Author: Kalantarian Kevo

AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTER DOES NOT WANT POLITICIZING OF EUROVISION

Vestnik Kavkaza
March 14 2012
Russia

Responding to a question from journalist Thornsten Jungholt on Baku’s
hosting the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister
Elmar Mammadyarov noted his gladness that his country won the right
to host it in May this year.

Mammadyarov emphasized that democratization, respect for human rights
and rule of law are priority aspects of Azerbaijani policy. He reminded
that Azerbaijan is a member of many international organizations,
such as the UN, the Council of Europe and the OSCE. The country has
free parties and opposition, many of which publish their own papers
and have websites criticizing the government.

The foreign minister noted that he understands people politicizing
Azerbaijan’s hosting the contest. But it is mainly a cultural event,
not political, and everyone has the right to their own opinion.

Commenting on Armenia’s boycott of the contest and possible
escalation of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
Mammadyarov emphasized that the Eurovision Song Contest must not
be used for political purposes, especially within the framework of
Nagorno-Karabakh.

The minister reminded that Nagorno-Karabakh is Azerbaijani territory
occupied by Armenia. The territory has been occupied for 20 years,
despite demands of UN resolutions to withdraw. Mammadyarov says that
negotiations have brought no results, yet Azerbaijan is willing to
continue them.

EXPERT: ISRAELI WEAPONS NOT TO BE USED AGAINST NAGORNYY KARABAKH

arminfo
Wednesday, March 14, 19:59

The great amount of weapons recently bought by Azerbaijan from Israel
will not be used against Nagornyy Karabakh. The type of weapons,
the great majority of which are ballistic missilery and anti-missile
mounts, is evidence of that, deputy director of the Caucasus Institute,
Sergey Minasyan, said at today’s press-conference.

On 26 February the Israeli Aerospace Industries corporation and
Azerbaijani Defense Ministry signed an agreement on delivery of weapon
for $1,6 bln.

“Another constraining factor is that Baku is afraid of Moscow, as
it is not ruled out that in case of the anti-Armenian aggression
of Azerbaijan the Kremlin will decide to act the way as it acted
regarding Georgia in 2008”, – Minasyan said.

As for the situation around Iran, he said that Azerbaijan as well
as Armenia will not take part in the battle actions against Iran,
if they start. Armenia will not do it as it does not want to do, and
Azerbaijan – as it is scared. “Unlike other countries of the region,
Georgia has not yet commented on the matter. However, one can suppose
that even if Tbilisi wants to support the USA and EU, its geographic
location will make it impossible to take part in the battle actions”,
– the expert said.

SUREN SURENYANTS: ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS SPLITS

Panorama.am
15/03/2012

The Armenian National Congress would cease to exist without Levon
Ter-Petrosyan, political analyst Suren Surenyants told a news
conference in Yerevan, commenting on a circulating viewpoint.

Not consolidation but rather a split takes place in Congress, said
the analyst adding that currently most of the Armenian opposition
parties undergo a split.

Four political units making part of HAK have lately quitted the
alliance, besides, on HAK proportional representation list, Republic
Party is represented by party leader Aram Sargsyan only, stressed
the expert.

The upcoming parliamentary elections can have a major impact on HAK
consolidation, according to Surenyants.

GOVERNMENT STANDS FIRM ON KIOSK PLACEMENT IN MASHTOTS PARK, ACTIVISTS CONTINUE TO FIGHT

epress.am
03.15.2012

Occupy Mashtots Park activists joined other protestors outside the
Armenian government building in Republic Square today. Besides holding
a banner that reads “Demolish!” and chanting slogans such as “The park
is ours!”, the environmental and civic activists also read out loud a
statement in which they are demanding those police officers who seized
their tent in the central Yerevan park last night to be punished. They
said that they have filed a criminal claim with the police.

“Government members whose salaries are paid for by Republic of
Armenia citizens, you are obliged to protect the public interest
and not the interest of a handful of oligarchs,” said one activist,
Apres Zohrabyan.

Speaking to reporters, activists said they won’t have contact with
police officers until those guilty for last night’s actions are held
accountable. They note that their remarks are directed to government
members.

Yerevan Deputy Police Chief Karen Movsisyan said that the environmental
activists don’t know the law and if there are people among them who do,
well they’re leading their friends astray and confusing them. According
to him, even having a noisy rally outside the Armenian government
building is itself illegal and he can disperse the crowd.

While activists were protesting outside in solidarity with families of
soldiers who died under questionable circumstances during peace time,
government members inside the building adopted a law which permits the
construction of kiosks in Mashtots Park for a three-year period. The
activists, hearing this, say they trust neither the government nor
the prime minister, who earlier had said that he is against kiosks
being place in Mashtots Park. They say the will continue to fight.

At around 12:30 pm, the Occupy Mashtots Park activists left Republic
Square and returned to Mashtots Park to continue their sit-in.

UNE PEINTURE DE MARTIROS SARYAN EN COURS DE RESTAURATION
Stephane

armenews.com
jeudi 15 mars 2012

La toile “Perse” de Martiros Sarian est en cours de restauration
grâce a un financement du ministère armenien de la Culture.

Le groupe de restaurateurs compose de sept membres dirige par Gayane
Kazanti a commence les travaux de restauration le 25 Juin.

Une experte italienne Luciano Billiot est presente pour aider a
restaurer la toile.

La restauration des peintures endommagees de Martiros Sarian a commence
dans sa maison-musee en 2006.

Le ministère de la Culture a alors decide d’allouer des moyens
financiers pour le programme pilote.

KHACHATUR SUKIASIAN AFFIRME SON SOUTIEN A LEVON TER-PETROSSIAN
Laetitia

armenews.com
jeudi 15 mars 2012

Un homme d’affaires, Khachatur Sukiasian, a declare mercredi 14
mars 2012 qu’il reste un fervent partisan du leader de l’opposition
Levon Ter-Petrossian. Sukiasian a reaffirme son appartenance au
Congrès national armenien (HAK) de Ter-Petrossian et a dit qu’il
considererait les deputes du HAk comme des ” coequipiers “, s’ils
remportent les prochaines elections parlementaires. Sukiasian etait
depute a l’Assemblee nationale dans une circonscription du centre
d’Erevan jusqu’en septembre 2009. Il a demissionne peu de temps après
son retour en Armenie pour faire face a des accusations criminelles
controversees decoulant des manifestations de 2008. La poursuite a
pris fin en fevrier 2011.

Le magnat a fui le pays en mars 2008 pour echapper a l’arrestation a
la suite des affrontements post-electoraux entre forces de securite
et manifestants de l’opposition. Sukiasian devrait se representer
et etre en concurrence avec Garegin Nushikian, un homme d’affaires
qui entretient des liens etroits avec l’influent procureur general
Aghvan Hovsepian.

” Une seule question me preoccupe : le procureur general n’a pas
le droit de s’engager en politique “, a declare aux journalistes
Sukiasian, se referant a la possibilite d’un soutien explicite de
Hovsepian pour son rival.

Sukiasian n’a pas exclu la possibilite de participer aux elections
du 6 mai en tant que candidat du Congrès armenien national (HAK)
de Ter-Petrosian. ” C’est a Levon Ter-Petrossian de trancher cette
question, a-t-il dit. S’il prend une decision, nous serons tous
informes. ”

UNE ENTREPRISE IMPORTATRICE DE FUEL CONDMANEE A PAYER UNE AMENDE DE 100 MILLIONS D’EUROS
Laetitia

armenews.com
jeudi 15 mars 2012

Les Etats regulateurs antitrust ont condamne une entreprise
importatrice de fuel a payer une amende de 100 millions de drams
(258 000 de dollars) mercredi 14 mars 2012 pour avoir abuse de sa
position dominante dans un secteur connu pour le manque de concurrence.

La Commission d’Etat pour la protection de la concurrence economique
(SCPEC) a declare que le groupe City Petrol (CPG) a eu recours a des
prix de ” dumping “, ce qui a entraine des dizaines de petites stations
service a la faillite. Selon la SCPEC, les vendeurs au detail ont ete
contraints de vendre sans marges de profit ou de vendre leurs stations
a la CPG. Ce dernier a deja achete des dizaines de stations de ce type.

” Le groupe CPG s’est empare de petites entreprises dans les regions
en dehors d’Erevan “, a declare Arman Manaserian, un fonctionnaire
de la SCPEC. Sept des huits stations de service de Vanadzor ont ete
achetees de cette manière.

Les representants du CPG etaient absents lors d’une reunion de la
SCPEC qui a annonce la condamnation. Manaserian a affirme que la
compagnie a nie toute malversation dans une lettre soumise a la
commission en debut d’annee. La societe, qui represente plus de 40%
des importations de combustibles et possède la plus grande chaîne de
stations de gaz en Armenie, n’a fait aucun commentaire mercredi.

Le marche des carburants a longtemps ete monopolise par une poignee
d’entreprises appartenant a des particuliers ayant des liens avec le
gouvernement. Hrant Bagratian, un ancien Premier ministre affilie
au Congrès National Armenien (HAK), a qualifie la sanction de la
SCPEC contre la societe de carburant ” d’insignifiante “. Bagratian a
affirme qu’au lieu d’imposer des amendes, l’organisme de reglementation
devrait tout simplement confisquer tous les benefices realises par
l’ entreprise.

Manaserian a rejete cette idee. Il a insiste sur le fait que l’amende
etait indispensable pour contrôler le groupe.

KOTCHARIAN N’EST PAS INVITE AU CONGRÈS DU PARTI DU BHK
Laetitia

armenews.com
mercredi 14 mars 2012

L’ancien president Robert Kotcharian n’a pas ete invite au congrès
pre-electoral de cette semaine du parti Armenie Prospère (BHK) en depit
d’etre largement associe avec le partenaire de la coalition au pouvoir.

Le BHK organisera le congrès samedi 17 mars 2012 pour discuter des
preparatifs pour les elections legislatives du 6 mai. Gagik Tsarukian
espère augmenter son poids politique. D’après certains analystes,
Tsarukian entretiendrait des liens etroits avec Kotcharian. ” Le parti
Armenie prospère a juge opportun d’inviter des partis politiques
representes seulement au parlement “, a declare Zohrabian a RFE /
RL (Azatutyun.am). Elle a declare que le president Serge Sarkissian,
qui dirige le Parti republicain d’Armenie (HHK), en fait partie.

Les relations entre les deux partenaires de la coalition sont
consideres comme tendues en raison de la reticence apparente de
Tsarukian a s’engager a soutenir la reelection de Serge Sarkissian
en 2013.

Zohrabian a insiste pour que le BHK amorce une veritable ” concurrence
” avec le HHK dans la course parlementaire. ” Toutes les forces
politiques en lice pour participer aux prochaines elections sont nos
concurrents “, at-elle dit. ” Nous sommes prets pour une concurrence
loyale avec eux. ” La concurrence s’est intesifiee le mois dernier
lorsque le BHK a ete rejoint par l’ancien ministre des Affaires
etrangères Vartan Oskanian, un membre cle de l’administration de
Kotcharian. Tsarukian a egalement obtenu le soutien de l’influent
homme d’affaires Gurgen Arsenian et de son parti travailliste(MAK).

Arsenian et plusieurs membres du MAK sont censes sieger au parlement
sous la houlette du BHK.

“YEREVAN – XX CENTURY” PROJECT LAUNCHES

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 13, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS: “ArmenTel” company and “MediaMax” media
holding have initiated “Yerevan XX Century” special project, choosing
Yerevan’s Closed Market as first “hero” of the project, Director of
Mediamax Ara Tadevosyan told a news conference, Armenpress reports.

Not only monuments and buildings, but also Yerevan people and events
taken place in the given period will be “the main heroes” of the
project,” said Ara Tadevosyan, adding that the city’s environment
will be presented on mediamax.am site by means of photos, videos and
memories of “old Yerevan people”. First Yerevan Closed Market will
be presented and then Swan Lake will come.

“More than 35 photos, episodes from films, archive shots provided
by National Cinema Center are presented from the Closed Market,”
said Ara Tadevosyam, adding April marks the 60th year of opening of
the market and their main task is to present it in a comprehensive way.

Ara Tadevosyan stressed that there are already nearly 50 names in
the project, which have been improved by Yerevan Mayor’s Office.

PROBLEM ON EXPEDIENCY OF FOREST DEVASTATION BECAUSE OF TEKHUT DEPOSIT IS UP IN THE AIR

ARMINFO
Tuesday, March 13, 17:38

The problem on expediency of forest devastation because of the Tekhut
deposit is still up in the air.

“We are not concerned about the tree-planting process, but its results
which will be clear in 7-8 years”, – director of CJSC “Hayantar”
(Armforest), Ruben Petrosyan, said at today’s press-conference when
replying to Arminfo correspondent’s question if it is right to develop
industry at the expense of green zones.

“According to the Tekhut project, 357 ha of forest should be devastated
and forests should be restored at the territory of 714 ha.

At present the company planted trees at 220 ha in Lernahovit, Odzun
and Archut. However, we are not concerned about the process of the
new trees planting, we are concerned about the results, which will
become clear in 7-8 years”, – he said.

The programme on exploitation of the Tekhut copper and molybdenum
deposit was approved by the government of Armenia in November 2007. As
ecologists said many times, the ecological risks of the project were
reduced for several times.