Author: Kalantarian Kevo

BAGÄS SAYS GREEK CYPRUS MEMBERSHIP IN EU MISTAKE

PanARMENIAN.Net
November 7, 2011 – 12:27 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Turkey’s European Union Minister Egemen BagıÅ~_
said a solution based on political equality was beneficial for the
future of Turkey, as well as the security of Cyprus and Europe,
Hurriyet Daily News reported.

Speaking on the Bayrak TV channel of northern Cyprus, BagıÅ~_ said
that a solution could be reached only by the compromise by the two
sides of the island, adding that it should become clear whether Cyprus
talks would be concluded and a solution would be found by the end of
the year.

BagıÅ~_ said “it was a mistake to approve Greek Cypriot
administration’s membership to the EU, and EU officials confessed that
too.” “Seventy percent of Europe’s required energy resources were
transported from within Turkey’s borders, and Europe did not have
the chance to reach those resources without Turkey’s contribution,”
BagıÅ~_ said.

“Unfortunately 26 countries were not able to see how a single country
put reservations on their interests,” he said. “If a solution was not
found by June 2012, the party responsible would be the Greek Cypriot
administration, and the whole world should know that.”

Commenting on Turkey’s relations with the EU, BagıÅ~_ said Turkey
“would bring a different momentum to the EU process and would not
give up on the EU.”

ARMENIAN-INDIAN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION CENTER IN YEREVAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 13:06:03 – 07/11/2011

Armenian-Indian information and communication center has been
opened today in Yerevan State University with the participation of
the Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and Minister of Communication
and Information Technologies of India Sachin Pilot. The aim of the
center is to deepen bilateral cooperation in ICT and facilitate the
development of high-quality ICT workforce in the country, carry out
research activities etc.

The center has a PARAM supercomputer which is the only one in the
region. The center had necessary infrastructures, high-quality experts
and equipment.

LE NOUVEAU CHEF DE LA POLICE ARMENIENNE NE RASSURE PAS LES DEFENSEURS DES DROITS DE L’HOMME
Gari

armenews.com
lundi 7 novembre 2011

Les violations des droits de l’homme perpetrees par les forces de
l’ordre devaient se poursuivre, malgre la nomination d’un nouveau chef
de la police nationale, Vladimir Gasparian, estiment les associations
de defense des droits de l’homme en Armenie. Gasparian, qui occupait
des fonctions importantes dans la hierarchie militaire, s’est pourtant
engage a restaurer la “suprematie de la loi” et a poursuivre ” les
reformes en cours dans la police”, alors qu’il etait presente aux
responsables de la police armenienne par le president Serge Sarkissian
le 2 novembre. Ces promesses laissent sceptiques les representants
des principales associations de defense des droits de l’homme du pays.

S’exprimant le 3 novembre sur les ondes du service armenien de RFE/RL,
ils ont souligne le bilan peu concluant selon eux de Gasparian
au ministère de la defense et a la tete du departement de police
militaire, qu’il a dirigee de 1997 a 2010. Gasparian avait ete demis
de ses fonctions de chefs de la police militaire pour etre nomme
vice-ministre de la defense a la fin 2010, sur fond de protestations
toujours plus vives dans l’opinion face au lancinant problème des
decès survenus au sein de l’armee nationale, dont le nombre reste
eleve, loin du champ de bataille, malgre les mesures annoncees par
les autorites pour mettre un terme aux abus et aux harcèlements dont
sont victimes les conscrits. “Gasparian est connu pour ses methodes
cruelles, et je pense que cela ne changera rien pour nous “, a indique
Mikael Danielian, de la branche armenienne de l’association Helsinki,
selon qui “la situation restera inchangee ” et pourrait meme s’aggraver
sous son autorite, ” les actions [la police] risquant ainsi de devenir
plus dures et plus violentes “. Levon Barseghian, le dirigeant du
club des journalistes Asbarez de Gyumri, qui milite activement contre
les crimes au sein de l’armee, est de cet avis et n’attend pas ”
de changements tangibles que ce soit vers le mieux ou vers le pire,
de cette nomination”. “Il agira avec le comportement agressif qui est
le sien, et comme son predecesseur [Alik Sargsian], il utilisera tout
l’appareil policier a sa disposition pour s’en prendre aux droits de
l’homme”, a declare Barseghian. L’Armenie a ete souvent montree du
doigt par les defenseurs armeniens et internationaux des droits de
l’homme pour ses brutalites policières, qui noircissent regulièrement
le bilan du pays en matière de democratisation et de respect des
droits de l’homme. Les officiers de police continuent a maltraiter les
suspects detenus en preventive, et on n’est pas en mesure d’affirmer
que les reformes de la police prônees par le president Sarkisisan
comme par Gasparian aient vocation a regler ce problème. Barseghian
and Janna Aleksanian, ancienne journaliste qui dirige l’association des
Journalistes pour les droits de l’homme, ont aussi evoque les recentes
diatribes de Gasparian contre les militants des droits de l’homme
qui accusaient les autorites militaires de ne pas en faire assez
pour mettre un terme aux decès au sein de l’armee. Gasparian avaient
declare en octobre dernier qu’ils faisaient peu de cas de l’Armenie
et de ses forces armees car leurs activites etaient le plus souvent
financees par des bailleurs de fonds etrangers. J. Aleksanian le croit
tout simplement ” incapable d’engager un dialogue avec la societe
civile et de trouver des compromis “. On apprenait par ailleurs le 3
novembre qu’au moins trois officiers de la police nationale avaient
demissionne de leurs fonctions après la nomination de Gasparian. L’un
de ces policiers, Karen Babayan, qui dirigeait la police a l’aeroport
international Zvartnots de Erevan, a d’ailleurs explique sa demission
par le fait qu’il ne voulait pas exercer son activite sous l’autorite
du nouveau chef de la police nationale. IL a toutefois refuse d’en dire
davantage devant la presse, quant aux deux autres officiers de police
demissionnaires, ils ont garde le silence. L’un d’eux exercait dans une
unite de police particulièrement redoutee combattant les delits graves.

UNE NOUVELLES ROUTE ENTRE L’ARMENIE ET LE HAUT-KARABAGH
ARMENIE

armenews.com
lundi 7 novembre 2011

Les autorites du Haut-Karabagh ont commence a construire une autoroute
qui reliera le territoire peuple d’Armeniens avec l’Armenie.

Le trafic de passagers et de fret entre les deux territoires etait
jusqu’a present possible grâce a une autoroute traversant Latchine,
l’un des sept districts de l’Azerbaïdjan qui etait en partie occupe
par les forces armeniennes du Karabagh pendant la guerre de 1991-1994.

La route Latchine s’etend sur plus de 80 kilomètres de la capitale
Stepanakert a la ville sud-armenienne de Goris. Elle a ete construite
en 1997 avec l’aide financière de la diaspora armenienne et grâce au
milliardaire americo-armenien Kirk Kerkorian, en particulier.

Le gouvernement de Stepanakert a annonce que le deuxième lien terrestre
atteindra egalement près de 80 kilomètres de long. Il connectera le
quartier nord de Martakert de la region du Karabagh au Gegharkunik,
une province situee a l’est de l’Armenie en passant par un autre
quartier armenien contrôle, le Kelbadjar.

” Nous ne dependra pas seulement de la route de Goris-Stepanakert “,
a affirme Ara Harutiunian, le Premier ministre de la Republique du
Nagorno-Karabagh, Republique qui n’est toujours pas reconnue.

Harutiunian a estime le coût total du projet a plusieurs milliards de
drams (au moins 10 millions de dollars). Il a affirme que le projet
sera finance par ” Base Metals “, une societe armenienne d’or et
de cuivre.

Les representants du Karabagh ont admis que la nouvelle route va
permettre de reduire considerablement la distance entre la zone et
l’Armenie et de reduire ainsi les coûts de transport. Ils prevoient
egalement une impulsion majeure a la situation socioeconomique des
centaines voire des milliers d’Armeniens qui se sont installes a
Kelbadjar depuis 1994.

” Vous ne pouvez pas imaginer combien j’ai ete heureux quand ils
ont commence la construction “, a declare un habitant a RFE / RL
(Azatutyun.am) vendredi.

” Il faut six ou sept heures pour aller dans la ville armenienne la
plus proche de Vartenis et pour revenir ici par cette route atroce
“,a-t-il dit. ” Quant ils auront reconstruit la route, nous aurons
besoin de seulement 30 minutes pour atteindre Vartenis. ”

” Cela aura des consequences benefiques pour notre region au niveau
economique “, a annonce un autre habitant.

Petros Hakobian, un responsable administratif de la region, a egalement
predit une affluence touristique dans la region montagneuse que la
population azerbaïdjanaise a fui lors de l’avancee des troupes du
Karabagh en 1993.

” Le tourisme va se developper. Des cafes et des hôtels vont s’ouvrir,
” a annonce Hakobian a RFE/RL.

Les travaux devraient terminer dans les deux annees a venir.

Cependant, les responsables du Karabagh ont annonce que les camions
et d’autres vehicules pourraient l’emprunter en mars prochain. Une
mine de charbon recemment etablie a Martakert a prevu de commencer
les operations d’exploitation a cette periode.

50% OF ARMENIAN STUDENTS DON’T THINK THAT PAYMENT FOR A MARK AT EXAM IS DISPLAY OF CORRUPTION

arminfo
Monday, November 7, 16:11

50% of Armenian students don’t think that payment for a mark at exam
is display of corruption, Armenian Education and Science Minister
Armen Ashotyan said referring to several public opinion polls.

“Until students themselves are interested in this machinery, we cannot
change much”, – Ashotyan said when delivering a speech at the seminar
on the Bologna principles and added that just changing of mentality is
the key guarantor for effective fighting bribery. “At the same time,
we do not waive responsibility from us either”, – Ashotyan said.

A parliamentarian from the “Heritage” party Anahit Bakhshyan has
shared the minister’s viewpoint. “If a student gives money for a mark
and at the same time does not understand it is a bribe, it means that
our mentality should be changed”, she said to Arminfo correspondent.

She also added that the authorities do not make steps for full
eradication of corruption, as the authorities as well as the society
settle their problems by means of buy/sell option. Until votes are
bought in our country during the elections, we cannot speak about
eradication of corruption in other spheres, Bakshyan emphasized.

ARMAVIA TO PAY OFF DEBT BY MIDWEEK

Tert.am
07.11.11

Armenia’s national air carrier, Armavia is to pay off its debt to
Armenia International Airports, CJSC by midweek.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, the company’s deputy general manager,
Andranik Shkhyan said they are positively disposed and expect Armavia
to make the payments in time.

“That’s a working process as such problems may arise between two
companies in any world country,” he said, refusing to disclose the
permissible debt limit.

It comes after Zvartnots International Airport refused to serve
Armavia’s flight on account that the latter had exceeded the
permissible debt limit twice. As a result, the company had to carry
out two flights with a two-hour delay.

“When Armavia exceeds its debt limit, the airport resorts to such
measures, giving a prior notice,” Shkhyan said.

As for Armavia’s argument that the company has increased the service
prices, creating an extra bruden for the air carrier, he said their
tariffs remain unchanged.

“That’s a serious process, and any change is implemented in
coordination with the General Aviation Department. We do not change
tariffs within a day,” Shkhyan added.

ARMENIA-BELGIUM FORUM WILL HELP PROMOTE BUSINESS TIES – ADA DEPUTY DIRECTOR

PanARMENIAN.Net
November 7, 2011 – 12:21 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – On November 7, Belgian Business Week, featuring a
2-day business forum, kicks off in Armenia.

The forum, organized by Armenian Development Agency (ADA) jointly
with UNIDO, will host Flanders and Wallonia delegations.

According to ADA deputy director, Lusine Tumyan, “the forum
will promote establishment of ties between Armenian and Belgian
entrepreneurs.” Ms. Tumyan further noted Belgium’s interest in Armenian
market, with the country viewed as a regional business center.

Deputy Economy Minister Garegin Melkonyan, in turn, expressed support
for the initiative, specifically stressing its importance in the
context of Armenia’s European integration course.

TAIPEI GOLDEN HORSE FILM FEST FEATURES BRADEN KING’S HERE

PanARMENIAN.Net
November 7, 2011 – 11:49 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – On November 4, 6, Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival
screened Braden King’s Here film, thus premiering it in Asia, the
Festival website reported.

The film was also included in the list of Yerevan premieres of the
Golden Apricot 8th international cinema festival held in summer 2011.

“First night of Braden King’ Here took place in different cities but
Yerevan premier is the most important because the film is back to
home,” King told a press conference.

“Casual people were also filmed. This is not just a Hollywood movie
but a trip,” said King.

Will is a satellite-mapping engineer conducting a survey of Armenia.

One morning, at a rural hotel, he meets Gadarine, an Armenian
expatriate and photographer, who has just returned home for the
first time in years. There is an almost instant, unconscious bond
between these two lone travelers; they impulsively decide to continue
together…Will ultimately comes to view the land as a source of faulty
data, while Gadarine sees it as a way to redefine her relationship
with home. As the film Here suggests, “truth is conjecture”.

Braden King was born in 1971, in Cherry Point, North Carolina, the USA.

GOOD PRICES, BAD WINE: HIGH DEMAND FOR GRAPE PROMPTS EARLY HARVEST
By Sara Khojoyan

ArmeniaNow
07.11.11 | 16:26

Village grapes had a higher price this season, due to increase domestic
and foreign demand.

On National Wine Day, November 7, Avag Harutyunyan, Head of Armenian
Winemakers Union, said the demand for wine in Russian increased by
65 percent. After the world economic crisis overall export of cognac
(which accounted for about 96 percent of grape sales) decreased by
about 70 percent he said.

Enlarge Photo Avag Harutyunyan

The increased demand for wine prompted major brandy companies to
start developing wine production and obtain new and modern equipment;
as a result grape prices rose from about 32 cents per kilo, to about
35-45 cents.

Harutyunyan says, however, that the price increase led some villagers
to take grapes to processing before the grape was ready.

“Cognac production has always harmed the development of wine-making
in Armenia. Cognac requires vine grapes with 17-19 percent of sugar
[of its total nutritious value], which ripen up in Ararat Valley from
September 10. Meanwhile, wine needs 22-23-percent sugar containing
grape and that level of sweetness cannot be reached unless grapes are
left to ripen till October 5-10, however, villagers don’t wait until
the due time,” Harutyunyan says, hoping that the problem will gradually
be solved as brandy companies start producing high-quality wine.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture of Armenia, as of November 1,
128,504 tons of grapes were purveyed (as compared to 135,000 tons last
year), whereas the demand was 140,000 tons. According to Harutyunyan,
because of the wine demand prices will keep growing next year too,
which will, in its turn, lead to higher prices for wine.

UN RAPPORT AU CONGRÈS AMERICAIN DENONCE L’ATTITUDE DE LA TURQUIE
Krikor Amirzayan

armenews.com
samedi 5 novembre 2011

Un rapport presente au Congrès americain demande a Washington de
cesser de vendre des armes a la Turquie. ” La Turquie continue de
menacer Israël, de maintenir l’Armenie dans un blocus et d’occuper
Chypre. Ankara qui est notre allie a une position hostile envers
nos amis et allies. Les Etats Unis, au lieu de vendre des armes a
la Turquie devrait s’interroger sur ces questions serieuses ” dit le
rapport et appelle le Congrès americain a sanctionner ainsi la Turquie.