Author: Kalantarian Kevo

70 COUNTRIES TO PARTICIPATE IN YEREVAN BOXING CHAMPIONSHIPS

November 19, 2012 – 21:29 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – 70 member countries of International Boxing
Association (AIBA) will participate in Youth World Boxing
Championships, due Nov 25 in Yerevan.

Georgian, Greek and French boxing teams arrived in Armenia Nov 16 to
hold team practice sessions, with Russian and Irish athletes to join
them Nov 21.

Two representatives of AIBA coordinating committee will arrive in
Armenia Nov 21 to assist in organization of the championships, press
service of RA Boxing Federation reported.

DEPUTY POLICE CHIEF: 72 MILLION AMD IN THE BANK ON A 4.5 MILLION SALARY
Grisha Balasanyan

16:47, November 20, 2012

In 2011, RA First Deputy Police Chief Hounan Poghosyan received an
annual salary of 4,552,080 AMD ($11,270).

Compare that to what he had in the bank – 72 million AMD and $40,000
at year’s end.

Poghosyan has only served as Deputy Police Chief since 2008.

His father, Hrach Poghosyan, started 2011 with 140 million AMD in the
bank, an amount which dropped to zero by year’s end. Oh, by the way,
the father also had a cool $100,000 in deposits as well.

Hounan Poghosyan’s mother, Heghineh, receives an annual pension of
336,000 AMD. She declared 1.5 million AMD and $5,000 in bank deposits.

Now let’s turn to the deputy police chief’s son, Hrachya. His declared
2011 revenues amounted to 140 million AMD. The amount was described
as a “gift”. This was probably a gift from his father given that it’s
the same amount that disappeared from the old man’s bank account.

Hrachya also had 10 million AMD and $24,000 in the bank.

P.S. These are merely the officially declared finances of the
Poghosyan family.

AZERBAIJAN APPEALS TO NATO FOR PROTECTION OF ITS ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURES

arminfo
Tuesday, November 20, 16:30

Azerbaijan has given some proposals to NATO on security of the
main pipelines and energy infrastructure, NATO experts told APA’s
correspondent at the headquarters last week.

Azerbaijan’s proposals are connected with the physical security of
pipelines (oil and gas). Azerbaijan asked technological assistance from
NATO referring to the potential threats to the energy infrastructure in
the Caspian Sea, and the territories of Georgia and Turkey, through
which the pipelines pass.

“NATO has no concrete plans on the physical security of energy
infrastructure in the partner countries. The proposals on priority
directions in ensuring energy security of the Alliance members can
be considered and estimated” – NATO experts underlined.

Analyzing the potential threats to the energy infrastructure in the
Caspian basin-South Caucasus region, NATO experts said that the
states located in this region and participating in the projects,
are capable of fighting against these threats. But the forecasts on
the usage of energy as the main weapon in the fight among the states
in the near future don’t rule out the appearance of serious threats
in the above-mentioned direction.

To recall, in October Head of the Operative Unit, the Armenian Armed
Forces General Staff, Major General Artak Davtyan told media that
the Armenian army is able to hit military and economic, including
oil and gas facilities of probable enemy.

He said the Armenian Armed Forces are able to make surgical military
strikes against the important facilities of the enemy in a distance
of 300km and more.

TWO CARGO AIRPLANES FROM CZECH REPUBLIC NOT FOUND IN ARMENIAN STATISTICS

arminfo
Tuesday, November 20, 16:07

In 2011 commodity circulation between Czech Republic and Armenia
amounted to $64 mln, which exceeded the level of the pre-crisis
2008, Deputy Foreign Minister of Czech Republic, Tomas Dub, said the
Armenian-Czech business-forum kicked off in Yerevan today.

He said that such a high indicator was provided by delivery of two
cargo airplanes from Czech Republic to Armenia. In 2012 the commodity
circulation between these two countries reduced by 50%, as there was
not similar big bargain, he said.

At the same time, he added that the trade and economic relations
between Armenia and Czech Republic have a good potential for
development and he hopes to see more Armenian goods at the Czech
market. He also added that a delegation of Czech businessmen and
bankers accompanies him to Armenia to take part in the forum. They are
interested in establishment and development of the trade cooperation
between the two countries, the deputy minister said and added that
their visit may promote growing of the Czech capital presence at the
Armenian market. He mentioned transport, energy, food industry and
IT like prospective branches of cooperation.

Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, said that the
government has been actively making reforms for the economy of Armenia
to become competitive and open for foreign investments. He also added
that the EU is an important trade partner of Armenia, the share of
which is 50% out of foreign trade turnover. The Armenian authorities
have been conducting the policy of European integration and in this
context, the Czech experience could be useful to Armenia, he said.

To note, the Armenian statistics differs from the Czech one. For
instance, according to the Armenian National Statistics Service,
in 2011 commodity circulation between Armenia and Czech Republic
amounted to $26 mln but not $64 mln as Tomas Dub said. The Czech
export amounted to $24 mln and Armenian import – $1,9 mln. Chiefly
aluminum foil and ferrous metals are delivered from Armenia to Czech
Republic and from Czech Republic to Armenia – above-ground transport
means, turbines for power plants and other equipment. It is strange,
but no cargo airplanes are fixed in an official Armenian statistics.

ISTANBUL ARMENIAN CEMETERY RETURNED TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS

TERT.AM
20.11.12

The Armenian Catholic Cemetery of Istanbul has been returned to the
local Armenians after 82 years’ interval, Haberturk reports.

The director of the Catholic Church St. Hakob, Bernard Saribay,
has praised the Turkish authorities decision.

The ownership certificate of the cemetery (which has a total area
40,500 sq. m.) has been given to the community members. The territory
served as a place of burials for the catholic Armenians from 1830
until 1930. It was later placed under the authority of the Istanbul
city hall, but the funerals there continued to date.

YEREVAN-VAN FLIGHTS MAY BE LAUNCHED NEXT SPRING
Liana Yeghiazaryan

“Radiolur”
17:01 20.11.2012

Despite the frozen relations between Armenia and Turkey, four Armenian
organizations have studied the opportunities of cooperation between
the two countries and the interest of common citizens in the issue
under the USAID-funded “Support to Armenia-Turkey Rapprochement.”

In 2010, when the issue of opening of the Armenian-Turkish border
was on the agenda, the Eurasia Partnership Foundation, the Yerevan
Press Club and the International Center for Human Development created
a consortium with the financial support of the USAID with a view of
exploring the situation in the spheres of business, civil society,
culture and media.

“The volume of commodity turnover between Armenia and Turkey is
almost equal to that between Armenia and Ukraine,” Arsen Ghazaryan,
President of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen (Employers)
of Armenia (UMBEA), told reporters today. He added, however, that the
forms of cooperation are different. “Turkish and Armenian businesses
communicate under non-written business rules, as officially it is
impossible to export goods from Armenia to Turkey. However, despite
the cold and hostile attitude of the Turkish side, the Turkish imports
to Armenia increase year by year, and this takes places through the
Georgian territory,” Ghazaryan said.

The President of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen (Employers)
of Armenia attached importance to the launching of discussions on
the Armenian Genocide in Turkey, a topic, which had long been a
“taboo” in that country. “Progressive layers of the Turkish society
are debating the return of the Armenian property,” he stated.

According to the businessman, the Information Technologies and
textile industry are the most promising spheres of Armenian-Turkish
cooperation. What can we export to Turkey? There are more than ten
goods successfully consumed in Europe, the United States and CIS
countries.

Arsen Ghazaryan says businessmen from Eastern Turkey (or historic
Western Armenia) are most interested in the establishment of
good-neighborly relations between Armenia and Turkey. Four business
forums were held with entrepreneurs from Van, Kars, Diarbekir and
Erzrum, he said.

Businessmen from Eastern Turkey stand for launching Yerevan-Van flights
to make it easier for tourists to visit Van and Akhtamar. The problems
here are of technical character, Arsen Ghazaryan said, adding that
the issue could be solved next spring.

PETTY POLITICAL BAZAAR
Naira Hayrumyan

Country – Tuesday, 20 November 2012, 15:08

The idea of parliamentary government was a good opportunity to start
a big political bargaining. If some political forces used to deny any
contacts with one another, now they say they may support each others’
candidates, like ARF and the Armenian National Congress.

The “favorite topic” during the parliamentary elections was the joint
campaign headquarters to monitor the elections which was soon forgotten
since the forces agreed on the division of seats in the parliament.

The parliament is perfectly divided now. No one was left out except
Tevan Poghosyan who was later brought to parliament however, as
Raffi Hovannisian resigned and invited him to take his seat. And
if Stepan Safaryan is elected in the by-election, the picture will
simply be idyllic.

Now, similar bargaining is going on for the government posts. As soon
as they agree, the idea of the parliamentary republic will immediately
be forgotten.

When Gagik Tsarukyan announced that the Prosperous Armenia will not
form a coalition government, he asked the former ministers to wait
till autumn. Apparently, after the presidential elections or perhaps
earlier the party will announce to join the coalition and receive
ministerial portfolios.

ARFD will also demand portfolios. It has already stated that it may
support Serzh Sargsyan if the latter accepts the 7-point list of
demands of the party. The Armenian National Congress may also receive
ministerial portfolios. Hrant Bagratyan has not ruled out that if
Serzh Sargsyan “behaves” himself, they may support him.

Actually, the PAP is reportedly after the first vice-prime minister,
and the minister of justice doesn’t rule out constitutional amendments
to establish this office. Besides, the PAP would like to have back
several “money-making” ministries. The ARF may be back to the social
affairs. The Congress might take up justice, for example.

Now, Serzh Sargsyan has two tasks – not to allow the negotiations
to finish before the necessary time to rule out someone’s sudden
nomination and to ensure obligatory nomination of the “run-up
candidate” not to appear “offside”. In this situation, the best nominee
for the “run-off”, strange though it may seem, is Anush Sedrakyan.

PEOPLE’S ARTIST OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA FLORA MARTIROSYAN PASSED AWAY

14:52, 20 November, 2012

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 20, ARMENPRESS. People’s Artist of the Republic of
Armenia Flora Martirosyan died in the United States of America. The
reason of the death was the difficulties, that arouse after her
gall-bladder was operated on. As reports “Armnepress” the Public
Television of Armenia published this news. Flora Martirosyan was the
founder of the International Musical School after Komitas, “Artists
for Peace” Charity Organization and the initiator of the cultural
movement “Never Again”.

Flora Martirosyan was born in Gyumri on February 5, 1957.

The Editorial Staff of “Armenpress” present the condolences to the
family and relatives of the singer.

“GALUST SAHAKYAN HAS REMAINED THE GALUST SAHAKYAN OF THE 1990S, WHEN HE WAS MY INFERIOR,” AN ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS (ANC) MEMBER SAYS

NOVEMBER 19, 2012 15:44

Today political scientist Yervand Bozoyan predicted that the ANC
would not have its own candidate for the presidential election, but
would rally around a certain pole, a certain program.
inquired of Vahagn Khachatryan, a member of the ANC, whether he
considered the political scientist’s prediction possible. “There are
no such discussions in our organization. There are discussions on
general ideas, not on persons. The thing is to rescue the country from
this situation, which is a common idea.”

In Mr. Khachatryan’s words, Levon Ter-Petrossian will decide the issue
of nomination, and if he is nominated, big changes will take place on
the political stage, “After his nomination, you cannot assess the
change, perhaps, it will be a storm. That is why the Republican Party
is more active to prevent actions, to prevent Ter-Petrossian’s
nomination.”

As for why the ANC leader hasn’t announced his candidacy yet, Mr.
Khachatryan explained that it was Ter-Petrossian’s style: “He
has a better perception of both his nomination and that office,
responsibility and the future – his abilities to advance the country.”

Talking about the mocking remark of Galust Sahakyan, the deputy leader
of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), made lately that the whole
society and Diaspora are anxious to know when, at what time Levon
Ter-Petrossian would announce his candidacy and one shouldn’t make
the society so anxious, he said, “Yeah, they expect this government
to resign, they cannot stand this government, I mean not only the
distant Diaspora, but also Russia. I have contacts, I talk to those
people and they are surprised how we survive, they say, ‘Till when
can we send that money?'”

As for G. Sahakyan’s comparing the ANC with the most boastful
forest animal, the hare, Mr. Khachatryan responded, “For me, Galust
Sahakyan has remained the Galust Sahakyan of the 1990s, when he was
my inferior.”

Arpine SIMONYAN

THE CITY IS STUFFED WITH POTS, SAHAK POGHOSYAN

NOVEMBER 19, 2012 17:10

asked artist Sahak Poghosyan to express his opinion on
one of the most discussed subjects in recent times – statues installed
in Yerevan and damaging them.

“I, as a person close to that field, am disgusted with those statues.

It is good that the people are so disgusted that they show their
attitude. I am talking about not only the statues installed recently,
but also the statues erected in the past that are unprofessional and
absolutely tasteless. They are not in line with the rules of either
esthetics or even ethics and have an impact on a citizen who has a
little taste. At the end of the day, the man must not see tasteless
things every day,” the architect says.

During our conversation, we also talked about landscaping Yerevan. “It
seems they are landscaping, a good thing is being done. However, the
thing is how they are landscaping… those pots, primitive ikebana
and absolute tastelessness just shouldn’t be done. Instead of pulling
the man out of mud, the artist and the man of culture themselves
get into mud…. Let me say something barbaric – I am for people’s
breaking those statues and I would like the breaking to be an act of
vandalism. The man is against and breaks.”

The artist is against classifying intellectuals: “It turns out that
there is a small group of intellectuals and they install those people’s
statues, as the Russian saying goes, ÐÏ ×ÔÏÒÏÍÕ, ÐÏ ÔÒÅÔØÅÍÕ ËÒÕCÕ (for
a second time, for a third time). Don’t we have any other phenomena,
characters? Roughly speaking, this is just a means to make money. The
city has turned into a cemetery, and in my personal opinion, there is
only one or two statues in Yerevan that correspond to professional
standards. Generally, every statue should have its philosophical
meaning. It is observed only in the case of the Tamanyan Statue and
the statues in front of Matenadaran. Epic character Davit of Sasun
can also be perceived as a monument, which was sculpted in accordance
with the demands of the time and was of high quality.”

As for decorating entrances and archways, Sahak Poghosyan says that
the level of urban development and culture is lower than “rabis”
(labor art): “There was a composer by the name of Totik at the
time, he had the quality of professional ‘rabis,’ today ‘rabis’
postmodernism is offered to the people as culture…. Now I look
out of the window and see vases and pots on the street… they have
stuffed this city with pots, the esthetic taste of all of us is not
better than a pot. They have appointed someone a designer; he has a
terrible taste and decorates our city with that taste. Man, we don’t
want a decorated city; we want a clean city.”

Gohar HAKOBYAN