Author: Kajoyan Gevork

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES FAMOUS PEDIATRICIAN LEONID ROSHAL

Tuesday,
June 25

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan received today President of the
National Medical Chamber of Russia, children’s surgeon Prof. Leonid
Roshal.

Leonid Roshal is in Armenia at the invitation of the Armenian
Association of Urology for an exchange of experience with the aim
of increasing the role of civil society in provision of high-quality
medical services to the population. Cooperation between the Healthcare
Commission of the Public Council of Armenia and the National Medical
Chamber of Russia will be discussed as well.

Serzh Sargsyan said the Armenians are always ready to welcome their
great friend Leonid Roshal, noting that the Armenian people saw his
compassionate attitude to children and high human and professional
qualities after the 1988 devastating earthquake in Spitak.

In the words of S. Sargsyan, Dr. Roshal is known for his charitable
work, especially for help given to children in emergency situations.

Leonid Roshal said he had visited Armenia following the 1988
earthquake, later during the war in the 1990s and has maintained
close ties with Armenia and Armenian colleagues.

He stressed that the same health care problems face Armenia and
Russia and shared his ideas about the prospects of developing the
health care sector.

24.06.2013, 21:31

Aysor.am

WHY DOES RUSSIA ATTRACT ARMENIANS?

05:29 pm | Today | Politics

Armenia seeks to strengthen its relations with Russia, show the results
of a survey conducted by the GALLUP International Association among
13,000 respondents from the former Soviet Union countries.

Forty-three percent of the respondents in Armenia noted that they
would like the country to attack investments from Russia, and 35
percent from European countries. Ninety-two percent of the respondents
consider Russia to be Armenia’s friend, with 88 percent viewing the
two countries as military allies.

The results of the survey did not surprise political analyst Sergey
Shakaryants who says during the 22 years of independence Armenians
have not enjoyed the opportunities given by independence.

Director of Gallup International Association’s Armenian office, Aram
Navasardyan, says Armenian authorities should consider the results
of the survey when starting cooperation with other countries.

Speaking about Armenia’s ties with the Eurasian Union and European
Union, economist Samvel Avagyan said Armenia has maintains stable
trade relations with both of them.

“Trading with them would be profitable for us, but if Armenia decides
to become a member of the Eurasian Customs Union, it cannot conclude
a deep and comprehensive free trade agreement, with the EU,” says
the economist.

Sergey Shakaryants would like Armenia to continue cooperation with
both side, however, if he was to choose between the Eurasian Union
and European Union, he would prefer the Eurasian Customs Union.

PROVIDING FOR 100% OF RUSSIAN SHARES IN ARMRUSGASPROM WILL STABILIZE GAS PRICE IN COMING FIVE YEARS: GALUST SAHAKYAN

11:58, 24 June, 2013

YEREVAN, JUNE 24, ARMENPRESS: Making the Gazprom’s share in
Armrusgasprom 100% will provide Armenia with the opportunity to
keep the tariff for the natural gas unchanged during the forthcoming
five years. This was stated by the Head of the Republican Party of
Armenia faction at the National Assembly Galust Sahakyan at the press
conference held on June 24.

“We pay half the price for the gas from the Russian Federation. Russia
is our strategic partner and we will not go the way, where Russia is
for compromises and we are not”, – said Galust Sahakyan, as reported
by Armenpress.

As earlier stated by the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
of Armenia Armen Movsisyan, at this moment the negotiations are in
the process and no deal has been yet made in giving the 20% of the
shares of the Government of the Republic of Armenia in Armrusgasprom
to the Gazprom.

The Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of the Republic of Armenia
Armen Movsisyan and the Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors
and the Chairman of the Management Committee of the Gazprom OJSC
Alexey Miller discussed the pricing issues for the Russian gas for
the consumers of the Republic of Armenia, as well as the possibility
to make the Gazprom’s shares in the Armrusgasprom 100%.

On March 31 2006 the Gazprom and the Government of the Republic
of Armenia signed a 25-year agreement on the participation of the
Gazprom in the gas and energy projects implementation, carried out
in the territory of the Republic. In accordance with the document, it
is intended to increase the share of the Gazprom in the Armrusgasprom
Company by issuing additional shares.

In the result of the issue of shares, the Gazprom’s share in the
Armrusgasprom’s share capital has been increased to 80%.

FORUM “POLITICAL AND SECURITY GUIDELINES IN FORMATION OF CSTO MILITARY COMPONENT” TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN

13:15, 24 June, 2013

YEREVAN, JUNE 24, ARMENPRESS: The second strategic political forum
“Political and security guidelines in formation of CSTO military
component” will be held on June 26-27 in Yerevan. As Armenpress was
reported by the Department for Public Relations and Mass Media of
the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia, the Forum will
be attended by the Minister of Defense of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan,
the General Secretary of the Collective Security Treaty Organization
(CSTO) Nikolay Bordiuzha, other CSTO representatives, the experts of
CSTO military component formation from Armenia, Kirgizia, the Russian
Federation, as well as the representatives of the diplomatic corpus
accredited in Armenia.

The Forum was organized by the Drastamat Kanayan Institute for
National Strategic Studies, the CSTO Secretariat and the CSTO Institute
non-profit organization. The Forum will be opened on June 26.

ARMENIA’S HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM DISCUSSED AT OSCE-SUPPORTED SEMINAR

14:57, June 24, 2013

Reforms and recent improvements in higher education as well as measures
to fight corruption, to encourage students’ participation and ensure
quality education are among the topics of an OSCE-supported event
that started today in Yerevan.

The two-day seminar/discussion, organized by the OSCE Office in
Yerevan in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Science,
gathered representatives from university administrations, student
bodies, state and public organizations.

“There is a strong link between education and security since education
is the basis for realizing a person’s right to be an informed and
active citizen. Higher education institutions are the wellsprings
of innovative leaders and ideas for both today and tomorrow,” said
William Hanlon, Deputy Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan. “As the
OSCE seeks to bolster youth participation, today’s goal is to promote
a system of higher education that is more inclusive, more accountable
and more responsive.”

Angele Attard Chetcuti, an international expert from the University
of Malta invited by the OSCE Office, moderated the discussion.

“The timing of this conference is particularly significant in view of
the fact that Armenia currently holds the Secretariat of the Bologna
Follow-Up Group under the Bologna Process, thereby signifying support
to a national synergy towards the development of higher education in
Armenia and in Europe,” she said.

It is expected that the participants will come up with concrete
proposals for further actions to tackle the raised issues.

MOST ARMENIA RESIDENTS FAVOR EURASIAN CUSTOMS UNION MEMBERSHIP – GALLUP

June 24, 2013 | 14:01

YEREVAN. – Sixty-one percent of the respondents in Armenia noted that
they favor Eurasian Customs Union membership, 26 percent said they
are apathetic to this matter, whereas 4 percent were against it.

GALLUP International Association’s Armenia Office Director Aram
Navasardyan noted the aforesaid during a pres conference on Monday.

The respective survey was conducted in 2012, and among 13,000
respondents from the countries of the former Soviet Union.

Also, 46 percent of the respondents in Armenia noted that they would
like to make investments in Russia, and 36 percent, in European
countries.

In addition, 41 percent of the respondents in Armenia stated that they
would like to study in European countries, and 18 percent, in Russia.

Furthermore, 90 percent of the respondents in Armenia consider
Russia as a friendly country, and 94 percent deem Azerbaijan as an
enemy country.

To note, 88 percent of the respondents in Armenia view Russia as a
military ally.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

THE SNAKE THAT FELL IN LOVE WITH MY GRANDFATHER
Grisha Balasanyan

15:23, June 22, 2013

Today, I had another encounter with the snake that lives in our yard.

We said hello without exchanging words.

Our glances met, but only for a brief second or two. Then the snake
wriggled away back into the grass and quickly vanished.

Our encounters are rare, just once or twice per month. We’ve been
meeting like this for the past twenty years.

I must confess that when I encounter the snake, the color of the soil
and more than one meter ling, a chill runs up my spine. I always
have the feeling that the snake is out to get revenge. When I was
eight and first came face to face with the snake, I tried to injure
it with a shovel. Luckily, I failed.

It was springtime and the snakes are out to court and make love. The
elders say that snakes are very jealous creatures and also spiteful.

If you were to frighten or injure one in a couple, and the mate sees
what you are doing, rest assured it’ll remember and go after you.

Whatever; the snake in our yard has yet to seek revenge against me.

Who knows, perhaps it has forgiven me or else its mate didn’t notice
my act of “bravery”.

People are terrified of snakes. Every day the Ministry of Emergency
Situations receive calls from this or that school or garden and send
a team out to capture a snake and transport it to a safer place.

But why are people so scared of snakes? Are they more dangerous
than the “walking creepy-crawlers” that are all around us? It never
crosses my mind to call the 911 emergency unit and ask that they
visit our house.

The snake has become a member of the family, and I don’t want them to
transport it to a “safer” place. Our yard is the safest place around
since we leave in peace and harmony, far away from the “evil eyes”.

I probably inherited my love of snakes.The elder generation of our
village is familiar with the tale regarding my grandfather and his
love of snakes.

My grandfather, Grisha Balasanyan was three years old and eating
matzoun out in the yard.

A snake approached and ate from the same dish. Then the two ate
together. Those in the house were terrified at what they saw. They
took the young boy to the local hekim (folk doctor) to see if the
snake had bit the lad.

>From that day, my grandfather and the snake were bound with some sort
of supernatural force. They were always together in the yard. When
he married and built his own home a few streets away (where we still
live today), the loyal snake moved as well.

I never saw my grandfather. The elders of the street recount that we
had a magnificent vineyard. Early in the mornings and in the evenings,
my grandfather would work in the garden. In the afternoons he taught
mathematics in the local school.

When my grandfather would work in the garden, the snake would advance
in step in the neighbouring plant bed. When my grandpa was absent,
no one ever spotted the snake.

When they were together, no outsider could ever enter the garden. The
snake would hiss at any intruder, making it clear that they weren’t
welcome. They say that snakes can also fall in love with people
and become jealous. Most likely, the snake had fallen in love with
my grandfather.

The snake never injured anyone in a rage of jealousy, but they say
there were days when the snake, irritated over something or other,
disappeared from the garden only to return later on.

They all advised my grandfather to kill the snake, fearing that
something bad would happen one day to the rest of the family. But he
stood fast and continued his friendship with the snake.

I don’t know how long the relationship lasted, but the snake
disappeared after my grandpa died.

Sometime later, an image of a snake was said to have appeared on
my grandfather’s gravestone. The image remains till today as if
especially carved.

I really can’t say if the snake living in our yard today is the
offspring of my grandfather’s snake or not.

But take my word; it’s just as good-natured and sensitive as the
old one.

TWELVE LEBANESE ARMY PERSONNEL MARTYRED, MORE THAN 50 WOUNDED IN CLASHES IN SIDON

Jun 24, 2013

Beirut, (SANA) – Twelve members of the Lebanese army were martyred and
more than 50 others were wounded during clashes with gunmen affiliated
with the salafi Ahmad al-Assir in Sidon city in Lebanon.

The Lebanese Army Command said in a statement it would not remain
silent “to what it has suffered militarily and politically and will
continue its mission to crack down on strife in Sidon and other parts
of the country.

“The army will strike with a iron fist whoever thinks of shedding
the blood of the Army and will respond to all those who protect them
politically and at the media level,” the statement added.

The statement pointed that an armed group affiliated with the salafi
Ahmad al-Assir attacked a military checkpoint in Abra town in Sidon
city, which caused the martyrdom of three army personnel, including
two officers, and the injury of others, in addition to material damage
to military vehicles.

The Lebanese National News Agency pointed out that a number of
ambulances were stopped near Bilal Bin Rabah Mosque to transport the
wounded to Sidon hospitals, adding that the clashes are still ongoing
and the army pursues the gunmen.

The Lebanese al-Manar TV channel pointed out that supporters of
al-Assir opened fire on a Lebanese army checkpoint in Abra area,
adding that the gunmen fired RPG rounds at Sidon after they had
attacked the Lebanese army in Abra area.

In the same context, a Lebanese citizen in Alman was injured with a
stray bullet from the clashes between the army and al-Assir gunmen
in Sidon.

English Bulletin

CZECH AIRLINES MARK 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF FIRST FLIGHT BETWEEN YEREVAN AND PRAGUE – INTERVIEW

June 24, 2013 | 10:39

YEREVAN. – Czech Airlines, one of the oldest air companies in Europe,
has recently marked the 90th anniversary and the 10th anniversary of
the first flight between Yerevan and Prague. Around 250,000 passengers
were transported by Czech Airlines in this drection. On this occasion
Armenian News-NEWS.am interviewed Chief Commercial Officer, Member
of the Board of Directors JiÅ~Yí Marek, who has arrived in Yerevan
to celebrate the events.

Mr. Marek, how do you assess your company’s achievements in Armenia?

What are the development prospects for your company in this market?

The best achievement is that we are sitting here today and that we
can celebrate the ten years of Prague-Yerevan flight. We opened the
flight ten years ago with two weekly frequencies and this year we
already fly daily which means that we are constantly increasing the
passenger numbers and this ended in increasing the number of flights.

There have been many speculations about the prices for services
provided by Zvartnots airport. What can you say about the prices as
a representative of an air company?

Of course, as a customer, I would always say it is too expensive and
I would like it to be cheaper. But on the other hand, the airport
prices are irrespective from pricing structure. We construct our
fares as we need as an airline customer, and the airport constructs
their charges which are charged from the passenger. Of course, the
part of the ticket price of the passenger belongs to the airport.

Global crisis has recently affected nearly all branches of economy,
including air transportation. What policy have you adopted to overcome
the consequences? Is your company reducing the number of flights or
investing more?

We are actually a little bit ahead of the competition because we
started our restructuring program already three years ago. So our
main reduction of the capacity and destination was last year. This
year we are increasing approximately five percent in our capacity.

Your company is one of the oldest in Europe. Taking into account your
90 years’ experience how do you see the future 20 years for the field?

What changes will be made?

In case of Czech Airlines, this year was marked by good achievement,
because we found a strategic investor to our company. Since the end
of June we have had Korean Air from South Korea as a 44- percent
shareholder of the Czech Airlines. This strategic partnership will
help develop more connections in Europe. There will be connections
from Asia to Prague and we will be kind of secondary hub for Korea.

Our region is faced with many political problems which definitely
affect air transportation. Turkey sometimes says it will close the
airspace for Armenia, Azerbaijan threatens to shoot down aircrafts
heading to Karabakh, Georgia has problems with Russia. How do you
manage to overcome these problems and what challenges are you faced
with?

One of the basic rules for us is commenting on politics is for
politicians. We do not comment on politics. We are coming here for
business. Our domain is Central, Eastern Europe, CIS countries. Our
culture our history and our language skills are close to this region.

We are the first choice for the customers from this region. Almost
all our crews speak Russian which is also very common language for
this region and it is preferential for many locals to choose the
Czech Airlines.

As you mentioned, your company has recently established cooperation
with Korean Air and is promoting flights to the East. Do you think
the future of air transportation is in the eastern market?

Yes, definitely. The statistics shows that Europe is stagnating or
going down minus two percent. The only growing market is Asia, Latin
America. Africa is also slowly becoming a growing market. Taking into
account our interests and also attractiveness of Prague for the Asian
people, we definitely go in that direction.

ARMENIAN BRANDY-MAKERS MOSTLY PREFER MOUNT ARARAT AS TRADEMARK

15:10, 25 June, 2013

YEREVAN, JUNE 25, ARMENPRESS. The majority of the applications for
trade marks are introduced by the representatives of the pharmaceutics
sphere. The Head of Trademark Department at Intellectual Property
Agency of the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia
Nune Yeganyan stated this in a conversation “Armenpress”. Also
Nune Yeganyan mentioned: “We receive applications from the spheres
providing public food and public services, particularly restaurants,
cafes, and organizations providing stand-up meal services as well.”

Among other things the Head of Trademark Department at Intellectual
Property Agency of the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Armenia
Nune Yeganyan underscored: “As far as cognac is the most exported
brand, dark brown color, bunch of grapes, and mount Masis are the
most widespread images.”

The Intellectual Property Agency of the Ministry of Economy of the
Republic of Armenia annually receives 1800 applications for the
registration of trade marks and 3000 – via international procedure.