Author: Kalantarian Kevo

UNDER PRESSURE, TURKISH SINGER DECIDES NOT TO INCLUDE ARMENIAN SONG IN NEW ALBUM

news.am
March 27, 2012 | 15:32

Famous Turkish singer Sezen Aksu decided not to include the Armenian
folk song “The Bride of Mountain” (“Sari Gelin”) in her new album.

A telephone contact was established with Sezen Aksu’s manager,
during a Turkish television program, and the manager announced that
“Sari Gelin” will not be included in Aksu’s new album, Turkish Haberx
news agency informs.

To note, protests had risen in Turkey and Azerbaijan, when it became
apparent that the Armenian rendition of “Sari Gelin” was to be included
in Sezen Aksu’s new album.

RUSSIAN MFA: OSCE MINSK GROUP FORMAT NOT EXHAUSTED

Panorama.am
27/03/2012

The OSCE Minsk group, mandated to resolve the conflict of
Nagorno-Karabakh, has not exhausted itself, Azerbaijani news site
“1news.az” quotes Russian MFA representative Aleksander Lukashevich
as saying.

Mr. Lukashevich has highly assessed the co-chairs’ efforts describing
them as constructive and added that the Minsk group foreign ministers’
statements released on March 22 is the best evidence to it.

CO-CHAIRS WILL NOT ALLOW TURKEY TO INTERFERE IN THE KARABAKH ISSUE
Anna Nazaryan

“Radiolur”
27.03.2012 16:41

Expert of the Noravank Foundation Aristakes Simavoryan describes
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s remarks during the
meeting with US President Barack Obama in Seouls as an attempt by
Turkey to interfere with the settlement of the Karabakh issue.

“The Minsk Group Co-Chairs will not allow Turkey to interfere,”
expert of Turkish studies Hakob Chakryan told a press conference today.

According to him, there are no prerequisites for the process of
Armenian-Turkish normalization to enter a new stage. “The situation
in Syria and the threat of possible attack against Iran have left
the Armenian-Turkey relations out of spotlight,” he said.

Simavoryan and Chakryan are sure this year Obama will not pronounce
the word “genocide” either, however, at the same time it is possible
that “he will again make a rather harsh statement.”

SALE OF MEAT IN ARMENIA NOT FULLY CONTROLLED – OMBUDSMAN

news.am
March 28, 2012 | 15:05

YEREVAN.- Armenia’s human rights defender Karen Andreasyan issues a
report on the 2011 activities of the Agriculture Ministry.

Shortcomings and problems identified

New food safety public service of the Ministry of Agriculture has
not fully taken control over the sale of meat, while among other
functions food safety is also included into the functions of the
Ministry of Agriculture.

Agricultural insurance has not been invested yet; however, insurance
can provide the agricultural sector entrepreneurs with assistance in
case of damages caused by natural disasters.

Despite the favorable business environment created for manufacturers
and practical and positive steps undertaken by the Ministry, the
results were not sufficient.

State Security Service of the Ministry did not properly supervise
the activities of the companies producing bread.

There are not sufficient slaughterhouses in the country for
performing butchering properly.

Positive developments

In Agriculture the increase of gross product was around 14.1%
compared to the last year, due to the increase in volume of livestock
production, fisheries, vegetables, fruits.

In 2011 production of grain crops has exceeded the previous year’s
level by 34.8 percent, the size of crop yield and production efficiency
has significantly increased.

Positive changes were registered in the field of horticulture. Fruit
gross output increased by 83.7 percent over the previous year. Growth
in the production of the crop was also registered.

The provision of fruit and vegetable processing companies exceed the
previous year’s level, respectively, 1.7 and 3.9 times. Corresponding
payments were fully made.

Fairs for agricultural products were organized in Yerevan
every Saturday and Sunday in order to support the sale process of
agricultural products.

Considerable work has been done in favor of entrepreneurs in terms
of credit available to agriculture activities. By two phases of the
project more than 25 000 unit credits were provided by interest rate
subsidies with 17.4 billion AMD.

Legislative changes have been made by the Ministry that allow to
import agricultural tractors, other equipment, fertilizer, seed,
pesticide, as well as by exempting the sale of the value added
tax to promote the availability of their purchase by agricultural
entrepreneurs as well as promote their import and expansion of the
volume of their usage.

Assistance was provided to increase the level of technical
equipment of cooperatives. Consumer cooperatives were established in
33 communities of 5 marzes of Armenia specialized in cattle-raising.

UPCOMING ELECTIONS WON’T LEAD TO REAL CHANGE: OPINION

epress.am
03.28.2012

Considering the oligarchic system in the country, no real change can
come out of the elections in Armenia, believes Institute for Democracy
and Human Rights (IDHR) Vice President Gor Hakobyan.

“Look at the programs proposed by elected political parties in 2007
and compare them with what we have today – just compare the numbers.

Our organization considers studying these platforms and making
proposals to be less effective, since elections here don’t lead to
any changes. We consider more effective our contribution to developing
civil society, informing people about their rights and teaching them
the procedure of fighting for these rights,” he said.

Hakobyan recalled that in 2007, IDHR sent questions to all the
political parties running in the election, asking how they envision
solving several pertinent issues. They received responses from some
parties but not from others. This year, however, the organization
isn’t preparing to take such action.

“Political parties in Armenia are unable to formulate public interest,
to put issues of public concern on the agenda. Until this happens, that
which exists will be reproduced in the outcome of elections,” he said.

As an activist who is also involved in the Occupy Mashtots Park
movement, Hakobyan said that the civic groups dealing with the issue
in the park don’t have a united political orientation.

“In the movement there are many who adhere to a political party
– by the way, there are people who have very different political
orientations – but we are all united by the fight for public interest
and the demand of adopting lawful decisions,” he said.

TURKEY’S NATIONALIST PARTY LEADER ANGERS PARENTS OF ARMENIAN SOLDIER KILLED IN TURKISH ARMY

news.am
March 28, 2012 | 13:11

The statement made by Devlet Bahceli, the leader of Turkey’s
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), according to which solely Muslims
can be considered martyrs in Turkey, infuriated the parents of Sevag
Balikci-the Istanbul Armenian who was killed, on April 24, 2011,
in a military unit while serving in the Turkish army.

In an interview with the Radikal daily, Sevag’s mother noted in anger
that her son was killed while carrying out his duty before the country
and that he will be considered a martyr. The mother stressed that two
months ago they were asked to submit documents in order to recognize
Sevag a martyr and to allocate a pension to his family.

“We sent all required documents, but have not yet received an answer.

They are probably waiting for the end of the judicial process,”
Sevag’s mother said.

To note, Sevag Balikci was killed by Kivanc Agaoglu, but the Turkish
gendarmerie had stated that the death had occurred accidentally while
the soldiers were joking around. Agaoglu was released at the very first
court hearing, and on the grounds that he had no reason to escape.

The Turkish Military Prosecutor’s Office demands a mere nine-year
sentence for Agaoglu, and on charges of “murder as a result of
negligence.” But at Diyarbakir Military Court, a senior officer had
stated that, after Sevag’s murder, an eyewitness soldier had told
him that Kivanc Agaoglu had told Sevag: “Chubby, I will kill you!”

KIM KARDASHIAN WANTS TO TURN BECKHAM’S HOUSE INTO HOTEL

news.am
March 27, 2012 | 11:01

Kim Kardashian who decided to move to England, intends to purchase
David and Victoria Beckham’s house, which is on sale. Kardashian has
already contacted with real estate agents to have a look at the house.

The famous couiple is selling the house for $28 million. It has two
swimming-pools, a sport center, a helicopter field, a stable and a
golf field, Raut.Ru reports.

Kim is going to rent out several rooms, turning the house into a
hotel. In addition, the visitors will not be common tourists but fans
of the Beckhams.

TURKEY WANTS TO BE GLOBAL POWER – EXPERT

news.am
March 27, 2012 | 12:05

YEREVAN. – Turkey is not satisfied with the role of being a regional
power, it desires to be the one globally, expert from Armenia-based
Noravank center Aristakes Simavoryan told the journalists on Tuesday.

According to him, Ankara’s aspiration is linked to Turkish FM Ahmet
Davutoglu’s statements back in 2004-2010 that Turkey should not be
simply a cultural bridge in the region, but also a global super power.

“Desire is based on the economic growth which is accompanied by 7-12%
unemployment rate in cities, as well as the nuclear program. Another
question is whether Turkey will be able to realize its desire in the
near future. As a matter of fact, it damaged its image when trying
and failing to be engaged in the Arab processes,” the expert concluded.

LA GRATITUDE DE L’ARMENIE ENVERS LA FRANCE
Jean Eckian

armenews.com
mardi 27 mars 2012

L’Armenie et la France celèbrent le 20ème anniversaire de
l’etablissement de leurs relations diplomatiques/ Hayastani
Hanrapetoutioun, Arminfo et Armenpress rendent compte de la rencontre
du Ministre des AE Nalbandian et de l’Ambassadeur de France, dans cette
Ambassade, avec des etudiants francophones de plusieurs universites
d’Erevan a l’occasion du 20ème anniversaire de l’etablissement des
relations diplomatiques entre les deux pays.

Le Ministre des AE a retrace le parcours des relations bilaterales au
cours des vingt dernières annees et, repondant a une question d’un
etudiant, a estime que ” la France est le pays qui a joue et joue,
en tant que copresident du GDM, un rôle particulier dans le règlement
du conflit du HK. La France est le pays qui a abrite des milliers
d’Armeniens rescapes du genocide et est devenue leur deuxième patrie.

La France est le premier pays qui a reconnu le genocide armenien par
la loi et le pays dont le peuple est convaincu que le deni des crimes
contre l’humanite doit etre penalise. Pour tout cela, je souhaite
exprimer notre profonde gratitude “.

Les articles rapportent aussi les propos de l’Ambassadeur selon lequel
la France et l’Armenie entretiennent une relation de c~ur autant que
de raison. Et d’ajouter que l’Armenie est l’un des quelques pays qui
rencontrent une resonance particulière en France.

Ambassade de France a Erevan

ERDOGAN TELLS OBAMA TURKEY, MINSK GROUP SHOULD JOIN FORCES

asbarez
Monday, March 26th, 2012

Obama and Erdogan during a meeting last year

SEOUL, South Korea (Combined Sources)-Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Erdogan, during a meeting with President Barack Obama, has suggested
that Turkey and the OSCE Minsk Group join efforts to resolve the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Meeting in the South Korean capital ahead of the Nuclear Security
Summit, the two leaders reportedly focused on the current situation
around Syria, but also discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Erdogan also expressed Turkey’s discontent over the new resolution
in the U.S. Congress regarding the Armenian Genocide.

“I reminded Obama that during the past two decades the OSCE Minsk
Group has not succeeded in settling the conflict between Armenia and
Azerbaijan. And since the issue has reached a deadlock, I suggested
that we talk to Azeris and Minsk Group co-chairing France, Russia and
the United States try to persuade Armenia, so that they can solve the
issue,” Erdogan was quoted as saying in the Turkish Sabah newspaper.

“I told Obama that we are tired. Every year in April we face the same
problem, whether Republicans come [to power] or Democrats, the issue
remains the same. I showed him the steps we had taken, brought Akhtamar
as an example,” said Erdogan, referring to the reconstruction of the
medieval Armenian church in Lake Van in 2010, and the permission to
Armenian Christians to hold liturgies there once a year.

The Turkish premier called on Obama “not to mistake U.S. senators,
lawmakers and politicians for historians.”

“I congratulated the Prime Minister on the efforts that he’s made
within Turkey to protect religious minorities. I am pleased to hear
of his decision to reopen the Halki Seminary,” said Obama following
the meeting with Erdogan.

“I just want to say how much I appreciate the opportunity to once
again meet with my friend and colleague, Prime Minister Erdogan. I
think it’s fair to say that over the last several years, the
relationship between Turkey and the United States has continued to
grow across every dimension. And I find Prime Minister Erdogan to be
an outstanding partner and an outstanding friend on a wide range of
issues,” said Obama.