Author: Hunanian Jack

ARMENIA-NATO COOPERATION CONTINUES

Aysor
May 13 2010
Armenia

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and Defense Minister
Seyran Ohanian participated in the NATO 28+1 ministerial session,
which was held on May 12 in Brussels.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian spoke to the session, referring to the items of Armenia-NATO
cooperation, priorities of the foreign policy of Armenia, the process
of normalisation of relations with Turkey, settlement to the Karabakh
conflict, and issue of peace and stability in the region.

Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian, in his turn, referred to the reforms
in the defense sector of the country.

The sessioners appreciated reforms in Armenia, Armenia’s involvement
in the peace operation in Kosovo and Afghanistan; Ambassadors of the
NATO nations on behalf of their governments expressed their commitment
and readiness to contribute to Armenia’s steps towards peace, stability
and security in the South Caucasus.

Within the framework of the travel to Brussels, Armenian ministers
Nalbandian and Ohanian have met with NATO Deputy General Secretary
Claudio Bisogniero. Armenian officials confirmed the readiness to
continue mutually beneficial cooperation with NATO.

MOSCOW HOPEFUL FOR ARMENIA-TURKEY NORMALIZATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 12, 2010 – 16:45 AMT 11:45 GMT

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev hopes for full normalization of
relations between Armenia and Russia.

"Naturally, a complicated process like rapprochement meets different
response inside the countries involved. Still, I hope Armenia and
Turkey will find necessary solutions to fully normalize bilateral
ties," Russian President said at news conference after the meeting
with his Turkish counterpart.

As Mr. Medvedev noted, Armenia-Turkey reconciliation "will help
establishment of regional stability."

"Parties to Karabakh conflict have made serious progress but they
should not stop at what has been achieved," RIA Novosti cited Dmitry
Medvedev as saying.

ERNEST VARDANYAN IS A VICTIM OF ‘POLITICAL VENGEANCE: ALL ARMENIAN MEDIA ASSOCIATION

Tert.am
10:17 13.05.10

The All Armenian Media Association has issued a statement and condemns
what it calls a "political vengeance" against the Armenian journalist
Ernest Vardanyan.

The statement reads as follows:

"The All Armenian Media Association expresses deep concern over the
political vengeance against Armenian journalist of Near Dnester,
Ernest Vardanyan.

"The video disseminated by the Ministry of National Security of
Near Dnester, in which Vardanyan supposedly confessed that he had
collaborated with the authorities of Moldova, is apparently the
result of assaults and threats. The journalist had previously provided
information about this in his announcement in April.

"The All Armenian Media Association condemns the imprisonment of
the Armenian journalist and calls on the law-enforcement bodies of
the Republic of Armenia to take advantage of their opportunities to
extenuate the pressures against Ernest Vardanyan. The association also
calls on Armenia’s Chamber of Advocates to take measures in order to
show necessary legal support to the Armenian journalist."

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN TO TRAVEL TO BRUSSELS

Panorama.am
16:32 11/05/2010

Politics

The newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
the Kingdom of Belgium to Armenia Stephan de Locker presented his
credentials to President Serzh Sargsyan, President’s press office
reported.

President Sargsyan congratulated Mr. De Locker on assuming office
and voiced hope that he would make a considerable contribution to
the development of Armenia-Belgium relations.

President Sargsyan noted that Armenia is interested in reinforcing
the Armenian-Belgian cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral
formats. The parties signified the cooperation under the Eastern
Partnership Program. The interlocutors exchanged views on regional
issues.

Ambassador De Locker said the Belgian Government welcomes the Armenian
President’s efforts targeted at the normalization of relations between
Armenia and Turkey and expresses its support in this complex and
hard process.

At the request of the Ambassador, President Sargsyan presented
Armenia’s approaches over the current stage of the negotiations on
the Karabakh conflict settlement.

Referring to President Sargsyan’s upcoming visit to Brussels, the
parties expressed confidence that it would serve as an additional
impetus for further development of the Armenian-Belgian relations.

UNSAFE FUN: ATTRACTIONS IN ARMENIA DO NOT UNDERGO TECHNICAL CHECK UPS
By Siranuysh Gevorgyan

ArmeniaNow
11.05.10 | 16:36

Social

Experts say Armenia needs an organization that would oversee the
situation with amusement parks (photo: Ashot Petrosyan, Nikolay
Grigoryan).

After four people were injured when an amusement park ride crashed
Sunday in Yerevan’s Victory Park, an investigation revealed that
most such thrill rides are not properly registered in Armenia. Such
rides should be registered with the National Center for Technical
Security of the RA Ministry of Emergency Situations, but most are
not. The attractions have not undergone inspection and in fact such
an inspection body does not exist.

The "Typhoon" ride that malfunctioned, seriously injuring two riders,
was owned by Teg company, against which a criminal case has been filed.

"Typhoon was put into operation a month ago, it was planned by
an unlicensed organization, by an individual, and it was installed
illegally," Vladimir Hovsepyan, Head of the Technical Security Service
of Yerevan.

Hovsepyan says that soon check-ups of all such attractions in Yerevan
will be held.

According to Ashot Petrosyan, Head of the National Center for Technical
Security of the RA Ministry of Emergency Situations, each park or
company is responsible for its own safety regulations. "They have to
have someone or an organization responsible for the fulfillment of
these functions," says Petrosyan.

According RA Ministry of Emergency Situations currently there are 47
amusement rides registered in Yerevan (though more exist) and only
13 of them have undergone a technical examination. None of the rides
in other towns of Armenia have undergone inspection.

Petrosyan says that besides the National Center for Technical Security,
there are three accredited companies in Armenia, which can determine
whether rides are safe.

Nikolay Grigoryan, head of public relations department at RA
Ministry of Emergency Situations, says that the poor situation in
the attractions’ examination and control sphere is the result of a
legislative shortcoming.

"There is no such organization which implements control and checking,
as well as realize disclosure of non-registered facilities which have
not undergone an examination," Grigoryan says.

DELEGATION OF GEGHARKUNIK PROVINCE LEAVES FOR FRANCE

ARMENPRESS
MAY 10, 2010
GAVAR

The delegation of Gegharkunik province headed by Governor Nver
Poghosyan has left for France. The delegation is comprised of Vanik
Hovhannisyan, head of the Agriculture and Nature Protection Department
of Gegharkunik governor office, Hasmik Shahbazyan, PR manager, and
Varduhi Mnatsakanyan, head of the Development Programs and Analysis
Department.

Gegharkunik governor office told Armenpress that the official visit
was paid at the invitation of the board of the French Izer province
council within the frameworks of the agreement on Gegharkunik-Izer
trade-industrial and educational-cultural mutual cooperation.

May 10-15, the delegation of Gegharkunik province will be hosted in
Grenoble city, in the chief council of Izer province, where it will
take part in a forum summoned by the French party. The joint works
carried out in the spheres of education, healthcare and tourism in
the recent several years in Gegharkunik will be here discussed.

Our delegation members will also visit the hospital of the Grenoble
city to get acquainted wit the achievements of the local healthcare
enterprise. Afterward they will visit Otran city accompanied with
the head of "Afrat" tour agency and will get acquainted with the
infrastructures and development degree of the rural tourism.

As a result of joint discussions, the heads of the provinces of
Gegharkunik and Izer will sign an agreement of three-year cooperation
and will prepare the materials of the Armenian-French forum to be
held this October in Yerevan. Our delegation members will meet with
the Armenian community of Grenoble, too. The program also intends a
series of cultural events and diologues.

NKR PRESIDENT MEETS THE CHAIRMAN OF ARMENIA’S PUBLIC COUNCIL

armradio.am
10.05.2010 18:04

On 10 May President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan met chairman
of the Armenian Public Council Vazgen Manoukyan.

Issues related to social and political life of the two Armenian states
were discussed during the meeting, Central Information Department of
the Office of the NKR President reported.

Minister Nalbandian to visit Strasbourg and Brussels

armradio.am
08.05.2010 15:10

The Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, will leave for
Strasbourg on May 11 to participate in the meeting of Foreign
Ministers of the Council of Europe member states.

Minister Nalbandian will leave Strasbourg for Brussels, where he will
participate in the sitting of the North Atlantic Council in 28+1
format. The process of implementation of the Armenia-NATO Individual
Partnership Action Plan will be discussed at the sitting.

The Armenian Foreign Minister will meet the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs
in Brussels.

ARMENIAN PEOPLE’S ARTIST EDUARD ARSTRUNYAN DIES AT 81

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 6, 2010 – 12:25 AMT 07:25 GMT

Armenian People’s Artist, one of the most prominent representatives of
modern Armenian painting art Eduard Arstrunyan died at the age of 81.

A governmental commission on organization of funeral was formed by
order of Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan. Civil funeral rites will
take place in the Armenian Artists’ Union on May 7 from 12 to 2 pm.

Eduard Arstrunyan was born in Leninakan (Gyumri) in 1929. Graduate of
Merkulov and Terlemezyan art schools (1944-1951) and Leningrad Art
Academy (1951-1957), he moved to Moscow in 1963. 13 years later, in
1976, he moved to Yerevan, where he lived and worked until his death.

TURKISH SPEAKER DISAPPOINTED BY SWISS LAW ON "INCIDENTS OF 1915"

Anadolu Agency
May 6 2010
Turkey

Ankara, 6 May: Turkey’s parliament Speaker said on Thursday [6 May]
that historians should solve the conflict over the incidents of 1915.

Delivering a speech during his meeting with Erika Forster-Vannini,
Speaker of Switzerland’s Council of States, Turkish parliament Speaker
Mehmet Ali Sahin said that Swiss authorities’ imposing punishment on
those denying the incidents of 1915 was a disappointing act.

Referring to Switzerland’s hosting an important meeting last October
for the solution of the problems between Turkey and Armenia, Sahin
said, "Protocols aiming at normalization of relations between the
two countries were signed in Switzerland. We are grateful for that.

However, Switzerland’s still imposing punishment on those denying
the incidents of 1915 is a disappointment for us. Because incidents
of 1915 is an issue that needs to be solved by historians."

Expressing the importance of interparliamentary relations, Sahin
said countries nowadays used parliamentary diplomacy to improve
their relations and Forster-Vannini ‘s visit to Turkey was of great
importance in this respect.

Guest parliament Speaker Forster-Vannini said in her part that she was
proud to lead the first-ever Swiss parliamentary group visiting Turkey.

Noting Turkish and Swiss parliaments should strengthen their relations,
Forster-Vannini said a Turkish-Swiss Interparliamentary Friendship
Group would soon be established and it would hold its first meeting
on 8 June.

Forster-Vannini also said Turkey and Switzerland had certain problems
that could not be neglected. "However, any MP can bring an issue to
the agenda of the parliament or submit a motion on such matter in
our system. Parliamentarians have such a right," she said.

Commenting on the incidents of 1915, Forster-Vannini said Swiss laws
had an article on punishing the individuals denying the incidents.

Pointing to the decision on the establishment of a commission of
historians on such matter, Forster-Vannini said her country was proud
to have hosted the signing process of the protocols between Turkey
and Armenia.