Author: Kalantarian Kevo

NAGORNO-KARABAKH SOLDIER KILLED ALONG CONTACT LINE

Big News Network, Australia
March 31 2015

RFE Monday 30th March, 2015

Authorities in Azerbaijan’s breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh say
one of their soldiers has been killed by Azerbaijani gunfire.

The separatist region’s military said Ovsep Andreasian, 20, was killed
on March 29.

The announcement came less than 10 days after the breakaway region
accused Azerbaijan of attacks that left three Nagorno-Karabakh
soldiers dead.

Baku and Yerevan have been locked in a conflict over Azerbaijan’s
breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh for nearly 25 years.

Armenia-backed separatists seized the mainly ethnic Armenian-populated
region during a war in the early 1990s that killed some 30,000 people.

Tensions have been increasing in recent months with both sides blaming
the other clashes.

Decades of diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict have brought
little progress.

Based on reporting by arka.am and Interfax

SARGSYAN: ARMENIA IS READY TO BECOME CENTER OF ASIAN BUSINESSMEN’S INTERESTS

Central Asia General Newswire
March 30, 2015 Monday 2:50 PM MSK

YEREVAN. March 30

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said Armenia is ready to become a
center of Asian businessmen’s interests.

“I suggest considering the possibility of establishing regional head
officers of Chinese and other large Asian companies in Armenia. The
energy sector and cooperation on programs to build the motorway
connecting the North and the South or the railway connecting Armenia
and Iran can be especially attractive to businessmen. Armenia is ready
to become a center of Asian businessmen’s interests,” Sargsyan said
at the Boao Forum for Asia on Saturday.

Sargsyan said Armenia pursues an “open doors policy” and does not
impose any restrictions on investment activities.

“Armenia now has free trade agreements with all CIS countries, whose
population exceeds 250 million. By joining the EEU Armenia received
unimpeded access to a common market of 170 million people, the right
to duty-free import of resources to the EEU, and preferential import
conditions for 750 types of goods from other countries,” he said.

“We also use systems of preferences with the EU, the U.S., Canada,
Switzerland, Japan and Norway, that is, there are zero or considerably
reduced customs duties on the export of Armenian goods to these
countries. Armenia also gives preferential conditions to large
exporters, including income tax exemptions,” Sargsyan said.

ARMENIAN DIASPORA CALLS ON TURKEY TO OPEN BORDER AND ARCHIVES

Cihan News Agency, Turkey
March 31 2015

CIHAN | ISTANBUL- 31.03.2015 19:25:14

Delegates of the 4th Congress of Western Armenians released a list
of demands from the Turkish Republic in Paris on Sunday, including
the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border and providing unlimited
access to historical archives.

The descendants of Armenians who were living and persecuted during
the Ottoman Empire have made the following demands of the Turkish
government: “Open the Turkish border with the Republic of Armenia
immediately and without preconditions and initiate a number of steps
for the establishment of interstate confidence and friendly relations
with the authorities and population of the Armenian state, among whom
live hundreds of thousands of descendants of Western Armenians.”

The delegation also called for unlimited access to historical
archives from the Ottoman Empire, stating this is “necessary for the
re-establishment of the rights of Western Armenians. This should
include all cadastre and civil state archives, in addition to all
information related to our moral and material losses (damages incurred
whether pecuniary or non-pecuniary) and relevant rights.”

On March 19, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan slammed the Armenian
diaspora, saying: “Oh, Armenian diaspora, oh, Armenian administration,
our archives are here. We have hundreds of thousands of documents,
over a million documents. How many documents do you have? Bring
your documents, and we will task the historians, our historians,
political scientists, even archeologists and lawyers [with studying
them]… let’s seek the truth here,” he said, adding that “anti-Turkey
campaigns carried out by paying money and forming lobbies will not
earn you anything.”

The memorandum published by the Armenian congress also called for
the recognition of the National Congress of Western Armenians as a
legal entity in Turkey, and that it is the indisputable right for the
Armenian ethnic entity to return to their homeland and rehabilitate
all community properties such as schools and churches.

ARMENIAN FILMMAKERS PRESENTING NEW DOCUMENTARY FILMS DEVOTED TO THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

20:27, 30 March, 2015

YEREVAN, 30 MARCH, ARMENPRESS. On the occasion of the Centennial of
the Armenian Genocide, new documentary films devoted to the Armenian
Genocide are playing at Moscow Cinema in Yerevan. From March 30 to
April 2, the Union of Cinematographers of Armenia and Hayk Film
Studio are organizing screenings of the latest documentary films
devoted to the Armenian Genocide. Entrance is free. The film “Armenia
in the Late 19th Century and Early 20th Century: Armenian Genocide”,
which is part of Georgi Kevorkov’s series of films entitled “Armenian
History”, was shown on March 30.

“The film is about what happened in Western Armenia in the late
19th century and early 20th century. We started from the times of
Sultan Hamid and ended with the Battle of Sardarapat. The film lasts
50 minutes, was shot last year and is being presented for the first
time today,” Georgi Kevorkov mentioned, as “Armenpress” reports.

Other film directors will also be presenting their films. The film
“Another Homeland: Maria Jacobsen’s Diary” will be shown on March 31,
followed by the films “Return or We Exist-2” on April 1 and the film
“Encounter” on April 2.

DAVID CAMERON REVEALS HE IS THIRTEENTH COUSIN OF KIM KARDASHIAN

17:30, 31 Mar 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan

David Cameron has said he is related to Kim Kardashian-West, the
reality TV star, the Daily Telegraphreports.

The Prime Minister said he was thirteenth cousin of the celebrity,
who is married to rapper Kanye West and first became famous after
starring in a leaked sex tape.

Asked by heat magazine whether he watched the television show Keeping
Up With The Kardashians,featuring Kim and her family, Mr Cameron
volunteered: “No, but I’m related to them.

“Did you know I’m 13th cousins with them?”

The link is via a mutual ancestor, Sir William Spencer, born in 1555,
according to genealogy website geni.com.

Among other disclosures in the interview, the Eton-educated Prime
Minister claimed he once aspired to be a lorry driver.

Asked what he wanted to be when he was growing up, he said: “All
sorts of things: a soldier, a lorry driver, a farmer.

“I wasn’t sure til I left university, then decided I wanted to be
a politician.”

HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK: ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SOUGHT TO SIGN WEAPONS DEAL IN CHINA?

09:10 * 31.03.15

The paper says it has learned from “well-informed sources” that
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s recent trip to China was aimed
at concluding a weapons supply deal on privileged terms.

The sources have not reportedly clarified whether any deal was
reached at all but claimed that that the separatist ambitions of
Turkic-speaking minorities residing in China’s north-west are a
concern for the country’s government. With Armenia being the only
state between China and Turkey that is devoid of the Turkish element,
there are objective reasons for its strategic cooperation with China,
says the paper, adding that all the rest depends on the parties’
talent and skills to translate the plan into action.

COMPLETE REHABILITATION OF ASHNAK SUBSTATION AND YEREVAN THERMAL POWER PLANT TO COST $69.16 MILLION

YEREVAN, March 31. / ARKA /. The complete rehabilitation of the Ashnak
substation and the Yerevan Thermal Power Centert through replacement
of all key equipment will cost $69.16 million, World Bank Country
manager for Armenia, Laura Bailey told a news conference today.

She said it will help reduce the number and duration of equipment
failures caused by technical reasons, and, thus, improve the
reliability of power supply for thousands of electricity consumers.

She said $17.6 million will be allocated by the Armenian government
and the remaining $52 million will come as a World Bank loan.

The US$52 million loan for the Electricity Transmission Network
Improvement Project (ETNIP) for Armenia was approved by the World
Bank Board of Executive Directors on March 30. The new project will
improve the reliability of the power transmission network and system
management, and support the Government’s efforts in ensuring adequate
electricity supply across the country.

The World Bank will provide a US$52 million IBRD loan of variable
spread with a 14.5-year grace period and the total repayment term of
25 years.

Ashnak substation was commissioned in 1983 and has undergone no major
rehabilitation since then. This substation is essential for ensuring
reliable power supply to consumers in Eastern and North-Eastern parts
of Armenia, including a large dairy products company, an asphalt plant,
and a diamond polishing and jewelry production factory, which employ
around 3,500 people.

Rehabilitation of the substation of the Yerevan Thermal Power Center,
which accounts for 20 percent of total annual electricity generation
in Armenia will help reduce the incidence of equipment failures. The
overall cost of meeting the electricity demand in the country will
significantly increase if it is disconnected from the grid due to
failure of its substation. The substation was commissioned in 1965,
and has not been rehabilitated since then.

Ms. Bailey said under the second component – improvement of the
power system management – establishment of a back-up dispatch
center is envisaged which will allow improving the management of the
power system. Specifically, it is important for ensuring continuous
management and control of the power system in case the primary dispatch
center (located in down-town Yerevan) fails due to technical or other
reasons. The back-up dispatch center will allow to immediately restore
the control and management of the power system in case of such failure.

“Armenia’s power system will need around 500 MW of new gas-fired
generation capacity to preclude the emergence of a supply capacity
gap by 2020,” said Arthur Kochnakyan, World Bank Task Team Leader of
the Project.

“Preparation of a new electricity generation project is another
critical activity that will be implemented within this project. The
Government plans to construct a new combined cycle gas turbine,
which will require a number of preparatory activities for which no
financing is available,’ he said.

Since joining the World Bank in 1992 and IDA in 1993, the commitments
to Armenia total approximately US$2,118.730 million.”-0-

DAVID CAMERON REVEALS HE IS RELATED TO KIM KARDASHIAN

Prime Minister claims he is thirteenth cousin of the reality TV star

Kim Kardashian and David Cameron. Photo: Rex Featues

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By Emily Gosden

1:50PM BST 31 Mar 2015

David Cameron has said he is related to Kim Kardashian-West, the
reality TV star.

The Prime Minister said he was thirteenth cousin of the celebrity,
who is married to rapper Kanye West and first became famous after
starring in a leaked sex tape.

Asked by heat magazine whether he watched the television show Keeping
Up With The Kardashians, featuring Kim and her family, Mr Cameron
volunteered: “No, but I’m related to them.

“Did you know I’m 13th cousins with them?”

The link is via a mutual ancestor, Sir William Spencer, born in 1555,
according to genealogy website geni.com.

Kim Kardashian is famous for her curvaceous figure

Among other disclosures in the interview, the Eton-educated Prime
Minister claimed he once aspired to be a lorry driver.

Asked what he wanted to be when he was growing up, he said: “All
sorts of things: a soldier, a lorry driver, a farmer.

“I wasn’t sure til I left university, then decided I wanted to be
a politician.”

The Prime Minister also admitted to an inability to multi-task and
a fear of rats.

ZHOGHOVURD: KHACHATUR SUKIASYAN TO BECOME DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER?

10:53 31/03/2015 ” DAILY PRESS

Sil Group Concern owner, businessman Khachatur Sukiasyan was offered
the position of Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Zhoghovurd
has learnt. Recently he met with several businessmen and officials
as well as with President Serzh Sargsyan, the newspaper notes.

Zhoghovurd asked Sil Group Concern spokesperson Anna Lazarian whether
Sukiasyan has plans of becoming Deputy Prime Minister and whether his
recent meetings with businessmen and officials pursue this objective.

The spokesperson replied that Sukiasyan does not aspire to any post
and this is a matter of principle for him. As regards his recent
meetings, she said that Sukiasyan has always had active contacts with
representatives of civil society, businessmen and officials both in
Armenia and abroad.

BEDROS SIRINOGLU HAS NO RIGHT TO SPEAK ON BEHALF OF ENTIRE ARMENIAN COMMUNITY

18:26 â~@¢ 31.03.15

One of the Turkish authorities’ old methods is to force certain
representatives of the Armenian community to make statements on
different occasions, especially on April 24, which [statements]
do not reflect the Armenians’ position, expert in Turkic studies
Ruben Melkonyan told Tert.am as he commented on a statement by Mr
Bedros Ã…~^irinoglu, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Surb Khach
(Holy Cross) hospital.

Mr Ã…~^irinoglu particularly said that “we [Armenians] do not want
any restitution from Turkey.”

“Patriarch Mesrob Mutafyan made a similar scandalous statement
earlier. And Ã…~^irinoglu has now assumed this role. It should
be noted that Ã…~^irinoglu does not represent the entire Armenian
community though he introduces himself as lay leader of the Armenian
community. He is just one of the richest members of the Armenian
community, which, however, does not mean he is leader of the Armenian
community,” Mr Melkonyan said.

According to him, the Armenian community is showing serious discontent,
and Mr Ã…~^irinoglu has no right to speak on behalf of the entire
community.

If Mr Ã…~^irinoglu says “we” do not demand anything, it must mean that
“we” is nothing but the Armenian community’s oligarchs and small
pro-government circles.

“The Armenian community in Istanbul and Ã…~^irinoglu representing a
small number of its members is one thing, whereas the Armenians’ aims
and demands are quite a different thing. Ã…~^irinoglu cannot consider
his small groups’ interests superior to the Armenians’ interests,”
Mr Melkonyan said.

The statement is more intended for western and international circles
because Turkey’s authorities need to show the world Armenians’
disunity, and some groups do not lay any claims and are satisfied
with the situation, the expert said.