Author: Kajoyan Gevork

Interfax, Russia
Aug 23 2012

Armenia suspends Deno Gold explosives license

YEREVAN. Aug 23

The Armenian government has suspended Deno Gold Mining’s license to
produce explosives and explosives equipment used in mining.

Artur Osikyan, the country’s deputy police chief, presented the
government’s decision to reporters.

He said the explosives permit was issued back in May 2005. Deno Gold
Mining itself asked the law enforcement bodies to annul the license.

The company’s press office told Interfax that it knew nothing about
the decision and could not comment on it.

Deno Gold Mining Company, a 100% subsidiary of Canada’s Dundee
Precious Metals, operates the Shahumyan polymetallic ore deposit,
which contains copper, gold, silver, zinc and lead. The deposit is
currently being developed by the deep mining method, although the
company is considering an open pit operation.

Last year, the company produced 519,104 oz of silver, 20 million
pounds of zinc and 3 million pounds of copper. It plans to process
550,000-610,000 tonnes of ore this year, compared to 581,852 tonnes in
2011.

Deno Gold exports all of its output.

Pr

Armenian farmers to benefit from preferential loans

August 24, 2012 – 19:55 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – 35 600 farmers have already benefited from
government-allocated agriculture preferential loans, Agriculture
Minister said.

Sergo Karapetyan noted that starting from September, Armenian farmers
will get preferential loans at the amount of AMD 7,5 bln.

He further said that the program will bear a consistent nature, with
loan terms probably to be reconsidered to boost their accessibility
for villagers.

In 2011, preferential loans at the amount of AMD 17,4 bln. were
allocated to 25 200 farmers in two stages, with 9 100 beneficiaries
having received AMD 7,4 bln. subsidized loans in 2012

The maximum amount of preferential farm loans allotted totals AMD 3
mln with 14% lending rate, 6-month grace period and up to 2 years of
maturity date with no early repayment penalties.

Nobody in Israel denies the fact of Armenian Genocide’ Yuli Edelstein

‘-yuli-edelstein.html
17:43, 24 August, 2012

YEREVAN, AUGUST 24, ARMENPRESS: Israeli Minister of Information and
Diaspora Yuli Edelstein on August 24 visited the monument of Armenian
Genocide victims – Tsitsernakaberd. Armenpress reports that the
minister put a wreath on the monument after which the members of the
delegation put flowers eternal fire which perpetuates the memory of
the victims of the Genocide and with a minute of silence rose in
memory of the innocent victims of Armenian Genocide. Edelstein also
visited the Museum of Armenian Genocide where the director of
Museum-Institute Hayk Demoyan introduced to him the temporary
exhibition titled “The book as the witness of the Genocide”. The
Minister left a note in the register for the official visitors of the
Museum where he particularly wrote: “Between our nations are many
generalities and similar historical moments. Nobody in Israel denies
the fact of Armenian Genocide”.

Israel is one off the countries which did not recognize Armenian
Genocide. More than twenty countries, majority of States of USA,
administrative institutions of different cities, international
organizations have recognized Armenian Genocide.

Israeli Minister: Israel has big experience in working with Diaspora
and is ready to share it with Armenia

arminfo
Friday, August 24, 15:32

Israel has big experience in working with Diaspora and is ready to
share it with Armenia, said Israeli Information and Diaspora Minister
Yuli Edelstein in response to ArmInfo’s question in a press conference
in Yerevan, Friday.

“We have accumulated a rich experience, certain “know-how” of activity
with Diaspora and can share it with others. I am very pleased to have
such opportunity of cooperation with Armenia, a country that also has
a big Diaspora. I think we have much to learn from each other,” the
minister said. Edelstein said that an international conference
dedicated to Diaspora issues has been held in Israel recently.

The event involved representatives of over 40 countries. On sidelines
of the conference Edelstein had a meeting with Diaspora Minister of
Armenia Hranush Hakobyan and discussed the promising aspects of
cooperation.

“We have found common views related to many issues and I hope we will
continue to work in such constructive atmosphere also in future,”
Minister Edelstein said.

The Israeli delegation led by Information and Diaspora Minister
Yuli-Yoel Edelstein is in Armenia to participate in a concert in
Yerevan dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Jewish community in
Armenia.

The two ministers signed an action plan of bilateral cooperation in
the sphere of culture for 2012-2014 earlier today. In particular, the
two parties pledge to organizations days of culture in Armenia and
Israel, exhibitions, performances and film festivals.

President of Armenia send his letter of condolences to the President
of Vietnam

armradio.am
24.08.2012 13:13

President Serzh Sargsyan sent a letter of condolences to the President
of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Truong Tan Sang on the natural
disaster which struck the northern provinces of the country.
The letter reads:
`Your Excellency,

I learned with profound sorrow about the natural disaster in the
northern provinces of Vietnam, which claimed numerous human lives and
caused enormous destruction.
On behalf of the people of Armenia and my own behalf, I express deep
condolences and support to you, the families which have been affected
by the disaster and the friendly people of Vietnam.’

Agricultural Ministry Seeks to Evict 2 Families from Abovyan Experimental
Station Kristine Aghalaryan

16:13, August 22, 2012

The Ministry of Agriculture’s Technical Plant Experimental Station wants
to
evict two families who have been living in one of its buildings. Family
members used to work at the Station.

The large families have stayed put since they have nowhere else to go. In
response the Station cut off electricity a week ago and the gas was shut
earlier this month.

The building in question where the Naltakyan family (14 members) and the
Shahnazaryan’s (33 members) now reside is near the town of Abovyan.

`How can we be persecuted so? Do you cut the electricity from a family with
so many little kids? We can’t even boil water for tea,’ says an irritated
Zhora Naltakyan.

Zhora Naltakyan worked for the Tobacco Experimental Station as a mechanic
from 1984-2002. He was allocated a 20 square meter room but it proved too
small for the 7 member family at the time.

He requested larger accommodations and the Station decided that the family
could temporarily reside in the warehouse until a permanent resolution was
found. The family still lives in the warehouse.

Samvel Yeghiazaryan came on board as the new Station director in 2000 and,
according to Naltakyan, gave an additional two rooms to the family which
had grown over the years. The boys had grown up, married, and now had
families of their own.

Yeghiazaryan now denies that he gave those additional rooms and claims in
his eviction suit that the Naltakyan’s moved in illegally.

The other family facing eviction is the Shahnazaryan’s. Emma Shahnazaryan
shows us her `Hero Mother’ award for raising 12 kids. Ten have served in
the Armenian army.

The Shahnazaryan’s moved here from Shamshadin in 1988 to work in the
Tobacco Experimental Station. They were moved to the building and have
lived here ever since.

Other families also lived in the same building but the company later
relocated them to other housing. The Shahnazaryan family was too large to
relocate.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Tobacco Experimental Station
was re-launched as the Technical Plant Experimental Station. It owns 47
hectares of land of which only 3 are used to grow various sorts of tobacco,
flax and soy.

Station Director Yeghiazaryan states that the organization no longer has
the resources to implement grant projects that would bring large revenues
to Armenia. He says the Station’s foreign partners have proposed that our
specialists come up with tobacco sorts for cigar making, but that this also
demands certain infrastructure.

Yeghiazaryan has told the court that the two families are illegally
occupying the Station’s laboratory and even after several warnings, have
refused to vacate the premises. He adds that the families have also taken
over the adjacent land and have turned it into an auto repair
shop
.

Yeghiazaryan also claims that the Shahnazaryan’s also destroyed all the
Station’s files back in 2005 and cut the support columns to the attic.

The director says the Station needs the building to house scientific
samples and claims that the Station pays the annual property tax for the
families.

But he is adamant that the time has come for them to go. Yeghiazaryan says
it’s the decision of the government because the Station is officially
registered as an SNOC (state non-commercial organization).

The Station’s eviction suit also demands that the court obligates the
Shahnazaryan family to pay 70,000 AMD in compensation for destroying the
files. The Station is also seeking 70,000 AMD in compensation from the
Naltakyan’s for damaging a structural wall and destroying a unique stove.

Emma Shahnazaryan says he’s lying and argues that no one burned the archive
and that it was transferred to the new administrative building.

Takoush, Zhora Naltakyan’s wife, substantiates Emma’s
claimand
says that when they arrived on 1996 there was no archive no speak of.

In the end, the court partially found in favour of the Station and issued
an eviction notice.

When Hetq asked Director Yeghiazaryan why the Station allowed the families
to live on its premises for so long, he said he didn’t know.

He also couldn’t explain why the two families were officially registered
as
residents of the buildings that belong to the Ministry of Agriculture

The director also didn’t seem too concerned as to where the families would
go to live.

`Let them sell a few of their cars and buy a place,’ Yeghiazaryan said
about the Shahnazaryan’s.

In fact the family only owns one car and they are still paying off the loan.

Hetq then spoke with Gourgen Avagyan, who’s the temporary chief of the
legal department at the Ministry of Agriculture. We asked him the same
questions.

Avagyan also couldn’t explain the legal basis as to why the families had
been living for years at the Station.

`All I can say is that the organization has now filed to utilize its
administrative space and that the families must vacate,’ Avagyan said.

The Naltakyan’s and the Shahnazaryan’s say they are ready to buy the place,
bit by bit, if the Station decides to sell

Avagyan responded that the Station would never have gone to court in the
first place if it regarded the building as worthless.

`If they don’t agree with the court’s verdict, they can always appeal,’
said Avagyan.

The families say they don’t have much confidence that appealing will change
anything and that, in any case, they can’t afford to hire a lawyer.

Instead, they petitioned the Abovyan Municipality but were told that the
site isn’t town property.

The Naltakyan’s have even gone to the Ministry of Agriculture to complain
and have met with Minister Sergo Karapetyan. Yesterday, they went as well
but weren’t allowed in to see the minister, so they waited outside to catch
him as he left the building.

Karapetyan briefly stopped and said he hadn’t given the order to shut off
the electricity or the gas. The minister then rushed into a waiting car.

`All I ask is that the prime minister or the president resolves this for
us. Otherwise, there’ll be a lot of people turned out into the street,’
Zhora Naltakyan said.

Syrian Armenians not informed of rebels’ threats against them

arminfo
Friday, August 24, 13:15

The Armenian community in Aleppo has no information on the reprisal
threats by Syrian rebels, Press Secretary of the Armenian Community in
Aleppo Zhirayr Reisyan told ArmInfo when commenting on the Sham Times
reports that Syrian rebels threaten reprisal against the local
Armenian community “for support to Assad’s power.”

Reisyan said that there is no internet connection in Aleppo at present
and the local Armenians have not got informed of the statement by the
Syrian oppositionists.

“I am surprised. Who that message was addressed to if there is no
Internet in Aleppo at present and the Armenians have not been informed
of their threats?” Reisyan said.

As regards the statement that Armenians support Assad, Reisyan said
that the Armenian community has had a neutral stance throughout the
political crisis in the country.

“We are committed and loyal to the Syrian country and people, and not
to any of the conflicting parties. It was the Syrian people and Syrian
country and not political forces that sheltered us after the Armenian
Genocide,” Reisyan said.

As for the situation in Aleppo, he said that there is relative
stability in the city now and there are no Armenian victims. Reisyan
refuted also the rumors that Armenians do not go out.

“We are engaged in our everyday activity as before, but need to be
vigilant,” Reisyan said. Syrian Revolution General Council has
disseminated a statement threatening reprisal against the local
Armenian community.

Sham Times reports that the oppositionists threaten to destroy the
Armenian quarters in Syria. The source reports that Turkey provokes
the threats. Syrian rebels blame Armenians for supporting Assad’s
power in Aleppo, Latakia, Kesab.

Ruben Mehrabyan: There are still no forces and factors in Armenia able
to hinder the attempt of authorities to reproduce
Interview of expert of Armenian Centre for Political and International
Studies Ruben Mehrabyan with ArmInfo news agency

by Ashot Safaryan

arminfo
Friday, August 24, 12:43

Mr Mehrabyan, one will hardly doubt about the victory of the ruling
party in the local government bodies in Armenia,. What instruments may
be used by the Republican Party of Armenia and how much success will
promote strengthening of the RPA during the presidential election?

The forthcoming local elections in Armenia are a kind of an entree to
the upcoming presidential elections. Moreover, the authorities will
use these elections to reinforce their positions and, eventually, to
remain at power after the presidential elections. At the moment I
observe no obstacles in the way of the authorities’ plans.

The position of the Armenian National Congress has declined much for
the last period of time. Will it found any stimulus or circumstances
on the threshold of the presidential election, able give an impulse
and the “second breath” to this force?

There are a lot of external and internal reasons for that. For
instance, the Armenian National Congress (ANC), which has been
considering itself a titular opposition for a long time, is currently
experiencing degradation. The ANC has passed numerous points of no
return, thereby destroying any opportunity for a “second breath”. The
ANC has already become

bureaucratized, has considerably shrunk and ceased to be the force
that could form the domestic political agenda. Consequently, the
logic of the domestic political process will be maintained unless any
force majeure situations occur. And I am deeply sorry to say that.
The expected victory of the ruling party at the local and presidential
elections demonstrates the bogginess of the state system, not its
firmness. And this shows the institutional weakness of the state, the
decline of the foreign political potential, as well as the potential
of resistance to challenges faced and to be faced by our state.

The oppositionally tuned society in Armenia has not disappeared and
the grounds and reasons of the opposition mood have been also
preserved, as in fact the authorities did nothing to turn the promises
into reality. Not setting up of the new parties but formation of the
civil society able to attract wide layers of the society is needed to
give a systemized nature to this displeasure and direct it to the
needed direction. It is impossible to improve the situation in the
country without a serious civil society and without active reaction at
the relevant political problems.

Have all the rest political forces which more or less confront to the
ruling party already agreed to the reality mentioned by you or there
will be brave persons which will display true confrontation to the
authorities in the attempt to regenerate?

I think there will be some resistance to the authorities’ plans, that
resistance will be of a local nature. One should hardly speak of any
possible centralized resistance. When I

speak of the power, I am not inclined to separate the Prosperous
Armenia Party (PAP) from the Republican Party of Armenia. These are
just the two faces of the same ruling party. The PAP’s attempts to
distance itself from the RPA, as well as its statements that it is an
“alternative” force are nothing but pre-electoral populism, just a
trick aimed at misleading the voters who cannot make sense of the
backstage political games or show no interest in these processes.

Let’s talk about public movements and initiatives which raise hopes
for improvement of the public and political regime, as many people
think.

Although the fight of the public movements for making responsible the
persons guilty for the incident at Harsnaqar restaurant and the
protest against development of the Tekhut deposit are local and
spontaneous initiatives, nevertheless, these initiatives are evidence
of a significant potential of our citizens which has not been used
yet. The only thing I am scared of is shortage of time which won’t be
enough till the forthcoming presidential election. Nevertheless, we
must not be idle. We should act every day and every hour. We should
also take into consideration that the share of frustration and evil is
much in the society. I would not like them to result in any inadequate
situations and actions.

Can nomination of a single opposition candidate at the presidential
election neutralize a little bit consequences of the bogginess and
bureaucratization of the opposition forces?

The nomination of a single opposition candidate at the presidential
elections in Armenia is unable to neutralize the consequences of the
bogginess and bureaucratization of the opposition forces. The
current institutional crisis in Armenia affects the parties. We speak
about democracy, about the fight for democracy, but at the same time
we have parties, where, figuratively saying, absolute and even
“theocratic” monarchy is ruling. Thus, it becomes senseless to speak
of the fight for democracy with such tools. When speaking of
democracy, one should simply start changing oneself. Armenia needs a
wider, non-partisan format, which sets itself a goal to change the
whole structure of state governance, i.e. the oligarchic, clan system
of monopolism. Moreover, I believe that the presidential system of
governing in Armenia starts hindering the development of democracy and
the civil society. The presidential model of governance lays the bases
of this “absolute monarchy”.

We need a parliamentary system of governance. Some countries of the
former USSR are gradually switching to that system. They start
“diluting” the institute of presidential power. We see it in Moldova
and Georgia. I think Armenia also needs such “dilution” of the
presidential power and introduction of a system of counterbalances.
And in this matter I see a great potential for reaching a civil and
political consensus on dismantling the oligarchic system.

Turkey and Azerbaijan themselves hinder the development of South Caucasus

10:47, 24 August, 2012

YEREVAN, AUGUST 24, ARMENPRESS: Some representatives of Turkish
political elite periodically are led by the principle of Goebbels
propaganda, that is if one tells a great lie and repeats it people
begin to believe. About this declared Vice President of Armenian
National Assembly Eduard Sharmazanov in response to the statement of
Turkish Foreign affairs minister Ahmet Davutoglu which he made in
Bishkek. Some days ago reverberating to the settlement of
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Davutoglu criticized Armenia. He
particularly mentioned that Armenian occupation of 20 percent of
Azerbaijani territories must be finished as it is a great obstacle for
the development of South Caucasus. “I would like to mention that
Turkey and Azerbaijan themselves are obstacles for the development of
South Caucasus. The first already for around twenty years keeps
blockade the Republic of Armenia, implements denying policy and
refuses its international obligations and the second ignores the
efforts of OSCE Minsk Group countries which are directed to peaceful
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict continuing to keep
occupied some territories of NKR” mentioned Sharmazanov as Armenpress
reports. In his words if the Turk official is so concerned by the
development of South Caucasus it will be fair if he calls his country
to do its international obligations, stop keeping closed the only
closed border of Europe and not to intervene in the process of
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement.

SYRIE
Syrie : l’armée a repris les quartiers chrétiens d’Alep, violents
combats à Damas

..L’armée syrienne a repris jeudi aux rebelles les quartiers chrétiens
du centre-ville d’Alep mais les combats faisaient rage ailleurs dans
la métropole du Nord ainsi qu’à Damas et dans sa proche banlieue.

Amnesty International a affirmé que les civils faisaient face à une
`terrible violence` à Alep, dont le contrôle est crucial pour les
belligérants, accusant le régime de viser de façon indiscriminée les
quartiers résidentiels sous contrôle rebelle et non des objectifs
militaires ciblés.

Les insurgés, qui s’étaient emparés de certains quartiers chrétiens
d’Alep, ont été chassés de Telal, Jdeidé et Sleimaniyé, a raconté un
habitant joint par téléphone par l’AFP qui a refusé d’être identifié.

Une grande partie du clergé chrétien, disant craindre que les
islamistes ne s’emparent du pouvoir, affiche depuis le début de la
révolte en mars 2011 son soutien au président Bachar al-Assad.

`Les combats de lundi et mardi ont été très violents (…) avant que
l’armée ne parvienne à déloger les rebelles`, a ajouté cet habitant.

`Des centaines d’Alépins des quartiers nettoyés sont descendus dans la
rue à Telal jusqu’au quartier de Sleimaniyé pour exprimer leur joie et
leur soutien à l’armée`, selon lui.

Mais ailleurs dans Alep, les quartiers de Sakhour, Tariq Al-Bab,
Boustane al-Kasr et Chaar ont été pilonnés à l’artillerie lourde,
selon des militants. Des combats ont également lieu à Salaheddine,
principal bastion rebelle, a précisé l’Observatoire syrien des droits
de l’Homme (OSDH).

Informateurs au sein de l’armée

Près de trois semaines après que l’armée eut annoncé qu’elle
contrôlait la capitale, les combats et les bombardements y faisaient
pourtant toujours rage.

Ils se sont concentrés jeudi sur un arc entre Hajar el-Aswad, un
quartier du sud-ouest de Damas, et Daraya, dans la banlieue sud, selon
les militants et les organisations des droits de l’Homme.

Selon un commandant rebelle qui s’est identifié comme Selim, `l’armée
concentre ses actions dans les quartiers sud de la capitale et elle
tente de couper les communications entre la ville et les localités
voisines`.

`Il y a d’importants combats dans plusieurs secteurs de Damas et de sa
banlieue`, a expliqué à l’AFP par Skype, Samara, une militante
anti-régime résidant à Damas.

Dans certains secteurs, `les forces du régime mènent des exécutions
sommaires, détruisent les maisons des opposants dans le but de mater
la révolte une bonne fois pour toutes`, explique le chef de l’OSDH
Rami Abdel Rahmane.

Daraya est sous les bombes depuis deux jours, assure Abou Kinan, un
militant anti-régime, parlant de situation `tragique`.

Les rebelles à Damas peuvent compter sur des `collaborateurs` au sein
de l’armée qui `transmettent des informations sur (ses) mouvements`,
explique le commandant rebelle Selim.

Comme chaque semaine, l’opposition a appelé à des manifestations
contre le régime vendredi et adopté comme mot d’ordre `Ne sois pas
triste Deraa. Dieu est avec nous`, en référence à la province rebelle
du Sud, thétre d’une grande offensive ces derniers jours selon
l’OSDH.

Selon un bilan provisoire de l’OSDH, 72 personnes ont péri jeudi dans
le pays (44 civils, 22 soldats et six rebelles). Dix-neuf cadavres ont
par ailleurs été découverts près et dans Damas.

Près de 25.000 morts en 17 mois

Depuis le début de la contestation qui s’est militarisée face à la
répression du régime, 24.495 personnes ont péri, dont 17.281 civils,
6.163 soldats et 1.051 déserteurs, selon le dernier bilan fourni par
l’OSDH.

`Un grand nombre de civils non impliqués dans les hostilités, parmi
lesquels beaucoup d’enfants, ont été tués ou blessés`, a déclaré
Donatella Rovera, conseillère d’Amnesty International de retour
d’Alep.

`Il est honteux que la communauté internationale demeure divisée sur
la Syrie, au mépris des preuves sur l’ampleur et la gravité des
violations des droits de l’Homme`, estime Amnesty.

Les divisions entre le camp russo-irano-chinois qui soutient le régime
Assad et celui des Occidentaux et de pays arabes qui veulent sa chute,
empêchent un règlement du conflit.

Lors d’un entretien téléphonique mercredi soir, le Premier ministre
britannique David Cameron et le président américain Barack Obama ont
souligné que `l’utilisation, ou la menace d’utilisation d’armes
chimiques` par le régime les obligeraient `à revoir leur approche`,
après que M. Obama eut menacé d’une intervention militaire si ces
armes étaient utilisées.

M. Cameron a aussi parlé avec M. Obama et le président français
François Hollande de la nécessité de travailler `plus étroitement`
pour `déterminer comment soutenir l’opposition et aider un possible
gouvernement après l’inévitable chute d’Assad`.

La France a évoqué par ailleurs la possible instauration d’une zone
d’exclusion aérienne, mais seulement sur une certaine partie du
territoire, jugeant que cette hypothèse méritait `d’être étudiée`.

A Damas, le vice-ministre des Affaires étrangères Fayçal Meqdad a
affirmé que la Syrie coopérerait avec le nouvel émissaire
international Lakhdar Brahimi afin de mettre en place `un dialogue
national` au `plus vite`.

Voyant dans `l’ingérence étrangère` la `principale` cause de la crise,
il a exhorté M. Brahimi à `jouer un rôle actif` face aux `parties qui
ne veulent pas d’une résolution de la crise et en particulier celles
qui arment et financent les terroristes`, terme utilisé par le régime
pour désigner les rebelles.

Il a notamment accusé la Turquie voisine de `donner à ces terroristes,
y compris Al-Qaïda, un accès libre vers la Syrie`.

..

vendredi 24 août 2012,
Stéphane ©armenews.com