Author: Kajoyan Gevork

Interfax, Russia
July 4 2012

Armenia sends 35 peacekeepers to Kosovo

YEREVAN. July 4

Thirty-five Armenian peacekeepers will leave for Kosovo on July 6, the
press service for the Armenian Defense Ministry told Interfax on
Wednesday.

“The Armenian division will be stationed at the U.S. military base
Bondsteel in Urosevac and will carry out a peacekeeping mission in the
zone of responsibility of the multinational combat group East,” the
ministry said.

The Armenian peacekeepers will be in charge of patrol service and the
safety of checkpoints, the ministry said.

Armenia joined the peacekeeping mission in Kosovo in 2004 as part of
the Greek battalion. After Greece withdrew from the mission, the
Armenian peacekeepers stopped fulfilling the mission in Kosovo in
February 2012.

Armenia’s Agriculture Minister has serious problems – newspaper

news.am
July 06, 2012 | 07:50

YEREVAN. – Armenian Agriculture Minister and the coalition
Government’s junior member Orinats Yerkir (Rule of Law) Party (RLP)
member Sergo Karapetyan, who also owns the Artfood Cannery Plant, is
facing serious problems within his company and in the Ararat Region
alike, Chorrord Inknishkhanutyun daily writes.

`According to some news, still in the lead-up to the parliamentary
elections, he had pledged to many Ararat Region residents that if he
is reaffirmed in the Minister’s post, he will secure them with
agricultural loans.

Also, Karapetyan promised to certain intellectuals, who worked for the
RLP, to find appropriate jobs [for them] at the Agriculture Ministry.

But, so far, neither one nor the other has become a reality.

In the meantime, many are convinced that, in the extreme case, a small
percentage of the promises could have been fulfilled,’ Chorrord
Inknishkhanutyun writes.

Homenetmen Western USA
2324 Colorado Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90041

Contact: Rubina Djansezian
Phone: 323-344-4300

PRESS RELEASE: July 6, 2012

TENS OF THOUSANDS TO GATHER FOR NAVASARTIAN GAMES AND FESTIVAL

Van Nuys, CA – The 37th Annual Navasartian Games and Festival,
organized by the Western USA chapter of the Armenian General Athletic
Union and Scouts – `Homenetmen’, in Armenian – will have its closing
ceremony this Saturday, July 7, at 6:30PM, at Birmingham High School
in Van Nuys. The event brings together 2400 athletes, 1000 scouts, and
over 35,000 spectators throughout the tournament and festival in the
largest Armenian sporting event outside of Armenia and one of the most
important events for the Armenian community of the western United
States.

The Games, which began in East Los Angeles in in 1975, has 260 teams
competing in basketball, soccer, volleyball, track & field, tennis,
swimming, chess, and table tennis. The teams represent 18 chapters of
Homenetmen, hailing from throughout southern, central, and northern
California, Arizona, and Nevada.

The closing ceremony will feature delegations from each Homenetmen
chapter, consisting of athletes and scouts, who will march around the
stadium in their uniforms. Joining the athletes and scouts will be
Armenian-American veterans of the Iraq War who will be honored for
their military service.

In attendance will be a number of dignitaries, including the Prelate
of the Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Archbishop
Moushegh Mardirossian; the Consul General of Armenia Grigor
Hovhannissian; Congressmen Howard Berman and Brad Sherman; members of
the Los Angeles City Council, including Paul Krekorian and Dennis
Zine, among other L.A. City officials.

Following the ceremony will be a display of fireworks, leading to a
night of celebration at the Festival with musical performances and
dancing.

The Armenian General Athletic Union and Scouts, referred to as
Homenetmen, is a 501 (C)3 non-profit organization with 28,000 members
in five continents. Homenetmen was founded in 1918, and currently has
18 chapters with over 6,800 members and growing in the Western Region.
It is the largest Armenian athletic and scouting organization in the
United States.

For more information about the Navasartian Games and Homenetmen, you
may visit

###

Attached: Logo, 37th Annual Navasartian Games

Another candlelight vigil to be held nearby Yerevan restaurant where
military doctor died

news.am
July 06, 2012 | 13:27

YEREVAN. – A candlelight vigil will be organized, on Sunday at 9pm in
the area of Harsnaqar Restaurant, and in connection with the one-week
anniversary of the passing of Vahe Avetyan, the `Vahe Avetyan’ Social
Movement’s initiative group has announced.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, an incident had occurred at
Armenian capital city Yerevan’s Harsnaqar Restaurant on June 17, where
several military doctors including Edgar Mikoyan, Arkadi Aghajanyan,
Garik Soghomonyan, Artak Bayadyan and Vahe Avetyan were brutally
beaten by the security personnel.

And Vahe Avetyan died in hospital on June 29.

A criminal case is launched and the Police have detained six people.

The Restaurant’s owner is senior ruling party MP – who on Tuesday
submitted his resignation from his parliamentary seat – , Football
Federation of Armenia President, and businessman Ruben Hayrapetyan.

Also, a candlelight vigil in memory of Vahe Avetyan was held in front
of the Restaurant on June 30.

Ali Ahmadov: Armenians must fulfill the just provisions of Turkey

Thu 05 July 2012 14:27 GMT | 15:27 Local Time

Ali Ahmadov

If Armenians want the opening of their border with Turkey, they have
to fulfill the fair provisions of Turkey.
These provisions envisage withdrawal from the occupied lands of Azerbaijan.
The statement came from executive secretary of the New Azerbaijan
Party Ali Ahmadov. He is visiting the southern regions of the country.

He said that this issue is regularly raised by Armenians for different reasons.
`I do believe that the two realities, the stance of the Turkish
public, as well as the open statements of the Turkish government
raises our belief that the border issue between Turkey and Armenia
won’t be settled unless Armenia withdraws from the occupied
Azerbaijani lands’.

He noted that Armenia feels a great need for opening of the Turkish
border and said this need is clearly seen every day.
`I do hope that influenced by this need Armenia will have to withdraw
from Azerbaijani lands if it wants to settle issues with Turkey’.

News.Az

Singer Suren Arustamyan to represent Armenia at annual Jurmala song contest

tert.am
13:41 – 06.07.12

Armenian singer and musician Suren Arustamyan is going to represent
the country at the New Wave 2012 annual song festival in Jurmala.

He is leaving for Latvia on July 14 to participate in the contest. But
before his departure, he held a news conference today to introduce
himself and his expectations of the concert.

Speaking of his merits, the singer said that he differs from all the
other 16 participants with his unique style.

`I have no look-alike in terms of style; they are more in the pop
genre. I am the only one to sing blues. And I am also going to play
music,’ he said, introducing the songs to be performed at the contest.

`I will very probably perform Eric Clapton’s Change the World on the
hit contest day, and sing the popular Armenian song Ov Sirun Sirun
(Oh, You Beautiful) at the country hit contest,’ he said.

The singer noted that the international hits’ contest program does not
offer a big choice, adding that the authorship song, which has already
been selected, is very likely to be modified.

Arustamyan admitted that he does not much rely on his vocal features
and is more focused on his general performance.

`I do not consider myself a vocalist, as I count more on my general
performance. So I am not going to surprise anyone with my vocal
music,’ he said.

As for his expectations for awards, the singer said he attaches more
importance to good performance and is not thinking about any proposals
of prize funds.

Heritage Party will support none of Armenia’s 3 presidents – Party MP (PHOTOS)

news.am
July 06, 2012 | 13:20

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s opposition Heritage Party will run in the 2013
presidential elections with the candidate who will be the most
competitive from all candidates, Heritage’s MP Zaruhi Postanjyan said
during a press conference on Friday. And she noted that this candidate
is Party Chairman Raffi Hovannisian (PHOTOS).

`We positively asses the idea of a united presidential candidate [for
the opposition], but we do not see [Armenian National Congress] ANC
leader [and First President] Levon Ter-Petrosyan in this role.

We also rule out [supporting] the nomination by the incumbent and
second presidents [Serzh Sargsyan and Robert Kocharyan respectively],
who did not meet the expectations over the course of these years.

In other words, we rule out [supporting] the
Ter-Petrosyan-Kocharyan-Sargsyan triangle in the presidential
elections,’ said the MP.

Also, Postanjyan noted that she did not believe they will not run in
the presidential elections without a candidate, but she expressed a
view that this candidate must be a united candidate under the
oppositional format and the nationwide movement alike.

Aravot: European Court to demand 30,000 moral compensation from Armenia

tert.am
09:46 – 06.07.12

The European Court of Human Rights’ (ECtHR) recent ruling to impose a
30,000 moral compensation on Armenia will take effect this
September, the paper has learned.

The plaintiff in the case of Poghosyan and Baghdasaryan vs. the
Republic of Armenia initially demanded 280,000. Armen Poghosyan, who
was accused of raping and killing a minor, was sentenced to 15 years
in prison but after five years and six months he was released as he
turned out to be serving time instead of another offender, says the
paper. Poghosyan had for years complained to the prosecutor general
and the president that he hadn’t committed the crime, but they did not
reportedly believe him until the real offender admitted his guilt.
Poghosyan and his mother, Mrs. Baghdasaryan, demanded moral vs.
material compensation from the court, but their appeal was rejected by
the domestic courts, says the paper adding that Poghosyan appears to
be the first claimant to demand moral compensation from ECtHR.

Armenian writer Vahram Sahakyan reported beaten

tert.am
09:57 – 06.07.12

Contemporary Armenian writer Vahram Sahakyan has been severely beaten,
Blognews.am reported.

Speaking to the website, Sahakyan confirmed the fact, adding that the
unknown men escaped after the beating.

The writer is now reported to be at home in a serious condition.

`I have a terrible headache, they beat me very badly. I cannot talk. I
contacted the police, and they are investigating the matter,’ he was
quoted as saying.

Residents of Turkish village demand reconstruction of Armenian church

tert.am
12:27 – 06.07.12

The church built by Armenians in the Turkish Hakkari’s Yuksekova
region needs repair, Sondakika web-site reports.

The historic Armenian church near the border with Iran is standing
despite the damages. The residents of the village demand restoration
of the church for making it a tourist site.

`For years we have been conserving the church in the center of our
village but it is not enough. We demand reconstruction of the church,’
one of the villagers Mehmet Emen said.

He said all the parts of the church are standing, the roof as well.
Tourists do not visit the site.

`We are convinced that the reconstructed church will raise tourists’
interests and many of them will come to see this historic church,’
Emen said.