Author: Kalantarian Kevo

KARABAKH PEACE PROCESS DISCUSSED IN SHUSHI, NKR

arminfo
Friday, September 23, 11:57

The Helsinki Initiative-92 Committee held a roundtable on the Karabakh
peace process in the town of Shushi on September 21 on sidelines of
the Peace Week timed to the International Peace Day.

ArmInfo’s correspondent to Stepanakert reported that before starting
the forum the participants- representatives of the authorities, NGOs,
Mass Media, former fighters, visited the Museum of the Ancient Karabakh
Carpets recently opened in the town of Shushi.

Coordinator of the Helsinki Initiative-92 NKR Committee Karen
Ohanjanyan regarded the visit to the museum as symbolic and expressed
hope that the propaganda of peace, love and kindness will be as
demanded and valuable as the ancient art of the Karabakh people to
make carpets.

The roundtable as well as other events held by the Helsinki
Initiative-92 on sidelines of the Peace Week was interactive.

Alongside with the peace process, the roundtable participants
discussed issues of social and economic situation in the country,
moral aspects of the public development etc. The Peace Week was
completed on September 22 with a town-wide event with participation
of pupils of the Stepanakert School No3. Earlier on Thursday, students
organized a concert at the Stepanakert Music College.

MARIA DOTSENKO: ARMENIAN PEOPLE PERFECTLY REALIZE THE VALUE OF PEACE

ARMENPRESS
September 23, 2011
YEREVAN

Today, the UN Department of Public Information organized a round
table discussion on peace and democracy jointly with the Embassy of
Federal Republic of Germany, Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and the Gyumri based NGO “Women for Development”.

The event was organized within the framework of the International
Day of Peace and the International Decade for a Culture of Peace
and Non-Violence for the Children of the World (2001 – 2011). The
aim of the event was to commemorate Peace and Democracy during the
International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the
Children of the World (2001 – 2011) and to highlight the achievements
of the project “Peace and Conflict Resolution Education in schools”
being implemented by the Gyumri based NGO “Women for Development”.

Maria Dotsenko, UN Department of Public Information Representative
said: “Peace and democracy are core values of the UN and are crucial
for human rights. Every year on International Day of Peace, people
around the world commit to non-violence, dialogue and harmony among
all people and nations. Peace is the United Nations Mission and our
day-to-day quest.” She also noted that Armenian people perfectly
realize the value of peace, and it is symbolic that the Referendum
Day of the Republic of Armenia coincides with International Peace Day.

Maria Dotsenko expressed hope that all the conflicts of the world
will be settled through peaceful negotiations and without use of force.

Gohar Markosyan, President of the NGO “Women for Development”, made
a presentation on the achievements of the project “Peace and Conflict
Resolution Education in schools”.

In her presentation she mentioned: “The goal of the project is the
formation of the ideas of peace culture and conflict resolution
among teachers and schoolchildren. While the project implementation
we were able to establish “Peace Education” Centers in 16 schools
of Shirak region and Gyumri State Pedagogical Institute; more than
1000 schoolchildren and 150 students have been trained by the Peace
Education project.”

During the event, school children from Gyumri made presentations on
peace education, read excerpts from essays titled “What did the Peace
Education Center give me?” and a short video was screened about the
project achievements.

The project has been supported by Church Development Service Germany
/EED/ and Interchurch Organization for Development Cooperation /ICCO/,
the Netherlands.

The event was concluded by the opening of the exhibition “Peace
through my eyes”.

OFFICIALS’ SONS REPORTEDLY KILLED IN MYASNIKYAN AVENUE

02:40 pm | Today | Politics

The people killed during today’s skirmish in Yerevan’s Myasnikyan
Avenue are said to be the sons of high-ranking officials.

The traffic on the avenue was paralyzed today morningWitnesses
said they aw smashed cars and dead bodies on Myasnikyan avenue this
morning.. The police said they were trying ‘to neutralize a bandit
group who had broken into the homes of high-ranking officials in
Armenia.’ The dead people reportedly belonged to the gang.

According to some sources, the kinsmen of Judge Tigran Sahakyan and
Deputy Head of the Special Investigation Service Marcel Matevosyan
were among the ‘wanted criminals’. Rumor has it one of them is the
son of a minister

ENERGY MINISTER KEEPING WATCH ON THINGS AT ARMENIAN NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

/ARKA/
September 22, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, September 22. /ARKA/. Armenian Energy and Natural Resources
Minister Armen Movsisyan is keeping a close watch on things at
Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, Lusine Harutyunyan, press secretary of
the ministry, told ARKA News Agency on Thursday.

According to media reports, resumption of the nuclear power plant’s
operation after regular repair is under threat now, since its 158
engineers submitted their resignations on Tuesday demanding higher
salaries. They say they no longer can live and keep their families with
AMD 120,000 to 150,000 salaries, especially after recent price hikes.

“Nothing is clear so far, but the minister’s attention is focused on
the problem,” she said. “When something becomes known, we’ll report
about that.”

Earlier, Gagik Markosyan, director general of the plant, told ARKA News
Agency that the regular repair was run in accordance with schedule
and, despite submission of resignations, and the plant will resume
operating on October 27.

He refrained from commenting on the imbroglio over these engineers and
just said that their resignations were being considered and discussed.

Armenian Nuclear Power Plant sits near Metsamor (20 or 30 kilometers
south of Yerevan).

The plant started functioning in 1976, and now only the second,
407.5-megawatt unit operates.

INTER RAO UES belonging to Russian state-owned Rosatom runs the
plant’s funds from 2003.

RUSSIA RETURNS IRAN’S PREPAYMENT FOR S-300

PanARMENIAN.Net
September 23, 2011 – 11:43 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Russia has returned the $167 million prepayment
for S-300 air defense missile systems to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

The contract to supply Iran with the missile system was signed at the
end of 2007, with Russia obliging to supply five divisions’ worth of
S-300PMU-1 for $800 million. Russia canceled the contract over the
UN sanctions imposed against Iran.

“We guarantee return of prepayment in case of circumstances not
envisaged by the contact, like it happened now,” Russian defense
official Anatoly Isaykin told Kommersant daily.

ARMENIA, RUSSIA PURSUE NATIONAL INTERESTS – RUSSIAN EXPERT

Tert.am
23.09.11

Stanislav Tarasov, an expert for the Regnum agency, said that Russian
troops’ participation in the military parade on the 20th anniversary
of Armenia’s independence was only natural.

“A Russian military base is stationed in Gyumri, and Russian troops’
participation in the parade showed respect for Armenia’s independence.

If Russian troops were stationed in Azerbaijan, the same would
take place. Besides, Armenia is a member of the Collective Security
Treaty Organization and Russia’s strategic partner. Another matter
is that some forces would like to present this event as a symbol of
‘occupation’. But it is their problem. Armenia and Russia are pursuing
their national interests,” the expert said as quoted by analitika.ua.

PIANIST TIGRAN HAMASYAN RETURNS TO LOS ANGELES FOR JAZZ FESTIVAL

Tert.am
23.09.11

Armenian born young piano virtuoso Tigran Hamasyan and his Tigran
Quintet will return to Los Angeles to perform at the Angel City Jazz
Festival, Asbarez.com reported.

The event returns to the Ford Amphitheatre on Saturday October 1.

Called “Amazing” by no less a jazz piano authority than Herbie Hancock
and regarded as an absolute prodigy of his instrument, Hamasyan is a
recent winner of the world-renowned Thelonious Monk Piano Competition
and the Montreux Jazz Solo Competition.

Hamasyan, who lives in Paris now, combines the Armenian folk melodies
of with the complexities of jazz.

Festival producers Rocco Somazzi and Jeff Gauthier continue to explore
new and provocative avenues of creative jazz at the 4th annual Angel
City Jazz Festival. The theme for the 2011 festival is Global Jam,
with artists representing nine countries at seven events in six venues
throughout Los Angeles. The festival centerpiece production will take
place Saturday October 1 at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre.

Sited in the historic Cahuenga Pass in the world famous Hollywood
Hills, the Amphitheatre was originally known as the Pilgrimage Theatre
and is one of the oldest performing arts venues in Los Angeles still
in use. The Amphitheater has a rich jazz tradition which included a
regular jazz series in the 1960s and 70s, and an annual Mother’s Day
Jazz & Blues Extravaganza.

UNIBANK VA OUVRIR 8 NOUVELLES SUCCURSALES EN ARMENIE EN 2011
[email protected]

armenews.com
samedi 24 septembre 2011

ARMENIE

Le developpement des PME a ete declare par Unibank CJSC comme priorite
superieure ce qui suppose l’existence d’un reseau de succursales.

” Prenant en consideration de la croissance du volume des ventes et
l’augmentation considerable du nombre des clients, la banque ouvrira
8 nouvelles succursales en 2011 apportant leur nombre total a 42 ”
a annonce le service de presse de la banque.

Specifiquement, de nouvelles succursales seront etablies dans les
districts administratifs de Davidashen, Erebuni et Arabkir d’Erevan et
dans la ville de Tashir. Une autres trois succursales seront ouvertes
dans le coeur d’Eerevan.

Avec l’expansion de son reseau, la banque continuera des travaux sur
le re-equipement des succursales.

LE PRESIDENT DE L’ARMENIE A L’ONU
[email protected]

armenews.com
samedi 24 septembre 2011

ARMENIE

M. SERZH SARGSYAN, President de l’Armenie, s’est felicite des efforts
de mediation menes par des structures et organisations regionales a
travers le monde, dans le but de preserver la paix et la securite,
ainsi que pour resoudre les conflits par l’usage de moyens pacifiques.

Il a note les avantages de ce type de mediation regionale, notamment
la connaissance des acteurs en conflit, celle du terrain, et de
la proximite culturelle. La reussite de toute mediation, a-t-il
souligne, exige entre autres, la definition d’un mandat clair. L’une
des priorites que doivent poursuivre les mediateurs est celle de
prevenir toute reprise des hostilites entre des parties en conflit,
a-t-il ajoute.

Le President Sargsyan a par ailleurs salue l’admission du Soudan du
Sud au sein des Nations Unies, après avoir exerce son droit legitime
a l’autodetermination. Le peuple du Nagorno-Karabakh a, lui aussi,
fait ce choix de l’autodetermination, il y a 20 ans, en resistant
a la guerre menee contre lui par l’Azerbaïdjan. Malheureusement,
a ce jour, l’Azerbaïdjan se montre peu cooperatif pour conclure
les negociations entamees sous les auspices de l’Organisation pour
la securite et la cooperation en Europe (OSCE), en vue d’apaiser
les tensions entre les deux entites. L’Azerbaïdjan a-t-il affirme,
a decide de repandre au sein de sa population le sentiment xenophobe
contre la population armenienne du Nagorno-Karabakh. La politique
d’Azerbaïdjan est de faire disparaître tous les signes de la presence
armenienne au Nagorno-Karabakh. En outre, l’Azerbaïdjan continue de
refuser les propositions de la communaute internationale visant a
sceller le non-recours a la force et l’instauration de mesures de
confiance, avec l’Armenie, a-t-il dit.

Hier, a rappele M. Sargsyan, l’Assemblee generale a insiste sur la
necessite de renforcer la Declaration et le Programme d’action de
Durban contre le racisme et la discrimination. Malheureusement, les
Armeniens sont encore victimes de cette intolerance dont on a fait
mention hier, a-t-il soutenu, en regrettant, a ce propos le fait
que la Turquie continue, quant a elle, de nier le genocide commis
contre le peuple armenien. À la veille de ” Rio+20 “, la communaute
internationale doit faire preuve de sa determination a honorer ses
engagements en faveur de la region du Sud-Caucase, un espace de
cooperation et de prosperite, a ajoute M. Sargsyan. Les dirigeants
de la region doivent, eux aussi, avancer ensemble vers la creation
d’un futur prospère et pacifique pour les generations a venir,
a-t-il conclu.

FORMER OAKLAND CHURCH TREASURER ORDERED TO REPAY ALMOST $400,000
By Paul T. Rosynsky

San Jose Mercury News
Sept 2011
CA

OAKLAND — A former treasurer of an Oakland church who stole more than
$400,000 from parish coffers was sentenced to a year of electronic
monitoring Friday and ordered to repay most of the money taken from
the St. Vartan Armenian Apostolic Church.

In a plea deal with the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office,
which appeared to frustrate several church members, Gary Alexanian,
47, was found guilty of grand theft instead of the more serious
embezzlement crime he was originally charged with.

In addition, Alexanian agreed to repay the money he stole, submit to
a year of electronic monitoring and serve five years probation.

Parish members declined to comment after the sentencing Friday but
in a letter to the probation department, the parish council said
Alexanian deserved prison time for stealing.

“A crime of this size cannot be rewarded with simply a probationary
scolding,” the letter stated. “The criminal activity perpetrated by
Mr. Alexanian has shaken the Church to its core, profoundly impacting
the parish community.”

Alexanian, who was baptized at the church, had stolen the money during
his more than decade long tenure as the parish’s treasurer. The money
was gathered, church members have said, through bake sales and other
yearly fundraising events.

In the letter to the probation department, the parish council said
they erred in putting full trust in Alexanian who they said began
stealing within the first 45 days he was appointed treasurer.

Michael Cardoza, Alexanian’s defense attorney, said his client is sorry
for his actions and began to steal because of financial pressures in
his life.

In a letter to the court, Alexanian said he was ashamed and said
his actions have led to a crumbling of his life, which includes a
pending divorce demanded by his wife and ostracization from the Bay
Area Armenian community.

“Because of my actions, my wife has moved for a legal separation,
we are losing the house and I have personally lost some of my family
members, and all of my friends,” Alexanian wrote. “I acknowledge
that it was selfish, stupid, and before long, things just got out
of control.”

Cardoza said his client hopes the church members will eventually be
able to forgive him.

“What was most shocking to me is the first issue was repayment
of money. Not one member of the church ever asked him how he was
doing,” Cardoza said. “We hope that the church, in their hearts,
can forgive him.”