Author: Kalantarian Kevo

L’ACADEMIE NATIONALE DES CONSOMMATEURS A ENVOYE DES PROPOSITIONS AU GOUVERNEMENT CONCERNANT LA VENTE DE SALADES DANS LES SUPERMARCHES ARMENIENS

ARMENIE

L’Academie nationale des consommateurs a envoye au gouvernement un
certain nombre de propositions concernant la vente de salades dans
les supermarches armeniens a annonce le president de l’academie,
Melita Hakobyan, lors d’une conference de presse.

Elle a dit qu’aucun supermarche ne specifie la date d’expiration
des salades et de leurs ingredients. De plus, malgre le fait que les
salades peuvent etre stockes dans les refrigerateurs pour 24 heures
seulement, presque tous les supermarches melangent les salades fraîches
et celles d’hier et les vendent aux clients.

Elle a dit que l’Academie nationale des consommateurs va egalement
verifier la qualite de la nourriture dans les cantines scolaires et
demander aux ecoles de reduire la quantite de “fast food”.

Selon elle, les etudes montrent que la qualite de nombreux aliments
semi-prepares localement est assez bonne mais malgre cela les ecoles
tendent a les remplacer par des aliments plus abordables mais importes
sans certificat.

“La seule facon de lutter contre ce phenomène est de ne pas acheter
des produits qui ne repondent pas aux exigences fixees par le
gouvernement,” dit-elle.

jeudi 18 decembre 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

MORE DISCUSSION NEEDED ON KARABAKH CONFLICT – OSCE MG’S US CO-CHAIR

Trend, Azerbaijan
Dec 17 2014

17 December 2014, 18:44 (GMT+04:00)

By Jamila Jafarova – Trend:

More discussion is needed on the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, according to the US Co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group James
Warlick.

On his Twitter page Warlick thanked the Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace, as well as the Conciliation Resources organization
for the discussion on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and urged to pay
more attention to this issue.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in
1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a
result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied
20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and
seven surrounding districts.

The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently
holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

ZARUHI POSTANJYAN: WE SHOULD HALT EEU ACCESSION PROCESS (VIDEO)

17:47 | December 17,2014 | Politics

The situation in Armenia is alarming, lawmaker Zaruhi Postanjyan
announced in parliament.

Speaking about the special sitting of the Armenian National Assembly
to be held later today, the MP said the sitting should be open to
public and people should be informed of the deplorable situation in
the country. “We should halt the Customs Union accession process,”
she said.

IT’S NOT NECESSARY TO BE AN AMERICAN TO PLAY GOOD JAZZ

December 17 2014

Polish virtuoso pianist, composer and producer Leszek Możdżer’s
unique concert in Yerevan that took place in “Aram Khachaturian”
Concert Hall on Dec. 13 was the result of cooperation of the Embassy of
the Republic of Poland to Armenia, the Ministry of Culture of Armenia
and Directorate of State Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia. In the
interview with “Aravot”, 43 -year-old musician said that he was
5 years old when he first sat at the piano. Then he added that it
was the wish of his parents, although according to him, later, he
could not be “torn off” the piano. Obtaining a fundamental education,
Leszek, at the age of 18, was attracted by jazz. Over the last decade,
the business card of the world famous Polish pianist was the jazz
variations based in Chopin’s works. To the remark that the Western
media often calls him a showman-jazz pianist, Możdżer replied,
“First of all, I play the works of Chopin, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff
and Stravinsky by jazz improvisations, then to traditional and
contemporary jazz. I never refuse interviews, I take photos with the
audience, even joke with them. I love interacting with them from the
stage. I do not think I was making a show…” I remembered being
in different countries, including his joint concert in New York’s
Carnegie Hall with famous Alan McConachie. Without shy, he mentioned
the opera voiced first time in the presence of 15 thousand spectators
in Chile, written based on Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
play. Half-jokingly and half-serious, we asked the following question
of whether it is necessary to be an American to play jazz, better to
say, an Afro-American. “I do not agree with this popular opinion. In
my numerous performances with the Americans, they have never complained
about, let’s say, that they are lacking behind in swing.

Instead, they say that I have listened to their jazz albums not much.

They would not explain them that I have listened to Rachmaninoff,
Prokofiev, Chopin, Stravinsky… Of course, I do not present jazz like
Americans,” replied our interlocutor. As for the Armenian music or
the Armenian jazz musicians, Leszek Możdżer said that on different
occasions he has meet with the names of Armenian music players,
and among the jazz musicians, he knows only, in his own words, the
talented jazz musician Tigran Hamasyan.

Samvel DANIELYAN

Read more at:

ARMENIA TO DOUBLE TRADE EXCHANGES WITH IRAN

Tasnim news agency , Iran
Dec 15 2014

Tehran, 15 December: Armenian Energy and Natural Resources Minister
Yervand Zakharyan, who is on an official visit to Iran, said that
Yerevan is determined to double the value of its trade ties with
Tehran.

Currently, the value of the annual trade between Iran and Armenia
amounts to 300 million dollars, Zakharyan told reporters on the
sidelines of the 12th session of the two countries’ joint economic
commission in Tehran on Monday [15 December].

“We plan to double the figure (value of annual trade) through mutual
cooperation between the two countries,” he added.

Zakharyan said that Armenia attaches great significance to its
relations with Iran, which would be in line with the interests of
the two countries.

The Armenian minister also commented on the construction of a
hydroelectric power station in Armenia’s southern town of Meghri,
in a bid to increase the potential for energy exchange with Iran and
expressed the hope that proper measures for the construction would
start soon.

He also said the third line for high voltage electricity transmission
from Armenia to Iran would become operational by 2018, adding that
the project would increase the power exchange by two to three times.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT HOSTS EPLO DIRECTOR

20:28 * 17.12.14

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan received on Wednesday Professor
Spyridon Flogaitis, Director and President of the Board of Directors
of the European Public Law Organization (EPLO).

Mr Flogaitis arrived in Armenia to participate in the opening ceremony
of the Armenian branch of the European Public Law Organization (EPLO).

Armenia’s leader welcomed the guest and highlighted the mission that is
the reason for Mr Flogaitis’ visit to Armenia. President Serzh Sargsyan
considers important the opening of the EPLO branch in Armenia, which
imposes high responsibility on Armenia as the country is well aware
of the need to resolve the problems in the field, conduct regular
analyses and surveys and active work aimed at developing civil society.

Armenia’s leader stressed the country’s willingness to support the EPLO
in implementing its significant mission, considering the fact that its
aims are in harmony with Armenia’s policy. Armenia is a champion of
dissemination of European values and, cooperating with its European
partners, it has made progress since it gained independence.

President Serzh Sargsyan stressed that Armenia will continue following
the adopted course, expecting its partners’ support.

Mr Flogaitis expressed his gratitude to Armenia for an opportunity
to open an EPLO branch in Yerevan and for the country’s willingness
for cooperation. He noted that Armenia joined the EPLO in 2011.

Professor Flogaitis pointed out the EPLO’s willingness to support
Armenia in implementing reforms and retraining specialists in all
respects Armenia needs. Cooperation with Armenia could set a good
example to the other nations of the region.

BHK LAWMAKER SHOWS DISRESPECT FOR JOURNALIST, SLAMS DOOR IN HIS FACE (VIDEO)

14:35 | December 17,2014 | Politics

Republican lawmaker Sedrak Saroyan has not yet met with Deputy
Chief of Police Deputy Chief of Police, Lieutenant General Levon
Yeranosyan to talk about the recent violence on Karabakh war veterans
and opposition lawmaker Aram Manukyan. Mr Saroyan said he will meet
the police official later today.

Another lawmaker, Murad Guloyan from Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK),
declined to answer the questions of A1+ journalist and slammed the
door in his face.

PARLANT LA MEME LANGUE : UNE AUTRE REUNION PARLEMENTAIRE RUSSO-ARMENIENNE SE TIENT SANS INTERPRETES

ARMENIE

Une autre reunion du groupe parlementaire d’amitie russo-armenien a
eu lieu a Erevan. Cette fois, le titre etait “Adhesion armenienne a
l’Union economique eurasienne : Reaction aux defis mondiaux”.

Comme la precedente elle a eu lieu exclusivement en russe qui a donne
lieu a nouveau au debat sur la langue. La loi de l’Armenie exige
qu’une traduction soit fournie pour les evenements qui se deroulent
dans une langue etrangère et heberges dans les bureaux gouvernementaux.

L’ete dernier, lors d’une reunion parlementaire avec un groupe de
deputes armeniens a Erevan Dmitri Kiselev, qui est decrit par beaucoup
comme le principal porte-parole du Kremlin, s’est plaint du fait que
la langue et la culture russe n’etaient “pas dûment” respectes en
Armenie et a appele a modifier la loi sur la langue pour donner a la
langue russe le statut de langue d’Etat. L’ancien ambassadeur de la
Russie en Armenie Vyacheslav Kovalenko, quant a lui, a demande que
la langue russe en Armenie recoive le statut de deuxième langue d’Etat.

Bien que la reunion Argine Toumanian presidente du groupe d’amitie a
dit que la langue d’Etat en Armenie est l’armenien mais que cependant,
en raison des contraintes de temps les discours seront effectues
uniquement en russe.

S’exprimant en russe, les deputes armeniens ont une fois de plus
confirme que l’adhesion de l’Armenie a l’UEE decoule de l’interet
du pays. Parlant du vote de la ratification du traite d’adhesion
a l’Assemblee nationale ils ont dit que le resultat du vote (103
“pour”, 7 “contre” et une abstention) reflète l’opinion publique.

Nikolay Silayev du Centre pour le Caucase et la securite regionale,
Directeur de la Societe de Cooperation au Caucase s’est adresse
a la speculation que par l’adhesion a l’UEE l’Armenie perdrait
sa souverainete. Il a affirme “nous avons etudie les processus
d’integration dans les differents pays et nous sommes venus a la
conclusion qu’un pays perd sa souverainete dans toute integration. Par
rapport a d’autres unions l’UEE a un avantage – le lancement est
devant elle, elle vient juste d’etre formee “.

Selon Silayev, toute integration implique une perte de souverainete,
et la Russie ne fait pas exception.

“Il est difficile de dire maintenant ce que la restriction sera,
mais il y a de nombreuses versions de l’integration dans le monde,
et nous allons choisir l’une d’elle” a-t-il dit.

Conseiller auprès du President de la Douma Mikhael Krotov a declare
que la souverainete armenienne aurait ete limitee par l’accord
d’association avec l’UE, non pas par l’adhesion a l’UEE. Selon lui,
l’UEE est une alternative a l’Union europeenne”.

“Nous voulons integrer l’Europe, mais d’egal a egal. Nous voulons
que l’Armenie ait cette occasion aussi avec la Russie et le Kazakhstan.

Malheureusement, elle ne peut pas le faire toute seule” a declare
Krotov.

Le chef adjoint du Comite pour la CEI, a l’integration eurasienne et
aux affaires compatriotes de la Douma russe Oleg Lebedyev a declare
aux journalistes qu’il n’est pas encore decide s’il y aura un point
de contrôle douanier entre l’Armenie et le Haut-Karabagh.

“Après la ratification du traite de l’UEE, en 2015, tous les ministres
des Affaires etrangères se reuniront pour discuter de cette question,”
a-t-il dit.

Outre la Russie et le Kazakhstan l’UEE comprend egalement la
Bielorussie. Le Kirghizstan aspire egalement a devenir membre du
groupement economique emergent.

Par Gayane Lazarian

ArmeniaNow

mercredi 17 decembre 2014, Stephane (c)armenews.com

ARMENIA, IRAN DISCUSS EXPANSION OF CULTURAL TIES

13:32 17/12/2014 >> CULTURE

Iranian Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Ali Jannati and
Armenian Ambassador to Iran Grigor Arakelian in a meeting on Wednesday
called for increase in bilateral cultural exchanges, Iran’s state-run
news agency IRNA said.

Jannati referred to the two countries’ historical and cultural
relations and called for expansion of ties in all fields including
arts and music.

Iran is ready to publish books in Armenian language, he added.

The Armenian envoy for his part hailed freedom of minorities including
Armenians in Iran.

The official further called for bolstering all out ties between the
two friendly nations.

Source: Panorama.am

A DO-IT-YOURSELF INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN MEDIATION IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH

Published on Monday, 15 December 2014 13:50Category: Articles and
CommentaryWritten by Jon Inarritu and Urko Aiartza

A fatal ceasefire violation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict took
place on November 12th 2014 when Azerbaijan forces shot down an
unarmed helicopter from the unrecognised republic, killing all three
crewmembers. As a result, unprecedented tensions rose between the
sides, with Azerbaijan prohibiting the recovery of the three bodies,
which came down in the so-called “no-man’s land”, alarming the
international community.

Just weeks earlier, under the auspices of the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) Minsk Group, the Presidents of
Azerbaijan and Armenia, Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sargsyan, met in Paris
reaffirming their mutual willingness to settle the conflict peacefully.

The ceasefire agreement between Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan and
Armenia was signed in 1994 and the OSCE with its Minsk Group became the
only accepted framework by all sides and the international community
to settle this apparently frozen conflict. To this day, it is the
only self-regulated ceasefire in the world. However, hostilities and
regular casualties keep the conflict alive, with the number of deaths
rocketing this summer to the highest figure since the truce.

The OSCE Minsk Group and most of the international community again
chose a very mild language referring to the downing of the helicopter.

This avoidance of the obvious facts reinforces what Azerbaijan believes
is the right way to act, which includes regular shelling, ceasefire
violations and continuous threats. Therefore, Aliyev’s regime also
felt correct in its decision to deny access to the crash site for
the Red Cross and the OSCE Minsk Group to recover the bodies.

Such an irresponsible attitude could have easily led to severe
consequences.

Finally, the Nagorno-Karabakh Defence Army launched a risky operation
and successfully recovered the three bodies registering no casualties
during the operation and thus avoided any further escalation.

A different response could have been expected, but the Nagorno-Karabakh
Defence Army limited itself to recovering the bodies, avoiding
retaliation. Paradoxically, it was this military operation that
prevented a full-scale war this time, with catastrophic consequences
for both for the region and the western oil-dependent economies. No
one can assure that we will be this fortunate next time.

In this context, the international organizations’ wordings, such
as the European Union, the OSCE, and others, “…calling on both
sides…”, “…appeal to the sides to avoid steps…”, seem all the
more inadequate.

The international community should use a more explicit language,
as it can otherwise generate further frustration and – what is
even more dangerous – the feeling of unfairness, abandonment and
resignation, paving the way for what exactly we are trying to avoid:
a do-it-yourself solution.

We are hopeful that the tragic loss of these three lives has helped
everyone understand that especially in diplomacy; it is also important
and has advantages to call things by their name.

Jon Inarritu is a Basque Member of the Spanish Parliament.

Urko Aiartza is a Basque Member of the Spanish Senate.