Author: Kalantarian Kevo

Turkey to start construction of first nuclear power plant in 2014

2013-02-15 17:32:07

Work on the construction of the first nuclear power plant Akkuyu in
Turkey will begin in early 2014, Director General of Akkuyu NGS A.S.
Alexander Superfin said in an interview with the Vatan newspaper. He
said in May 2013 the preparation of a report on the project’s impact
on the environment will be completed.

“It is expected that the production of electricity at Akkuyu NPP will
begin from 2020. In the first stage the NPP will produce electricity
with its capacity of 4,800 MW,” Superfin said.

Turkey’s share in the construction of the NPP will be $7.5 billion of
the total cost at $20 billion, he said. More than one billion dollars
have been already invested in the project, and in the coming months,
investments will be increased up to $2.4 billion.

The Akkuyu nuclear power plant will be built on the Russian project
which includes the construction of four power units with VVER-1200
reactors. The agreement on the construction of the station was signed
in May 2010.

The capacity of each unit will reach 1200 MW, while the total capacity
is 4,800 MW. It is assumed that the units will be commissioned in
sequence at intervals of one year.

Cleric: Iran Supports Regional Nations’ Right of Self-Determination

18:46 | 2013-02-15

TEHRAN (FNA)- Tehran’s provisional Friday Prayers Leader Ayatollah
Ahmad Khatami said Iran believes that all the regional nations,
including Bahrain and Palestine, should enjoy the right to determine
their own fates.

Addressing a large and fervent congregation of worshipers here in
Tehran on Friday, Ayatollah Khatami reiterated that Iran believes in
the rule of the people, be it in the occupied Palestinian territories
or Bahrain.

“In Syria likewise, every Syrian should have a vote. The US and the
European Union have been exporting terrorists to Syria for two years;
however, Syrian-Syrian talks are the only solution to the Syrian
problem,”

He pointed to a recent report by the UN Human Rights High Commission
indicating that 100 people have been killed in Bahrain and 1,600 are
in prisons, and said, “People of Bahrain have a logical demand; why
does the government not consider the demand?”

Earlier this month, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad underlined
that the Syrian people are the only ones who have the right to
determine their own fate.

“Our efforts are aimed at making the Syrian groups close and
harbingering compromise among them, holding free and fair elections,
so that that the nation would decide about its fate all by itself,”
Ahmadinejad said an interview with Egypt’s Nile TV.

“The prevailing conditions in Syria bother us, because regardless of
who gets killed, they are all Syrian people,” he added.

“In Bahrain, too, we pursue the same policy and we have told them to
sit and come to terms with each other and hold free and fair
elections,” Ahmadinejad said at the time.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011 with organized
attacks by well-armed gangs against Syrian police forces and border
guards being reported across the country.

Hundreds of people, including members of the security forces, have
been killed, when some protest rallies turned into armed clashes.

The government blames outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups
for the deaths, stressing that the unrest is being orchestrated from
abroad.

In October 2011, calm was eventually restored in the Arab state after
President Assad started a reform initiative in the country, but
Israel, the US and its Arab allies are seeking hard to bring the
country into chaos through any possible means. Tel Aviv, Washington
and some Arab capitals have been staging various plots in the hope of
increasing unrests in Syria.

Moscow’s Main Mystery

Igor Muradyan
10:56 14/02/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

V. Putin is trying to form a new team, a government of Russia
involving `new’ people who have not been involved in corruption
scandals and administrative and political conflicts.

The creation of an effective executive is the main
political-administrative task of Russia, the U.S. and many other
leading countries. Putin’s desire to not only create an effective
government but also to distance from notorious cases of corruption and
outright theft is understood, although many of those figures rose and
entered into force under his personal direction. In any case, Putin is
facing the task to carry out the important task of completion of the
first stage of staff `cleansing’, which can be partly achieved after
only three – four presidential terms.

Along with this the question occurs: what Dmitri Medvedev, who is
associated with anything but not the president’s office in Russia, is
doing in Vladimir Putin’s team. Medvedev’s public speeches, in
particular those made during the government’s meetings, are absurd and
remind an uncompetitive person who cares exceptionally for their
interests.

Not being either technologist, or humanitarian, politician, or
experienced manager, but just a comfortably settled figure, he, during
the whole time of `smoking sky’, didn’t do anything intelligible and
useful in the foreign policy, in the defense sphere, in the economy,
including the Gazprom. Enjoying the image of a chicken painted in
bright colors, he discredits the Russian government, like no other.

According to reliable sources, for the members of the Russian
government Medvedev is a nominal person and no one knows any of his
functions or his instructions. The main mystery is what he is
necessary for? Trying to create a false image of himself of a quite
liberal and pro-Westerner, he was the product of a large-scale theft
in the state. Let alone his volitional qualities. He failed to settle
issues even with the old man, Yuri Luzhkov.

Rather, as the former president-looser, a more modest position before
his final discharge into the garbage pit of the Moscow reality will be
prepared for him. His problem is that he is not able to navigate in
the murky waters of administrative games, which shake the Russian
state. And demonstrative baptism and attendance of church services
will not help, but only recall his dubious identity.

Apparently now someone is searched for the post of prime minister. The
problem is how the future premier can be competent and not
politicized. It’s difficult.

COMMUNAUTE-ARMENIENS DE RHÔNE-ALPES
La Fédération des Associations Arméniennes de Rhône-Alpes a reconduit
le président Arthur Derderian

Samedi 16 février la Fédération des Associations Arméniennes de
Rhône-Alpes (FAARALP) réunissant une douzaine d’associations issues de
cinq des huit départements de la région tenait son assemblée générale
à la salle Sévan à Romans. Arthur Derderian, le président de la
FAARALP a dans son rapport moral souhaité que l’année 2013 qui
marquera le 10ème anniversaire de la fédération « qui est implantée
dans 5 départements » puisse « renforcer davantage sa crédibilité ».
Il a évoquée l’année écoulée qui vit « la signature de la deuxième
convention de Coopération décentralisée entre la Région Rhône-Alpes et
l’Arménie » et souhaité que « les membres de notre fédération
continueront à être des forces de propositions dans le cadre de
projets bien ciblés pour l’Arménie ». Il continua « avec une grande
constance, vous avez su répondre présents à toutes les sollicitations
faites par les départements de l’Isère et de la Drôme, les
municipalités et la Région. Ceci démontre la place qu’occupe notre
Fédération. Notre devoir est d’assurer son développement et sa
pérennité ». A. Derderian rappela la réunion générale du 9 juin
dernier à Romans qui examina les propositions de la Commission
Communication de la FAARALP et l’évolution envisagée d’un nouveau
logo. Il rappela également la présentation par Agop Ajamian (de
l’Amicale des Arméniens de Romans) du projet de formation
technologique à distance. Le président a également insisté sur le
travail de la Maison de la Culture de la Loire qui avait en 2012
largement diffusé le livret « L’Affiche Rouge » auprès des élèves des
Collèges et Lycées de la Région Rhône-Alpes. Un lange débat suivit
cette intervention. Il fut rappelé l’un des objectifs majeurs de la
FAARALP qui agit pour « le développement des relations entre la France
et l’Arménie, ainsi que la coopération entre la Région Rhône-Alpes et
l’Arménie en matière économique ainsi que la francophonie ».

Le rapport moral et financier furent adoptés. Un Comité de Direction
de 11 membres fut mis en place pour la période 2013-2015. Il s’agit
d’Agop Ajamian, Krikor Amirzayan, Jean Forestier, Maurice Merkebdjian,
Marcel Donabédian, Arthur Derderian, Edouard Manoukian, Grégoire
Atamian, Jean Krikorian, Jeanne Setian et Jean Der Parseghian. Le
Comité de Direction élit Arthur Derderian au poste de président de la
FAARALP pour trois ans. Le Comité de Direction de la FAARALP se
réunira le 16 mars à Romans pour élire le bureau.

Associations membres de la FAARALP : Amicale des Arméniens de Romans
et Bourg-de-Péage, Arménia Valence, Association des Anciens
Combattants et Résistants Arméniens de l’Armée Française de Grenoble,
Association Culturelle Arménienne d’Aubenas, Association Culturelle
Arménienne de Vienne, Association Pour les Echanges et la Coopération
Lyon Erévan, Club des Arméniens de Grenoble, Communauté Arménienne de
Chasse-sur-Rhône et Givors, Maison de la Culture Arménienne de
Grenoble et du Dauphiné, Maison de la Culture Arménienne de la Loire,
Mémoire et Cultures Arméniennes de Montélimar, Union Culturelle de la
Communauté Arménienne de Charvieu Chavagneux Pont de Chéruy et
Environs.

Contacts : FAARALP, cours de la Libération et du Général de Gaulle
38100 Grenoble. Tél. 04 76 48 59 38

Krikor Amirzayan à Romans

dimanche 17 février 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

168 Zham , Armenia
Feb 15 2013

Russia meddles in Armenia’s affairs promoting Eurasian Union

[Translated from Armenian]

An unprecedented thing has happened in the Russian Federation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has tasked the Federal Security
Service [FSB] (present-day KGB) to protect Eurasian integration and
cooperate with the FSB’s counterparts from other countries for the
sake of this cause.

By saying other countries, Putin meant the countries included in the
framework of the Eurasian integration. Naturally, the word is about
Armenia as well, although only Belarus and Kazakhstan were mentioned
as such.

In essence, this is an unprecedented and sensational phenomenon,
according to which Russia categorises all those who ideologically
oppose the Eurasian integration as threats to national or state
security.

Meanwhile the striking thing in this issue is that Putin does not
confine things to Russia’s territory and Russian nationals.

He orders the FSB-KGB to carry out actions on the territory of those
post-Soviet republics, which Russia considers to be subjects, or more
correctly, objects of integration, but which have people or public
strata, which oppose integration, because they see a threat to their
national or state security in it.

In other words, Putin tasks his KGB in public to interfere in domestic
affairs of those countries, and to impose certain attitudes on them.

This is almost equal to an instruction or order for an armed
operation. This means that from now on, Russia becomes engaged in
forceful integration.

Putin even spoke about force, saying that application of “small-scale
force” is possible against obstacles to the integration.

Many people would imagine what is meant under the assignment of the
protection of some issue to the KGB. Many people have heard about
methods and approaches of that entity.

Therefore, if Armenia is included in the boundaries of Putin’s defence
positions, one may expect really unpredictable developments in our
country.

This means that irrespective of opinions on the Eurasian integration
which may exist in specific circles in Armenia, Putin’s speech
obviously contains elements of claims of the yet non- established
Eurasian Union on Armenia’s sovereignty.

Although Armenia was not mentioned, it is obvious that Armenia could
be on the list of countries specified by Putin and thus, Armenia
should react to what happened at all levels – official, political,
public – for preventive reasons.

Armenia should decide only independently what is beneficial for it and
what opinion or idea to protect, in what way and from whom?

Decisions on these issues are within the legal power of solely Armenia
and its citizens and this must be declared in a clear, concrete, and
decent manner.

It is the affair of the Russian authorities to protect anything in
Russia – in the sense of form and content of protection, and Armenia
does not have the right to interfere in those affairs and does not
need to do so.

US Fed News
February 14, 2013 Thursday 6:29 PM EST

CHAD ERPELDING PRESENTS ARMENIAN EXPERIENCE IN PAINTINGS, PRINTS, VIDEO

BOISE, Idaho, Feb. 14 — Boise State University issued the following
news release:

Chad Erpelding, assistant professor in the Department of Art, will
present “An Artist Residency in Armenia: from Coca-Cola Enhanced
Coverage LinkingCoca-Cola -Search using:Company ProfileNews, Most
Recent 60 DaysCompany Dossierto the Embassy,” from 11 a.m. to 12:30
p.m. Feb. 20 in the Student Union Ah Fong Room.

“My work investigates the physical and mental spread of culture on a
global scale,” Erpelding said. “I am interested in the movement of
people, business and organizations, and how these affect contemporary
perceptions of place.”

Erpelding served an artist residency during the summer of 2012 at the
Art and Cultural Studies Laboratory in Yerevan, Armenia. His residency
culminated in a solo exhibition titled “Whose Culture – Which Place?”
at the Modern Art Museum Yerevan.

Paintings, digital prints and video specific to his experience in
Armenia are the subject of his presentation at the SUB.

“My presentation will include images of Armenia along with images of
the work I created while there and since my return,” Erpelding said.
Some of the subjects he explored include international embassies, the
American Corners program, pop music and the presence of Coca Cola
Enhanced Coverage LinkingCoca Cola -Search using:Company ProfileNews,
Most Recent 60 DaysCompany Dossierand Pepsi.

“Through extensive research of corporations, political institutions,
governmental organizations, etc., I look to discover the vastness of
the connections created through globalization,” he said. “I
systematically transform this information into the language of
abstract painting to visualize the complexities of the network. I hope
that my work challenges viewers to consider the relationships among
various regions while re-evaluating their understanding of place.”

Armenian opposition presidential candidate considers investigators’
decision disgraceful

NEWS.AM
February 16, 2013 | 19:25

YEREVAN. – Unknown people have attacked the headquarters of Armenian
opposition presidential candidate Hrant Bagratyan at the night of Feb.
9 and tore posters of the candidate.

Bagratyan’s headquarter released a statement on Friday in connection
with the decision made by a police investigator Voskanyan, which
announced the decision of law enforcement bodies to reject the
possibility to instigate a criminal case.

Bagratyan’s central headquarters considers the decision made by the
investigator Voskanyan disgraceful and hence, due to such work of
police, Bagratyan argues the possibility of holding fair and free
elections in Armenia.

Ruling party tries to buy Armenia’s future by 5 billion drams –
presidential candidate

TERT.AM
15:50 – 16.02.13

Armenian presidential candidate Andrias Ghukasian has posted a
statement on his Facebook page about election bribes being distributed
for backing the presidential candidate Serzh Sargsyan. Ghukasyan
claims totally 5 billion will be distributed.

`Like during previous elections, this time as well the ruling party
distributes bribes and obliges people to back them. According to the
information we possess, a big sum is being offered for voting for the
presidential candidate Serzh Sargsyan. The ruling party is trying to
buy Armenia’s political future,’ the statement of the candidate says.

Ghukasian states that the international observers will take a huge
moral and political responsibility on them if they claim what they
claimed in 2008 convincing that the elections passed in conformity
with international standards.

`Such assessment will drive a wedge between the families of Armenian
and European peoples. It will create a wrong impression among our
people who will think that the European political forces as well come
to power through giving bribes and forcing people to vote for them,’
Ghukasyan stated.

`We think that February 18 voting will not reflect the people’s wish.
Thus, the winner declared by the Central Election Commission will not
have right to present Armenia both in international and interior
relations. We are warning all the states that the statements made by
the person who took the office of the president in illegal way and the
future signed international documents will not be valid after real
democracy is established in Armenia. We also inform the Armenian
citizens that the legal acts to be approved or adopted by this person
will be nothing from the moment of their adoption,’ the statement
runs.

The presidential candidate also stated that the political team which
supported him will sum up the activities of this round and will put a
beginning of new political process in Armenia, `being convinced that
through general civil disobedience the citizens will win the
criminal-oligarchic regime and establish final democracy in the
country’.

Energy minister: Tariff of Russian gas for Armenia will be the lowest
in the region

ARMINFO
Saturday, February 16, 17:33

The tariff of Russian gas for Armenia will be the lowest in the
region, but its specific tariff has not been determined yet, Armenia’s
Energy and Natural Resources Minister, Armen Movsisyan, told
journalists today.

He also added that the delay of the negotiating process on
determination of the gas tariff is linked with the fact that “Gasprom”
has been also negotiating with other countries of the region. The
minister did not agree to the viewpoint that the new gas tariff is
clear but the authorities prefer to vane it after the presidential
election.

Istanbul’s Armenian weekly to be among Turkish Airlines on-flight publications

NEWS.AM
February 15, 2013 | 12:30

ISTANBUL. – Istanbul’s Agos Armenian bilingual weekly signed a deal
with the Turkish Airlines (THY) company.

Pursuant to the respective contract, the Armenian weekly will be
included in the publications that are offered complimentary to the THY
international flight passengers in Istanbul, Agos reports.

It is noted that the number of Agos issues that are allocated to the
Turkish Airlines will increase in a foreseeable future.

To remind, Istanbul’s Agos Armenian bilingual weekly is published
since 1996. Its founder and former chief editor was Hrant Dink, who
was gunned down in 2007 in front of his office building.