Author: Kajoyan Gevork

MY UNCLE RAFAEL SET FOR THEATRICAL RELEASE ON SEPTEMBER 21

tert.am
27.06.12

The family comedy My Uncle Rafael is set to open in theatres in
Los Angeles, New York, Toronto and other major markets on September
21, 2012.

The award-winning film stars Missi Pyle (The Artist, Charlie &
the Chocolate Factory), John Michael Higgins (Yes Man, TVs “Happily
Divorced”), Anthony Clark (Yes, Dear), Joe Lo Truglio (Role Models)
and Rachel Blanchard (Road Trip), Asbarez reports.

Directed by former Spielberg protege Marc Fusco, the film introduces
Armenian stage and TV star Vahik Pirhamzei whose successful stage
play featuring the Uncle Rafael character serves as the inspiration
for the movie. This is the first American comedy to have an Armenian
lead character. The film was financed and is being distributed by
Slater Brothers Entertainment (SBE) and Rocky Mountain Pictures.

My Uncle Rafael follows a dysfunctional all-American family who is
cast in a reality television show and must invite a stranger into
their home-in this case an old Armenian uncle, who has one week to
save them from falling apart.

“It’s rare to find a film that works on so many levels and elicits such
a strong, positive audience reaction,” said SBE principal Todd Slater
(Ray, Sahara, Chain Letter, Fame & Fortune). “We’re excited to bring
‘Rafael’ to the masses and to touch the consumer who we know will
love this film.”

With a platform release planned similar to that of My Big Fat Greek
Wedding, Slater Brothers is building a targeted marketing campaign
to expand the film’s reach into the mainstream domestic market. The
film will open in several major cities in its opening weekend and
then expand from there.

“It’s exciting bringing a character from a wildly successful stage
play to the big screen, especially such a universal character as
Uncle Rafael. Whether you’re black, white, Hispanic, or Asian, you’ll
relate to him on some comedic level,” said director Marc Fusco. “As
a country of immigrants, we’ve all known or met an ‘Uncle Rafael’
in our lives and probably even learned from him. In this case, he
just happens to be Armenian.”

LAURENCE BROERS: INCIDENTS ALONG LINE OF CONTACT IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH WILL NOT LEAD TO A FULLY-FLEDGED WAR
by Oksana Musaelyan

arminfo
Tuesday, June 26, 22:48

ArmInfo’s interview with Laurence Broers, Conciliation Resources,
Caucasus Programme Projects Manager

Incidents on the Line of Contact in Nagorno Karabakh have been
increased recently. Do you think these are on spot problems or this
kind of incitement will consequently lead to a full-fledged new war?

Overall the number of incidents along the LOC and ceasefire violations
is less than it was several years ago. They are better recorded today
and attract more media attention than before, so there is a perception
of an overall deterioration. What is an emerging trend, however,
is the tactical deployment of ceasefire violations and incidents
as a lever to apply political pressure, disruption or distraction at
sensitive moments. Incidents appear to be more and more ‘choreographed’
to coincide with key moments in domestic political politics and, for
example, visits of foreign dignitaries. But while these incidents
radicalise the populations and narrow the space for discussion of
non-violent solutions, there is no linear cause and effect relationship
between them and a fully-fledged war. Although unintended escalation
is always a risk, if a fully-fledged war happens it will have its
own dynamics and causes beyond the immediate reality of the LOC.

What do you think about a possibility of deployment of Russian military
force on the border line with Armenia and Azerbaijan as preventive
measures to restrain tension?

There is not a positive experience with the deployment of Russian
(peacekeeping) forces on the ground in other conflict situations in
the South Caucasus. If such forces were to be deployed it is hard
to see how Russia would be able to maintain a role as a mediator in
the Karabakh peace process. At the moment it is the conflict parties
who are responsible for the situation on the ground. Rather than
introducing an external element into the situation on the ground at
this stage, it would be preferable to introduce serious mechanisms
with the necessary mandates to jointly investigate incidents and
violations and to publicise their findings. This could serve to
introduce a sense of accountability for ceasefire violations, in
contrast to the current impunity.

There was a recommendation from the EU to provide unconditional access
for representatives of the EU to Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding
regions. Meanwhile, the Armenian Government claim they do put no
problems of access for the representatives of the EU. What kind of
obstacles does this recommendation imply?

The underlying issue is how and through what mechanisms to involve
the de facto authorities and the society in Nagorno-Karabakh in
the peace process. This is a long-standing problem that will not in
itself be resolved whether EU officials do or do not have access to the
territory. The obstacles relate to the ways in which such access would
be understood and portrayed in Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan. In
the end, however, Baku and Stepanakert will one day need to find an
appropriate mechanism to communicate with one another, likewise the de
facto authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh will one day need to confront
the legacy of Azeris displaced from Karabakh. Today these remain
conversations that are ‘missing’ from the Karabakh peace process;
we can only speculate on the long-term impact of these missing
conversations for the effectiveness of the peace process.

In another sentence of the recent report, the EU underlined that the
negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the Minsk Group
mentioned had no tangible results in 2011. Do you think the suggestion
opens an exceeding role in Karabakh process for the EU?

Any kind of expanded role for the EU in the Minsk Group is not going
to solve the problems confronting this process. France is discharging
its responsibilities as Minsk Group co-Chair country quite adequately.

The problems lie more with the readiness of the conflict parties to
engage with the proposals negotiated within the framework of the
Minsk Group. At the moment it seems that the conflict parties do
not feel that their interests are best served by investing in this
process. The EU is already contributing to the peace process through
its support of civil society initiatives.

Speaking about relations between NATO and Armenia, the President for
the second time refused to participate in the Summit in Chicago. How
much this reflects the state of relationship of the sides and the
perspective of their development?

If the relationship between the conflict parties is implied, then
clearly we have a worsening dynamic and little prospect for positive
development. Over the coming couple of years we will see a heavy
focus on internal political processes of renewing domestic political
mandates, which will give few opportunities for progressive steps
on Karabakh.

What do you think can be the role for the countries in the region in
the opposition between NATO and Russia to the issue of missile systems?

There are very serious lessons to be learnt from experiences elsewhere
in the South Caucasus in tying local conflicts to broader geopolitical
agendas. Importing NATO-Russia issues into local conflicts will
distract from the local dynamic and may even transform that dynamic
in ways that make peaceful resolution of conflict even less likely
than it is now.

500TH ANNIVERSARY OF ‘CHURCH OF MIRACLES’ IN ROMANIA TO BE CELEBRATED IN AUGUST

tert.am
11:14 ~U 27.06.12

The Hagigadar Armenian Monastery built in 1512 on a hill outside of
this Romanian town has been called a “church of miracles,” known for
its power of granting the wishes of believers, who over the centuries
have come from all over the world to pray there, The Armenian Mirror
Spectator writes.

On August 12, the church’s 500th anniversary will be celebrated with
the Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II traveling from Armenia for
the first time to Romania to consecrate it. It is being completely
restored through Romanian-born benefactors Hagop and Ica Kouyoumdjian
of New York.

“This church is a place of pilgrimage, like Lourdes in France. It’s a
place for all Christians, not just Armenians who ascend the hill on
their knees and circle the church three times as they pray,” stated
Romania’s Primate Bishop Datev Hagopian, in an exclusive interview
recently at the Armenian Diocese in New York. “Every day, at least 100
people come from places like the Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Moldova,
and of course, Romania. In 500 years, this monastery of pilgrimage
(oughtavayr) has never been closed for prayers, with Badarak celebrated
every week. In the diaspora, it is the only vank [cathedral], except
for Jerusalem, Antelias and Bolis,” he noted.

The Kouyoumdjians who were born in Romania, returned five years ago to
visit the Armenian monasteries there. They visited the two Armenian
monasteries in Suceava, and finding them in dilapidated condition,
decided to renovate them “This is the only place of pilgrimage, and
we felt that we had to do something,” said Ica Kouyoumdjian. After
receiving a “go ahead” from Karekin II, the plan was put into motion.

Revealing the origins of the Sucheava Vank, Hagopian related that
more than 500 years ago, the Donavag brothers who were Armenian
businessmen, traveling to Vienna, rested on a hill and in a dream
saw angels singing. They pledged that if they succeeded in Vienna,
they would build a monastery on that hill outside of Suceava, which
was the capital of Moldovia until 1564, as well as an important
trading center with a large Armenian population, and seven Armenian
churches. The vank was built and became a residence for nuns. “To
make a strong connection between Armenia and the vank, a bell made
in 1288 was brought to the church in 1512 from the Datev monastery.”

The whole church is filled with frescoes and there are three icons of
Mother Mary, he continued. “We don’t know which one of the icons is
the one of miracles, but those worshippers whose wishes are granted
have donated gifts of silver and bronze, some of which are hung on
the altar icon. Others are kept in a safe, along with hundreds of
archival materials about the Romanian Armenian community.”

This community dates from the 10th century when Armenians traveled
from Ani to the Ukraine, to Moldova and finally settled in Romania,
he related. “It became a small Ani.” In 1401, the archbishop’s chair
was established, becoming the oldest tem in the western diaspora. In
the 1800s, there were as many as 80,000 Armenians in Romania, mostly
wealthy businessmen. By the late 1940s, many sold their possessions
and left when the Communists took over, a good number going to Armenia,
and others emigrating to the US, Canada, Australia and Argentina.

Today, there are 18 Armenian churches and approximately 5,000 Armenians
in Romania, mostly in the fields of art and culture. One of the most
revered individuals in Romania has been Levon Garabed Baljian who
was born in Bucharest in 1908, became the Catholicos of All Armenians
Vasken I in 1955.

Hagopian who was appointed Primate of Romania in 2010 and elevated
to the rank of bishop during the 60th birthday ceremonies for Karekin
II in 2011, was born in Mosul, Iraq in 1966, and ordained a celibate
priest by Archbishop Avak Assadourian in 1993.

He has served in Iraq, Echmiadzin, Geneva, the Netherlands, Loire
and Lyon in France.

His trip to New York and Los Angeles recently was for the purpose of
making the connection with the Romanian-Armenians in America and to
invite them for the August 12 500th anniversary celebrations of this
revered Sucheava monastery, “a beacon on a hill.”

GOUVERNEMENT AYRAULT 2 : SOS RACISME DECUE DE NE PAS AVOIR ETE ENTENDUE

Publie le : 27-06-2012

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
invite a lire le Communique de presse de l’association SOS Racisme.

SOS Racisme

Communique de presse

SOS Racisme ne peut qu’exprimer sa deception de ne pas avoir
ete entendue par le Gouvernement suite a l’appel a la creation
d’un Ministère de l’Egalite des droits et de la lutte contre les
discriminations (appel signe par plus de 200 associations locales).

Si l’effort de la parite est maintenu, l’absence d’un tel Ministère
prive d’un marqueur fort le debut de ce quinquennat dont la survenue a
ete en partie rendue possible du fait du rejet exprime par les Francais
des logiques de stigmatisation portees par le precedent pouvoir.

Alors que le France accuse un retard criant en matière de politique
publique de lutte contre les discriminations, la creation d’un tel
Ministère aurait non seulement illustre une volonte forte de la part
du nouveau pouvoir mais aurait egalement permis d’avancer dans la
voie de l’egalite effective entre chaque citoyen.

Si la crise mobilise a juste titre l’attention du Gouvernement,
la cohesion retrouvee de la societe mise en tension et divisee par
le precedent pouvoir doit egalement figurer au rang des principales
priorites du pouvoir nouvellement en place.

Il ne nous semble pas pertinent de ne pas faire de la lutte contre les
discriminations une priorite gouvernementale, non seulement parce que
l’existence de ces dernières est profondement attentatoire au lien
social mais aussi parce qu’elle est d’autant plus insupportable
precisement en periode de crise pour ceux qui subissent ces
discriminations au quotidien et de plein fouet.

SOS Racisme reitère son appel a ce que la lutte contre les
discriminations soit, dans l’avenir, pleinement inscrite comme une
priorite gouvernementale.

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : SOS Racisme

LA FETE AU RENDEZ-VOUS MALGRE LA PLUIE
Jean Eckian

armenews.com
mercredi 27 juin 2012

Malgre une pluie battante, ils sont venus très nombreux a la fete de
fin d’annee de l’Ecole Tebrotzassère ce dimanche 24 juin.

A 11 heures, cela a commence par les tous petits de la maternelle
sous la direction d’Anahid Sarkissian, un spectacle epoustouflant de
joie, de chansons et de danses, avant un debut d’après-midi où fut
servi un repas gigantesque fait de chiches kebabs, keuftes et autres
plats gouteux.

Après le discours de la Presidente de l’Association, Madame Jeannine
Vartanian -qui aura une pensee pour Eric Raoult, maire du Raincy après
le malaise dont il a ete victime samedi dernier – et en presence de
Monseigneur Norvan Zakarian, Monsieur Thierry Queffelec Sous-Prefet
du Raincy prit le temps de remettre aux elèves les diplômes de fin
d’annee ; rouge pour les plus petits, bleu pour le primaire et orange
pour le collège, tout un symbole.

Le maire du Raincy, souffrant, s’etait fait representer par Madame
Gizard maire adjoint et Madame Gerlach conseillère municipale,
Monsieur Pascal Popelin, depute et Maire adjoint de Livry-Gargan
etait represente par Monsieur Papazian, conseiller Municipal.

“L’ambassade d’Armenie en France s’est faite excuser mais nous avons
eu la surprise de recevoir Monsieur Raffi K. Hovannisian, ancien
Ministre des Affaires Etrangère de la Republique d’Armenie.

Monsieur Andre Yedikardachian ancien president de l’AAAS ainsi que
Madame Madeleine Papazian de la Croix Bleue toujours fidèles a nos
fetes etaient egalement presents.”

Monsieur Haig Sarkissian, directeur de l’ecole, et monsieur Malek
Azarian directeur adjoint ont ete ovationnes par les elèves et le
public, ainsi que l’equipe pedagogique pour les efforts qu’ils ont
prodigue durant toute l’annee pour arriver au resultat de 100% de
reussite au brevet des collèges depuis 9 annees consecutives.

Toujours sous la pluie la soiree s’est terminee fort tard dans la
nuit a l’interieur du bâtiment.

LES SANCTIONS TURQUES ET FRANCOIS HOLLANDE
Ara

armenews.com
mercredi 27 juin 2012

Selon une depeche AFP du 21 juin, les sanctions prises contre la France
” a propos du genocide armenien ” ont ete levees. Le ministre turc
des Affaires etrangères Ahmet Davutoglu a meme declare a la chaîne
d’information CNN-Turk que le premier ministre Recep Tayyip Erdogan
” a donne les instructions necessaires après son entrevue avec le
president Hollande (au sommet de Rio ndlr) Les sanctions ne seront
plus d’actualite en raison de la nouvelle position de la France “.

On ne peut bien sûr que se feliciter de cette marche arrière des
dirigeants turcs. Leur reaction a l’endroit de cette loi francaise
sur le negationnisme (puisque c’est de cela qu’il s’agit) trahissait
la perennisation d’une hostilite forte envers les Armeniens. Une
aversion s’inscrivant dans la logique de l’extermination de cette
minorite par le gouvernement ” Jeune turc ” et participant du meme
etat esprit. Si Ankara a pris conscience de la gravite de son attitude,
de ce qu’elle disait du degre de continuite et de complicite entre les
autorites turques de 1915 et de 2012, c’est vraiment tant mieux. Une
telle evolution ouvrirait la voie a tous les possibles en matière de
justice. Elle augurerait d’un futur armeno-turc pacifie. Cette issue,
la seule qui soit porteuse d’avenir, chacun l’appelle de ses voeux. Et
si le president de la Republique a l’occasion du G20 de Rio a reussi
a incliner la position d’Erdogan en ce sens, il s’agit vraiment d’une
très bonne nouvelle.

Mais si helas l’inverse s’est produit, comme tend a vouloir le faire
croire la declaration ambiguë d’Ahmet Davutoglu, la deception serait
alors d’une terrible ampleur.

On ne peut pourtant serieusement imaginer que Francois Hollande,
constant defenseur depuis 15 ans de la cause armenienne, initiateur de
la première loi du 13 octobre 2006 penalisant la negation du genocide
armenien, comme il l’a lui-meme rappele le 24 avril dernier lors de
la commemoration a Paris du crime, puisse faire ainsi volte-face
au detour d’une rencontre en marge d’un sommet international. Lui
preter une telle legèrete serait l’insulter. Et l’on connait trop
la profondeur et la permanence de son engagement sur le sujet pour
le soupconner de le trahir a la première occasion, sous l’influence
d’un ministre islamo-conservateur lui faisant des sourires. Arretons !

Par deux fois ( en 2006 et 2011) l’Assemblee nationale a vote en faveur
de la repression du negationnisme du genocide armenien. Le Senat s’est
egalement rallie le 23 janvier 2012 a cette position. Ce projet de loi
a meme constitue le seul point de convergence de la presidentielle
entre Nicolas Sarkozy et Francois Hollande qui ont tous deux promis
de proposer un nouveau projet gouvernemental en ce sens.

L’unique reserve concernait la necessite d’en travailler la forme
de facon a prevenir tout risque d’invalidation par le Conseil
constitutionnel, comme en fevrier dernier. Mais le fond, lui, ne
souffrait pas du moindre doute. Et pour etre très clair, Francois
Hollande avait insiste a Paris : ” Je n’ai jamais change de discours
en fonction des circonstances (…) Votre histoire ne sera jamais
oubliee parce qu’elle ne pourra jamais plus etre contestee. ”

Le negationnisme est assimile en France a un delit depuis la loi
Gayssot. Les victimes et les rescapes du genocide armenien sont
particulièrement vises par ce fleau qui perpetue les souffrances
et avive les brûlures de ce crime impuni. Et il est du devoir de
l’Etat, de les en proteger. Au nom de la dignite humaine, qui figure
au fronton de la Declaration universelle des droits de l’homme. Au
nom aussi du principe d’egalite, comme n’ont de cesse de le rappeler
Serge Klarsfeld, Bernard-Henri Levy, la Licra, Michel Onfray, SOS
racisme, l’UEJF et tant d’autres. Cette exigence, qui renvoie a la
manière dont l’Etat francais entend preserver tout ou partie de ses
citoyens, fussent-ils d’ascendance armenienne, ne regarde aucun pays
tiers. Les organisations des survivants de ce peuple assassine ne
s’adressent d’ailleurs pas en la circonstance a la Turquie. Quand
bien meme seraient-elles fondees a le faire, elles ne demandent
pas non plus que le commerce franco-turc soit conditionne a la
reconnaissance du genocide par Ankara. Mais n’est-il pas a tout point
de vue inadmissible qu a contrario la Turquie vienne se meler de la
facon dont la Ve Repblique traite les Francais d’origine armenienne
? et que contre toute morale – sans parler des règles de l’OMC-
les marches turcs se ferment a la France a mesure qu’elle ouvre son
droit a cette composante de la nation ? Le ministre des Affaires
etrangères turques sera a Paris le 5 juillet. Puisse-t-il clarifier
ses positions sur le sujet, et cesser de peser au meme trebuchet,
le prix des Airbus et celui des victimes d’un genocide.

SERGE SARKISSIAN ACCUSE L’AZERBAIDJAN DE FREINER LE PROCESSUS DE PAIX POUR LE HAUT-KARABAGH
Laetitia

armenews.com
mercredi 27 juin 2012

Le president Serge Sarkissian a accuse mardi 26 juin 2012 l’Azerbaïdjan
d’avoir viole le cessez-le-feu dans la zone de conflit du Haut-Karabakh
et a releve l’absence de progrès dans les pourparlers du processus
de paix armeno-azerbaïdjanais.

” La politique adoptee par l’Azerbaïdjan cette annee, ses declarations
belliqueuses et sans fondement sont a l’origine des tensions sur la
ligne de contact a la frontière armeno-azerbaïdjanaise “, a-t-il
declare lors d’une conference en Autriche avec le president Heinz
Fischer. ” Et ce n’etait pas par hasard si des jeunes soldats ont
ete tues et que la situation a degenere ces dernières semaines. ”

Serge Sarkissian a evoque une serie d’affrontements entre les forces
armeniennes et azerbaïdjanaises qui ont provoque la mort de neuf
soldats au debut du mois. Il a affirme que le processus de paix est
dans l’impasse parce que l’Azerbaïdjan accepte seulement l’un des
trois principes qui sont au c~ur des propositions de paix faites
par les trois puissances mediatrices (Russie, France, Etats-Unis).

” Tout en pretendant de se mettre d’accord sur ces trois principes,
l’Azerbaïdjan, en realite, accepte un seul d’entre eux : le principe
de l’integrite territoriale des Etats “, a-t-il dit. ” Il rejette le
droit des peuples a l’autodetermination et le principe de solutions
pacifiques aux conflits. Ainsi, lorsque ces principes seront vraiment
acceptes, le conflit sera resolu. ” Les dirigeants azerbaïdjanais ont
a plusieurs reprises exclu tout règlement qui ne permettrait pas de
replacer le Karabakh sous le contrôle de Bakou. ” Le Haut-Karabakh
est une partie integrante de l’Azerbaïdjan “, a declare le president
Ilham Aliev lundi.

Aliyev a dit qu’il finira par permettre a l’Azerbaïdjan de regagner le
Karabakh. ” L’Armenie ne sera pas capable de resister a l’Azerbaïdjan
“,a-t-il affirme.” Notre poids politique croissant, notre potentiel
economique, notre puissance militaire, notre rôle dans la region et
la population croissante conduiront a une solution juste au problème. ”

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN: AZERBAIJAN MUST ACCEPT ALL THREE PRINCIPLES OF HELSINKI FINAL ACT FOR KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

hetq
15:34, June 26, 2012

Visiting Austrian President Heinz Fischer today declared in Yerevan
that the Karabakh issue cannot be solved through force and violence.

President Fischer made the statement at a joint press conference with
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan after the two leaders met at the
RA Presidential Palace.

“We see no alternative to the peaceful talks within the scope of the
OSCE Minsk Group,” President Sargsyan said, adding that “Azerbaijan’s
recent bellicose statements create tension both at the line of contact
between the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan and at
the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.”

“The provocations of the past weeks have claimed the lives of
servicemen, and the situation remains tense,” the Armenian president
noted.

President Sargsyan recalled the Los Cabos statement issued by the
presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries, urging
the parties to maintain the ceasefire regime and underlining that
the conflict should be settled on the basis of the principles of the
Helsinki Final Act, namely non-use of force or the threat of force,
the right of peoples to self-determination and territorial integrity.

“We are ready to move forward on the basis of those principles, and
the sooner the issue is settled, the better. The rapid resolution
of the issue stems from the interests of the peoples of Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh. I think the international community has had an
opportunity to get convinced of this,” the President stated.

“While formally agreeing to the three above-mentioned principles,
Azerbaijan actually only accepts one of them – territorial integrity,
rejecting the principles of the right of peoples to self-determination
and the peaceful settlement of conflicts,” Serzh Sargsyan said,
emphasizing that the conflict will be solved only when the parties
are ready to accept all of the above-mentioned principles.

EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS OBLIGES ARMENIA TO PAY 8,000 EUROS TO KAMO PIRUZYAN

arminfo
Wednesday, June 27, 17:56

In today’s Chamber judgment in the case of Kamo Piruzyan v. Armenia,
the European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that there had
been: a violation of Article 3 (prohibition of inhuman or degrading
treatment) of the European Convention on Human Rights; and, five
violations of Article 5 1,3,4 (right to liberty and security) of
the Convention.

According to the web-site of ECHR, the case concerned several
complaints about criminal proceedings brought against the applicant in
October 2006 for armed assault; the charges against him were ultimately
dropped in December 2007 due to lack of evidence and he was released.

The Court found in particular that he should not have been placed in
a metal cage during the hearings at his trial, and also stressed,
among other things, that automatic refusal to release on bail was
incompatible with the Convention requirements.

The Court held that Armenia was to pay Piruzyan 8,000 euros (EUR)
in respect of non-pecuniary damage and EUR 18 for costs and expenses.

In another judgment the Court held that Armenia was to pay 4,500
euros to Vardan Malkhasyan.

NOW AUSTRIAN PRESIDENT HAS A CLEARER PICTURE OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

arminfo
Wednesday, June 27, 17:59

The visit to Armenia has given Austrian President Heinz Fischer a
clearer picture of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

While speaking to Armenian journalists on Wednesday, he said that
during his visit he was informed about local and regional problems
and learned a lot about Armenia’s relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey.

So, now he sees this all in a new light.

Earlier, during his joint press-conference with the Armenian President,
Fischer said that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict cannot be resolved by
means of war. He said that Russia, France and the United States have
enough experience and competence to solve this problem, but they need
patience as each conflicting party has its own stance.

Fischer said that Austria is ready to cooperate with Armenia in the
framework of international organizations and to help the country
to deepen its relations with the EU. He believes that the countries
might successfully cooperate in the field of tourism.