Author: Kajoyan Gevork

NEW TANK NAVIGATION SYSTEM ENTERS RUSSIAN ARMS MARKET

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 30, 2012 – 18:54 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – A new navigation system has been developed
for Russian armored vehicles, including T-72 and T-90 tanks, the
manufacturer said in a press release on Friday, March 30, RIA Novosti
reported. Developed by Science and Production Association NPO Progress,
the GALS-D2M system is said to be superior to all existing Russian
as well as U.S. analogs.

It can operate via the Glonass or GPS satellite navigations system.

The GALS-D2M has a “competitive price,” the press release said without
providing any details.

DAVID BABAYAN: AZERBAIJAN SHOWS DISRESPECT FOR DEMOCRATIC VALUES

Panorama.am
30/03/2012

“Azerbaijan is aggressive to any step towards the strengthening of
democracy and state building in Artsakh. I think by making such
statements, Azerbaijan shows disrespect for democratic values,”
Artsakh President’s spokesperson David Babayan told Panorama.am,
commenting on a statement issued by Azerbaijani MFA saying that
Artsakh elections are illegal.

Artsakh President’s spokesperson noted that no matter which country
in the world holds elections, the important thing is that elections
are in line with international standards.

“This is yet another evidence of Azerbaijan’s destructiveness. I think
the international community and progressive mankind should show an
adequate attitude to it,” Babayan stressed.

ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS IS GOING TO BRING BACK HOME ARMENIANS SCATTERED ALL OVER THE WORLD

arminfo
Friday, March 30, 20:14

The Armenian National Congress has started its today’s rally.

ArmInfo’s correspondent reports that some 2,000 people are taking
part in it.

While opening the event, the leader of the Armenian National Movement,
ANC member Aram Manukyan said that the regime has never been in so
shaky position before, nor has the country been in such a hard social-
economic state. “The forthcoming elections will be a serious test
for the regime,” Manukyan said.

He said that there are two groups of people in Armenia: those fighting
for their rights and those leaving their country. “Our task is to
bring them back, to make Armenia an attractive country. We don’t
need people drinking toasts to the Armenian nation in Los Angeles or
missing their homeland in Belgium. Our task is to bring people back,
and we hope that you will help us in the matter,” Manukyan said.

EIB APPROVES EURO 30,8 MLN LOANS FOR CHECKPOINTS MODERNIZATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 30, 2012 – 16:23 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian government headed by Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan held a meeting on modernization of Bagratashen, Gavar and
Bavra checkpoints at Armenia-Georgia border.

RA Deputy Minister of Finance Vardan Aramyan briefed on the conduction
of modernization works of these check points. He further noted that
the European Investment Bank (EIB) approved loans at the amount of
euro 30,8 mln. The modernization project is estimated at euro 60 mln.,
governmental press service reported.

In this context, the PM instructed the relevant institutions to
organize works in timely manner.

PATRICK FIORI IS PROUD TO BE ARMENIAN (PHOTO)

NEWS.AM
March 30, 2012 | 17:17

YEREVAN.- Famous French singer Patrick Fiori said he is proud to
be Armenian.

Speaking at a press conference in Yerevan, Fiori said that he collected
clothes and brought it to Armenia to help the needy many years ago.

“Despite the fact that I was brought up far from Armenia, I was not so
far from the Armenian heritage. There are five children in my family.

My grandmother died ling ago and did not teach us Armenian language
but she told much about Armenia and the Armenians,” he told journalists
on Friday.

Fiori said positive developments are seen in Armenia. “There is a
desire to move forward. Armenia’s youth have become more beautiful,
handsome,” he emphasized.

Speaking about the Saturday concert in Mezzo club, he said it is just
a preparation for more serious program. He hinted at a solo concert
or musical to be staged in Armenia.

Patrick Fiori also said he is playing duduk (Armenian national
musical instrument).

“My father gave me duduk which he bought in Yerevan. I am playing it
every day since then,” he said.

As to his plans, Armenian concert will mark the end of his 1.5-year
tour. He plans to visit Lebanon and Russia and then record a new CD.

The next tour will start in September and will continue up to next
March.

ARMENIA COMES THIRD IN THE WORLD WITH THE NUMBER OF TOBACCO-CAUSED DEATHS
Artak Barseghyan

“Radiolur”
30.03.2012 17:20

Cigarettes killed about 6 million people worldwide in 2011, according
to the data of the Tobacco Atlas published by the American Cancer
Society and World Lung Foundation.

Nearly 80% of those who die from tobacco-related illnesses are in
low- and middle-income countries. More than 43 trillion cigarettes
have been smoked in the last ten years and cigarette production has
increased by 16.5% in that time period, according to the Tobacco Atlas.

55.7% of male and 2.9% of female citizens of Armenia smoke cigarettes,
which makes 28.3% of the adult population. Tobacco is responsible
for 32.7% of all male deaths and 7.7% of female deaths.

Commenting on the data, Head of the Public Health Department of the
Ministry of Health Alexander Bazarchyan said our country comes third
in the world after Turkey and Kazakhstan with the number of male
deaths caused by tobacco.

Tobacco is also a risk factor for the four leading noncommunicable
diseases- cancer, heart disease, diabetes and chronic respiratory
diseases. According to Bazarchyan, smoking is both lifestyle and
addiction among us. As for women, they smoke more in urban than rural
areas. Active smoking females are aged 35-55.

RUSSIAN FM TO VISIT MEMORIAL TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 30, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 30, ARMENPRESS. Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey
Lavrov will be in Armenia April 2-3. The visit will be dedicated
to the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations
between the two countries. Russian minister will meet with his Armenian
counterpart Edward Nalbandian, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan,
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, National Assembly Chairman Samvel
Nikoyan. Press service of Armenia”s Ministry reported that the Russian
minister will also visit Tsitsernakaberd to pay tribute to the memory
of victims of Armenian Genocide.

FLAGLER COLLEGE COMMUNITY LLECTURE TO ADDRESS GENOCIDE

armradio.am
30.03.2012 16:47

On Tuesday, April 24 the Flagler College Community Lecture Series will
present a program entitled “Reflecting on a Century of Genocide.” The
lecture, delivered by Associate Professor of Political Science Arthur
Vanden Houten, will offer reflections and perspectives on the genocides
that have marred the twentieth century, including the Holocaust and
the genocides of Armenia and Rwanda.

“The goal is to come to some understanding of what lessons have emerged
for international relations and the study of genocide,” Vanden Houten
said. “We’ll examine the moral questions, as well, and attempt to
understand how these events could have happened over the last century.”

Professor Vanden Houten is widely published in academic journals
including “The Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies,” “Prism,” and
“The History of Political Thought,” and he is a frequent speaker on
politics and international relations.

POLITICIAN LABELS ANC LEADER A CRIMINAL WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN JAILED LONG AGO

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 30, 2012 – 15:16 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Leader of the opposition Armenian National Congress
(ANC), ex-president of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrossian is a criminal,
and he should have been jailed for tragic events of 2008 and other
criminal activities of the past, head of Constitutional Rights Union,
Hayk Babukhanyan said.

“His last provocation was the March 1 (in 2008), he must have been
imprisoned for this, but for some reason, his U.S. and European
“patrons” saved him from jail”, he told a press conference in Yerevan.

Babukhanyan says March events were the consequence of Ter-Petrossian’s
fascist slogan saying “Those who are not with us, are scumbags”.

People should be on alert so that to prevent Armenian National
Movement, ANM (ANC’s driving political force) from repeating the “March
1 and other provocations, so that they do not jeopardize stability
in the Republic of Armenia,” after the parliamentary elections,
CRU head added.

Babukhanyan also commented on the criticism voiced by ANC over the
upcoming elections. “The greatest ever falsifier – ANM, ANC and others
– is speaking today about election forgeries more than anybody else;
the criminal who forged the elections in 1995 and 1996, who should
have been jailed for this,” he said.

Levon Ter-Petrossian and Gagik Jhangiryan are “godparents” of election
forgery, Babukhanyan said mockingly.

>From February 20, 2008, the Armenian opposition led by first president
Levon Ter-Petrossian, who ran for presidency in 2008, but was not
elected, held rallies in the central part of Yerevan, protesting
against the election results.

The protests resulted in unrest and clashes between the police
and rally participants on March 1-2. According to the Office of RA
Prosecutor General, around 200 people were injured, 10 people were
killed, and over 100 people were arrested.

EU FOREIGN POLICY CHIEF MAY BOYCOTT SYRIA MEETING IN TURKEY OVER CYPRUS

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 30, 2012 – 13:31 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton is mulling
whether to boycott the Friends of Syria meeting on April 1 in Istanbul
due to Turkey’s refusal to invite Greek Cyprus to the key meeting,
Hurriyet Daily News reported.

“Ashton is unlikely to be in Istanbul due to Ankara’s decision,”
an EU diplomat told the HDN. “Instead, her deputy, Pierre Vimont,
will represent the European External Action Service.”

Ashton’s office said they were not in a position to confirm that she
would be in Istanbul on April 1.

According to diplomatic sources, Ashton tried hard to convince Foreign
Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to secure Greek Cyprus’ participation in
the meeting alongside other EU countries, but she could not obtain
a positive response in their last phone conversation March 27.

The diplomat said talks between Ankara and Brussels that aimed to
change the other’s mind were continuing, but there was little room
for each side to back down from their positions.