Author: Jhanna Virabian

JEWISH COMMUNITY OF ARMENIA INDIGNANT BY STATEMENT THAT ARMENIA ALLEGEDLY INVOLVED IN ARM TRANSIT FOR HEZBOLLAH

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
14.08.2009 17:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "We are outraged by that provocation – a statement
that Armenia is allegedly transit for arms to Hezbollah," Rimma
Varzhapetyan , chair of the Jewish Community of Armenia said in an
interview with a PanARMENIAN.Net, commenting on the latest statement
of Israeli political analyst Alex Veksler. According to her, Veksler
is from Baku, respectively, he is lobbying the interests of Azerbaijan.

"This is a regular provocation on the part of Azerbaijan," Rima
Varzhapetyan said. She stressed that during her visit to Armenia,
Ambassador of Israel has also commented on Veksler’s statement, saying
that neither the government nor the state pay any attention to it.

"There is no need to unwind and discuss the issue. This is another
attempt to create a conflict with Azerbaijan," the chair of the Jewish
community in Armenia said.

UN launches competition for best short film on nuclear disarmament
01.08.2009 11:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On Saturday the United Nations is launching a
competition for the best short film on the issue of nuclear
disarmament and/or non-proliferation. This is part of the ongoing `We
must disarm campaign `and of the 100-day countdown to the
International Day of Peace on 21 September, launched by the UN
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on 13 June.

The UN is looking for short videos from anyone, regardless of skill or
experience, to submit their work by Thursday, 10 September 2009.

Winning films will be shown at UN Headquarters in New York and posted
on the online platforms supporting the Secretary-General’s campaign,
UN official website reported.

METEOROLOGY SERVICE REFUTES RUMORS ABOUT 45-DEGREE HEAT IN YEREVAN

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
30.06.2009 20:59 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Air temperature in Yerevan has never reached 45
degrees Celsius. The highest temperature in Yerevan, registered over
the last 3 years was +41.6 degrees Celsius, " Natalia Disharyan
Armenian meteorological service officer told a PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter, commenting on rumors about expected 45-degree heat in
Yerevan. According to Armenia meteorological service, the temperature
is expected to decrease to +30 by July 5 in Yerevan. The temperature
between + 32 and +34 degrees Celsius and from 30 to 32 is expected
on July 1 and July 2 respectively.

DOCTORS SAY SWINE FLU TO "REACH" RUSSIA IN AUTUMN

Panorama.am
13:02 22/05/2009

A flu, known as swine flu, is believed to "reach" Russia in autumn,
Russian media outlets report referring to the country’s infection
doctor Genadi Onishenko. The doctor said that most probably the disease
would be spread in the country when other infections start developing.

The doctor said that Russia is not going to close the doors before
those countries which suffered swine flu. He said that they are
getting prepared to overcome the disease.

Note that more than 11 thousand people in the world infected swine
flu and 85 of them died.

DEATH TOLL IN ARMENIAN RUBBER PLANT FIRE RISES TO FOUR

RIA Novosti
11:3715/05/2009

YEREVAN, May 15 (RIA Novosti) – Four people are now reported to have
died in a fire that broke out at a rubber plant in the Armenian capital
of Yerevan, the head of the city’s ambulance service said on Friday.

According to preliminary reports, there was an explosion in the
chloroprene section at the Nairit Plant at about 18:00 local time
[13:00 GMT] on Thursday. The blast was followed by a fire. About two
and a half hours later, a second powerful explosion occurred.

The fire at the plant was extinguished at about midnight and three
people were reported to have died.

"The fourth body was found earlier tonight and taken to a morgue,"
Artem Petrosyan said, adding that all of the injured had already been
released from hospital.

A criminal case has been launched in connection with the incident,
a police spokesman said.

The Nairit Plant has produced chloroprene rubber and latex since 1940.

ARTSAKH WEB PAGE LAUNCHED AT THE ITB WEBSITE

Noyan Tapan
May 8, 2009

STEPANAKERT, MAY 8, NOYAN TAPAN. An Artsakh web page is launched at
the website of the Berlin International Tourism Exhibition (ITB),
(). It provides corresponding
information on the places of interest, historical-architectural
monuments, and spiritual values of Nagorno Karabakh.

According to the NKR MFA Press Service, at the March 2009 international
tourism exhibition in Berlin, the Nagorno Karabakh Republic was
introduced in a separate exhibition hall, attracting greatly the
attendees’ attention.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Karabakh problem not urgent for Turkish-Armenian relations
14.02.2009 12:53 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Nagorno Karabakh problem was probably discussed
during the Russian-Turkish presidential talks in Moscow but it was not
among priorities, a Russian expert said.

`The visit of Turkish President Gul has followed the talks between
Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and his Armenian and Azeri counterparts,’
Andrey Areshev, expert at the Strategic Culture Fund, told
PanARMENIAN.Net.

`Further activities depend on the policy the new U.S. administration
takes up. On the one hand, it gives the sides an opportunity to verify
positions; on the other hand, some forces can use the pause for
provocations, as it was in case with `Russian arms transfer to
Armenia.’ The international mediators keep saying that they can’t make
decisions instead of the sides. Meanwhile, despite flows of
misinformation poured upon ill-informed publics, Azerbaijan’s threats
and violations of the ceasefire clearly point out to the side which
doesn’t want peace,’ he said.

Regional powers ` Russia, Turkey and Iran – are not interested in
destabilization of South Caucasus, according to him.

`Ankara’s stability and security platform should be thoroughly
studied. Nevertheless, serious disagreement still persists and
Turkey’s interference in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement
process will hardly be welcomed by Tehran and Moscow,’ Areshev said.

LATVIA INTERESTED IN STRONGER RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA

ARKA
Nov 21, 2008

YEREVAN, November 21. /ARKA/. Latvia is interested in deepening and
strengthening its relations with friendly Armenia, Latvian President
Valdis Zatlers said at his meeting with Armenian Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandyan.

Zatlers spoke of his meeting with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
in New York and said that he wishes to visit Armenia next year,
the Press Service of Armenian Foreign Ministry reported.

Latvian President also expressed readiness to share its experience
and provide multi-sided assistance to Armenia in European integration.

Armenian FM, in his turn, congratulated Zatlers on the 90th anniversary
of Latvian statehood and stressed that the high-level political
dialogue between the two countries and the wide contractual and legal
basis provide a solid groundwork to further expand cooperation.

Nalbandyan briefed the Latvian President on Nagorno-Karabakh peace
process and opportunities for normalizing Armenia-Turkey relations.

In the scope of his visit to Riga, Armenian Foreign Minister gave an
interview to Svobodnaya Latvia newspaper. Nalbandyan also visited
Surb Grigor Lusavorich (Saint Gregory Illuminator) Armenian church
and met with members of the church council.

Yesterday Armenian Foreign Minister left Latvia for Estonia.

BORDER WITH ARMENIA CAN BE OPENED, TURKISH SOURCES SAY

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.09.2008 15:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The closed Armenian-Turkish border could be opened
for humanitarian aid purpose depending on the gestures from Armenian
side and the direction of the relations, Hurriyet daily reports citing
diplomatic sources.

Turkey severed relations and closed its border with Armenia in 1993
to support Azerbaijan in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. It also urges
Armenia to recognize its borders in compliance with Moscow Treaty
and give up the policy calling for international recognition of the
Armenian Genocide.

Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul was in Yerevan on Sept. 6 to watch
a World Cup qualifier between the Armenian and Turkish national
teams. Before the match, the heads of state discussed possibilities to
normalize bilateral relations. "We hope we will be able to demonstrate
goodwill to solve the problems between our countries and not leave
them to future generations," Armenian President Sargsyan said after
the meeting.

FAREWELL VISIT OF THE AMBASSADOR OF LATVIA TO THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

National Assembly of RA
May 21 2008
Armenia

On May 20 the President of the National Assembly of the Republic of
Armenia Mr Tigran Torosyan received the Ambassador of Latvia to the
Republic of Armenia Mr Aivars Vovers on the occasion of the completion
of his diplomatic mission.

The NA President thanked the ambassador for his long-term and effective
work and for the contribution to Armenian-Latvian relations and wished
him success in his further career. Noting that during his tenure
relations between two countries deepened, the inter-parliamentary
cooperation developed through the international structures, Mr
Torosyan expressed his conviction that there were opportunities and
perspectives for the further development of the relations. The head
of the parliament noted that the European integration for Armenia was
one of the priorities of the foreign policy, in this aspect stressing
the Latvian experience.

The Ambassador of Latvia to the Republic of Armenia Mr Aivars Vovers
thanked the NA President for the effective cooperation, noting that
during 6-7 years of his tenure Armenia recorded considerable successes
of development in different spheres. The Ambassador highlighted the
last report of the European Commission on Armenia which was the
most positive when compared with Georgia and Azerbaijan. Highly
assessing the present level of bilateral relations and recording
the achievements, Mr Vovers expressed conviction that there was
great potential of cooperation, in particular, in the trade-economic
sphere. Speaking about the years of his tenure in Armenia Mr Vovers
said that they were bright and important working years, and he made
many friends.

During the meeting the sides also touched upon other issues of
bilateral interest.