Author: Kajoyan Gevork

Danny Tarkanian to Keynote Chamlian’s Gala Dinner Dance

asbarez
Saturday, March 10th, 2012

Jerry Tarkanian

GLENDALE – Danny Tarkanian, a congressional contender and son of former
UNLV basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian, will serve as the keynote
speaker at Chamlian Armenian School’s Gala Dinner Dance on March 17.
The proceeds from the Gala, which will take place at the Universal
Sheraton Hotel in Studio City, will be dedicated towards the building
of a gymnasium on the school campus.

Danny Tarkanian was a student-athlete at UNLV, with his legendary
father as his basketball coach. After graduating in 1984, the NBA’s
San Antonio Spurs drafted Tarkanian, but he never played. Instead, he
decided to go to law school after college, attending San Diego
University. After passing the Nevada Bar Exam, he practiced law for
eight years.

In 1995, when Jerry Tarkanian became the head coach for the Fresno
State Bulldogs basketball team at Fresno State, Danny joined him as an
assistant coach.

Following his father’s retirement, Danny moved back to Las Vegas and
co-founded the Tarkanian Basketball Academy, which is a sports
facility built to provide a place for young athletes to develop their
basketball skills.

On March 5, Danny Tarkanian officially announced his candidacy to
represent Nevada’s 4th Congressional District.

Chamlian Armenian School is looking forward to welcoming Danny
Tarkanian at its Gala event, and is grateful for his support of their
gymnasium project.

`Artsakh: From Liberation To Statehood’ Conference Brings Together
Over 400 Community Members

asbarez
Saturday, March 10th, 2012

Panelist are Dr. Razmig Shirinian, Dr. Ara Papian and Davit Ishkhanian

GLENDALE – The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western Region Central
Committee in cooperation with the Glendale Community College Armenian
Student Association organized a conference last week entitled:
`Artsakh: From Liberation to Statehood’, that brought together over
400 community members.

The all-day Conference took place on Saturday, March 3, 2012 at the
Glendale College Auditorium featuring a host of knowledgeable
panelists that discussed various relevant topics pertaining to
Artsakh. The conference consisted of three panel sessions.

The first panel included, Dr. Antranig Kasbarian (NJ) and Dr. Alina
Dorian (LA), moderated by Vache Thomassian and discussed `The Ongoing
Quest for Self-Determination and Impact on Future Generations.’

The second panel explored `Debates, Claims, Revisionisms – Azerbaijani
Theories of Ethno-genesis and Their Impact on Artsakh’, and featured
panelists Rouben Galichian (UK) and Dr. Stephan Astourian (Berkeley)
moderated by Dr. Levon Marashlian.

The third panel reviewed `The Independence of Artsakh: A Path With No
Return’, and featured panelists Davit Ishkhanian (Artsakh) and Ara
Papian (Armenia), moderated by Dr. Razmig Shirinian.

The conference’s powerful message relayed the importance of a healthy
population, understanding the needs of our fellow Armenians, a history
of our liberated territories, distortion of Azerbaijan’s historical
claims, presentation of archived maps that outlined Artsakh’s
territorial integrity, the public relations campaign set forth by
Azaerbaijan, self-determination of the people of Artsakh, and various
sub-topics.

The Artsakh Conference reminded those in attendance of our collective
responsibility in assisting our homeland with the tools, resources,
security, and education needed to ensure a viable future.

`Artsakh has always been and will unequivocally be a priority for all of us.

`Artsakh is an integral part of Armenia and our generation stands
together in support of freedom, security and prosperity for the people
of Artsakh,’ said organizing committee member Vache Thomassian.

For video footage, please click on link below:

Bloomberg
March 10 2012

Russian Gas Transit to Armenia Halted as Landslide Damages Pipe

By Helena Bedwell and Stepan Kravchenko – Mar 10, 2012 11:11 AM GMT+0200

Russian gas transit to Armenia via Georgia was halted today because of
pipeline damage, Nino Kikacheishvili, a spokeswoman for the Georgian
Energy Ministry said by phone from Tbilisi.

`Repairs are underway,’ after a landslide damaged a connecting seam of
the pipeline last night, Kikacheishvili said. Russian gas shipments to
Armenia were also halted Feb. 20 after a pipeline leak near the town
of Gardabani.

Mediamax, Armenia
March 10 2012

Armenian President: surgical and all other measures will be applied
for defeating corruption

Saturday 10 March 2012 14:12

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said today that
both `surgical and all other legal measures will be applied’ for
`defeating tumor which overwhelmed our society and which is called
corruption’.

Serzh Sargsyan said this speaking today at the Republican Party of
Armenia Convention.

`We believe that our society should develop in an environment of a
free competition. However, free competition must not translate into
the advantage for big money as it cannot translate into an opportunity
for the very same big money to suppress and consume other
competitors’, President stated.

He noted that `we have opened up the political system and rejected the
dictate and attempts to monopolize by the cult of personality-type
leadership as well as by the big money; we have changed years-long
stereotypes regarding criticism, rejected total intolerance towards
dissent and reestablished the right of the opposition to have decent
goals and honest intentions’.

`We have refused public affront as a political phenomenon and stood
against the disgusting practice of using violence, especially brutal
physical force, against the freedom of speech and in particular
towards journalists’, Serzh Sargsyan said.

`It should be kept in mind that elections are only a means and not an
end. We are a nation and we are a state. We have goals. Elections,
parliaments and governments are tools to achieve those goals. Normal
elections are essential but not sufficient for fundamental reforms. I
would like to repeat: other objectives, which we pursue as a nation
and as a state, are more critical. Political and economic liberties on
one hand, discipline and exactingness on the other will provide new
opportunities for our comprehensive development. It is our resource’,
President said.

Armenia’s annual industrial output growth twice exceeded CIS rate in 2011

March 10, 2012 – 17:28 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – For 2007-2011, investment flow in Armenia’s industry
totaled AMD 226.7 billion, with the annual increase of industrial
output twice exceeding the average index for the CIS countries already
in 2011, Armenian President and chairman of the ruling Republican
Party of Armenia (RPA) said.

As Serzh Sargsyan said at the 13th congress of RPA, in 2007-2011, the
small and medium enterprises in the Republic of Armenia received 1.5
times more funds than in 2002-2006 in the framework of state
assistance programs. The development index of the small and medium
enterprises in Armenia compared to 2002 has grown ten fold.

`In 2011, the number of tourists visiting Armenia doubled compared to
2006 and crossed the threshold of 750.000,’ President Sargsyan said,
dwelling on progress in tourism industry.

In addition to the aforesaid achievements, the RA President focused on
works carried out in construction industry and in the field of gas
supply. In this context, he noted that in the last five years, road
construction works were doubled compared to the previous five years.
In 2007-2011, nearly 1500 km of roads were constructed or renovated in
Armenia.

The number of gas subscribers exceeds the level of 2007 by almost
200,000, while drinking water supply reached 16.64 hours per day in
2011.

In the same period of time, social expenses increased by 1.9; as for
pensions, they were increased by 2.2. As a result, average and basic
levels of pensions increased 2.5 times, average social benefits were
raised by 79 percent, childcare allowances – 7 times, and benefits for
the third and each subsequent child – 12 times.

Resources channeled into the areas of health care and education grew 1.5 times.

`New avenues have been found to supplement resources for science and
culture, new mechanisms were introduced and results will be apparent
already this year. This year, for instance, only budget funds for the
culture excel amounts envisaged for 2007 by 65 per cent, and now make
AMD 15.4 billion,’ the President said.

In 2011, subsidies directed to the local communities excelled the 2006
level 2.2 times, and from 14.7 billion AMD reached 32.5 billion.

According to Serzh Sargsyan, in the last five years, the area of
potentially irrigated lands increased by 22 thousand hectares.
Tendencies to decrease areas for the cultivation of grain crops, which
started in 2005, were prevented, and crop yield has increased almost
two times.

`These are some facts on achievements we reached in the last few
years,’ Serzh Sargsyan said.

S. Sargsyan: RPA stands for implementation of each individual’s rights
and national aspirations

15:52 10/03/2012 » Politics

`We are a national conservative party which stands for the
implementation of each individual’s rights and for bringing to life
our common national aspirations,’ said today the President of the
Republic of Armenia, Chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia Serzh
Sargsyan at the 13th RPA Convention.

`Conventions of the Republican Party of Armenia have long ago become
one of the most significant events in the social and political life of
our country arising as a unique quintessence of our maturing statehood
and embodiment of new traditions. And that is quite natural,’ the RA
President noted.

`The Republican Party has been our country’s leading political force
for the major part of Armenia’s independent existence and along with
its partners it has been able to sustain country’s advancement
regardless of all internal and external tumults, regardless of the
hurdles blocking our way and pernicious currents. Much has changed
along the way: the presidents, the entire social and economic milieu,
foreign and internal challenges, problems and actors have also
changed. But the Party has been carrying on with its noiseless,
unpretentious work, stirring away from the roads to abyss and
temptations to reach the sun flying on wax wings.

The Republicans are everywhere: in all areas of our social life and in
every corner of our country, and as such, it’s been able with its own
authority to thwart any dangerous sway, to level fluctuations; through
the same authority it maintains a steady speed and overcomes
impediments thus making our country to move forward. With its vast
experience accumulated through the years and with a constantly growing
vigor, the Party makes a formidable bond, linking our present to our
future and it is ready to rise against intolerance or domestic split,
stagnation or levity, against a foreign foe or internal despondency,’
said the President of the Republic of Armenia and Chairman of the
Republican Party of Armenia.

`In the upcoming parliamentary elections, we will present ourselves to
our people as a team of like-minded individuals which has set a goal
to win the people’s vote of confidence and form a government.
Probably, there are some who don’t like it, those who cannot come to
terms with an ideology that reigns in our country sustained by our
people’s vote of confidence. However, that’s the reality which is
nothing but right and beneficial for Armenia,’ Serzh Sargsyan said.

Source: Panorama.am

Joyce Apsel to head Genocide and Human Rights University Program

March 10, 2012 – 10:10 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Prof. Joyce Apsel has been appointed Course Director
of the Genocide and Human Rights University Program (`GHRUP’) by the
Program Development Committee.

The program is held annually in partnership by the International
Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (`IIGHRS’) (A Division
of the Zoryan Institute) and the University of Toronto.

Greg Sarkissian, President of the Academic Board of the IIGHRS and
Director of the Program made the announcement, explaining, `Dr. Apsel
is a distinguished scholar, a Master Teacher, and brings tremendous
experience to overseeing the implementation of the course in the
classroom.

Prof. Apsel teaches Humanities in the Liberal Studies Program of the
College of Arts & Sciences at New York University, where she has
taught a series of seminars on Genocide and Human Rights over the last
decade. She is a recipient of the NYU Distinguished Teaching Award
(2008-2009). She is currently President of the Institute for the Study
of Genocide and a past president of the International Association of
Genocide Scholars. She is also director of Rights Works International,
established in 1999 to promote peace, human rights and genocide
education around the world.

In reflecting on her new role, Prof. Apsel said, `For the last eight
years, I have participated in the GHRUP summer program as a specialist
teaching sections about the history and complexity of human rights and
humanitarianism and links with genocide, as well as an earlier module
on teaching about genocide.

`The program provides a unique curriculum opportunity for students and
reflects the continuing need to write into the curriculum events that
have all too long been ignored or diminished and still may be denied.
In this respect, study of the Armenian Genocide and its denial
provides a powerful example. As new archives open up world-wide and
new research is carried out, careful examination of issues of genocide
and human rights provides a crucial lens to understand mass atrocities
and to develop strategies toward prevention and rebuilding communities
in the aftermath of severe human rights violations. I am pleased to
have the opportunity to be on-site course director of the 2012 GHRUP
summer program and welcome students of different backgrounds, training
and voices to apply and become part of this unique learning
experience. The Genocide and Human Rights University Program reflects
my own commitment to the importance of education and research on these
important themes.’

The GHRUP combines theory with a look at specific case studies and
explores major themes, allowing students to not only learn about the
intricacies of genocide studies, but also to begin recognizing
patterns as preventable stages of genocide. The comparative nature of
the program encourages students to draw their own parallels between
the various cases and fosters stimulating classroom discussion.

The International Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies (A
Division of the Zoryan Institute) is dedicated to scholarly research
and dissemination of knowledge regarding the phenomenon of genocide in
all of its aspects, to create an awareness of it as an ongoing
scourge, and promote the necessity of preventing it.

Sargsyan: Genocide denial direct continuation of 20th century crimes

March 10, 2012 – 13:19 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Armenian nation and the entire humanity must
stop the crime that is being committed every day, every moment, `right
before our eyes’, Armenian President, leader of the ruling Republican
Party of Armenia (RPA) Serzh Sargsyan said.

Speaking at the RPA 13th congress, Sargsyan said: `We have a clear-cut
message to all states and nations of the world: denial of the Armenian
Genocide is the continuation of the crimes committed in the last
century. And the crime committed against the Armenian nation continues
even today, right now.’

`The process of the international recognition and condemnation of the
Armenian Genocide goes on due to joint efforts of Armenia and
Diaspora,’ the Armenian leader stated.

VILLES
Soumgaït est la ville la plus laide du monde

Soumgaït, la troisième ville d’Azerbaïdjan, tristement célèbre pour
les pogroms anti-arméniens de 1988, vient d’être classée au premier
rang des villes les plus laides de la planète. « Soumgaït étant un
ville côtière aspirait à devenir une station balnéaire. Mais après la
Seconde guerre mondiale de nombreuses usines de production
industrielle y furent construites. La conséquence est que la ville est
devenue très polluée, renfermant de nombreux déchets chimiques et
métallurgiques. La ville dispose de cimetières pour enfants atteints
de malformations physiques ou mentales, conséquences de la pollution »
écrit le commentaire sur ce classement des villes les plus laides du
monde. Parmi ces dernières, Guatemala city (Guatemala) est en deuxième
position, suivie de Riyad (Arabie Saoudite), Chisnau (Moldavie), La
Oraya (Pérou), Neypido (Myanmar) et Ciudad del Este (Paraguay).

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 10 mars 2012,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

Trend, Azerbaijan
March 7 2012

Armenia’s refusal to attend Eurovision-2012 is inconsistent and cynical
7 March 2012, 16:08 (GMT+04:00) Trend Agency commentator Elmira Tariverdiyeva

It became known today that Armenia has officially refused to take part
in the prestigious ‘Eurovision’ Song Contest this year, to be held in
Baku in May. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has expressed
disappointment with the Armenian side’s decision.

It seems that nothing extraordinary has happened. They just refused.
Moreover, a number of countries sometimes take these decisions for
various reasons. They have previously notified the EBU about this.
However, Yerevan has not simply refused from participating in the
Eurovision Song Contest, held in Baku. It did it with such a fanfare
in an attempt to justify its refusal from participating in the contest
by pseudo-patriotic reasons, based on a lie.

However everything must be mentioned step by step. In October 2011 the
Azerbaijani government on behalf of Prime Minister Artur Rasizade
submitted a letter with guarantees to the EBU regarding the Eurovision
song contest in Baku in May 2012. The letter explained about ensuring
the security of all guests who arrive at the contest as well as the
simplification of visas.

In January Armenia applied to take part in Eurovision-2012 in Baku.
Then Yerevan was not confused. They were willing not only to come, but
even threatened to win.

Later, Armenia decided to withdraw from the contest in Baku. Yerevan
decided to justify its refusal by some quite inappropriate reasons
having nothing to do with reality.

Yerevan explained some Armenian singers’ appeal on the inadmissibility
of Armenia’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 by the
death of an Armenian soldier allegedly killed by an Azerbaijani
sniper. However, as it turned out later that a soldier was shot from a
distance of several metres, almost at point blank range by his own
colleague (incidentally, this is the fifth case in the Armenian army
when one military kills another since early 2012).

However, despite this, Armenia has still refused to participate in
this popular contest thus showing that the death of a soldier is just
an excuse. That is really another Armenian propaganda shame. This is
another shame of the Armenian defence Ministry and a number of
Armenian singers who follow their authorities’ tastes to try to
discredit Azerbaijan, which will host Eurovision this year.

The song contest could also contribute to the public diplomacy of
Azerbaijan and Armenia and promote the convergence of the parties in
resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict which has been recently
mentioned. However, pseudo patriots are in power in Armenia leaving
all efforts to promote a dialogue remaining futile.