Author: Kalantarian Kevo

20 YEARS OF ARMENIAN-IRANIAN DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS AS ASSESSED BY AMBASSADOR OF THE TWO COUNTRIES
Nvard Davtyan

“Radiolur”
18.01.2012 17:37

Armenia and Iran will soon mark the 20th anniversary of diplomatic
relations. As it is known, a new stage of Armenian-Iranian cooperaton
started on the very first day of Armenia’s independence. The
Ambassadors of the two countries have assessed the current level and
the perspectives of development of bilateral ties.

“In a short historic period we have managed to create rather good
bases for further cooperation,” Armenian Ambassador to Iran Grigor
Arakelyan said. He is confident there are no unsolvable issues between
the two countries.

“We have implemented very important joint projects. We have constructed
the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, which plays an important role in
ensuring the energy independence of Armenia. We are preparing to
construct the third power line, which will supply electric energy
to Iran in exchange for gas. There are serious perspectives for the
growth of commodity turnover,” the Armenian Ambassador said, adding
that construction of the railway is another promising program.

According to Iran’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to
Armenia, Seid Ali Saghaian, the relations have been steadily developing
during the past twenty years. The Ambassador emphasized the role of
the Iranian Armenian community here, and attached importance to the
issue of lifting the visa regime.

“According to the results of the past ten months, the commodity
turnover between Armenia and Iran totaled $300 mln, which makes
Armenia the forth economic partner of Iran,” he said.

“If the development of economic relations depends on the governments
of the two countries, then the development of cultural ties mostly
depends on peoples,” Seid Ali Saghaian said, stressing the importance
of development of historical-cultural ties.

As for the nuclear programs of Iran, which have been widely discussed
in the recent period, the Ambassador said “they pursue exceptionally
peaceful purposes.”

“All the issues the Western countries, particularly the US, create,
pursue political purposes. The reason is clear. They cannot accept
that our country has managed to acquire nuclear technology thanks
to its scientists and uses it for peaceful purposes. It means a
defeat to them. Iran’s nuclear programs are 100% peaceful and all
the accusations of the West have no ground,” the Ambassador stated.

LAWYER: “TRADITION OF POLITICAL MURDERS IS CONTINUED IN TURKEY”

18.01.12, 11:33

Istanbul court No. 14 has already announced the verdicts of some
criminals on Hrant Dink’s murder. Yasin Hayal, participant of the
murder is sentenced lifelong.

The other criminals, Ersin Yoju and Ahmet Iskender are sentenced with
12 years as they helped Ogyun Samast, killer of Dink.

Another participant of the crime, Erhan Tunjel, is sentenced with 10
years and 6 months for participating in the terrorist act on 2004.

Dink’s family is dissatisfied with this decision and expressed its
troubles about the theme by the lawyer Fathie Chetin.

“Since 2007, the beginning of the court trial the state has been
laughing on us. Tradition of political murders is continued in Turkey”,
the lawyer noted.

The latter announced that their struggle will be continued and they
will apply to all possible court trials to restore the justice.

Remind that Armenian-Turkish journalist, editor-in-chief of “Akos”
weekly Hrant Dink was killed on January 19, 2007, in Istanbul.

Group named “Hrant’s friends” gathered at the court building during
every trial with posters and mottos and claimed the just decision.

On January 17 hundred of people handed posters with the words:
“The court trial will not be ended today”.

MINE TAILINGS POLLUTING DZORAGET RIVER, LOCAL POLITICIAN ASSERTS

epress.am
01.18.2012

Residents of the northern Armenian city of Stepanavan recently alerted
the Green Party of Armenia that the condition of the Dzoraget River
near their city is deteriorating day by day.

Environmentalists point out that the ecological threat to Dzoraget
River is nothing new: the river has been polluted for years as a
result of open-pit mining by Sagamar CJSC for gold deposits.The mine,
as well as the Sagamar Ore Processing Plant, is located very close
to residential areas.

For several years, residents have been raising the issue of publicly
monitoring the company’s activities, but each time Sagamar refuses.

Green Party leader Armenak Dovlatyan told Epress.am after they received
the call, his party asked the Aarhus Center in Stepanavan to conduct
field studies of the mine. Though the specialists weren’t allowed entry
to the mining site, studies conducted off-site, Dovlatyan asserted,
proved that tailings from the mine are flowing into the river.

“During this entire time the Ministry of Nature Protection is not
responding to our concerns, despite the fact that it has an obligation
to implement the Aarhus Convention in Armenia, as well as to directly
cooperate with the Network of Aarhus Centers. Information and warnings
on Sagamar’s activities have been published repeatedly by Aarhus
Centers on their site ,” he added.

Following concerns raised by the Green Party and Aarhus Center, Ecolor
Informational NGO also appealed to the Nature Protection Ministry,
asking the state body to respond to the alarms, to conduct inspections
in the company and to subsequently make its findings public. The local
environmental NGO is also asking the ministry to include members of
the public and local residents in its inspections.

HUMAN HEAD FOUND AT HOLLYWOOD SIGN: THE MYTHS AND LEGENDS OF THE FAMOUS LOS ANGELES LANDMARK
By Natalie Evans

18/01/2012

Hollywood sign (Pic: Getty Images)

In a story that could have come from Hollywood itself, a severed
human head was found dumped in a plastic bag under the world famous
sign yesterday.

The remains, thought to be that of an Armenian American man in his 40s,
were discovered by dog walkers in the hills of California’s Bronson
Canyon Park.

The case, which is now being treated as murder, is the latest in a
long line of strange occurrences surrounding the landmark, which was
erected on Mount Lee in 1923.

In its 79-year history, the iconic sign, which originally read
‘Hollywoodland’ to promote a housing development, has become the
subject of countless stories, urban legends and pranks.

The site is reportedly a hotspot for paranormal activity which many
theorists link to the death of a young actress who is believed to
have committed suicide at the sign.

On the night of September 16, 1932, struggling little-known actress
Peg Entwistle is thought to have left her uncle’s house on nearby
Beachwood Drive saying she was going to meet friends.

Instead the 24-year-old headed to the Hollywood sign, found a ladder
propped up against the letter H, climbed 50ft and jumped to her death.

Her coat and purse were reportedly found at the bottom of the letter
by a female hiker who informed police, who later discovered her body
down a hill near to the sign.

A suicide note was allegedly found in the purse which read: “I am
afraid, I am a coward. I am sorry for everything. If I had done this
a long time ago, it would have saved a lot of pain. P.E.”

The suicide made national news and tabloids dubbed Peg the “Hollywood
Sign Girl”.

Over the years, there have been numerous reported paranormal sightings
of a blonde woman dressed in 1930s-style clothing who appears to walk
around in a daze.

A park ranger at Griffith Park is believed to have seen the same female
ghost several times, and always detects the smell of gardenias and
a couple walking their dog saw the woman appear then vanish in the
same spot.

In the 1940s, the sign’s letter H toppled over, sparking numerous
urban legends as to how it came to happen.

Some believe sign caretaker Albert Kothe knocked the letter over
after ploughing into it with his car while driving drunk.

Another version of events suggests Kothe stripped the sign of its
copper and sold it as scrap metal after all of its 4,000 lightbulbs
stopped working.

The most likely explanation is that the letter H simply toppled over
due to a combination of deterioration and strong winds.

The Hollywood sign has also been the inspiration for a number of
pranks, where the letters have been changed to spell different words.

In 1973, black and white sheets were used to cover up the last two ‘O’s
with ‘E’s so the sign read HOLLYWeeD in celebration of California’s
relaxed marijuana laws.

Other rewordings have included HOLYWOOD on Easter Sunday, OLLYWOOD
following former US marine Oliver North’s testimony in the Iran-Contra
hearings and OIL WAR during the Gulf War.

RUSSIA TO CONTINUE EFFORTS ON SETTLEMENT KARABAKH CONFLICT – SERGEY LAVROV

News.Az
Wed 18 January 2012 09:54 GMT | 9:54 Local Time

‘I highly appreciate our relations with Azerbaijan’, said Russian
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the briefing on outcomes of 2011.
Lavrov said that Russia will continue its mediating mission on
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, APA reports.

‘Russia will continue its efforts both within the OSCE Minsk Group
and direct mediation in the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict’.

Minister said that the next meeting of Azerbaijani, Russian and
Armenian presidents would be held on January 23 in Sochi.

Lavrov said that the negotiations with Azerbaijan on Gabala Radar
Station were continuing: “The negotiations are continuing between
the ministries of defense. The main discussions are on the leasing
fee. I hope that the issue will be settled in the nearest future”.

LEVON ARONIAN WINS PRIZE FOR BEST TATA STEEL GAME

PanARMENIAN.Net
January 18, 2012 – 11:47 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Levon Aronian’s Tata Steel Chess Tournament game
was named the best round 4 win, with Armenian grandmaster awarded a
Euro 500 prize.

In the 4th round of Wijk aan Zee-hosted tournament, Aronian beat Gata
Kamsky (U.S.) to gain 3 points.

Armenian grandmaster, who shares 1st-2nd places with Norway’s Magnus
Carlsen, will face off against Loek Van Wely (Netherlands) in round 5.

NKR ACTING FOREIGN MINISTER RECEIVED PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE OSCE CHAIRMAN-IN-OFFICE

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
2012-01-17 14:42

On January 16, NKR Acting Foreign Minister Vassily Atajanyan received
Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Ambassador
Andrzej Kasprzyk.

A number of issues related to the current situation on the contact-line
of the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan, as well as
the scheduled-for-January 17 monitoring in the Azerbaijani-Karabakh
conflict zone, were discussed.

The meeting participants emphasized the necessity of maintaining and
strengthening the ceasefire regime, as well as creating the mechanisms
for preventing incidents on the contact-line.

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS CONDEMN RULING IN DINK MURDER TRIAL

epress.am
01.18.2012

The conviction of several accomplices in the 2007 assassination of
Hrant Dink, then-editor of the Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos, fails to
address the issue of who commissioned the slaying, thus perpetuating
impunity in the case, the Committee to Protect Journalists said
Tuesday.

The Turkish court’s ruling was also criticized by Amnesty
International, which stated on Monday that the Turkish authorities
have failed to address state officials’ alleged involvement in
Dink’s murder.

Recall, Ä°stanbul 14th High Criminal Court handed down life
imprisonment for Yasin Hayal, a major suspect in the case, of
instigating a murder while another suspect Erhan Tuncel was acquitted
of murder charges.

Commenting on Tuesday’s court ruling, Turkey’s Justice Minister
Sadullah Ergin has said the case has not yet been concluded.

“You know trials are made up of three phases, which are investigation,
prosecution and the appeals process. There is also an appeals process
for this trial. The case has not been concluded yet; it is still
in progress,” Ergin said in response to a question during a press
conference on Wednesday.

In reaction to today’s verdict, Dink’s family lawyer Fethiye Cetin
told the Turkish press that the family will continue to press for
justice. “It is not over — this trial is just beginning,” she said.

Friends and supporters are planning a gathering on Jan. 19, the fifth
anniversary of Dink’s slaying, to demand the end of impunity.

Cetin also vowed to pursue all available legal remedies against the
ruling, asserting that the verdict marked the end of only an initial
phase of the case, which consisted of the trial of hitmen in the
murder. The prosecutor in the case also plans to appeal the verdict.

“Justice for our colleague Hrant Dink will not be achieved until
the commissioners of his slaying five years ago are tried and
punished to the full extent of the law,” CPJ Europe and Central Asia
Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova said. “We stand in solidarity with
Dink’s family, colleagues, and friends in calling for a thorough and
transparent investigation into the suspected involvement of military
and security service officials in this brutal crime.”

Since the court proceedings began nearly five years ago, at least
19 individuals have been prosecuted for having various degrees of
involvement in Dink’s murder, CPJ research shows. Tuesday’s verdict —
two days before the fifth anniversary of the journalist’s assassination
— resulted in the convictions of only secondary accomplices and
failed to address the pivotal question of who masterminded the crime.

In July, a juvenile court sentenced Samast, a teenager at the time of
the killing, to about 23 years in prison for committing the crime,
news reports said. In June, a court in the Black Sea province of
Trabzon convicted six military officers of having had information
on the murder but failing to prevent the killing, according to news
reports. The officials were handed months-long prison terms, which
they have appealed, and they were not incarcerated. The masterminds
of the murder were never prosecuted.

PRESS RELEASE
ARS of Western USA, Inc.
Regional Office
517 W. Glenoaks Blvd.
Glendale, CA 91202
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ARS-WUSA Winter Wonderland Draws Thousands

Glendale, CA – Nearly 6,000 children, parents, and visitors gathered
at the Armenian Relief Society of Western USA’s (ARS-WUSA) Winter
Wonderland on January 14-15, 2012, at St. Mary’s Armenian Apostolic
Church in Glendale, CA.

The main draw of the two-day event was the snow area, which featured a
slide and play space for children. Hundreds waited in line to
experience the wonder of snow in Glendale! Several carnival-style
attractions, including a Ferris Wheel and Super Slide, also offered
great fun for enthusiasts. The venue came alive with children running
from one ride to another in anticipation of their next thrill-seeking
experience.

“I can’t wait to play in there!” exclaimed Arek, 5, and the sentiment
was clearly the same for all the children, whose eyes appeared to
gleam with excitement.

People also gathered indoors where children’s game booths and vendors
lined the church hall. Onlookers delighted in the wide variety of
festival foods served by volunteers as song and dance performances
offered ongoing entertainment.

Reflecting on the event, Dr. Nyree Derderian, Regional Executive
Chairperson, remarked “Once again, the ARS turned its attention to the
younger generation and succeeded by introducing the ARS in a different
way to the public.”

Erebouni Dance Group, Holy Cross Armenian Church Dance Group
(Montebello), Krounk Dance Studio, and Kilikia Art Studio participated
in the dance portion of the program. Song performances were performed
by Gevorg Chakmanyan, Varuhi Shahinian, Roberta and Alla Arevyan,
Sarkis Tamazyan and Vahe Gharibyan of Hamazkayin’s Barouir Sevag
Chapter’s “Daron” choir, and the Ararat Charter School choir.

Volunteers worked tirelessly to ensure the success of this event,
which was the first of its kind for the ARS-WUSA. Proceeds from Winter
Wonderland will go to the ARS-WUSA’s ongoing local and international
programs benefiting individuals and communities most in need.

###

BUSINESSMAN TO SELL TUMANYAN’S TBILISI APARTMENT TO GEORGIAN COMPANY; ARMENIA SENDS DELEGATION
Marine Madatyan

hetq
19:16, January 18, 2012

Four rooms of a seven room apartment in Tbilisi where Armenia’s
“national poet” Hovhannes Tumanyan once resided is to be sold by the
family given the property by the Georgian government in the 1990s.

Archil Lezhav, the son of a wealthy Georgian businessman, says he
will sell the place to a Georgian company called Georgia Touran to
pay for his father’s surgical bills.

At a press conference today in Yerevan, Irma Safrazbekyan, a
granddaughter of Tumanyan, lamented the fact that Armenians never
purchased the home when it had the chance.

“My husband and I met with Lezhav senior in 2004. He was a pleasant
man and said that he knew of Hovhannes Tumanyan and felt it improper
to change anything in the apartment. He offered to sell the place
for $25,000. At the time, the Armenian government argued it didn’t
have the money,” Safrazbekyan told reporters.

Concerned about the looming sale, the Armenian government has sent
a delegation to Tbilisi for negotiations with Lezhav’s son.

The delegation will be headed by the Levon Ananyan, President of the
Writers Union of Armenia.

Ananyan noted that the market price for the 120 square meter apartment
is around $70,000.

Yesterday, employees of Georgia Touran visited Alyona Tumanyan,
the poet’s great granddaughter who owns the other three rooms and
proposed that she sell them to the company as well. She refused.

Alyona Tumanyan told Irma Safrazbekyan that she would only sell
the three rooms if Lezhava agreed to transfer his four rooms to the
Armenian community as a cultural center.

Writer and literature expert Hovik Charkhchyan told reporters that
he wasn’t hopeful of a positive outcome from the delegation’s visit.

“The bitter experience of the past leads one to believe that we will
lose the Tumanyan home for all times. It won’t matter who purchased
it or for what purpose,” he said.