Author: Kajoyan Gevork

BENEFACTORS BEING SUED BY THEIR CONVICTED SWINDLER

hetq
22:34, November 3, 2011

In a bizarre twist of fate, American-Armenian benefactors George
and Carolann Najarian have been taken to civil court by none other
than Grigor Igityan, the Armenian citizen who was found guilty of
defrauding the couple in the first place out of money and property.

After a trial that dragged on for 8 years, Igityan was convicted on
all counts and is now serving out his prison sentence in jail.

Igityan is claiming damages for financial losses allegedly sustained
as a reult of his conviction.

In addition to the court case, the Najarians’ properties have been
attached by the court. This is unprecedented in legal practice not
only in Armenia, but elsewhere.

According to the Najarians’ attorneys in Armenia, all demands made in
Igityan’s claim have been resolved through multiple court decisions
in the criminal case brought against him.

The evidence to substantiate these decisions against Igityan was
confirmed by the highest court there.

QUESTIONABLE PERSON WOULDN’T BE APPOINTED TO RUN RULING PARTY’S PRE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN: OPINION

epress.am
11.03.2011 13:27

“The regime is in a panic. Sensing the force of the nationwide
movement, the administration is exerting its final push in keeping
its illegitimate power, by transferring members of its team to other
positions.” This is how I would comment on the recent string of key
personnel changes within Armenia’s political leadership. “Under these
conditions of indivertible economic growth and large-scale systematic
reforms, there are new problems and challenges before the government,
and in these conditions the most effective governing model is being
chosen.” This is how a supporter of the ruling authorities might
assess the personnel changes, writes Aravot editor Aram Abrahamyan
in the newspaper’s issue today. He writes:

“The truth is that both the current administration and the opposition
political forces are preparing for the elections. Besides, in the
case of the last resignation, that of the parliamentary speaker, this
was said openly. If this is the official explanation, is it worth
it to arrive at the same conclusion through a thorough and difficult
analysis? Since for the ruling authorities administrative leverage is
the main resource for participating in the elections, it’s obvious that
[parliamentary speaker] Hovik Abrahamyan has to gather and manage that
resource. On the other hand, the combination of the second figure in
the country’s hierarchy and head of the party headquarters would not
be viewed well, and if the National Assembly chair didn’t resign, the
complaints of this combination [the same man occupying both posts]
would be quite normal. Consequently, yes, these personnel changes
are being done to maintain power, and on the other hand, yes, new
problems bring forth new people. In this sense, I would like to see
David Harutyunyan in the position of National Assembly chair, but the
parliamentary majority perhaps has its candidate, more appropriate
[to the party].

“Another two theories which are not subject to logical examination.

Allegedly with the personnel changes [former president] Robert
Kocharian’s conspiracy is prevented. This is a baseless theory not
because the country’s second president is not capable of conspiracy…

it’s simply illogical to assume that Hovik Abrahamyan can be a
participant of such a conspiracy – a questionable or not loyal person
is not appointed to head of the ruling party’s pre-election campaign.

The second theory is that the current police chief will apply tougher
methods than his predecessor in case of possible revolt by the people.

But police violence against the opposition, in any case, is not due
to the police chief’s character. Hayk Harutyunyan also, for example,
would never take such action if he didn’t have the command of his
superiors. In the case of police, therefore, everything depends on
who gives the orders.”

UN REPORT: TURKEY PERFORMS POORLY IN EDUCATION, WOMEN’S RIGHTS

PanARMENIAN.Net
November 3, 2011 – 11:36 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Turkey is performing poorly in terms of education
quality and the rate of women’s employment, according to the United
Nations’ annual Human Development Report, which was released on
November 1.

Turkey, ultimately, finished 97 out of 187 countries listed on the
human development index, which also addressed urgent global challenges
such as sustainability and equity.

The human development index also highlighted Turkey’s low level of
female employment and comparatively poor maternal mortality rate.

Some 27 percent of adult women have a secondary or higher level of
education compared to 46.7 percent of their male counterparts, the
report said. Some 24 percent of Turkish women work, the report said,
noting that this figure was 59.5 percent in Azerbaijan.

According to the report, 23 of 100,000 women die from pregnancy-related
causes, Hurriyet Daily News reported.

TRCHKAN WATERFALL TO BE DECLARED SPECIAL PROTECTION AREA

Tert.am
12:30 03.11.11

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan has proposed that Trchkan waterfall
be declared a special protection area.

At the cabinet meeting on Thursday, the premier addressed environmental
NGOs’ recent concerns over the situation of Trchkan, particularly
the plans to build a hydropower plant on the territory.

He said the Ministry of Nature Protection has studied the problem and
upon the president’s recommendation, issued a decision to neutralize
the environmental threats to the waterfall.

“Notwithstanding that, our environmentalists have raised one question
to prevent threats to the waterfall in future. It is necessary for
us to grant [Trchkan] a special status to ensure that the waterfall
will face no hazards and its water resources will not be used for
other purposes,” Sargsyan said.

SEN. FEINSTEIN CALLS FOR COMPENSATION FOR GENOCIDE LOSSES

asbarez
Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011

Sen. Feinstein pays respect to Genocide victims at Montebello Martyrs
Monument

Local, regional, and national ANCA leaders welcome visit by
California’s Senior Senator to the Montebello Armenian Genocide
Memorial

MONTEBELLO-US Senator Dianne Feinstein called upon Turkey to recognize
the Armenian Genocide and calls for “some recompense” for the tragedies
that Armenians suffered, during a wreath-laying ceremony last Thursday
at the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Montebello’s Bicknell Park.

Senator Feinstein was greeted at the Memorial, just before noon, by
Armenian American church and community leaders, including Archbishop
Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate of the Western Prelacy of the Armenian
Apostolic Church; Levon Kirakosian, who serves on the Prelacy’s
Executive Counsel; ANCA National Board member Seto Boyadjian; Viken
Pakradouni, Chairman of ANC-San Gabriel Valley; and Nazo Sardorian,
Chairman of the Armenian Cultural Foundation – San Gabriel Valley.

ANCA-WR Board Members, Raffi Kassabian and Pattyl Aposhian-Kasparian,
helped lead the delegation, as did ANCA-WR Executive Director William
Bairamian, and. Local clergymen, community activists, leaders of the
Armenian Relief Society, and representatives from the Prelacy Ladies
Auxiliary Committee also played an important role in greeting the
Senator and participating in the wreath-laying ceremony.

Jack Hadjinian, an ANC SGV activist, who is currently a top candidate
for election to Montebello’s city council, Murad Minassian, local
ANC-San Gabriel Valley activist and community leader, and Michael
Minassian, part of the original organizing committee which spearheaded
the approval, funding, and construction of the monument. The Senator’s
wreath-laying was followed by formal remarks to all those gathered,
informal discussions regarding Armenian American civic and advocacy
priorities, and an interview by Horizon Armenian Television.

The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the
largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy
organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination
with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the
Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country,
the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community
on a broad range of issues.

RECRUTEMENT DE SOLDATS DANS L’ARMEE EN 2012
Laetitia ©armenews.com

armenews.com
jeudi 3 novembre 2011

ARMENIE

L’armee armenienne souhaite recruter de nouveaux soldats professionnels
et acquerir davantage d’armes l’annee prochaine. Ce programme s’inscrit
dans le cadre d’une augmentation de 5,6% des depenses pour la defense
prevue par le budget de l’Etat pour 2012.

Seyran Ohanian, le ministre de la Defense, a declare mardi soir que
les depenses militaires de l’Armenie representeront un total de 150
millions de drams (400 millions de dollars) si le budget est approuve
par le parlement.

Ohanian a declare aux journalistes que les depenses supplementaires
proposees par le gouvernement seraient avant tout financer par le
recrutement de personnel militaire et par des ” changements structurels
” dans les forces armees. S’exprimant après les premières audiences
parlementaires sur le budget, il n’a donne aucun detail sur les
effectifs prevus.

Le ministère armenien de la Defense souhaite apparemment augmenter
le nombre de soldats de conscription servant dans l’armee. Ce nombre
a deja considerablement augmente au cours de la dernière decennie.

Ohanian a egalement annonce que les fonds supplementaires recherches
par le gouvernement et par l’armee seraient ” egalement consacres a
des achats d’armes nouvelles ainsi qu’au maintien et a l’exploitation
des systèmes et des dispositifs recemment acquis. ”

Le gouvernement a declare que le budget consacre a la defense fait
tout de meme pâle figure en comparaison avec la defense ennemie
de l’Azerbaïdjan. Le budget de la securite, devrait atteindre 3,3
milliards de dollars cette annee, contre 2,15 milliards de dollars
en 2010.

L’Armenie recoit des armes russes a des prix reduits ou meme
gratuitement. Un accord de defense russo-armenien signe en août 2010
a Moscou permet a Erevan d’obtenir ” des armes modernes et compatibles
avec le materiel militaire. ”

L’armee armenienne a demontre certaines de ses nouvelles armes,
y compris les systèmes de defense aerienne S-300, lors d’une parade
de grande envergure en septembre.

TURKEY PLANS FORMAL COMPLAINT TO IAEA OVER METSAMOR NPP
by Andrew Neff

Global Insight
November 1, 2011

Turkey’s Energy and Natural Resources Ministry plans to submit a
formal complaint to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
over the continued operation of the Metsamor nuclear power plant
(NPP) in neighbouring Armenia. A spokesperson for the ministry told
Platts that Turkey has “complained before many times that the plant
is old and dangerous”, noting that the 1970s-era NPP is located in
a region prone to major earthquakes. Turkey’s complaint follows a
recent 7.2-magnitude earthquake, which killed more than 600 people
in the country’s eastern province of Van. The Metsamor NPP, which
generates more than 40% of Armenia’s energy supplies, was unaffected
by the earthquake, although a 1988 earthquake in Armenia prompted the
closure of the NPP after it suffered serious damage. The Metsamor NPP
remained closed until 1995, when one of the two reactors at the plant
was reactivated to alleviate a supply crunch brought on by an energy
blockade of the country by both Turkey and Azerbaijan in response to
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Significance:Turkey’s plans to complain to the IAEA over the continued
operation of the Metsamor NPP will strike many as hypocritical,
particularly as Turkey has plans to develop its own civilian nuclear
energy programme and has steadfastly refused to back down in the
face of rising criticism over the potential risks to an NPP in
Turkey (seeTurkey – Russia: 17 March 2011:). Perhaps in an effort to
demonstrate that Turkey is not simply playing politics in criticising
rival Armenia’s NPP, the Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Ministry
said that it also plans to complain about other nuclear power plants
around the world that continue to operate despite being considered
too old to operate safely.

RPA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HOLDING OF FAIR AND TRANSPARENT ELECTIONS IN 2012, HOVIK ABRAHAMYAN STATES

Mediamax, Armenia
Nov 2 2011

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Speaker of Armenian parliament Hovik Abrahamyan
stated today that the RPA is responsible for “holding of fair and
transparent parliamentary elections in Armenia in 2012”.

The Speaker of the Armenian parliament stated this in his interview to
“ArmNews” TV channel today, Mediamax reports.

“We adopted a new Electoral Code and it’s very important for us to
hold fair and transparent elections. It’s our task and I envisage
the operation of the RPA campaign headquarters this way”, said Hovik
Abrahamyan.

According to him, if “we fail to organize fair and transparent
elections in 2012, our reforms will prove useless”.

“Our country’s image is of primary importance for us”, said the
Speaker who will resign in the nearest future and head the RPA
campaign headquarters.

WE WANT TO HAVE MORE WEALTHY, DEMOCRATIC AND SECURE ARMENIA, SERZH SARGSYAN STATES

Mediamax, Armenia
Nov 2 2011

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan received the
representatives of European Parliament headed by the Co-Chair of the
Armenia-EU Parliamentary Cooperation Commission Milan Tsabrnokh today.

According to the Armenian President, the meetings with political
forces, representatives of civil society and state structures of
Armenia will prove useful for the members of the delegation.

“We have the same desires and intentions: we want to have more wealthy,
democratic and secure Armenia, a stable and peaceful region.

And we make efforts to reach it”, said Serzh Sargsyan.

ARMENIANS OF IRAN LIVE FREELY AND HAVE MANY RIGHTS

news.am, Armenia
Nov 2 2011

Armenians live freely in Iran, Mohammad Javad Aghajari, Director
General of Foreign Media department, Iranian Ministry of Culture and
Islamic Guidance told the Armenian News-NEWS.am correspondent.

He stressed that based on the Constitution, Armenians have two seats
in the Iranian Parliament which proves Armenians feel comfortable in
the country.

“They are living next to the representatives of other religions but
have no problems. All residents of Iran must live peacefully,” said
Aghajari, one of the organizers of the 18th International Exhibition
of Press and News Agencies.

Asked whether Iran has business interests in organizing such events,
the official said journalists themselves can promote economic ties
between our countries.

“When you return to the Motherland, you will write articles about Iran
thus showing the country to your counterparts. The culture is a base,
cooperation will develop step by step, it will open opportunities
for merchants and others to cooperate with Iranian companies and
factories. If you introduce Iran to people of Armenia I am sure we
can boost economic relations,” said Aghajari.

Armenia was represented at the exhibition by Armenian News-NEWS.am
and Armedia news agencies.