Author: Kalantarian Kevo

ARMEN MARTIROSYAN DOESN’T SEE ANY PROBLEM WITH TSARUKYAN’S NOMINATION

NOVEMBER 21, 2012 17:48

Armen Martirosyan, the Heritage Party executive committee deputy
chairman, is not surprised at Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) leader
Gagik Tsarukyan’s possible nomination: “It is possible that he will
be nominated, he is the party’s leader, I don’t see any problem with
that. At least after his interview, I was under the impression that
he intends to announce his candidacy.” Let us remind that Tsarukyan
told that he had made a decision on the presidential
election already.

It was difficult for Mr. Martirosyan to say whether other political
forces would endorse the PAP candidate: “In any case, there are
certain topical issues regarding the union, which should be agreed on.

One should ask other political forces; I can make comments with regard
to the Heritage Party. Every political candidate, a politician playing
an active role will be a serious participant in the election. I don’t
think the results of the election are predetermined; in any case,
there is always a possibility of struggle in every election. I think
all candidates’ victory is realistic, I deem more probable that Raffi
Hovhannisyan will win. Everything depends on what election will be
held, how much the administrative resources – election

bribes, inflation of voter registration lists – will be used. I don’t
want to make any other comments with regard to the PAP, ask them.”

Arpine SIMONYAN

THE PARLIAMENTS OF CANADA AND ARMENIA DISCUSSED THE ISSUE OF BLOCKADE OF ARMENIA BY TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN

11:28, 22 November, 2012

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 22, ARMENPRESS. The Ambassador of the Republic
of Armenia to Canada Armen Yeganyan participated in the session of
the Canada-Armenia parliamentary fraternity group, which was held
on November 21. As reports “Armenpress” in frames of the meeting a
number of issues regarding the relations of the Republic of Armenia
and Canada had been under discussion. Among other things the sides
referred to the issue of blockade of Armenia by Turkey and Azerbaijan,
the regulation of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the impact of the
Safarov’s case on the procedure of regulation of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, the Armenian Genocide, the problems of the Syrian-Armenians
and reciprocal visits of the parliaments.

LE GOUVERNEMENT IRANIEN RENOVE L’EGLISE ARMENIENNE DE MAGHARA
Stephane

armenews.com
jeudi 22 novembre 2012

L’Eglise Apostolique Armenienne Sourp Hovhannes datant du 16ème siècle
situee a Maghara en l’Iran a ete renove par le Comite iranien pour
la Preservation des Monuments Historiques.

Maghara est un secteur peuple auparavant par les armeniens et situe
a 150 kilomètres au sud de Tabriz.

Dans les annees 1960, environ 60 familles armeniennes vivaient encore
a Maghara. À l’epoque une ecole armenienne fonctionnait aussi dans
la ville.

Aujourd’hui, aucun armenien ne subsiste dans Maghara, la plupart
etant partis a Tabriz.

jeudi 22 novembre 2012, Stephane ©armenews.com

AZERBAIJANI SCIENTIST: COUNTRIES IN REGION HAVE TO DEFINE POSITION ON METSAMOR NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

Trend
Nov 21 2012
Azerbaijan

Countries in the region have to define their position on the threat
posed by the Metsamor NPP in Armenia and reveal their views to the
international community, the director of the Institute of Radiation
Problems at the National Academy of Sciences Adil Garibov stated.

“Azerbaijan has repeatedly made statements on the threat posed by
the existence and activities of Armenia’s Metsamor NPP, however,
no action is taken for its shutdown,” Garibov told reporters.

According to the director of the Institute, Armenia uses the nuclear
power as a strategic factor, the NPP gives it the status of a country
using nuclear technologies.

Metsamor NPP was built in 1970. After the devastating earthquake
in Spitak in 1988 it was closed, but in 1995 despite international
protests, the activities of the station were resumed and a second
reactor launched.

Given the large number of minor earthquakes in the past 10 years in
this area, as well as the intensification of seismic processes as
indicated by research of seismologists, in the event of a serious
accident at the Metsamor NPP not only Armenia, but also all the
countries of South Caucasus and the Middle East will suffer enormously.

LE HHK BOYCOTTE LA SESSION PARLEMENTAIRE
Laetitia

armenews.com
mercredi 21 novembre 2012

Le Parti republicain d’Armenie (HHK) a reaffirme mardi 20 novembre
2012 son intention de boycotter une session parlementaire prevue pour
evoquer un projet de loi redige par l’opposition visant a compliquer la
fraude lors de l’election presidentielle a venir. Le Congrès National
Armenien (HAK) a recueilli suffisamment de signatures la semaine
dernière pour etablir un debat officiel sur ses projets d’amendements
au Code electoral. Le principal objectif de ces modifications est
prevenir la fraude electorale pour les prochaines elections. L’une
des modifications proposees est de supprimer des listes les Armeniens
vivant a l’etranger.

La majorite du HHK a l’Assemblee nationale a rejete cet amendement,
affirmant qu’elle boycottera la session prevue pour mercredi 21
novembre 2012. Dans une dernière tentative pour empecher le boycott
du HHK, le HAK a propose ce qu’il a appele un compromis pour le
parti au pouvoir. Nous sommes prets a accepter les objections les
plus importantes exprimees par le Parti republicain, a declare Levon
Zurabian, le chef du groupe parlementaire du bloc de l’opposition. Il
a declare que le HAK est pret a laisser tomber deux des projets
d’amendements.

Eduard Sharmazanov, le porte-parole du HHK et vice-president du
Parlement, a rejete l’offre. ” Nous avons deja pris une decision a
ce sujet. L’affaire est close pour nous “, a-t-il declare a RFE / RL
(Azatutyun.am).

Sharmazanov a fait valoir que le Code electoral a deja ete modifie
peu de temps avant les elections legislatives de mai dernier qu’il
a decrit comme les plus democratiques de l’histoire de l’Armenie.

L’opposition armenienne considère ces elections frauduleuses.

Zurabian a souligne que le HHK est la seule force politique majeure
qui s’oppose au projet de loi du HAK. ” Cet isolement souligne le
fait que le regime en place ne veuille pas organiser des elections
libres et equitables en Armenie “, a-t-il dit.

mercredi 21 novembre 2012, Laetitia ©armenews.com

MATHIEU ZEITINDJIOGLOU AUX RENCONTRES DES CINEMAS D’EUROPE A AUBENAS

CitizenSide
20 nov 2012

Le réalisateur Mathieu Zeitindjioglou était invité aux 14e
Rencontres des cinémas d’Europe a Aubenas le 19 novembre 2012.

Notre contributeur écrit :

“Rencontre et échanges fructueux autour du film “Le Fils du marchand
d’olives” de Mathieu Zeitindjioglou, en compagnie de son épouse qui
est également l’actrice principale du film.

Le film aborde, par le récit d’un voyage de noces, la recherche des
racines arméniennes de Mathieu, avec un retour douloureux sur le
génocide arménien.”

Les Rencontres des cinémas d’Europe ont lieu du 18 au 25
novembre 2012. Pour connaître le programme : la maison de l’image

ARMENIA: ELITE CORRUPTION OR SHOW WITHOUT INTRIGUE

Vestnik Kavkaza
Nov 20 2012
Russia

Susanna Petrosian, Yerevan. Exclusively for VK

In early November, the government chaired by Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan discussed the fight against corruption. An advisor to the
president, Georgy Kutoyan, talked about the intensification of the
government’s anti-corruption policy. Participants at the meeting
proposed creating specialized working groups, which will identify
the causes of corruption and ensure transparency of programs, and to
engage civil society.

This meeting was preceded by a statement made by President Serzh
Sargsyan on the need to intensify the fight against corruption. The
president demanded that the government take decisive actions to ensure
“tangible and visible” changes. After that, the head of the Cabinet of
Ministers issued a call for cooperation with public and international
organizations, as well as political forces, including the opposition,
citing the need for a move to strengthen the fight against corruption.

Neither the “Prosperous Armenia” party nor the radical opposition
party the Armenian National Congress (ANC) have responded to the
prime minister’s invitation. Naira Zohrabyan, a member of Prosperous
Armenia, said that the party will take part in a common fight if the
government answers what talks given in front of people in rural areas
cost the budget $16.6 million.

The ANC mentioned that corruption in Armenia is systemic, while the
pyramid of corruption is identical to the pyramid of power, with
Serge Sargsyan at its top. In these circumstances, the ANC refused
to participate in the meeting, calling it a theatrical performance.

Indeed, in Armenia nowadays only a few believe in the desire of
the authorities to fight corruption. The origins of mistrust lie in
everyday life, where citizens face this phenomenon everywhere – from
schools to hospitals. According to numerous polls, the population
of Armenia considers police, courts and education to be the most
corrupt spheres.

To better understand the policies pursued by the authorities
in fighting corruption we should turn to the year 2004, when a
special council to fight corruption, headed by the Prime Minister,
was established by decree of President Robert Kocharyan. The council
includes the Attorney General, the Minister of Justice and the head
of the inspection service of the president. The council held 18
meetings at which it discussed the fight against corruption. However,
neither Armenian society nor international organizations have seen
any significant changes in this area. The fight against corruption
was limited to statements of various kinds, long discussions and
presentations of anti-corruption programs. This fundamental struggle
affected only a few low level officials, doctors and university
professors.

The line-up of the council also causes many question. It mostly
consists of high-ranking officials, who are the owners of luxury
villas, and have shops and real estate officially owned by other
people.

Only in the last week, two opposition newspapers – “Fourth Despotism”
and “Armenian Times” – have published a number of incriminating
materials. According to one of them, a member of the council board,
the head of the inspection service of the president, has acquired a
large number of apartments in a luxury building in Yerevan by fraud.

Another “fighter against corruption,” the Attorney General, was
presented with an expensive Jeep. The head of the State Revenue
Committee, Gagik Khachatryan, is the owner of an endless number
of businesses, shops and cafes, as well as companies importing and
manufacturing such products as “Apeiron”, “Megafut,” etc.

The press has repeatedly raised these issues. Similar findings have
been published in WikiLeaks. However, none of those whose names are
mentioned in numerous publications have attempted to refute this
information, let alone go to court. Apparently, the law-enforcement
agencies also have had no interest in this information.

The question of the Prosperous Armenia’s representative regarding the
cost of lectures also remains unanswered. There are 900 villages in
Armenia, which means each lecture must have cost a thousand dollars.

However, this figure cannot justify the amount spent, even if the
lectures were read by Nobel Prize recipients.

The director of the Armenian office of the organization “Transparency
International”, Varuzhan Hoktanian, says new manifestations of
corruption are being revealed in the world – “elite” corruption, which
also exists in Armenia, where the political elite is considered to be
above the law. Research conducted in 2010 and 2011 shows that Armenia
is 129th to 133rd in terms of elite corruption out of 180 countries.

At the core of elite corruption is the systemic corruption in its
so-called hierarchical manifestation. It perpetrates a vicious circle.

And one more important detail: the council for the fight against
corruption ceased meeting two years ago. How was it that the
government has suddenly remembered about this institution? The answer
is clear. The presidential election is taking place soon and it is
important to actualize what society is mostly concerned with. However,
in reality the “new wave of fighting corruption” has become a failed
attempt at populism or a show lacking intrigue.

BAHAR MURADOVA: “ARMENIA’S ATTEMPTS TOWARDS THE RECOGNITION OF THE SEPARATIST REGIME IN NAGORNO KARABAKH WILL PRODUCE NO RESULTS”

APA
Nov 20 2012
Azerbaijan

Baku. Ramil Mammadli – APA. “Armenia’s attempts towards the recognition
of the puppet regime in Nagorno Karabakh will produce no results,”
vice-speaker of the Azerbaijani parliament Bahar Muradova told
journalists, APA reports.

Commenting on the increase of Armenia’s representatives visits to
Nagorno Karabakh, Bahar Muradova said “so, we witness steps towards
the recognition of the separatist regime”.

“It is quite obvious that negotiations have reached a dead end, due
to these mistakes. Azerbaijani parliament is extending its activity
in this direction,” she said.

Speaking about the visit of speaker of the Uruguayan parliament Bahar
Muradova mentioned that Azerbaijan’s diplomatic circles commented
on it.

“The parliament has also expressed its position. Uruguay’s position
on the issue is clear. They tried to explain their actions. There is
serious contradiction between their statement and actions,” she said.

The Parliament also noted it in its position. We believe that Uruguay
will try to regulate its activity in accordance with the international
laws and interstate relations.

Responding to the question on the Azerbaijani-Russian relations
Muradiova said: “Some forces are making efforts to mar the relations
between Russia and Azerbaijan. I consider that Azerbaijan is doing its
best to continue the relations with Russia at the neighborhood level.

Similar attempts were made before. I hope that the official bodies
will not go to provocations.”

DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC IN THE NA COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS

21.11.2012

On November 21 Artak Zakaryan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on
Foreign Relations, met Tomáš Dub, Deputy Foreign Minister of the
Czech Republic.

Tomáš Dub visited Yerevan to take part in the works of the
Armenian-Czech Business Forum. Artak Zakaryan expressed conviction
that such initiatives would give new impetus to deepening of economic
cooperation and increase of goods turnover between the two countries,
especially in having non used big potential. The visits paid to the
Czech Republic recently in the delegation led by the NA President
Hovik Abrahamyan and the meetings also brought the Chairman of the
Standing Committee on Foreign Relations to a conclusion that new and
effective opportunities of developing the relations existed.

“The Czech Republic is interested in the business contacts with
Armenia”, Tomáš Dub said, highlighting the increase of the volumes
of import and export between the two countries. To his assessment,
Armenia is a new and important market for the Czech entities, it is
possible to carry out numerous mutually beneficial projects in this
atmosphere. Artak Zakaryan has documented that creating a favourable
business atmosphere for the economic reforms and investments is one
of the priorities for the Armenian authorities, especially taking into
account the circumstance of being blockaded by the neigbours. To Artak
Zakaryan’s conviction, in the legal field the reforms also will promote
the enlivening of economic contacts, as Armenia being on the way to
European integration, has adopted an approach of making its legislative
field consonant with European standards. As a new plane of cooperation,
the Committee Chairman also noted the Deep and Comprehensive Free
Trade Agreement, as well as the EU-Armenia Association Agreement,
and in its implementation the RA has recorded big progress.

Both sides also highlighted the development of inter-parliamentary
relations. In this context, Artak Zakaryan deemed a positive step the
Memorandum of Cooperation signed between the relevant committees of
the two parliaments. The interlocutors also considered the Eastern
Partnership a good platform of mutual cooperation, in particular,
its parliamentary format, Euronest. Educational, cultural and other
programmes of bilateral interest were discussed.

The Czech official talked about the Genocide perpetrated by Turkey
towards Armenians, saying that they shared the Armenian people’s pain
and wreath, as their people survived from the killings organized
by the Nazis in Lidice. The interlocutors also touched upon the
Armenian-Turkish relations and freezing of protocols. According to
Artak Zakaryan, respecting the opinion of the international community
Armenia has not made a step backward, and still keeps the protocols
on the agenda of the parliament.

The Chairman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations also talked
about the bellicose policy pursued by Azerbaijan and anti-Armenian
campaign, reaffirming the stance of the Armenian side to settle the
conflict through peace and the OSCE Minsk Group format. He thanked the
Deputy Foreign Minister for the balanced position of the Czech Republic
in Safarov’s extradition. The evaluations have also been of principle
in the Senate and in the House of Representatives, in connection with
which, Artak Zakaryan noticed: “The Czech Republic always adheres to
the values of the European Union and progressive humanity”.

ARS ENDOWMENTS REACH 27 SYRIAN-ARMENIAN SCHOOLS

tert.am
21.11.12

The Regional Executive Board of the Armenian Relief Cross (ARC) of
Syria this week informed that the $100,000, collected as part of the
ARS’s “Assistance to Syrian-Armenian Schools Fund” is being distributed
to all Syrian-Armenian schools, the Armenian Weekly reports.

According to Anna Hagopian, the chairperson of the ARC of Syria
Regional Executive Board, 27 Armenian schools in Aleppo, Damascus,
Kesab, Latakia, Kamishli, and other towns have received funds from the
$100,000 endowment. “All the schools outside of Aleppo have been open
for months, while the upper classes of the Aleppo schools are held
in Armenian centers and in schools located in secure areas. We are
hopeful that schools will reopen in Aleppo, as well,” Hagopian said.

“As we had previously announced, the sums received by the Armenian
schools will be allotted to needy students’ tuitions, as well as
to the needs of the schools themselves, while also relieving the
financial burden on the parents,” said ARS Central Executive Board
member Zepure E. Reisian.