Author: Kajoyan Gevork

France Telecom-Orange CEO visits Armenia

October 8, 2011 – 11:28 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Orange Flagship store in Yerevan hosted Stephane
Richard, Chairman and CEO of France Telecom-Orange, Eric Besson,
French Minister of Industry, Energy and Digital Economy, Pierre
Lellouche, State Secretary in charge of Foreign Trade and Thierry
Mariani, Secretary of State for Transport, who are in Armenia as part
of the delegation accompanying French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
During the visit, they were introduced to the activities of Orange and
innovations introduced by the company to Armenian mobile telephony and
broadband internet.

Members of French-Armenian business club headed by Armand Pinarbasi,
the president of the club, were also present at the meeting.

The Chairman and CEO of France Telecom-Orange, said, `I am happy and
proud of being in Armenia to represent company, contributing with its
investments and activities to the economic and technological
development of the country, thus further promoting French-Armenian
ties.’

Earlier, Mr. Richard visited the headquarters of Orange Armenia and
met the managing committee as well as whole staff, was introduced to
the business life of the company and presented the global ambitions
and strategy of Orange France Telecom Group. As the official noted, he
is proud that the masterpiece of renowned French artist Auguste Rodin
will be inaugurated in Yerevan, with Orange support, to symbolize the
friendship of French and Armenian people. He also attended the
official inauguration of the statue by the presidents of the two
countries, Orange Armenia press center reported.

Armenia’s Defense minister fires senior officers over accident

15:02 – 08.10.11

Armenia’s defense minister has fired senior military officials over
the incident during military exercise that claimed a life.

A source close to the Defense Ministry told Tert.am that upon his
return from Brussels on October 7 Seyran Ohanyan signed a decree with
which he fired several high-ranking military officers, including the
commander of the Baghramyan Education Camp over the incident.

Several other high-ranking military officers, including some general,
were only reprimanded.

The accident took place at around 6pm on October 3 when a vehicle
participating in the military hit the roadside mound, lost control and
slipped off the road, killing on conscript and injuring six others.

It comes a week after Seyran Ohanyan said during a visit to a military
unit in Nagorno-Karabakh that non-combat deaths in the army are
unacceptable and that those in charge will be strictly punished in
accordance with the law.

Tert.am

Nobel physics prize winner Zhores Alferov to visit Armenia

October 8, 2011 – 13:06 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The winner of 2000 Nobel Prize in Physics, the
vice-president of the Russian Academy of Sciences Zhores Alferov will
visit Armenia.

At October 10 panel sitting of Armenian National Academy of Sciences
(NAS), Mr. Alferov will be awarded with the title of NAS Honorary
Academician.

At October 11 Ashtarak-hosted conference on laser physics, the
scientist will deliver a report, to be later followed by a lecture
titled `21st Century Semiconductor Revolution’.

Zhores Alferov (born March 15, 1930) is a Soviet and Russian physicist
and academic who contributed significantly to the creation of modern
heterostructure physics and electronics. He is an inventor of the
heterotransistor and the winner of 2000 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Interview With HIS HOLINESS ARAM I, CATHOLICOS OF THE GREAT HOUSE OF CILICIA

USA Armenian Life Magazine
– October 7, 2011

USA Armenian Life Magazine: Your Holiness, you have often underlined
that the Diaspora is an equal partner with Armenia. Could you please
elaborate on what basis you make such a statement?

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I: We have often outlined that the Armenian people
are one with Armenia, Artsakh (Karabagh) and Diaspora. Therefore, the
Diaspora and Artsakh are the extension of Armenia. In ordinary sense,
the Diaspora is not a partner with Armenia. It is true that the
Diaspora Armenian doesn’t live in Armenia, but considers Armenia – and
must do so – his Homeland toward which he has both duties and rights.
It is from this vintage point that we must look at Armenia-Diaspora
co-operation. Initiatives that are based on ordinary and conditional
settings can not, but well-studied and long-term plans can inject new
quality into our co-operation and can solidify our nation’s internal
unity and potential.

USA Armenian Life Magazine: How can one rate the quality of relations
between the Catholicosate of All Armenians in Etchmiadzin and the
Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia in Antelias, Lebanon? And
how can one define the nature of the ties between the Dioceses of both
Sees?

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I: The co-operation between both Holy Sees – the
Catholicosate of All Armenians and Catholicosate of the Great House of
Cilicia is positive. Two committees are formed representing both Sees
in regards to our church’s reform. It is necessary to continue this
process. Issues that have jurisdictional nature that have been
inherited from the past do exist. It is essential to address these
issues with a spirit of realism; by taking into consideration our
people’s and our communities’ internal conditions; by always upholding
the indispensability of co-operation. We would also like to emphasize
that today the spirit of brotherhood on all levels is prevalent in the
relations and co-operation between both Sees. This spirit must be
further developed for the benefit of our church, homeland and people.

USA Armenian Life Magazine: In present and coming times, what is the
mission of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia in the life
of the Armenian people?

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I: We have often focused on the Great House of
Cilicia’s mission through our messages and publications. The
Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia considers itself a mission
of faith and of service to our people. These two areas that are
strongly tied with our Holy See’s life and work, compliment, enrich
and complete each other. The mission of our See has its permanent
priorities such as Christian and Armenian education; social services;
youth; spreading of spiritual and moral values; pursuit of our
national demands for justice, among others. Our See also takes into
consideration evolutionary changes occurring in our people’s internal
conditions and the resulting needs and expectations. Let’s not forget
that we live in a constantly changing world. As a mission in service
of people, the church must keep in touch with developments and related
concerns in the life of its flock.

USA Armenian Life Magazine: Recently, you have addressed a pontifical
letter to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government in
which you have qualified its initiative to return certain confiscated
religious properties to their rightful owners as being incomplete and
unjust. In your opinion, what kind of steps Turkey needs to take in
order to achieve comprehensive justice?

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I: Our demands from Turkey are clear. Turkey must
recognize and make amends for the Genocide against the Armenian people
perpetrated by Ottoman Turkey – the grandparents of Turkey’s leaders.
According to international laws, if the genocide is a crime against
humanity, then no matter how Turkey attempts to cover up the truth
through diplomatic and other means, the genocide, as a historic fact,
can not be condemned to oblivion. The Bible says that it is not
possible to hide the light under a basket – the same applies to truth.
For 97 years, our people not only remembered its martyrs but also
demanded its rights. This is an eloquent testimony that the more years
pass, the stronger our people’s demands for justice will grow. We have
clarified to Turkish Prime Minister that justice has not been served
for the Armenians. Our people will continue to demand justice from
Turkey.

USA Armenian Life Magazine: Do the Armenian youth continue to rally
around the Armenian Apostolic Church with swelled ranks? Has the
Catholicosate developed new bridges for communication and
strengthening of ties with the youth?

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I: We have always given special importance to our
youth underlining the fact that our youth are not only our future but
also our present. The doors of our church, organizations and
communities are wide open for our youth. Our youth have a message to
deliver and accomplishments to perform in our collective life. We must
trust our youth. They are aware of today’s conditions, challenges and
ills of our world. Therefore, they can perform an important role in
our life. Our structures have an urgent need for rejuvenation. The
same people with unchanged ideas and practices can not contribute to
our life’s further development and reorganization. Our life has a dire
need for internal vitality; for new organizational approaches; and for
new quality. In this regard, We consider our youth’s role
fundamentally important. On the other hand, We expect our youth to
treat our spiritual, moral and national values with a spirit of
awareness. We have amply addressed these issues in Our book – `We Must
Take the Church to the People.’

USA Armenian Life Magazine: In contrast to Dioceses around the world
belonging to the Holy See of Etchmiadzin, the Dioceses functioning
under the umbrella of the Great House of Cilicia have always made
relentless efforts and carried out large-scale work and created a
sizeable network of Armenian schools in all corners of the Diaspora.
Why has the Great House of Cilicia preferred to allocate large
portions of its human and material resources to building our schools
next to the churches, instead focusing only on the construction of
churches?

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I: A little while ago, we have observed that the
faith-based mission and service to the nation constitute a singular
unit in our mission. This is not a theoretical idea. That’s the way
our church has been throughout history and that’s the way it should be
today. Religious education and Armenian education are not distant
realities, but one entity with differing aspects. Armenian education
is religious education and it is not possible to carry out religious
education without Armenian education; in other words, our religious
and moral values can not be removed from national values and
vice-versa. This is the identity of our church. This is the Armenian
identity. Therefore, the coexistence of both the church and the school
is not coincidental. The school is the continuation of the church.
That’s the way it has to be in its internal environment and in terms
of our mission in our flock’s development both as human beings and as
Armenians. I hope this makes it amply clear as to why the
Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia has given a special
importance to Armenian schools, highlighting the fact that the church
and school constitute one and integral entity.

USA Armenian Life Magazine: In your opinion, how can Diaspora’s
current state of organization be optimized? Do you think the current
quasi-organizational situation and the absence of internal harmony;
and the inexistence of elective leadership can be free from
exploitation by Turkey and other anti-Armenian forces? What kind of
solution do you propose?

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I: It is not easy to have the Diaspora undergo
reorganizational process because today obviously exist three Diasporas
– the classic Diaspora, Diaspora in the former Soviet space and the
Diaspora that is created as a result of emigration from Armenia.
Therefore, today, the Diaspora represents a colorful picture. The
creation of intimacy, co-operation and harmony among these three
Diasporas is a priority. The church and the community-based
organizations have an important role to perform in this process. They
must play the role of a bridge, and become meeting places where all
the children of our people – in tangible terms, shall feel as
belonging to the same nation, same culture and Homeland. Even if the
creation of harmony within the Diaspora is a long process, we consider
as urgent and primary the co-operation regarding issues affecting our
people, our homeland or a given community. Just like we have
emphasized in our message in Armenia – we must develop a pan-Armenian
thinking. Co-operation can contribute greatly to the development of
pan-Armenian thinking.

USA Armenian Life Magazine: The Catholicosate of the Great House of
Cilicia has always been an advocate of the Armenian Church and
people’s well-being. Is it possible to elaborate in practical terms
some of the efforts made in this regard?

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I: A while ago, when we were talking about the
mission of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, we
described its religious and national aspects. That’s what should be
the mission of our church. It should become not only the advocate but
also the initiator, the leader in all of the efforts that further the
unity of our people; the strengthening of our Homeland; the
flourishing of our culture; and the pursuit of national aspirations
and rights. In other words, our church as a national institution, must
be the tracer (chaser) of our nation’s and Homeland’s collective
interests – naturally, as spiritual structure that is guided by its
unique and independent approach to these issues. Let’s not forget that
similar to other organizations that function in our life the church is
not solely of religious nature. Such characterization of the church is
unacceptable. The Church is a home of faith; It is the presence of God
in our lives; It is the voice of God, and the clergy are the
ambassadors of Christ. It is with such self-awareness that the church
must function and become the advocate of truth in our lives, and
certainly not remain silent in the face of falsehood. It must be the
defender of the poor, and not the supporter the rich and the
exploiter. It must be the evangelist of justice, and not an
indifferent bystander of injustice. Didn’t Jesus Christ side with the
underprivileged?

USA Armenian Life Magazine: Recently, a very important conference
dedicated to Western Armenian language took place in the Bikfaya
Seminary in Lebanon under your High Auspices and organized by the
Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia. According to several
media reports, ample ideas were expressed during the three-day
conference and among them was the unified decision by the conference
to create a body that would preserve the Western Armenian language.
The idea is wonderful, but what practical steps and with what kind of
mandate will the body be able to take the necessary steps?

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I: We have discussed comprehensively the outcome of,
and the media have given extensive coverage to the conference on
Western Armenian language which took place in the Catholicosate,
through our initiative and sponsorship. We would not like to repeat
the discussions. But we would like to underline a few important
points.

A) The Western Armenian language is in crisis. If we do not take
appropriate measures to prevent the escalation of the crisis, we can
lose our language in a short time. It was based on this fact that we
have organized the conference. The conference emphasized the
imperative of taking urgent and effective measures;

B) As a practical step, the conference proposed the formation of a
Western Armenian Language Preservation Council through the initiative
of the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, with the
participation of individuals knowledgeable in Armenian studies who can
further the cause. We will conduct consultations on the makeup of the
Council after the completion of our Pontifical Visit to the Prelacy of
Western United States;

C) Organizing conferences and proposing ideas are not enough. It is
essential that we implement the ideas and execute the developed plans
within our communities. It is in this area that we fail. The
preservation of Western Armenian language must be carried out on local
levels – within the churches, schools, homes, and clubs. Therefore our
work has to be collective and an awareness of responsibility
shouldered by all.

USA Armenian Life Magazine: Has the conference on Western Armenian
language identified the role of the Diaspora Armenian media, and did
it underline the importance of employing clear, accurate and
crystallized Western Armenian in the media that features enhanced
quality for the benefit of perpetuation of Western Armenian language?
Has there been a discussion on finding the means to assist the
Diaspora Armenian press both morally and financially so that the media
does not fail in its duties?

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I: The press occupied an important place in the
conference. Many reports were presented and all participants greatly
emphasized the role of the media in the preservation of Western
Armenian language and in the dissemination of cultural values, and of
the maintenance of the Armenian identity as a whole. We consider the
media as a mission. It is with such awareness that media managers
should carry out their mission and it is with equal devotion that the
children of our nation should support the Armenian media.

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Oct 7 2011

Turkey’s telecommunications body dragging feet in Dink case

Friday, October 7, 2011
ANKARA ` Vatan

Dink, a Turkish journalist of Armenian origin, was shot in front of
his office in January 2007. Triggerman Ogün Samast has been sentenced
to 22 years. Hürriyet photo

The Telecommunications Directorate (TÄ°B) has again refused a request
by an Istanbul court to disclose phone records pertaining to the
assassination of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink in 2007 but
has instead issued its own request.

TÄ°B had earlier rejected two court demands to disclose the relevant
phone records, first by indicating to the court that no phone calls
were made in the area in question, then by claiming that the
disclosure of such information would amount to a `violation of
privacy.’

This time, however, TÄ°B has responded to the same demands by a higher
court by requesting that a series of simulated phone calls be made and
that other relevant information about the calls, such as their
duration and date, be recorded.

The request could be in vain, however, as the locations of the base
stations in the area might have changed, or the base stations may have
been removed altogether in the four years that have passed since the
assassination.

TÄ°B offered no explanation as to how placing such simulated phone
calls might shed light on the events surrounding Dink’s murder.

After TÄ°B’s failure to respond to the same demand on previous
occasions, the Dink family’s lawyers placed such simulated calls in
2008. TÄ°B, however, told the family that the phone records and the
base stations in question could not be determined.

In the past, TÄ°B has provided information on one phone line that was
unconnected to the case, leading some to question the institution’s
explicit committment to the protection of personal privacy ` the same
principle it evoked to deny the request to disclose phone records in
the ongoing investigation.

Dink, a Turkish journalist of Armenian origin, was the chief editor
for weekly Agos, a paper published in both Turkish and Armenian. He
was shot in front of his office in January 2007; triggerman Ogün
Samast was sentenced to 22 years in prison last month for the murder.

, Turkey
Oct 7 2011

Turkey reacts to Sarkozy threat during Armenia visit

The reactions came after Sarkozy had said France could pass a law,
similar to that in Switzerland, which would support Armenian
allegations regarding the incidents of 1915.

Turkey’s European Union (EU) minister and chief negotiator said on
Friday that it would be better if the French president dealt with the
union’s future instead of history.

Bagis’s remarks came after Sarkozy had said France could pass a law,
similar to that in Switzerland, which would support Armenian
allegations regarding the incidents of 1915.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, on a brief trip to the Caucasus,
urged Turkey on Thursday to recognize the 1915 killings of Armenians
as “genocide”, threatening to pass a law in France that would make
having different views on the controversial matter “a crime”.

Egemen Bagis said Nicolas Sarkozy if Sarkozy worked on how his country
could come out of the economic turbulence instead of assuming the role
of historians, it would be more meaningful for France and Europe.

“If Sarkozy develops projects on the future of the EU, it will be more
meaningful for not only EU-member France but also world peace and
order,” Bagis told reporters in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina.

“Sarkozy must have been frightened with the results of recent
political surveys in France so that he is assuming such approaches,”
Bagis said.

Bagis also said the duty of politicians was not to deal with history
and some incidents that occurred in the past, but to set the future.

“Political opportunism”

Turkey’s foreign minister also said that France’s confronting with its
own history would be beneficial for world peace.

Ahmet Davutoglu said there was nothing in the remarks French President
Nicolas Sarkozy made in Armenia that could make Turkey offended.

“It will be very beneficial if France confronts with its own history,
particularly with African nations,” Davutoglu told reporters in
Ankara.

Minister Davutoglu said those who recommended that Turkey should
confront with its history should first of all look at themselves.

“I consider such remarks as political opportunism, and unfortunately
such political opportunism is faced in Europe whenever there is an
upcoming election,” Davutoglu said.

Davutoglu said the remark was totally in line with internal politics
in France, and it was something that would have a negative impact on
Turkish-Armenian process.

It was impossible to think that such remarks would contribute to a
peace process, Davutoglu said.

Davutoglu said Turkish people lived together with the Armenians in
same cities, neighborhoods for centuries, and Armenian people had huge
contributions in Turkish architecture those days.

“We will confront with out history, there is not any problem. However,
mentalities who cannot confront with their own histories and who have
not intermingled with the societies they have ruled and who have seen
them as a lower class, should confront with their own histories,”
Davutoglu said.

Davutoglu said a state or a society that had a colonial history did
not have the right to give a lesson to Turkey to confront its history.

“We have always stated that the agonies experienced in 1915 are our
own agonies, and we suggested that we should share our agonies,”
Davutoglu also said.

Turkey rejects the term and denies that up to 1.5 million Armenians
died. It says many Muslim Turks and Kurds, as well as Christian
Armenians, were killed in inter-communal violence as Russian forces
invaded eastern Anatolia during World War One.

Agencies

leJDD.fr , France
7 oct 2011

Génocide arménien : Sarkozy provoque la colère de la Turquie

En visite en Arménie jeudi et vendredi, Nicolas Sarkozy à appeler
Ankara à reconnaître rapidement le génocide arménien. Des propos qui
ont provoqué la colère de la Turquie. “Il serait mieux, pour la
sérénité en France, en Europe et dans le monde, que Nicolas Sarkozy
abandonne le rôle d’historien”, a ainsi commenté le ministre turc aux
Affaires européennes, Egemen Bagis.

La visite de Nicolas Sarkozy en Arménie fait des remous en Turquie. En
déplacement officiel à Erevan jeudi et vendredi, le président français
a invité Ankara à reconnaître rapidement le génocide arménien. “Il ne
revient pas à la France de poser un ultimatum à qui que ce soit, ce
n’est pas une façon de faire (…) mais enfin, à travers les lignes,
vous pouvez comprendre que le temps n’est pas infini, 1915-2011, il me
semble que pour la réflexion c’est suffisant”, a-t-il déclaré lors
d’une conférence de presse avec son homologue arménien Serge
Sarkissian. A plusieurs reprises, il a invité la Turquie à “revisiter
son histoire” ou encore à “regarder son histoire en face”. “La France
a reconnu la sentence de mort décrétée alors contre tout un peuple en
l’appelant par son nom, le seul possible, un génocide”, a-t-il
insisté.

Des propos très applaudis par l’assistance. Mais à Ankara, la réaction
du gouvernement n’a pas tardé, via le ministre aux Affaires
européennes, Egemen Bagis. “Il serait mieux, pour la sérénité en
France, en Europe et dans le monde, que Nicolas Sarkozy abandonne le
rôle d’historien et se creuse un peu la tête pour sortir son pays du
gouffre économique dans lequel il se trouve et produise des projets
pour l’avenir de l’Union européenne.”

La Turquie y voit une man`uvre électoraliste
Le message était clair. Mais Egemen Bagis en a pourtant remis une
couche, déclarant quelques minutes après, selon l’agence de presse
Anatolie : “Notre mission, en tant qu’hommes politiques, n’est pas de
définir le passé ou les événements du passé. C’est de définir
l’avenir.” Et de reprocher à Nicolas Sarkozy “une exploitation [du
sujet] à l’approche de l’élection” présidentielle française. “Sarkozy
a probablement adopté ce type d’approche après avoir été effrayé par
les derniers sondages politiques en France”, a-t-il ainsi insisté. Il
a été suivi par son ministre de tutelle, le chef de la diplomatique
turque, Ahmet Davutoglu. Ce dernier a en effet dénoncé “l’opportunisme
politique” de “propos qui s’inscrivent totalement dans le contexte
électoral en France”. “Ceux qui disent à la Turquie de se réconcilier
avec son passé doivent d’abord se regarder dans un miroir”, a-t-il
lancé, faisant allusion au passé colonial de la France.

Avant son élection en 2007, le candidat Sarkozy avait en effet promis
aux représentants de la communauté arménienne de France – environ
500.000 personnes – de soutenir le vote d’un texte de loi spécifique
réprimant la négation du génocide de 1915. Mais le texte n’est jamais
entré en vigueur, faute d’une majorité au Sénat et surtout du soutien
du gouvernement. Nicolas Sarkozy a d’ailleurs confirmé que si la
Turquie ne faisait pas “ce geste de paix, ce pas vers la
réconciliation”, il envisagerait de proposer l’adoption du texte.
Cette “réaction de la France se ferait connaître dans un délai assez
bref (…) qui en tout état de cause englobe la durée de mon mandat”
en avril 2012, a-t-il déclaré, avant d’ajouter : “Si je ne le précise
pas [ce délai] c’est que j’espère toujours” des réactions “turques”.

Sarkozy “n’a pas évoqué de délai” selon Guéant
Présent à Ankara vendredi pour la signature d’un accord de coopération
sécuritaire, le ministre français de l’Intérieur, Claude Guéant, a
tenté de dégonfler la polémique. “Il convient de s’en tenir
strictement aux propos du président de la République sans les
interpréter”, a-t-il déclaré, assurant que Nicolas Sarkozy n’avait
“pas évoqué de délai” pour une reconnaissance par la Turquie du
génocide arménien. Interrogé sur la réaction de la France en cas d’une
hypothétique reconnaissance par la Turquie d’un “génocide des
Algériens”, il a tenté de couper court au débat : “Le président de la
République est allé en Algérie, il a eu des propos extrêmement forts
sur ce moment douloureux de notre passé entre l’Algérie et la France.
Il a tourné la page.”

Dans ce dossier, la Turquie estime qu’entre 300.000 et 500.000
personnes ont péri en 1915-1916, mais Ankara estime que les Arméniens
n’ont pas été victimes d’une campagne d’extermination, mais du chaos
des dernières années de l’Empire ottoman. Pour les Arméniens, il
s’agit bien d’un génocide, qui a fait plus d’un million et demi de
mort. La France, elle, l’a reconnu en 2001.

M.E (avec AFP) – leJDD.fr

vendredi 07 octobre 2011

UEFA.com
Oct 6 2011

Armenia beat FYROM to keep dream alive

by Khachik Chakhoyan
Published: Friday 7 October 2011, 22.24CETArmenia 4-1 FYROM

Vardan Minasyan’s rank outsiders will fight it out for a top-two
finish in Dublin on Tuesday after making light work of their visitors
in Yerevan.

Armenia will take on the Republic of Ireland for a top-two finish in
UEFA EURO 2012 Group B on Tuesday after a confident victory against
the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in Yerevan.

Marcos Pizzelli and Henrik Mkhitaryan thrust Vardan Minasyan’s side
into a two-goal lead before the break. Following FYROM captain Velice
Sumulikoski’s dismissal eight minutes into the second half for a
second booking, Gevorg Ghazaryan made it 3-0 and although Vance Sikov
struck for the visitors, Artur Sarkisov had the last word in added
time.

Initially nervous as they sought the win they needed to keep their
qualifying hopes alive, Armenia soon warmed to their task, Yura
Movsisyan hitting the post after nine minutes. After Filip Ivanovski
had passed up a presentable chance at the other end, Armenia made the
breakthrough after 28 minutes as Movsisyan beat three men before
laying the ball off for Pizzelli to finish from inside the box.

Mkhitaryan then produced a splendid left-footed effort from 20 metres
out to make it 2-0, but FYROM did not give up, and might have reduced
the arrears significantly before the break; Ivan Trickovski hit one
effort over the bar from a decent position and Armenia goalkeeper
Roman Berezovsky had to have his wits about him to field Nikolce
Noveski’s shot from distance.

Mkhitaryan and Ivanovski had decent opportunities at either end after
the interval, but Sumulikoski’s red card tilted the tie further in the
home side’s favour. It took a splendid Martin Bogatinov save to deny
FC Shakhtar Donetsk playmaker Mkhitaryan his second of the night a few
minutes later, but the goalkeeper could do nothing about Ghazaryan’s
low shot into the corner on 69 minutes after Movsisyan picked him out.

Sikov’s header from Vlade Lazarevski’s corner appeared to have reduced
the deficit for FYROM, but – for the second game in a row – Sarkisov
scored Armenia’s fourth goal, with man of the match Movsisyan once
more the provider. Russia’s win in Slovakia means that Armenia cannot
top the group but a win in Ireland would book a play-off spot.

IEWY News
Oct 7 2011

Russia target finals berth

Russia head into their final two UEFA EURO 2012 qualifiers with their
destiny in their own hands but knowing three other teams are hot on
their heels. Dick Advocaat’s team lead Group B and have the finals in
Poland and Ukraine in their sights but their advantage over the
Republic of Ireland is just two points, although they do have a better
head-to-head record. Armenia and Slovakia are then only a further
point behind and the battle is tight.

Russia face a crunch test against Slovakia in Zilina tomorrow while
Ireland, away at minnows Andorra, are poised to take advantage of any
slip-up. Yet with Russia then facing Andorra, who are yet to register
a point, in their final game next week, merely avoiding defeat could
strengthen their position and Slovakia feel they must deliver.

`The draw is good enough for Russia and that only adds to the pressure
on us,’ Slovakia’s Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel told reporters.
`We have to expect that Russia are going to beat Andorra at home next
Tuesday so they can afford to come here, sit back and see what we are
going to do.’

Ireland, who are at home to Armenia in their final game, secured
creditable goalless draws against Slovakia and Russia in September but
now there is little margin for error in the race for top spot.
Defender Stephen Ward said: `Over the next two games, if we
concentrate on the job, get six points and maybe get that little bit
of luck, then there’s no reason why we can’t win the group. `If it all
boiled down to us having to beat Armenia on the last day, you would
have taken that at the start of the group. You would fancy us against
anyone at home.’

Armenia will first hope to keep their hopes alive by beating Macedonia
in Yerevan. Macedonia then host Slovakia in the last round of games.

Agence France Presse
Oct 9 2011

Ireland’s Keane given slim chance for Armenia game
(AFP)

DUBLIN – Republic of Ireland captain Robbie Keane has been given only
a slim chance of recovering from a sore abductor muscle in time to
face Armenia in Tuesday’s decisive Euro 2012 qualifier.

Keane had a scan on the problem on Saturday after complaining of
soreness following Ireland’s 2-0 win over Andorra on Friday.

Ireland assistant manager Marco Tardelli admits the LA Galaxy striker
— Ireland’s record scorer with 51 goals — has been struggling with
the problem since his last MLS match in America.

Tardelli believes there is still a chance Keane could recover but he
concedes the former Tottenham star is a major doubt for a fixture
which will decide if Giovanni Trapattoni’s side clinch a place in the
Euro 2012 play-offs.

Ireland need a draw at the Aviva Stadium to stop third placed Armenia
overtaking them and Tardelli said: “Robbie has a little problem, but
we are hopeful he will recover. It will be very difficult, but we are
hopeful.”

Keane and his team-mates endured a gruelling trip back from Andorra,
which involved a three-hour coach journey from the Pyrenean
principality to Barcelona and then a delayed flight of almost the same
length, eventually arriving back in Dublin early on Saturday morning.

The majority of the squad, with Keane the most high-profile exception,
were back in training on Sunday.

Among them was Stoke striker Jonathan Walters, who met up with his
colleagues on their return after missing the trip to Andorra with an
ankle injury.

Walters and West Brom pair Shane Long and Simon Cox are the leading
candidates to partner Kevin Doyle if Keane is sidelined.

“We have many options. We have Walters, Long, Cox – we have many
options,” Tardelli added.

“We are confident in all our players. We have different solutions, but
we will wait and see.”