Author: Kajoyan Gevork

DAMASCUS-LATAKIA-YEREVAN TO BE REPLACED WITH QAMISHLI-YEREVAN FLIGHTS

NEWS.AM
March 29, 2013 | 15:04

YEREVAN. – The Damascus-Latakia-Yerevan flights between Syria
and Armenia are not conducted as of yet, but the state-run Syrian
Air company plans to launch Yerevan-Qamishli flights starting from
mid-April, a Syrian Air Yerevan office representative told Armenian
News-NEWS.am.

In the words of the representative, information about the Syrian Air
flights might be provided in early April.

To note, the last Damascus-Latakia-Yerevan flight was conducted on
February 5. A total of 75 passengers arrived in, and 13 passengers
departed from, Armenia’s capital city with that flight. Prior to that,
this flight was conducted on January 22 and 29.

THE MID-TERM ASSESSMENT ON HUMAN RIGHTS IN ARMENIA SUBMITTED

March 29, 2013

Part 1. Torture and Ill-treatment

Recently, the Civil Society Institute (CSI), the Norwegian Helsinki
Committee (NHC) and the International Federation for Human Rights
(FIDH) have submitted a mid-term assessment (May 2010-December 2012)
following recommendations by the United Nations Human Rights Council
at Armenia’s Universal Periodic Review[1] in May 2010.

The assessment provides information on Armenia’s legal system and
state practice, as discerned through recent monitoring activities
undertaken by CSI and FIDH in cooperation with NHC on issues like
the right to an effective remedy, judicial independence, the right
to a fair trial, the prohibition of torture and ill-treatment, the
penitentiary system and juvenile justice.

The Armenian state authorities have taken some steps to amend
national legislation, such as drafting a new Criminal Procedure Code,
introducing some amendments to the Criminal Code, and developing
programs and policies for judicial reform; however, in practice Armenia
has not made real progress in fulfilling its human rights obligations.

Reviewing the issue of torture and ill-treatment, the assessment
highlights a number of problems. The definition of torture in the
Criminal Code falls short of the requirements of the UN Convention
against Torture (UN CAT) ratified by Armenia as far back as 2006. The
routine use of torture and ill-treatment, especially in police custody,
continues unabated.

Victims of torture do not file official complaints fearing retaliation,
and perpetrators are not held accountable for such acts.

On the rare occasion that cases have been reported, no thorough,
independent or effective investigations have been conducted. The
courts continue to accept evidence obtained using alleged torture and
ill-treatment. Victims of torture and other human rights violations
lack access to effective remedies.

CSI, NHC and FIDH have provided respective recommendations on all
the above issues and call upon the state authorities to redouble
their efforts to implement the recommendations and voluntary pledges
explicitly undertaken by Armenia during its Universal Periodic Review
in 2010.

 
menia-submitted.html

MANDELCHI AND HIS SAXOPHONE IN YEREVAN
Narek Aleksanyan

13:17, March 29, 2013

The internationally renowned Italian saxophonist Frederico Mandelchi
will be performing with the Armenian State Chamber Orchestra on March
30 at the Aram Khachatryan Concert Hall.

Mandelchi says that the last time he visited Armenia was four years
ago, but that it was his first trip eight years ago, at the invitation
of Maestro Konstantin Orbeli, that was the most memorable.

“When I first saw the monasteries nestled in the mountains and Lake
Sevan I was quite impressed. I was also pleasantly surprised by the
ability of Armenian audiences to listen,” Mandelchi told reporters.

While a representative of the classical school of music, the Italian
is also a proponent of contemporary music and the author of various
innovations regarding instrument technique.

The March 30 concert will feature a range of musical genres – jazz,
classical, film scores and tango.

He also said he would be performing some Armenian music but preferred
not to reveal which pieces.

The concert is dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the State Chamber
Orchestra.

AMBASSADORS’ SLAP IN THE FACE OF THE DIGNITY OF THE ARMENIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS: THE FOREIGN MINISTRY STILL KEEPS SILENT

March 28 2013

A set of ambassadors accredited in Armenia, including those of the US,
Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Norway, and the EU, made an appeal, in
which they criticized the prosecution of the Civilitas Foundation and
called for stopping it. inquired of Vladimir Karapetyan,
a member of the Armenian National Congress (ANC) and a former spokesman
for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, what assessment he would give
to the fact that ambassadors tried to interfere into an issue of
internal political life of the Republic of Armenia. Mr.

Karapetyan stated in response: “Ambassadors usually act in accordance
with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 and within
the limits permitted by the receiving state’s government. Unless our
government has enough prestige and dignity to respond after such
statements, i.e. to show the limits, within which they could act,
ambassadors will take the liberty of making such statements. If we had
had a foreign ministry with dignity, we would have responded to such
statements immediately and wouldn’t have left it without a respective
response.” Mr. Karapetyan also informed that he shared the opinion
of the ambassadors expressed in the statement and went into detail:
“I agree with the ambassadors that the persecution of Vartan Oskanian
and Civilitas should be stopped. I think that these persecutions of V.

Oskanian are completely political.” Arman Navasardyan, a former
Armenian ambassador to Lebanon, said during a conversation with us
regarding the same issue: “This is exceptionally internal business of
the country. Although you know about my liking for Vartan Oskanian,
and I have given my assessment, which is not in favor of the
decisions made regarding him, but I assess the phenomenon negatively
just from the diplomatic perspective. This is a yet another case of
interference, poking nose into the country’s internal business, which
is not right and commendable. Suppose Armenia, as a subject of the
international law, interferes into their internal life, how will the
American Ambassador who talks like that perceive that? In diplomacy,
everything is mutual. If you do something to me, I should have a right
to do the same thing to you. If I cannot do that, it is asymmetry of
international relations. If we had a possibility to take the liberty
of doing the same thing to those same countries whose ambassadors made
the statement, it would be understandable somehow. Although from the
perspective of international law and in accordance with the Vienna
Convention, it is not a commendable demarche. It is coercive policy
too, as far as the US is concerned. If it takes the liberty of saying
such a thing, it testifies to the fact that it wants to show that it is
dominant over us in the international domain. It is a coercive action,
muscle-flexing, and ambitions of a large state. If the US hadn’t set
the tone, I don’t think Poland would have taken the liberty of doing
that.” Tatev HARUTYUNYAN

Read more at:

© 1998 – 2013 Aravot – News from Armenia

ARMENIA’S FOOTBALL FEDERATION CHAIRMAN ON TEAM’S CHIEF COACH’S RESIGNATION, SITUATION IN ARMENIA’S FOOTBALL

TERT.AM
13:11 ~U 29.03.13

Closed sitting of the Executive Committee of Armenia’s Football
Federation took place today after which AFF Chairman Ruben Hayrapetyan
gave a news conference.

Starting the news conference he said that he came to brief on what
happens in Armenia’s football. He also said that the Executive
Committee has not accepted resignation of team’s chief coach Vardan
Minasyan.

Asked about the coach’s decision and his rejection, Hayrapetyan said
each person loses his spirits and the resignation submitted by Minasyan
after 3 defeats is understandable. “I am the biggest critic.

I have put an issue but we failed. But still I think that it was not
Minasyan’s fault. If he was not a hard working person and was not
accepted by football players I would have accepted his resignation.

But it was not his fault. The defeats in last three games have their
reasons,” Hayrapetyan stressed.

Asked to comment on Minasyan’s words before the match that Armenia’s
team was not put an issue to go to Brazil, while the AFF chairman has
stated the opposite, Hayrapetyan said naturally the team should have
pursued such goal. “Under the influence of a moment he made incorrect
expressions, it is not peculiar to him. I would ask you not to adhere
to words. The team was facing the issue to reach the final,” he said.

The chairman of the federation said there is no need of radical changes
in the sphere and it is necessary to wait until those with injuries
and those disqualified return and a good result will be achieved. “Of
course there are certain issues, but I promise we will solve them,”
he said.

Asked to comment on midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s comment that some
football players of the team do not put heart and soul, Hayrapetyan
said he had no right to say so. “He was excited. After the match
1-2 football players behaved like clowns…Nevertheless, he had no
right to say so. Only me and Vardan Minasyan may say such things,”
the chairman of the Football Federation said.

Hayrapetyan also said that it is not real to win in the rest 6 games.

“The image of our team has been harmed. We should do everything
possible to restore our image. We must prove that our team is strong.

We must delight our people,” he said.

43 ARMENIAN CULTURAL SITES TO BE PART OF THE BLACK SEA SILK ROAD CORRIDOR

12:20 29.03.2013

Forty-three Armenian cultural sites will become part of the Black
Sea Silk Road Corridor (BSSRC) Project.

The Black Sea Silk Road Corridor (BSSRC) Project is a 24-month project
that will foster cross-border cooperation and economic development
in 173 communities across four countries of the Black Sea Basin –
Armenia, Georgia, Greece and Turkey.

In Armenia the project is funded by the EU Black Sea Cross Border
Cooperation framework, USAID through its EDMC Project, and the Armenian
Monuments Awareness Project, as the lead implementer.

The Project is expected to alleviate rural isolation and develop local
communities through eco-friendly tourism to both enhance visitor’s
experiences and protect cultural monuments and biodiversity.

PRESSE ARMENIENNE : REVUE DU 26 MARS 2013

Publie le : 28-03-2013

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
presente cette Revue de Presse parue sur le site de l’Ambassade de
France en Armenie le 26 mars 2013.

Ambassade de France en Armenie

Revue de la presse armenienne du 26 mars 2013

I. Politique interieure

1. La communication epistolaire entre le President Sarkissian et
Raffi Hovhannissian se poursuit/ La reponse du President Sarkissian
a la lettre de M. Hovhannissian (cf. la revue du 25.03) dans
laquelle celui-ci lui proposait d’organiser de nouvelles elections
presidentielles et de partager le pouvoir avec le peuple, constitue
le principal sujet d’actualite. Le chef de l’Etat a accepte le
principe d’entamer un dialogue avec Raffi Hovhannissian, tout en
indiquant que meme si ses propositions allaient a l’encontre d’une
certaine conception de l’autorite de l’Etat et des règles de la
Constitution, elles pourraient permettre de demarrer un processus de
dialogue constructif. Le President Sarkissian a egalement salue la
disponibilite de M. Hovhannissian a assumer les fonctions de contrôle
propres a son rôle d’opposant. Dans le meme temps, il l’a exhorte
a arreter sa grève de la faim avant de commencer le dialogue. ” Je
suis sûr que si nous commencons a travailler avec des propositions,
en nous appuyant sur nos idees partagees, nous serons certainement
en mesure de parvenir a un resultat “, a-t-il ecrit.

Raffi Hovhannissian, quant a lui, n’a pas immediatement commente
la reponse du President Sarkissian, promettant de repondre dans les
jours a venir. Les commentateurs saluent cette tentative, de la part
du President comme du leader d’opposition, de nouer un dialogue et de
trouver une solution a un differend post-electoral. Selon l’editorial
d’Aravot, ce dialogue doit etre encourage par tous les moyens. 168
Jam estime que Raffi Hovhannissian a demande au chef de l’Etat ce que
celui-ci lui avait propose suite aux elections, a savoir assumer des
postes de responsabilite. Edouard Charmazanov, porte-parole du parti
Republicain, relève dans un entretien a Hayots Achkhar que la balle
est desormais dans le camp de M. Hovhannissian et que celui-ci possède
d’une chance unique de devenir le leader inconteste de l’opposition.

2. Tentative d’agression contre Raffi Hovhannissian ?/ Le parti
Heritage a fait part d’un incident sur la place de la Liberte où M.

Hovhannissian est en grève de la faim depuis le 10 mars, presente
comme une tentative d’attentat contre celui-ci. Un homme aurait tente
d’attaquer le leader d’Heritage, en l’insultant, samedi dernier, sous
le regard indifferent d’une vingtaine de policiers. Le parti Heritage a
publie une declaration accusant ceux-ci d’inaction et indiquant que le
” meurtrier potentiel ” avait ete arrete par de simples citoyens. ”
Nous exprimons notre profonde deception envers la police armenienne,
qui n’a pas reussi a empecher l’agression contre Raffi Hovhannissian
au moment où il le fallait et n’a pas non plus assure la securite
des citoyens sur la place de la Liberte “, a declare le parti de M.

Hovhannissian. En reponse, la police a indique que la personne en
question avait ete arretee.

II. Relations exterieures

1. La periodique britannique ” The Economist ” a classe l’Armenie
114ème parmi 167 pays pour son niveau de democratie/ Elle etait la
111ème l’annee dernière dans ce meme classement. Les pays sont divises
en quatre groupes : democraties parfaites, democraties imparfaites,
regimes hybrides, regimes autoritaires. L’Armenie est ainsi classee,
comme la Georgie et la Turquie, parmi les regimes hybrides, celles-ci
occupant respectivement les 93ème et 98ème positions./ Haykakan Jamanak

2. L’Armenie a besoin de quelque 4 millions d’euros pour moderniser
ses laboratoires de securite alimentaire/ Elle a sollicite un soutien
financier de l’UE, qui pourrait satisfaire a cette demande d’ici la
fin de l’annee. / ARKA

III. Questions regionales

1. Monitorage de l’OSCE sur la frontière armeno azerbaïdjanaise (region
du Tavouch)/ Aucune violation du cessez-le-feu n’y a ete enregistree,
mais la partie azerbaïdjanaise a refuse de rencontrer le commandant
du monitorage. / Arminfo

IV. France-Armenie

1. Charles Aznavour se rendra en Turquie lorsque celle-ci ouvrira
la frontière avec l’Armenie/ Charles Aznavour a indique, dans un
entretien, que, depuis des annees, il recuse l’invitation de ses amis
turcs a se rendre dans leur pays. Il a precise qu’il se rendrait en
Turquie lorsque celle-ci lèvera le blocus impose a l’Armenie. / Azg

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : Ambassade de France en Armenie

“OUR LIVES ARE THREATENED EVERY MINUTE”

06:04 pm | March 27, 2013 | Politics

Five-year-old Areg, who attends a kindergarten in frontier Chinari
village, knows where he should run to ‘find shelter’ with the other
29 children if Azerbaijanis start shelling the village.

The director of the kindergarten shows the mountain from where
Azerbaijanis target at the village, keeping the 30 children of the
kindergarten at gunpoint.

“Our lives are threatened every minute,” says the director.

The local authorities say they have no time for heroic deeds. The
head of the village Samvel Soghoyan says they are doing everything
to keep the enemy ignorant of their problems.

“In all cases, we must show the enemy that the shelling has not harmed
us because they might get more obscene,” he said.

Mr Soghoyan says Azerbaijanis get more aggressive during the spring
sowing and when the villagers harvest wheat and grape.

“Sometimes, we reap the fields and harvest the crop at night,” said
the village head.

Chinari is officially said to have 1200 residents. The locals say
the figure is far from the reality. About 600 people have left the
village in recent years. The vast majority of the inhabitants are
elderly people. Israel Vanyan, 73, lives in the village with his
wife. Their five sons live and work in the Russian capital.

The elderly people say they have got used to the enemy’s hours-long
fire attack.

P.S.

The article was written within the framework of a visit to the frontier
villages organized by the Institute for War and Peace Reporting
(IWPR). On March 24-26, a group of journalists visited Tavush marz
to cover the problems of frontier villages.

APRIL CONFERENCE ON DIASPORA TO TACKLE CRITICAL ISSUES

Wednesday, March 27th, 2013

A conference on Diaspora will take place in April

GLENDALE-An international, academic conference called “Independence and
Beyond: In Search of a New Armenian Diaspora after 1991,” organized by
the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western US Central Committee in
collaboration with the University of Southern California Institute of
Armenian Studies and the Armenian Review, will take place on April 27.

The one-day conference will take place at the Davidson Conference
Center of the University of Southern California (USC) on Saturday,
April 27, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Through its various presentations and discussions, the conference
seeks to examine the impact of the independence of the Republic of
Armenia and subsequent processes of nation-building there on various
facets of Diaspora life, such as political ideologies and cultural
narratives, linguistic and literary production, organizations and
institutions, economic investment, remittances and affiliation,
and hybrid identity formation.

The four thematic panels will feature leading scholars of Armenian,
Diaspora, and Transnational Studies. Using their expertise in
fields that range from Political Science and History to Literature
and Journalism, the conference participants will work toward new
frameworks and definitions in conceptualizing “Diaspora” in the
Armenian context. Traditional paper presentations will be given in
panels entitled, “Revisions of the Narrative of Return” and “Cultural
Narratives and Language in and Evolving Diaspora,” while thematic
conversations will be performed in discussion panels entitled, “New
Definitions of Diaspora and Nationalism” and “Online Space and the
Politics of Information Exchange.”

The event is free of charge and open to the public.

ARMENIA: SERZH SARGSYAN AND RAFFI HOVHANNISIAN BECOME POLITICAL PEN PALS

EurasiaNet.org, NY
March 27 2013

March 27, 2013 – 11:58am, by Giorgi Lomsadze

Armenia’s post-election standoff has moved into the direction of
an epistolary novel as President Serzh Sargsyan and his challenger,
Raffi Hovhannisian, work their way to a truce through correspondence
that is cc’d to the rest of the nation.

In his latest letter, President Sargsyan kindly asked his
hunger-striking rival to have a bite of something, cut the dramatics
and sit down to talk. “Please stop the hunger strike, take a day
or two to recover and then we will do some serious work, without
the theatrics,” the president wrote to Hovhannisian, who claims
that Sargsyan stole the presidency from him in Armenia’s February
18 election.

Both sides, though, combine the careful courtesy with pointed barbs.

Sargsyan, for instance, agreed to entertain Hovhannisian’s ideas for
crisis resolution — “half-baked” and “anti-constitutional” though
they may be.

The ideas, laid out in an earlier missive from Hovhannisian,
center on a request to hold a repeat presidential election or a
parliamentary election preceded by an overhaul of the electoral
system. And the prerogative to appoint some key officials such as
the general prosecutor and the foreign minister, among others.

Hovhannisian, in turn, has agreed to consider Sargsyan’s proposal to
meet, thanked his political pen pal for his concern about his health,
but assured him that there is no reason to be worried.

If Yerevan’s Liberty Square, Hovhannisian’s new open-air residence,
is not the most convenient of places for a rendez-vous, another spot
could be chosen, wrote the Heritage Party leader, with all the fluidity
of a social secretary.

Even now, Sargsyan might be penning a response, and Armenians are
likely to be spammed with more negotiation letters between the feuding
leaders. The spirit of the correspondence may suggest some hope for
an eventual resolution of the stalemate, but, given Armenia’s recent
political past, will the pen, in fact, prove mightier than the sword?