Author: Kalantarian Kevo

Turan Information Agency, Azerbaijan
January 24, 2014 Friday

Freedom House: Azerbaijan has been and remains unfree country

International human rights organization FreedomHouse announced its
traditional annual report on the state of freedom in the world.

Azerbaijan, like all previous years, remained in the list of unfree
countries among 48 countries by the FreedomHouse.

Among the CIS countries unfree countries are recognized: Russia ,
Uzbekistan, Belarus, and Turkmenistan. Georgia and Armenia are
considered partly free.

In Azerbaijan was noted in the past year further deterioration in the
form of restriction of freedoms and rights of citizens, the
suppression and persecution of civil society activists and opponents
of the authorities; in particular, violations of property rights of
citizens. -16-

Interfax, Russia
Jan 24 2014

Armenia will buy long-range weapons from Russia – Defense Ministry

YEREVAN. Jan 24

The new agreements with Russia in the sphere of defense will help
develop military-technical cooperation and to buy weapons at internal
Russian prices, Armenian Defense Minister Seiran Oganyan said.

“The agreements on the purchase by Armenia of long-range weapons
remain in force. We will complete the process of purchasing long-range
weapons from Russia in 2014,” Oganyan told a press conference on
Friday.

“The new weapons supplies will make it possible to use defensive
deterrence mechanisms,” the minister said.

Oganyan also said the situation on the Armenian-Azeri border is under control.

“There is no escalation of tension. We are the punishing party on the
frontline. We only return the enemy’s fire,” the minister said.

The minister also said he does not believe the resumption of military
action is probable.

“There is always a threat of war. Despite the fact that we should
always be ready for war, I consider the current probability of the
resumption of military action to be low,” he said.

av mk

Interfax, Russia
Jan 24 2014

Armenian president has no health issues – spokesman

YEREVAN. Jan 24

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan is healthy and has undergone a
routine therapeutic course, the presidential spokesman Armen
Sagatelian said.

“The information that the Armenian president has health issues is not
true. As to the questions related to the vacations of the president in
early January 2014, it was of private nature, that is why no public
information of its details was provided,” Sagatelian told reporters.

“According to my information, the Armenian president went to a health
center during his vacation, however not with the purpose of treatment
but with the purpose of routine therapeutic measures,” the spokesman
said.

The Armenian president went to the Chaum clinic in South Korea during
his vacation on January 9 to January 17, where he had undergone a
rejuvenation course, South Korea’s english.chosun.com has reported.

ez mk

Interfax, Russia
Jan 24 2014

Azeri servicemen blow up Armenian army vehicle – Baku

BAKU. Jan 24

Azeri servicemen have blown up an Armenian army vehicle, the Azeri
Defense Ministry press service told Interfax on Friday.

The vehicle was blown up “in order to prevent a provocation along the
line of contact between the conflicting sides,” the press service
said.

Other details of the incident were not provided.

Te cm

Armenia’s cumulative-pension-opposing movement to continue fighting

January 25, 2014 | 13:57

YEREVAN. – The Armenian Constitutional Court’s (CC) suspension of the
implementation of a part of the Law on Cumulative Pensions is solely
the start of the triumph.

Davit Manukyan, initiative member of the `I am Against’
cumulative-pension-opposing movement, stated the aforesaid at a pores
conference on Saturday.

`It should be understood that only two points are suspended [in the
law], and the mandatory component [in the law] is still in force. The
fight must be continued, and at greater strength,’ Manukyan added.

In turn, civil initiative member Mane Tandilyan noted that the CC
suspended the provisions which can no longer be reinstated.

The initiative members also informed that they have decided to
continue the fight, and that protest marches will be held and numerous
actions will be taken in capital city Yerevan and in the regions of
Armenia, alike.

`We will take radical measures before March 28, or if the
Constitutional Court’s decision is not to our liking,’ the movement
members added.

The CC on Friday decided to suspend the execution of the some
components of the Law on Cumulative Pensions pending the end of
hearing of the petition into the constitutionality of the several
articles of the law.

The aforementioned court hearing is scheduled for March 28.

The participants in the `Against the Mandatory Pension Component’
rally, which was held on January 18 in capital city Yerevan, had
adopted a statement and authorized to relay, to the Constitutional
Court, the statement of the persons who are authorized to submit to
the CC the aforementioned petition by 36 MPs.

Well-known people from the Armenian show business, cinema, and radio
have joined the `We are Against the Mandatory Pension’ civil movement.

The new cumulative pension plan, which formally came into force in
Armenia on January 1, 2014, is mandatory for those born in and after
1974 and voluntary for those born before 1974. In line with this plan,
5 to 10 percent of the monthly salaries in Armenia will be deducted
and mandatorily be allocated to cumulative pension funds; the latter
will be reimbursed as pensions once a person turns 63 years old.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

Armenia FM informs Minsk Group Co-Chairs about Azerbaijani provocations

January 25, 2014 | 01:33

YEREVAN. – Foreign Affairs Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian,
held a private talk in Paris with the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

Nalbandian drew the Co-Chairs’ attention to the significant increase,
by Azerbaijan, in tension at its border with Armenia and the line of
contact with Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijan’s blatant violation of the
ceasefire agreement, and this country’s belligerent statements that
contain territorial claims from Armenia.

The Armenian FM stressed that all the aforesaid reduces the prospects
for the settlement of the Karabakh conflict and achieving piece, and
it disregards the co-chairing countries’ (Russia, USA, France)
leaders’ calls to refrain from statements and actions that could
increase regional tension and result in the escalation of the
situation, the Armenian MFA press service informs.

In this context, Edward Nalbandian underscored the implementation of
the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ initiatives aimed at strengthening the
ceasefire agreement, and as a possible mechanism for the prevention of
provocations.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

Body of Serhiy Nigoyan is taken to Dnipropetrovsk

January 25, 2014 | 00:53

The body of Serhiy Nigoyan, who was killed at EuroMaidan, was handed
over to his parents.

Nigoyan’s parents are transferring their son’s body to Dnipropetrovsk,
where he will be laid to rest on Sunday.

The requiem service for Nigoyan will be held on Saturday,
AnalitikaUA.net reports.

One of those killed, as a result of Wednesday’s clashes in Ukrainian
capital city Kyiv, was an Armenian by the name of Serhiy Nigoyan, who
was a Ukrainian citizen. Nigoyan was shot in the neck and in the head.
The 20-year-old was from the City of Dnipropetrovsk. The young
Armenian was dreaming of becoming a professional athlete.

L’ARMENIE AUX J.O. DE SOTCHI
L’Arménie présente avec 4 sportifs aux Jeux Olympiques de Sotchi

Gaguik Sarkissian, le secrétaire général de la Fédération arménienne
de ski a informé que 4 skieurs représenteront l’Arménie aux Jeux
Olympiques d’hiver à Sotchi (Russie). Il s’agit de Sergueï Mikaélian,
Artur Yeghoyan, Katia Galstian et d’Arman Serebrakian. Sergueï
Mikaélian et Artur Yeghoyan avaient déjà obtenu leur visa olympique
lors des compétitions de qualification. La Fédération internationale
de ski ayant décerné également à l’Arménie, deux places
supplémentaires pour les J.O. de Sotchi. C’est Katia Galstian et Arman
Serebrakian qui ont obtenu ces visas au regard des performances
réalisées lors des championnats d’Arménie qui se sont déroulés du 13
au 16 janvier à Dzarghatsor. L’Arménie devra officiellement présenter
pour confirmer le nom des ces quatre skieurs avant le 27 janvier à la
Fédération internationale de ski.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 25 janvier 2014,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

COMMUNAUTE-CANNES
Suzy Parakian, nouvelle présidente de l’Union des Arméniens de Cannes
et des environs

Le conseil d’administration de l’Union des Arméniens de Cannes et des
environs a élu lors de sa dernière assemblée générale du 15 janvier,
Suzy Parakian présidente de l’association. Suzy Parakian remplacera
ainsi à ce poste le regretté Gaspard Kayadjanian disparu le 9 novembre
dernier.

La nouvelle présidente a affiché ses objectifs « prendre le relais et
continuer la trace de Gaspard en m’entourant de forces vives et en
intégrant les jeunes. « Je serai une présidente de transition après le
départ de notre ami Gaspard. Je serai en quelque sorte le relais ou le
trait-d’union entre les anciens et les nouveaux » dit-elle. Suzy
Parakian mettra également en place des actions telles que la
préparation du 100e anniversaire du génocide arménien en collaboration
avec la Ville de Cannes pour 2015. Avec au programme, expositions,
conférences, manifestations culturelles et artistiques « afin de
donner à cet évènement la place qu’il mérite » et de« dynamiser la
communauté arménienne ». La lutte pour une loi de pénalisation du
négationnisme du génocide arménien est également au programme des
actions futures de l’Union des Arméniens de Cannes. Un nouveau bureau
s’est constitué. Autour de Suzy Parakian (président), sont membres
Harout Ainejian et Albert Babikian (vice-présidents), Yasmine Alfieri
(secrétaire générale), Georges Elkeletian (secrétaire adjoint), ainsi
que Jacques Mangassian et Lucien Kayadjanian (membres du bureau).

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 25 janvier 2014,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

Atom Egoyan on Devil’s Knot and the murky waters of morality

CBC Radio
Q Blog
Thursday, January 23, 2014

Q with Jian Ghomeshi

Listen to the interview here:

Jian speaks with Canadian director Atom Egoyan about Devil’s Knot, his
feature film about the infamous “West Memphis Three” and the unsolved
murder of three young boys. Egoyan explains his fascination with the
unknown, the unsettling complexity of human nature, and how we deal
with our desire for revenge.

Egoyan comes to Q at a busy time. The release of Devil’s Knot
coincides with the debut of his take on the classic opera Cosi Fan
Tutte. The colourful and comedic production is a world away from his
work on the grittier film.

“It is very strange to be talking about Devil’s Knot and Cosi Fan
Tutte in the same interview,” he said. “There couldn’t be two more
opposite works.”

Photo Caption: Canadian director Atom Egoyan, a pleasant guy by all
accounts, isn’t afraid to explore the dark side (Jean-Paul
Pelissier/Reuters).