Author: Kajoyan Gevork

L’ALBANIE S’IMPOSE 2-0 FACE A L’ARMENIE BIEN TERNE EN MATCH AMICAL

FOOTBALL

L’Albanie (38e au classement de la FIFA) etait favorite face
a l’Armenie (66e mondial) privee de son meneur de jeu Henrikh
Mkhitaryan. Lors du match amical qui s’est deroule a Tirana, l’Albanie
s’est fort logiquement imposee 2-0 face a une Armenie bien terne. A
la 21e minute Valdet Rama ouvrait le score pour l’Albanie au terme
d’une action quelque peu confuse dans la surface de reparation. La
balle etant deviee dans les cages armeniennes par Kamo Hovhannissian
trompant l’excellent gardien Roman Berezovski. L’Albanie dominait
une equipe d’Armenie qui manquait de dynamisme et d’initiatives. Par
quelques actions bien peu convaincantes, Kevork Ghazarian, Marcos
Piselli, Youra Movsissian et Araz Ozbiliz ne parvenaient pas a
tromper le gardien Albanais. Puis Ergys Kace par un tir puissant
de vingt mètres sous la transversale, doublait la mise (67e) en
trompant le portier armenien Kevork Kasparov qui remplacait Roman
Berzovski. Prime d’Henrikh Mkhitaryan, l’Armenia a montre une fragilite
et une inorganisation complète de ses arrières et du milieu de terrain.

Laissant peu de chances a ses attaquants de porter le danger vers
les cages adverses.

Krikor Amirzayan

jeudi 15 août 2013, Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

HENRIKH MKHITARYAN (” BORUSSIA ” DORTMUND) VA FAIRE SON ENTREE EN CHAMPIONNAT D’ALLEMAGNE SAMEDI

FOOTBALL

L’international armenien Henrikh Mkhitaryan qui n’a pas participe au
match amical Albanie-Armenie en raison d’une blessure a la cheville a
repris ses entraînements le 13 août avec son nouveau club ” Borussia
” Dortmund. Ses entraînements se sont normalement deroules et Henrikh
Mkhitaryan semble pret a reprendre les competitions. Il devrait faire
son entree sur le stade de Dortmund, samedi 17 août a 19h30 lors du
match ” Borussia ” Dortmund contre ” Eintracht ” Braunschweig pour
le compte de la 2ème journee de la Budesliga.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan (24 ans) est retabli de ses blessures et se declare
” impatient ” de faire son premier match officiel au sein de son
club allemand.

Krikor Amirzayan

jeudi 15 août 2013, Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

WESTERN MEDIA ABOUT PUTIN’S VISIT TO BAKU: FAILURE OF ENERGY DEAL AND SUCCESS IN MILITARY COOPERATION

16:00 14/08/2013 ” REGION

During the rare visit of the Russian President Vladimir Putin to
Baku no concrete deal on energy, which could challenge the Western
energy companies dominating in post-Soviet republics, was reached,
writes the Reuters.

“Russia has long tried to increase its presence in Azerbaijan,
a country Europe is hoping to lessen its dependence on Russian gas
with,” writes the agency.

However, according to the agency, the head of “Rosneft” Igor Sechin
has signed a rather vague agreement with SOCAR in Azerbaijan. An
anonymous source in the energy sector of Russia told the Reuters
that Azerbaijan has requested such a high price for its assets that
“Rosneft” is not intended to pay it. The source in SOCAR also noted
that there are big plans to resolve the disagreements.

“Western oil majors like BP, “Statoil” and “Exxon Mobil” have
dominated the Azeri oil industry since the collapse of the Soviet
Union while relations between Moscow and Baku have been mostly cool,”
the Reuters writes.

“Blomberg” agency touched upon the military cooperation between
Russia and Azerbaijan. According to the agency, Azerbaijan, having
a territorial conflict with neighboring Armenia, claimed that the
military cooperation with Russia is estimated at $4 billion. “It was
the first time Azerbaijan disclosed the price of its arms deals,”
states the article.

“Azerbaijan has increased military spending by almost 30 times to
$3.7 billion in the past decade and repeatedly threatened to use
force to regain control of the territory (Nagorno Karabakh – ed.),
in case peace talks fail. A failure of talks would risk renewed war
in a region where BP and partners have invested more than $35 billion
in energy projects since 1994,” writes the Bloomberg.

During his visit to Baku Vladimir Putin encouraged to find a political
solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, writes “Europe Online”
magazine. “More than 20 years of negotiations under the auspices
of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe were
fruitless. Moscow has traditionally backed Armenia, which lacks
Azerbaijan’s resources and is a close partner of Iran. But this summer,
Russia has started delivery of a billion-dollar arms package, including
tanks and rocket launchers, to Azerbaijan,” writes the source.

According to the magazine Russian experts think that Kremlin tries
to keep the balance of forces in a strategically important region.

“Aliyev, who took over the presidency after his father Heydar Aliyev
died in 2003, is criticized in the West for his authoritarian style
of government,” writes the Europe Online.

Source: Panorama.am

PUTIN ARRIVES IN BAKU FOR TALKS WITH AZERBAIJAN LEADER

ITAR-TASS, Russia
August 13, 2013 Tuesday 04:21 PM GMT+4

BAKU August 13

– Russian President Vladimir Putin has arrived on a one-day working
visit in Baku for talks with Azerbaijan’s leader Ilkham Aliyev. The
two countries are expected to sign half a dozen documents.

“The signing ceremony will take place after the talks. Five or six
bilateral agreements have been in the works,” Yuri Ushakov, an aide
to the Russian president, said.

He did not specify the documents but mentioned that some of them
related to the energy sphere.

The Kremlin noted consistency in the development of cooperation in
this field. In 2012, Azerbaijan supplied 1.55 million cubic meters of
natural gas to Russia. In January through June 2013, Russia purchased
0.88 billion cubic meters of gas from Azerbaijan. There are more than
500 Russian companies operating in the republic.

Bilateral cooperation has been successfully developing in other areas.

“Azerbaijan is traditionally one of the most important Russian
partners in the Commonwealth of Independent States /CIS/. Bilateral
interaction includes intensive political dialogue and active trade,
regional and cultural ties,” Ushakov noted

Bilateral trade has been increasing in a stable trend: it grew by
10.8 percent to 3.4 billion dollars in 2012. In January through May
it grew by 40 percent.

“Russia is Azerbaijan’s leading foreign trade partner,” the aide said.

The countries are expanding parliamentary cooperation, their foreign
ministries closely interact, regional ties are becoming stronger,
and cooperation in the field of education is developing at a good rage.

“During the talks, the presidents will consider preparations for the
3rd international humanitarian forum in Baku on October 31-November
1,” Ushakov said.

Also,the two leaders will touch upon the key issues of international
and regional agenda, the legal regime of the Caspian Sea and the
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

During the Baku summit, Caspian Fleet warships will make a friendly
call to the Baku port. The leaders are expected to visit one of
the warships.

RUSSIAN JOURNALIST DENIED ENTRY TO AZERBAIJAN BECAUSE OF ARMENIAN LAST NAME

Wednesday,August 14

Russian journalist Anna Sahakyan, Russian by nationality, was denied
entry to Baku because of her husband’s Armenian last name. Anna has
never been to Artsakh and is not included in the “blacklist” of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan.

Anna left a post about the incident on her Facebook page: “Do you
know why I am ashamed? I explained to those people that I am Russian
by birth. I am proud of my last name, I changed it once for love, and
if I have to change it once more, I would do it for a really big love.

Yes, I regret that I got angry and burst into tears instead of telling
them this and flying back proudly. To be honest, the reason was my
tiredness. I won’t become a nationalist and despise Azerbaijan, but,
come on, people, isn’t it clear that we are all equal in front of God,
and we won’t be happy until we forgive each other?”

Anna notes that with a half-Armenian son and past romances with men
of other nationalities she is not Russian anymore. She now knows what
people feel when they are oppressed because of their nationality.

“It is possible that due to the theory of five handshakes my humble
words will reach Ilham Aliyev, whose portrait hangs in the airport
named after his father, more specifically in the cabinet of the head
of Customs office, who politely offered me tea, but never granted
entry and suggested I change my last name and fly back again,” writes
Anna Sahakyan and highlights that some people think the situation is
caused by Putin’s visit.

“But Mr. Aliyev, be a man now and make a revolution in relations with
the Armenian nation. And do you know what the funniest thing is? I
really wanted to see Baku and walk in the streets of the old city;
instead I saw a piece of the sea from the plane. And if there are
Azerbaijani people among my friends, I really hope, that you are also
ashamed,” notes Anna Sahakyan.

TODAY, 21:11

Aysor.am

AZERBAIJANI “BLACK LIST” CONTRADICTS INTERNATIONAL LAW: NKR FOREIGN MINISTRY

19:52, 14 August, 2013

YEREVAN, AUGUST 14, ARMENPRESS: Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s Foreign
affairs ministry issued a statement on Azerbaijani “black list”
of people who visited NKR.

“Armenpress” reports that the statement runs as follows: “Authorities
of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) have on numerous occasions
expressed their grave concern over the fraudulent campaign by
Azerbaijan aimed at distorting the essence of the conflict between
Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh and misleading the international
community. This campaign expands from year to year introducing new
sophisticated methods of falsifications, provocations, and revanchist
threats.

The most recent examples of such a propaganda campaign are the
circulation of the July 26, 2013 A/67/943-S/2013/442 letter in
the United Nations Organization calling upon the UN Member States
to warn their citizens against visiting the NKR “without the prior
authorization of the government of Azerbaijan” as well as publication
of a list of people declared personae non gratae by the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan because of their visits to the
NKR. This list of 335 individuals from 41 countries includes members of
parliaments, prominent public figures, culture and art professionals,
journalists, students and tourists.

In this respect the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the NKR deems
appropriate to state the following:

The NKR is an independent state with a population, which should
not be deprived of a possibility to exercise its fundamental human
rights under any circumstances as it is enshrined in the Article 2
of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that “no
distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional
or international status of the country or territory to which a person
belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or
under any other limitation of sovereignty”.

People of Nagorno Karabakh established their state exercising their
inalienable right to self-determination in full compliance with the
norms and principles of the international law and acting upon the
then effective constitutional and legal framework of the Soviet Union.

Since the very first day of its establishment the NKR, unlike
Azerbaijan, has assumed the course of building a democratic State
ensuring all the rights and freedoms for its citizens. The NKR
leadership intends to continue the policy of comprehensive development
of the Republic and its democratic institutions, and has repeatedly
expressed its readiness for mutually beneficial cooperation with all
interested parties.

>From the very beginning, Azerbaijan rejected any possibility of a
civilized dialogue with Nagorno Karabakh and adhered to the policy of
settling the conflict between Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh through
the application of brutal, unproportional and indiscriminate force
against the civilian population. It carried out ethnic cleansings in
Nagorno Karabakh proper and Armenian-populated areas of Azerbaijan,
unleashing full-fledged military aggression against Nagorno Karabakh.

Despite the ongoing negotiation process and commitments undertaken
since the conclusion of the cease-fire agreement, the Azeri leadership
continues to interpret selectively the norms and principles of the
international law, thus escalating tension and mistrust, as well as
ignoring the existing realities. Deluded by its language of threats and
hostility, Azerbaijan has made a step forward in a wrong direction,
and threatens with sanctions against the third countries nationals
visiting the NKR. Such a policy of Azerbaijan fits perfectly into
the logic of its domestic human rights record that it is striving to
impose upon foreign citizens.

These highly irresponsible steps thwart any attempts to establish an
atmosphere of trust between the NKR and the Republic of Azerbaijan,
which would be essential for the peaceful resolution of the conflict.

They also hinder the ongoing mediation efforts by the Minsk Group
CoChairs of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) to find a comprehensive and lasting solution to the conflict
between Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh.

It is meanwhile worth to mention that in spite of the artificial
impediments created by the Azeri side, the number of tourists
visiting the NKR steadily grows: throughout its independent history
tens of thousands of foreign citizens have already visited the NKR,
which testifies the safe and secure environment established by the
freedom-loving people of Nagorno Karabakh, and growing international
interest to the rich cultural and historical heritage of our native
land. It is essential to note that the crime rate in the NKR is one of
the lowest in Europe, and no serious accident has ever been registered
in our country with participation of a foreign citizen.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the NKR urges the authorities
of Azerbaijan to abandon counterproductive attempts to hinder visits
of foreign nationals to the NKR, and direct its energy and resources
wasted on such groundless and provocative actions towards settlement of
substantial issues between the parties to the conflict thus promoting
peace and stability for the whole fragile region of the South Caucasus.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the NKR welcomes and encourages the
visits of foreign nationals, both officials and tourists, to the NKR.

Such visits and people to people contacts in general contribute
to the creation of an atmosphere of confidence and co-operation in
the region and are essential for the international community to get
truthful and objective information about the NKR”.

RUSSIAN EXPERTS DO NOT EXPECT DRASTIC CHANGES IN RUSSIAN-AZERBAIJANI RELATIONS

17:42, 14 August, 2013

YEREVAN, AUGUST 14, ARMENPRESS: Russian experts notice improvement in
Russian-Azerbaijani relations but they do not expect serious changes
in bilateral relations. Experts analyzed the agreements signed
during meeting between delegations headed by Presidents Vladimir
Putin and Ilham Aliyev and reverberated to prospects fo development
of Russian-Azerbaijani relations.

“Armenpress” reports making a reference on “RIA Novosti” that
senior scientific worker of Caucasus and regional security center of
Russian Foreign ministry Vadim Mukhanov had mentioned that Russian
President’s visit to Azerbaijan can bring positive changes in bilateral
relations. “In any case both Presidents confirmed the strategy of
development of friendship relations,” he said highlighting that last
year many experts noticed coolness in Russian-Azerbaijani relations. In
his words the reason of it was the fact that Azerbaijani was more
oriented to West and implemented steps contrary to Russian interests.

Another specialist Andrei Suzdaltsev mentioned that Russia should
realize that Azerbaijan has its own life and especially regional life.

Director of analytical center of Russian foreign ministry Andrei
Kazancev highlighted that main arrangements between countries were
made in sphere of oil and gas industry cooperation. “This expands
ties between Russia and Azerbaijan, creates new levers for Russia to
expand its influence in the region,” he said.

The importance of cooperation in sphere of oil and gas industry was
also stressed by Vadim Mukhanov. “The volume of Azerbaijani energy
exported to Russia is not high. Russia is really interested in
deepening relations with Azerbaijan in this sphere,” said the expert.

At the same time experts highlighted that drastic changes should not
be expected. “The agreements signed between the sides do not make
Azerbaijan an ally for Russia, it remains a partner,” said Andrei
Suzdaltsev.

In result of meeting between Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliyev were
signed several agreements. There was a made an arrangement to build a
road near the border and expand cooperation in oil and gas industry
sphere. The sides also reverberated to political issues including
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement issues.

3 ARMENIANS AMONG NOMINEES FOR EMMY AWARDS

August 14, 2013 | 11:14

The 65th Emmy Awards of American television will be held on September
22 in Los Angeles,Armenian News-NEWS.am has learned from the Emmys
official website.

The nominees for this year’s awards include the TV series entitled
Banshee, which is aired on Cinemax. The series is made completely by
the use of digital cinematography.

And three of Banshee’s five digitization crew is Armenian: Armen V.

Kevorkian, Visual Effects Supervisor; Gevork Babityan, Compositing
Artist; and Andranik Taranyan, Compositing Artist.

ARMENIAN YEZIDIS SEEK GOVERNMENT AID FOR IRAQI BROTHERS

12:52 14.08.13

Members of the Yezidi community of Armenia call for the government
efforts to assist their compatriots in Syria.

At a news conference on Wednesday, Ashot Sultanyan, the vice president
of the Yezidis’ National Committee, said the community faces an
increasing threat of extermination in the country, with four villages
having been destroyed back in 2007.

“Our expectation from the Armenian Government is to raise the Yezidis’
issue in international tribunals. The Yezidis residing in Iraq enjoy
no rights today,” he said, promising to send a letter to Diaspora
Minister Hranush Hakobyan to express the community’s concerns.

Sultanyan said they pin hopes on the Armenian government and the
Armenian Diaspora, expecting a positive solution.

“NGOs and individuals try to offer assistance, but the only salvation
for the Yezidis can be a change of attitude in the Iraqi policies,”
he added.

LA TURQUIE RETIRE DES TROUPES DE LA MISSION DE L’ONU AU LIBAN

TURQUIE

La Turquie va retirer une partie de ses troupes de la mission de
maintien de la paix des Nations unies au Liban, ont annonce samedi
des sources en Turquie et a l’ONU, qui excluent un lien entre cette
decision et l’enlèvement de deux pilotes turcs. ” Environ 250 personnes
de la force du genie militaire ne seront prochainement plus actifs
dans la Finul (force interimaire des Nations Unies deployee dans le
sud du Liban) “, a declare a l’AFP une source diplomatique turque
qui a requis l’anonymat.

Cette annonce intervient au lendemain de l’enlèvement a Beyrouth
de deux pilotes de la Turkish Airlines pour faire pression sur les
autorites turques afin qu’elles poussent les rebelles syriens a
relâcher neuf chiites libanais detenus depuis mai 2012.

Peu après, la Turquie, qui soutient la rebellion syrienne face au
regime de Bachar al-Assad, a appele ses citoyens a quitter le Liban
et a ceux comptant s’y rendre a annuler leur voyage a moins d’un ”
imperatif vital “.

Les sources turques et aux Nations unies ont soutenu que la decision
du retrait avait ete prise bien avant l’enlèvement des deux pilotes.

” Le 6 août, le departement des operations de maintien de la paix
nous a informes que le gouvernement turc avait decide de desengager
l’unite turque de genie militaire de la Finul “, a precise a l’AFP
le porte-parole de la Finul, Andrea Tenenti.

Il a decrit ce changement comme un processus habituel.

” C’est aux pays de decider de leur participation, et, on le voit
dans toutes les missions de maintien de la paix, des pays diminuent
leur contingent, d’autres l’augmentent “, a ajoute M. Tenenti.

” L’important, c’est que les capacites operationnelles de la mission
sont intactes, qu’elles sont maintenues sur le terrain, et donc que
l’efficacite de la mission n’est pas entamee “, a-t-il ajoute.

Selon la source diplomatique turque, ce retrait tient compte des
besoins de la Finul.

” Le mandat de notre force a ete elargi en juillet. À cette epoque,
il avait egalement ete decide qu’il y aurait des changements dans la
configuration de notre contingent mais cette decision a ete prise
conformement aux besoins de la Finul et cela n’a rien a voir avec
les derniers evenements “, a-t-elle ajoute.

La Turquie maintient en revanche sa presence dans la Finul avec des
unites de marine.

” Nos unites de la force maritime, dont le nombre varie entre 100
et 300 personnes, restent mobilisees “, selon la source diplomatique
turque.

La Finul a ete mise en place au Sud-Liban en 1978 après l’invasion
du pays par Israël la meme annee.

Sa mission a ete elargie après la guerre d’Israël au Liban en 2006. La
mission deploie actuellement 13 000 personnes de differents pays.

” Efforts exceptionnels ” pour liberer les pilotes turcs

Les autorites libanaises fournissent des ” efforts exceptionnels
” pour obtenir la liberation de deux pilotes turcs enleves près de
l’aeroport de Beyrouth, a assure samedi le ministre de l’Interieur
Marwan Charbel au lendemain de ce rapt.

” L’Etat libanais fournit des efforts exceptionnels pour liberer
(les pilotes). Les services de securite ne menagent aucun effort “,
a-t-il assure a l’ambassadeur de Turquie a Beyrouth, Inan Ozyildiz,
selon l’agence nationale d’information ANI.

” Nous poursuivons l’enquete pour retrouver les deux Turcs (…) Le
Liban est contre tout enlèvement et l’Etat fait tout ce qui est son
pouvoir pour les liberer “, a-t-il dit.

Des hommes armes ont enleve vendredi a Beyrouth deux pilotes de la
Turkish Airlines afin qu’Ankara, qui soutient les rebelles syriens,
contraigne ces derniers a relâcher neuf chiites libanais qu’ils
detiennent depuis mai 2012.

Le rapt des pilotes a eu lieu dans une zone majoritairement chiite,
contrôlee notamment par le puissant parti Hezbollah, un allie du
regime syrien.

Un groupe inconnu, le ” groupe des visiteurs de l’imam Ali al-Rida ”
– du nom d’un imam venere par les chiites – a revendique l’enlèvement.

C’est au retour d’une visite de la tombe de cet imam en Iran que neuf
pèlerins libanais avaient ete enleves dans le nord de la Syrie.

Les familles des pèlerins avaient maintes fois manifeste devant les
locaux de Turkish Airlines a Beyrouth, appelant Ankara a user de son
influence auprès des rebelles pour qu’ils soient relâchees.

Un porte-parole du ministère turc des Affaires etrangères a affirme
que son pays n’avait ” rien a avoir ” avec l’enlèvement des Libanais
en Syrie mais qu’Ankara faisait son possible ” pour obtenir leur
liberation “.

La Turquie a par ailleurs appele ses citoyens a quitter le Liban
et a ceux comptant s’y rendre a annuler leur voyage a moins d’un ”
imperatif vital “.

” Nous assurerons la protection des Turcs et de tout le monde au Liban
“, a affirme samedi le ministre Charbel.

L’enlèvement des Libanais avait ete revendique a l’epoque par un
certain ” Abou Ibrahim ” se disant membre de l’Armee syrienne libre
(ASL, rebellion), mais l’ASL a nie toute implication. Partager

mercredi 14 août 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com