Author: Kalantarian Kevo

POOCHIGIAN RECEIVES WIDESPREAD SUPPORT IN FRESNO RE-ELECTION BID

Published: Thursday May 31, 2012

Debbie Poochigian.

Fresno – Fresno County Supervisor Debbie Poochigian’s campaign for
reelection received a big boost on May 16. Over 1,000 supporters
attended a “Super Western Barbeque” held in her honor on the beautiful,
sprawling grounds of the California Armenian Home in Fresno.

Supporters enjoyed a beautiful spring evening in Fresno with a
delicious meal and entertainment by a western music band. The
successful event yielded campaign contributions exceeding $70,000.

Poochigian, who serves as Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, is
seeking election to a second term. She has earned a reputation as a
fiscal conservative during a time of great economic challenge for local
governments throughout California. During her tenure, she has become
widely known for outspoken views – particularly on matters pertaining
to fiscal prudence, protection of taxpayers from unreasonable levels
of fees and regulations, and an advocacy of property rights.

Poochigian’s opponent in the June election is a social worker with the
County of Fresno. Debbie is very pleased with the strength and depth
of support from the community but must be prepared for any campaign
activities aimed her way.

She said, “I love the work I am privileged to do on behalf of my
constituents in urban and rural parts of northeastern Fresno County –
including the City of Clovis and wonderful Sierra foothill major policy
issues is essential during these difficult economic times. But just as
important and rewarding is the satisfaction of helping constituents
on particular problems they have in dealing with state and local
government bureaucracy. Poochigian thanked her supporters for their
“constant encouragement, friendship, and hard work in ensuring that
I will be able to continue serving on the Fresno County Board of
Supervisors.”

Poochigian and her husband, justice and former state senator Chuck
Poochigian, are natives of Fresno County. She takes particular pride
in the fact her father, Deran Koligian, was a successful farmer and
highly regarded five-term member of the board of supervisors in the
seventies, eighties and nineties. She said, “Of course, not everyone
will be pleased with my decisions and positions. But one of the most
pleasing remarks I hear with some frequency are words such as ‘You
are so much like your father.’ Frankly, it’s not always perfectly
clear what they mean. Whatever the intent, it tickles me to hear such
comments, and I always view it as an honor.”

CRIMINAL CASE OPENED INTO BEATING JOURNALIST IN ARMENIA

news.am
May 31, 2012 | 16:51

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s Special Investigatory Service opened a criminal
case into beating of REGNUM news agency Yerevan bureau editor Ruben
Grdzelyan, the service informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

As the agency informed earlier, Grdzelyan was beaten on May 12 by a
group of people, among them Kotayk Region’s Prosecutor M. Manrikyan.

MAY 20 DECLARED SHOUSHI LIBERATION DAY IN U.S. CITY OF PROVIDENCE

Panorama.am
31/05/2012

The envoy of the Republic of Artsakh to the United States said
that May 20 has been declared in the city of Providence as Shoushi
Liberation Day.

A resolution has been passed stating that Shoushi liberation in 1992
was a very important event.

It’s reported that the Mayor of Shoushi sent a letter to his
counterpart expressing his gratitude for the decision.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS: “HIGH LEVEL VISITS WILL BE PAID TO AZERBAIJAN EARLY JUNE”

MilAz.info
May 30 2012
Azerbaijan

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Konstantin Grishenko will arrive in
Azerbaijan, Spokesperson for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Elman
Abdullayev told APA.

Grishenko will visit Azerbaijan on June 4-5.

Abdullayev said that Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu would also visit Azerbaijan on
June 3-5. Andorran Foreign Minister Gilbert Saboya Sunye will visit
Azerbaijan on June 3-5.

During the visit the three guests will hold negotiations with the
Azerbaijani officials.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will visit Azerbaijan on June 6.

According to Abdullayev, several issues, including Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, regional cooperation, energy, security, joint cooperation
and etc. will be discussed during Clinton’s visit to Azerbaijan.

IRAN ISSUES ADDITIONAL 25-MLN-EURO CREDIT TO ARMENIA FOR NEW POWER LINE

Interfax
May 29 2012
Russia

Iran has issued Armenia an additional credit worth almost 25 million
euro to construct the third, 400 kW Iran-Armenia overhead power
transmission line, general director of Armenian state-owned CJSC
High-Voltage Power Lines (the project’s client) Saak Abramyan told
Interfax.

The credit agreement has already been signed, and Armenia expects to
receive the funds in June, after which full-scale construction will
commence, he said.

According to the contract, the power line’s construction should be
completed within 18 months of the credit’s opening.

The project is slated to cost 107.9 million euro, 83.083 million
of which were provided by the Export Development Bank of Iran last
September. The Armenian government is supposed to co-finance the
remaining 24.817 million euro; however, it has turned to the Iranian
side for additional funding due to a lack of financial resources.

Another Iranian financial organization, which Abramyan declined to
name, will provide the additional funds. The credit will be issued
under similar terms – for a five-year period with a grace period
in the first two years at a rate of CIRR+1% (commercial interest
reference rate).

Armenia is obligated to pay back the credit with supplies of
electricity.

At present, the two countries are joined by two 220 kW power lines.

After the third line is commissioned, combined throughput capacity
will increase from its current 350 MW to 1,200 MW. In the context of
this project, there are also plans to build the 440/220 kW Noravan
electrical substation in Armenia’s Gegharkunik region.

FIGHT BREAKS OUT IN DOWNTOWN YEREVAN BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTALISTS AND CONSTRUCTION WORKERS

news.am
May 30, 2012 | 15:42

YEREVAN. – Avag Shin Construction Company which was conducting
construction works on Yerevan’s Nalbandyan street cut 16 out of
17 trees at 12.00 p.m. on Wednesday, Heritage Party member Styopa
Safaryan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

According to him, at 12.00 p.m. an attempt was made to bring the
needed equipment to the area in order to cut the green trees.

“At first they were trying to explain three cutting with geological
reasons but I am en geology expert. After they failed to present any
real reason with the help of the police they forced us to leave and
started chopping the trees. After some time some activists and the
people entered the area and did not allow the workers to do their
work. After that a fight broke out. The police did not take any
measures against the illegal cutting of trees,” Styopa Safaryan said.

KONSTANTIN ZATULIN: RUSSIA’S POLICY LINE ON KARABAKH ISSUE WON’T CHANGE UNDER PUTIN
Artak Barseghyan

“Radiolur”
30.05.2012 18:46

Russian President Vladimir Putin will most probably pay a state
visit to Armenia in early September, Director of the Institute of
CIS Countries, political scientist Konstantin Zatulin told a press
conference in Yerevan today.

Russia’s policy line on Nagorno Karabakh will not change under Vladimir
Putin’s presidency, Zatulin added.

“Russia is not going to refuse from its mediating mission as
co-chairing country of the OSCE Minsk Group,” Zatulin said.

“Despite the years-long efforts of Azerbaijan, the mediators remained
committed to the Madrid Principles. I think that Armenia and Azerbaijan
must think about the steps that will help relieve the tension in the
negotiations,” the political scientist said.

According to him, Russia is interested in having good relations with
both Armenia AND Azerbaijan. “Russia believes that the high level of
Russian-Azerbaijani relations at least helps prevent Azerbaijan’s
adventurism against Armenia. At the same time the Russian-Armenian
and Russian-Azerbaijani relations must not be compared. Armenia and
Russia are part of the same military-political union, while Azerbaijan
is just a member of CIS,” Konstantin Zatulin said.

ALI HASANOV: UNITING ON ANTI-AZERBAIJANI PLATFORM, OPPOSITION STILL HOPES WEST TO LEAD IT TO POWER

arminfo
Thursday, May 31, 14:03

Joining together at anti-Azerbaijani platform, the opposition still
believes that the West will lead it to power, Azerbaijani Presidential
Administration Social and Political Department Chief Ali Hasanov
said at the “Role of NGOs in civil society development” conference
on Thursday, Trend reported.

“The individuals, who do not answer before people, want to come to
power,” he said.

According to Hasanov, no organization can be strong unless it relies
on the confidence of people.

“They have not raised the issues related to the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, refugee problems before any international organization,”
he stressed.

“During the rallies, opposition members were falling to the ground
and screaming upon seeing foreign journalists,” Hasanov said. “The
opposition organized “People’s march” was exactly that.”

EXHIBITION “ART FOR LIFE” DEDICATED TO “YEREVAN WORLD BOOK CAPITAL” OPENS AT THE UN HOUSE

armradio.am
31.05.2012 15:58

Exhibition “Art for life” which is dedicated to 500th anniversary
Armenian printing and “Yerevan World Book Capital 2012” opened today
at the UN Armenia Office.

In addition to promotion of traditional Armenian passion to books
and literature, the exhibition-sale is aimed to collect funds for
the medical treatment of the young painter Nelly Adamyan. Nelly’s
classmates and other artists provided their paintings for sale in
order to collect money.

Maria Dotsenko, UN Department of Public Information Representative
said: “My sincere congratulations to Armenians, whose efforts to
promote interest to reading and books and respect to the principles
of freedom of expression were recognized by the UNESCO, which granted
Yerevan the status of the World Book Capital 2012. I am also touched
by the attention which Nelly Adamyan got from her friends and I wish
her quick recovery.”

Ann Eranyan, Vice-President of “Armenian Erudite Youth” NGO presented
to the public the art and spoke about history of Armenian publishing.

She also thanked the friends of Nelly Adamyan for their support
and humanity.

The exhibition is organized by the UN Department of Public Information
and “Armenian Erudite Youth” NGO and is supported by “Tsir Katin”
pre-school education center.

The exhibition will be open to the public until 15 June, 2012 on
Mondays to Fridays from 15:00 till 17:00.

BRAZIL’S ARMENIAN COMMUNITY DO THEIR BEST TO CONTRIBUTE TO ARMENIA’S DEVELOPMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 31, 2012 – 15:52 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Despite its small size, Armenian community in Brazil
has its contribution to the assistance extended to Armenia and Artsakh,
community member said.

Eduardo Mekbekian noted organization of purchase of 500 cradles and
support in procurement of necessary equipment and reconstruction of
several hospital departments in Armenia among the programs implemented
by Armenian community in Brazil.

“In the framework of Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, Armenians jointly
with other communities extended financial assistance in construction
of watering systems in Artsakh,” Mr. Mekbekian said.