clash
with those of the West, and it is also a gateway to the Middle East.

In this sense, Turkey’s policies are broader than regional.

In any case, Turkey’s efforts over the past week were to a large
extent just for show. In particular, for Europe: more precisely,
the European Union, to which Turkey was denied entry. It is not
even entitled to associate membership until 2020. Therefore, it is
calculatedly showing Europe exactly what it is losing out by not
letting it, Turkey, their Eurasian neighbor, join the group, and in
what direction that rejection is driving it.

Russia apparently plays a special role in Turkey’s plan to improve
its regional status. In fact, Turkey has to maneuver very delicately
here, as it combines political cooperation with Moscow with an "easy"
economic and energy competition. In fact, Turkey’s "geopolitical
pluralism" must include efforts to strengthen the status quo in the
post-Soviet countries, in the South Caucasus in particular. To achieve
this, logically, Turkey must try to draw Azerbaijan and Georgia as far
away from their former colonial power (Russia) as possible. For that
to be achieved, Russia needs to be isolated, for example by cutting
off its oil and gas flows to Europe. But Turkey refrains from doing so.

Turkey is maneuvering very artfully between Russia and Europe. It
agrees to transit Russian oil and gas to Europe, as well as Azeri
(Turkmen and Iranian) oil and gas bypassing Russia. In addition to
that, they must surely realize that the gas flow from Russia will
always exceed that from Azerbaijan, but they need to prove their
energy diversity to Europe. For example, Erdogan is going to sign a
new agreement in Baku on gas supplies from the Shah Deniz 2 gas field
in Azerbaijan. At present, Azerbaijan annually supplies Turkey with
6 billion cubic meters of gas from Shakh Deniz 1, which produces 9-10
billion cu m a year. Turkey wants to buy another 6-7 billion cu m from
Shakh Deniz 2. The field is due to go on stream by 2014-2017 and is
expected to produce up to 16 billion cu m a year. Some of this gas
may be channeled into the planned Nabucco pipeline, which is to ship
gas to Europe bypassing Russia. Turkey agreed to Nabucco crossing its
territory since the role of a "gas dispatcher" for Russia, Azerbaijan,
Turkmenistan and Iran should further boost its regional status.

To achieve this, Turkey is trying to remove political risks arising
from the conflicts in the Caucasus. Erdogan brought the proposed
Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Pact to Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Turkey prepared the draft last year and is actively promoting it as a
supplement to oil and gas contracts. Officials in Ankara have reason
to believe that a real coordination of regional security policies in
the Caucasus should be added to energy agreements, as this would move
the region one step closer to a unified regional security system.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul described the key idea of the pact as
follows: "The Caucasus is the key as far as energy resources and the
safe transportation of energy from the east to the west is concerned.

That transportation goes through Turkey. That is why we are very active
in trying to achieve an atmosphere of dialogue, so there is the right
climate to resolve the problems. Instability in the Caucasus would
be like a wall between the East and West; if you have stability in
the region, it could be a gate."

The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s and do not
necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.

Turkey delays single day rite at Armenian Church from 9/12 to 9/19

Turkey delays single day rite at Armenian Church from September 12 to 19

May 16, 2010 – 16:41 AMT 11:41 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

The single day rite at Holy Cross Church in the Aktamar island on the
Lake Van was postponed due to the referendum on the constitutional
amendment law.

A press release of the Van Governor’s Office said they mutually agreed
with Archbishop Aram Atesyan of the Armenian Patriarchate in Turkey to
postpone the single-day rite from September 12 to the 19th of the same
month.

The rite at Holy Cross Church will take place each year in the second
week of September, Anatolian News Agency reported.

JACES employees visit Milano owner

JACES employees visit Milano owner

ilano
06:08 pm | May 14, 2010 | Social

Employees of the RA Judicial Acts Compulsory Enforcement Service today
were at 24 Aram visiting Hovhannes Ghukasyan, owner of "Milano"
boutique and assistant director of "Olympus" cooperative.

They broke into the house by breaking down the door and loaded the
goods into a truck.
It is two years the Ghukasyans do not live in the house as it has been
damaged by a construction going on in the neighbourhood.

To recall, according to a Yerevan court decision, the territory of the
trade hall located on 4 Abovyan Street was declared a zone of
prevailing public interest. The owner of the territory was considered
to be Avo Ltd.

Ghakasyan refused to abandon the territory that belonged to him,
because he did not agree with the inadequate compensation he was
offered.

Ghakasyan argues that the 88 million AMD proposed as compensation was
not transferred to his account.

http://www.a1plus.am/en/social/2010/05/14/m