Author: Kalantarian Kevo

ARMENIA’S INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT RISES 14 PERCENT IN MAY

/ARKA/
3 July, 2012
YERVAN

YEREVAN, July 3. / ARKA /. Armenia’s industrial output in 2012
May surged by 14.1 percent year-on-year to over 92 billion drams,
according to the preliminary numbers, released by the National
Statistical Service (NSS).

It said also industrial output in May was 13.4 percent higher if
compared to 2012 April. The NSS said also agricultural output in May
saw a 4.4 percent year-on-year rise to 46.2 billion drams. Compared
with April this year the growth was estimated at 32.5%.

The NSS said construction slashed in May by 12.8% from a year earlier
to 33.3 billion drams, but compared with April this year it soared
by 56 percent. ($1 – 418.34 drams).

THE DIMENSION OF KOCHAR WON THE PRIZE AT “ARTMONACO-EXPO 2012”

ARMENPRESS
3 July, 2012
YERVAN

YEREVAN, JULY 3, ARMENPRESS: The dimension which was created by
Yervand Kochar in 1927 won the prize at “ArtMonaco-Expo 2012” in the
nomination “best creation”. Armenpress reports that about this said
director of Yervand Kochar’s museum Lala Martirosyan-Kochar during the
press conference on July 3rd. She informed that at the exhibition were
presented the creations of Armenian classics – Hovhannes Aivazovsky,
Martiros Saryan, and Yervand Kochar.

The dimension of Kochar was the symbol of “ArtMonaco-Expo 2012” and
was pictured on all stands which advertised the exhibition. “The
previous year there was the picture of Margrit, and a year before
one of the pictures of Picasso” highlighted the director of the museum.

The dimension of Yervand Kochar is presented also in the documentary
film of Ruben Kochar “Yervand Kochar. Dimensional drawing”.

HARSNAKAR UPROAR CONTINUES: LETTER CALLS FOR UEFA TO ACT
By Gayane Lazarian

ArmeniaNow reporter
03.07.12 | 14:13

A signature collection campaign has started in change.org social
action platform against Ruben Hayrapetyan, MP and head of the Armenian
Football Federation (AFF), asking FIFA and UEFA to remove Hayrapetyan
from his position of AFF chairman.

The open letter made a reference to the death of 33-year-old military
doctor, father of two, Vahe Avetyan, who died after being brutally
beaten at the Harsnakar restaurant, belonging to Hayrapetyan (member
of Republican Party of Armenia). Hayrapetyan’s bodyguards and the
restaurant security severely beat four military doctors, including
Avetyan, resulting in the latter’s death.

“Ruben Hayrapetyan denies his responsibility for Vahe Avetyan’s death.

Hayrapetyan is not the right person to head the AFF. Dear Officials
at FIFA and UEFA, please raise your voice to prevent this person from
staying on his present position as the head of the Armenian Football
Federation. We need your action now,” the open letter says.

More than 1,000 people have joined the petition. The open
letter also contains Hayrapetyan’s quote in a press conference
() where he
told journalists that he uses beating as a means of punishment.

On Tuesday, Minister of Science and Education of Armenia Armen Ashotyan
(RPA member) referring to the public demand to boycott Harsnakar and
deprive Hayrapetyan of his parliamentary mandate, said that he has
an impression some revenge-seekers had been impatiently waiting for
Vahe Avetyan to die, so they could raise an uproar.

Ashotyan added that he was sure he would be criticized for this
statement.

“I know I will be criticized for these words, but I am used to telling
the truth and looking you straight in the eye,” stated the Education
and Science Minister.

RUSSIA’S HOPE FOR WAR
Igor Muradyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 15:55:39 – 03/07/2012

The foreign policies of Russia and Turkey are increasingly similar,
both in goals and approaches because both states are getting closer
to one status in international relations, transforming to regional
great powers. Russia certainly continues to claim its advantage
over Turkey, and one of the important reasons is that current
Turkish-Russian relations are not becoming closer is that Russia
does not recognize Turkey as a great power equal to itself. In fact,
Russia has considerable advantage in the military and economic
spheres, as well as its position among the leading countries of the
world. However, Turkey has levers and positions in Russia, namely in
a number of regions which Russia does not have in Turkey.

At the same time, disagreement between Turkey and Russia over regional
issues grows not only in the Black Sea, Caucasus, Central Asia but
also the Near East, and partly in the Balkans.

Notably, the policies of Russia and Turkey relating to the framework of
the Armenian-Azerbaijani issue are mirror images not only in general
terms but also by separate events and steps. Turkey is involved in
Near East developments on its own initiative, as well as external
initiatives and cannot pay proper attention to the Caucasus.

Moreover, there it will encounter resistance of not only Russia
but also the United States. Analogically, Russia is not trying to
accelerate its expansion towards the Caucasus.

Nevertheless, Azerbaijan is increasingly serving as Turkey’s important
foreign policy reserve. Azerbaijan is increasingly suitable as a
reserve rather than a partner whose urgent issues were resolved in
an absolutely unbeneficial situation.

Knowing that even if they have to limit or wind up ambitious plans in
the Near East, it will not be able to unfold its policy appropriately
and strengthen its foothold in the Black Sea and the Caucasus, Turkey
nevertheless tries to apply other approaches and style in the region.

Turkey is trying to maintain tension and even escalation in the
South Caucasus and bring about a situation which would require direct
intervention by NATO, including Turkey.

Now it is difficult to tell to what extent Turkey’s goals are agreed
with the United States but most probably the Americans did not want
to have Turkey as a partner in such a region as the South Caucasus,
especially from the point of view of a war.

It is hard to assume that Russia is interested in resumption of
large-scale military actions between Armenia and Azerbaijan and NATO
intervention in regional developments. At the same time, tension in
the South Caucasus is favorable for Russia because it will “confirm
legitimacy” of its military presence. In other words, Russia and
Turkey demonstrate similar interests regarding this tactics.

Regarding war as such Turkey has assumed increase of it importance and
a more significant role as a state which can influence the beginning,
process and end of war, i.e. the role of a regional director. It
would be a mistake to disagree that Russia would be reluctant to
play a similar role and it is more than appropriate because the other
position would mean concessions to Turkey.

Something similar took place during the first war in Karabakh. Russia
tried to limit the offensives of the Karabakh forces and Turkey
threatened to start a war. At that time, Brent Scowcroft, special
adviser to the U.S. president on national security, confessed that the
Americans scared Turks by Russian rockets. Apparently, this time the
Americans will prefer the same tactics but will it function this time?

In any case, having armed Azerbaijan to the teeth, Russia will try
to demonstrate to Turkey and the West that it can manipulate the
Armenian troops, preventing military defeat of Azerbaijan. Russia
will thus try to prove able to control the situation and at the same
time again reach an agreement with Turkey.

Hence, one should expect a stab in the back” from Russia. It is
necessary to draw relevant conclusions and make use of advantages of
the future war, which Armenia already has now and which can be wasted
as a result of the position of Russia in the second stage of war.

ARMENIA, ALBANIA INTERESTED IN THE REINFORCEMENT OF BILATERAL RELATIONS

armradio.am
03.07.2012 15:33

The newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
to Armenia Dashnor Dervishi (residence in Athens) presented his
credentials to President Serzh Sargsyan.

The President congratulated the Ambassador and voiced hope that
during his tenure in office he would manage to give new dynamics to
the development of Armenian-Albanian political and economic relations.

Serzh Sargsyan emphasized the importance of active joint work for the
reinforcement of ties between Armenia and Albania and the cooperation
within the framework of international organizations, underlining that
Armenia was ready to discuss all issues in an atmosphere of mutual
understanding and promote the bilateral political dialogue.

Ambassador Dashnor Dervishi noted that his country was resolute to
develop the relations with Armenia and assured he would do his best to
contribute to the reinforcement and development of Armenian-Albanian
relations.

THE BAGHDASARYANS OF GYUMRI: MANY REFUGEE FAMILIES STILL LIVING IN TEMPORARY SHELTERS

hetq
12:25, July 2, 2012

There are scores of Armenian families who had fled Azerbaijan as
refugees still living in temporary housing in Gyumri.

Take the plight of the Baghdasaryan family, who relocated to Gyumri
immediately after the 1988 Sumgait pogroms.

Hovhannes, the youngest son, married Alina in 2001 and the family was
allocated a two room apartment in the town’s Norwegian neighbourhood.

Like thousands of other homeless families who received housing,
the Baghdasaryan’s got split up. Hovhannes’ parents and brother,
with his family, moved into the new flat.

Hovhannes, with his wife and three children, still live in the
dilapidated cabin pictured above.

Hovhannes says that he and 16 other families with the same social
status are on a waiting list for a new place but no new construction
is going on.

Employees of the Shirak Center NGO visited the Hovhannes and his
family the other day to see the conditions they are living in and to
bring a parcel of clothes donated by American-Armenian Elvis Madatyan.

In the video, Hovhannes and his wife explain their current status to
Shirak Center staff.

ARAM MANUKYAN: DOMESTIC ENEMY IS EVEN MORE DANGEROUS

Panorama.am
02/07/2012

“Impudent acts, arbitrariness and atmosphere of impunity do not receive
an adequate response in our country,” secretary of HAK parliamentary
faction Aram Manukyan told a news conference in Yerevan, commenting
on the incident at the Harsnakar restaurant.

“Domestic enemy is even more dangerous,” he said. “The Defense Ministry
responded to the incident, but we also have 130 generals in various
fields. Where are they? Why do our intellectuals keep silent?”

AZERBAIJANI HACKERS BREAK 86 ARMENIAN WEB SITES

tert.am
02.07.12

A group of Azerbaijani hackers attacked 86 Armenian web sites.

They have posted photos with a note in three languages, saying “it
is better to admit the crimes and atrocities committed by you than
prove the world about made-up genocide,” expert on cyber security
Samvel Martorisyan told Tert.am. He said all the attacked web sites
were prepared by Sitmemax.

The expert said such attacks are usually made on servers having many
web sites or those having program gaps.

“They have found the flaw and attacked the web sites,” Samvel
Martirosyan said.

The attacked web sites are:

MYSTERY BEHIND HARSNAQAR PLOT: CRY OF THE SOUL OR FAKE ALARM

tert.am
02.07.12

In case the Defense Ministry serviceman, who wanted to blow up
the Harsnaqar restaurant, turns out to have been driven by genuine
emotions, his move will be considered a protest against the reality,
according Harnush Hakobyan, an ethnographer.

“I mean the reality in which any one of us can be beaten to death
in case of doing something – walking down the stairs with the left
instead of the right foot, for instance – not pleasing [the owner of
Harsnaqar] Ruben Hayrapetyan,” she told Tert.am.

Security guards at the Harsnaqar restaurant severely beat three
military doctors on their premises on June 17. One of them, Major
Vahe Avetyan, who was the most seriously affected, died in hospital
on Friday, after remaining unconscious for about a fortnight. The
beatings had caused serious damages to his brains, creating conditions
incompatible with life.

Avetyan’s death sparked strong protests in the society, particularly
in the social networking site Facebook, where users actively condemned
the incident, demanding the strictest punishment for the perpetrators.

A 39-year old lieutenant-colonel of the Armenian Army, Vardan
Samvelyan, entered Harsnaqar at about 2:15 am on Sunday, threatening
to blow up the complex. Only after three-hour talks with a police
special task force, was he rendered harmless and taken to the police
department of Yerevan’s Nork-Marash district.

Commenting on the servicemen’s attempted bomb attack, Kharatyan said
she doesn’t think it to be a Lynch trial. She is more inclined to
consider the incident a cry of the soul, aimed to call the public
attention to the ciolent act.

The founder of Sardarapat initiative, Zhirayr Sefilyan, says it is
hard to say at the moment what pushed the high-ranking servicemen to
the act.

“Both motives are possible. [He] might have done that in the heat of
passion; but that might have as well been an artificial act,” he said.

Speaking to Tert.am, an activist of Sardarapat, film director Tigran
Khzmalyan said the servicemen’s motives are not the first thing to
be addressed.

“It would be very wrong for us, as a society, to restrict the entire
problem to Harsnaqar. It would mean we fail to find the true problem
and focus only on fake targets,” he noted.

The activist proposed instead turning Harsnaqar into a youth palace.

“It is necessary likewise to return the brothels and saunas to the
society – the youth, the children and the elderly,” he said.

Heritage party member Stepan Safaryan has shared his thoughts on
Facebook.

“[Is this] real revenge? A chance to strengthen the security guarantees
of Harsnaqar, its owner, especially after the recent days’ public
rage and demonstration against the slaughterhouse; a kind of the
public revolt or a way of imparting a sense of comfort or …? The
story looks strange to me …” said the former parliament member in
his public profile.

Levon Barseghyan, the founder of the Gyumri-based journalists’ club
Asparez, considers the attempted explosion an emotion-driven step.

“An officer of that rank would have blown up the [the complex] if
he had wanted to, and no one would have known anything,” he said,
characterizing the action as that of a man who was in a state of
affection at the time of taking the step.

SOMMET DU G20: NOUVEL APPEL EN FAVEUR DE LA PAIX AU KARABAGH

Publie le : 02-07-2012

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
presente cette newsletter bimensuelle sur l’actualite politique,
economique et culturelle du Haut-Karabagh mise a notre disposition
par la Representation de la Republique du Haut-Karabagh en France.

Representation du Haut-Karabagh en France

Les presidents francais, americain et russe lancent un nouvel appel
en faveur de la paix au Karabagh

Le 19 juin, en marge du sommet du G20 a Los Cabos, au Mexique, les
presidents francais, Francois Hollande, americain Barack Obama et
russe, Vladimir Poutine, ont reitere leur appel en vue d’un règlement
negocie du conflit entre le Haut Karabagh et l’Azerbaidjan. Les
dirigeants des pays qui copresident le Groupe de Minsk de l’OSCE
ont presse les parties en conflit de parvenir a un accord sur les
principes du plan de paix discute au meme moment a Paris lors d’une
conference reunissant les mediateurs internationaux et les ministres
des affaires etrangères armenien et azeri.

Un peu plus d’un an après l’appel lance, le 26 mai 2011, depuis
Deauville, en marge du sommet du G8, par les presidents francais,
americain et russe, exhortant l’Armenie et l’Azerbaïdjan a surmonter
leurs divergences pour s’engager sur la voie d’un règlement pacifique
du conflit entre l’Azerbaïdjan et le Haut Karabagh, les presidents des
puissances mediatrices du conflit armeno-azeri ont reitere l’exercice,
faute d’avancee notable dans le processus de paix.

C’est en marge du sommet du G20 cette fois, et depuis une autre cite
balneaire, Los Cabos, au Mexique, qu’a ete lance cet appel ; mais si
le decor a change, de meme d’ailleurs que deux des trois signataires,
Francois Hollande ayant entre temps succede a Nicolas Sarkozy en
France et Vladimir Poutine a Dmitri Medvedev en Russie, la teneur
du message reste quant a elle inchangee, si ce n’est qu’il se montre
plus pressant. A l’epoque, en effet, on estimait que les presidents
armenien, Serge Sarkissian, et azeri, Ilham Aliev, etaient sur le
point de conclure un accord sur les “principes de base” du plan de
paix propose par les mediateurs internationaux. Mais les changements
de dernière minute du texte de l’accord de paix exiges par Bakou feront
capoter les discussions. Force est donc de constater que la declaration
de Deauville, par laquelle les puissances mediatrices soulignaient
la necessite de parvenir a un accord durable dans le format actuel
des negociations sous l’egide de l’OSCE, n’a guère ete entendue ; en
depit de deux rencontres entre les presidents armenien et azeri sous
l’egide de la Russie, en juin 2011 a Kazan et en janvier 2012 a Sotchi,
les parties en conflit n’ont pu surmonter leurs divergences concernant
les “principes de bases”, et la situation ne cesse de se degrader sur
le terrain, où l’on observait une escalade de la violence debut juin
provoquant la mort de soldats armeniens et azeris de part et d’autre
de la frontière armeno-azerie et de la “ligne de contact” au Karabagh.

La tournee dans la region de la Secretaire d’Etat americaine Hillary
Clinton le 5 juin n’avait aucunement dissuade les forces azeries de
multiplier les violations du cessez-le-feu en vigueur depuis 1994.

Autant dire que l’appel prenait l’allure d’une mise en garde.

Regrettant que “les presidents de l’Azerbaïdjan et de l’Armenie n’aient
pas suivi les decisions prises lors de la declaration a Deauville
le 26 mai 2011”, les appelant en outre “a honorer l’engagement de la
declaration de Sotchi [a accelerer la recherche d’un] accord sur les
principes de base pour un règlement du conflit du Haut-Karabagh”, les
trois chefs d’Etat ont presse “les pays en conflit de ne pas retarder
la prise des decisions importantes necessaires pour parvenir a un
règlement durable et pacifique”. S’ils reconnaissent que “la paix
dependra de la volonte des parties de trouver un accord fonde sur la
comprehension mutuelle”, les presidents americain, francais et russe
se sont engages a redoubler d’efforts pour aider a la resolution
du conflit du Haut-Karabagh, en soulignant qu’ils continueront
a travailler en etroite collaboration avec les parties en vue de
negocier un règlement pacifique. Après le regain de tension du debut du
mois dans la zone de conflit, ils ont clairement fait comprendre que
“le cessez-le-feu devra etre respecte” et que les armes ne sauraient
se substituer a la diplomatie, au moment meme où Paris accueillait
une conference sur le Karabagh reunissant les trois copresidents du
Groupe de Minsk et les ministres des affaires etrangères d’Armenie
et d’Azerbaïdjan.

Le ministère armenien des affaires etrangères a accueilli la
declaration de Los Cabos avec enthousiasme, estimant qu’elle etait
en phase avec la position de l’Armenie, qui est plus determinee que
jamais a trouver un règlement pacifique au conflit, conformement
aux appels lances par les leaders des puissances mediatrices a
l’Aquila, Muskoka, Deauville ou Los Cabos, et rejette l’entière
responsabilite des violations sur l’Azerbaïdjan. Comme prevu, le
ministère azerbaïdjanais des affaires etrangères reagissait par un
communique aux tonalites similaires, accusant l’Armenie de violer la
treve. Quant au ministère des affaires etrangères de la Republique
du Haut Karabagh, il a lui aussi salue, par un communique en date du
21 juin, l’appel des trois chefs d’Etat, meme si ceux-ci ne repondent
pas ouvertement a la demande formulee par Stepanakert quelques jours
avant. Dans un communique du 18 juin, le meme ministère, denoncant
les violations de la treve perpetrees par Bakou dans le but de
torpiller le processus de paix, a la veille de la conference de
Paris, avait notamment propose que “l’OSCE passe des declarations
sans adresse a une evaluation sans concession de l’attitude de
l’Azerbaïdjan ainsi qu’a des mesures sanctionnant son recours a la
force armee, son opposition a la recherche d’une solution pacifique,
sa rhetorique haineuse visant a declencher une nouvelle guerre dans
la region”.Stepanakert, comme d’ailleurs Erevan, estime inadmissible
que les mediateurs internationaux renvoient dos a dos Armeniens et
Azeris alors que les forces de Bakou violent deliberement la treve. Le
ministère de la RHK l’a rappele dans son communique du 21 juin, tout
en saluant l’initiative des trois chefs d’Etat, de meme que “toutes
les initiatives en faveur d’une resolution pacifique du conflit”,
en “reaffirmant la disposition [de l’Artsakh] a suivre les appels
et recommandations des leaders des pays qui copresident le Groupe
de Minsk de l’OSCE”. Le ministère de la RHK en profite pour appeler
une fois encore les puissances mediatrices a reconnaître le Karabagh
comme partie de droit des negociations, qui ne sauraient aboutir a un
accord de paix durable, precise-t-il, sans la participation directe
du Karabagh au processus de paix.

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Source/Lien : Representation du Haut-Karabagh en France