Author: Kanayan Tamar

CORNELIA PIEPER: ARMENIAN-GERMAN RELATIONS ARE ON HIGH LEVEL

16.04.12, 17:50

On April 16 Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandyan
hosted deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany Cornelia Pieper.

Press and information department of Armenian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs informs about this.

Armenian Minister welcomed the guest and underlined that
Armenian-German relations on political, economical and cultural
spheres had been expanded significantly and the opening of the German
language center in Yerevan would give a new stimulus to the bilateral
relations.

Deputy Minister Pieper underlined that Armenian visits of German MFA
and state secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a month
proved the high level of the relations between two countries.

Both sides spoke in details about the Armenian-German issues which
were on agenda and referred to the regional processes as well.

Nalbandyan and Pieper discussed Armenia-EU relations and expressed
satisfaction towards the progress.

Developments of the cultural and science spheres were on agenda as well.

On the request of the guest Edward Nalbandyan presented the last
developments of the Nagorno Karabakh issue settlement process.

SIRUSHO AUTHORED THE HYMN OF PROCLAMATION OF YEREVAN WORLD BOOK CAPITAL 2012

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 16, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS: Yerevan, which has been proclaimed
World Book Capital 2012 by UNESCO, will have a special hymn written
for the celebrations. The author of the hymn is singer Sirusho.

“I was entrusted the idea of writing the music of the hymn, it will
be a choral song, but the title is not decided yet,” the singer said
in an interview with Armenpress. She conditionally called the song
“Book”. It will be preformed by Armenian singers to the accompaniment
of the orchestra. Avet Barseghyan is the author of the words.

Referring to Armenian National Music Awards 2012, Sirusho said the
award in the nomination of the year’s best clip was a surprise for her.

“I was focused on the performance. I always get happy with the awards
I get, but I never wait for them,” explained the singer. She noted
the awarding ceremony is a happy musical holiday, where important
are not the awards but the positive mood.

Though in general she does not like speaking of programs for future,
she told us that she writes different songs, including for foreign
artists.

In 10 days Sirusho will leave for tours in Saint Petersburg. The singer
has no intention of giving a solo concert in near future, but also
thinks “Never Say Never” expression can be common in this case too.

To remind, Sirusho borrowed the fourth place with Qele qele song in
Eurovision Song Concert 2008 in Belgrade, the highest position ever
for Armenia.

“POLITICIZED” MURDER?: GYUMRI MAYOR CONNECTS DEATH OF WOULD-BE SON-IN-LAW TO ELECTION CAMPAIGN
By Gohar Abrahamyan

ArmeniaNow
16.04.12 | 16:05

Photo:

The controversial murder which took place in Gyumri a few days ago,
which at first was believed to be motivated by jealousy, now is
being politicized.

On Thursday evening, Karen Yesayan, 27, the fiance of Gyumri Mayor
Vardan Ghukasyan’s daughter, was found dead of a gunshot wound.(On
Saturday, Harutyun Sargsyan, who is the son of Samvel Sargsyan,
former chief of police for the town of Ani, was detained, accused of
the murder.)

Friday evening, Ghukasyan told online daily that the
murder case of his daughter’s fiance was politically motivated.

“It was not a matter of jealousy. All the detainees are prominent
members of the electoral headquarters of Prosperous Armenia Party
[PAP] in Gyumri,” said Ghukasyan, who is a member of the Republican
Party of Armenia.

Representatives of PAP headquarters in Gyumri told ArmeniaNow that
the detainee is not a PAP member.

“Making such a statement during this pre-election period is absolutely
absurd. We all understand that currently we are in political processes,
we are getting prepared for the elections, and each smart person
understands that he or she does not need such things these days,”
says a PAP member who preferred remaining unknown.

HERITAGE AND FREE DEMOCRATS ALLIANCE: “IT IS TIME TO STOP BEING AFRAID AND DECEIVED”
By Gayane Lazarian

ArmeniaNow
16.04.12 | 14:25

Unlike the crowded campaign meetings of Republican Party of Armenia
(RPA) and Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) held in Echmiadzin’s main
square the meeting of Heritage Party-Free Democrats alliance, gathered
only about 70 people Sunday.

Representative of Free Democrats, former Foreign Minister Alexander
Arzumanyan, was surprised that in a town which is only some 20
kilometers from capital Yerevan, people live in fear and they are
afraid to attend their meeting.

“Come and listen [to us], we have not come here to preach. We do not
plan to give you election bribes like other parties do. We do not
bring you rice, jam and tell you that we give you a subtle percentage
of what we have stolen within five years in order to get your votes;
and that we will deceive you during the upcoming five years. It is
high time to stop being deceived,” Arzumanyan said.

He called on Echmiadzin residents not to be afraid and not to allow
their rights to be violated everywhere, regardless of who commits
those violations.

“It is impossible to have a stainless reputation for ten years and
then to oppress people, no matter who does it – a war hero or a
local official,” Arzumanyan said, evidently implying generals Manvel
Grigoryan and Seyran Saroyan, who enjoy RPA support, and Grigoryan’s
son – Karen Grigoryan, mayor of Echmiadzin.

Member of Heritage Party and head of Heritage faction Styopa Safaryan
urged people to attend May 6 elections according to their conscience
and belief.

He introduced three main sources which, his party believes, will
allow replenishing the State Budget, creating jobs, raising salaries
and pension.

“They are foreign investments which must be made in a country of
justice and legitimacy and not in a country where people are deceived.

It is necessary to bring the shadow economy, which is full of
monopolist businessmen, most of whom are at the National Assembly,
to the legal field. And eventually, the mining industry must be
properly and efficiently used,” Safaryan concluded.

DMITRY MEDVEDEV BESTOWS ORDER OF HONOR ON AGHVAN HOVSEPYAN

Panorama.am
16/04/2012

Under Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s decree dated April 14, 2012,
RA Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan has been awarded Order of Honor.

“Aghvan Hovsepyan has been honored with the Order of Honor for his
great contribution to expansion of Armenian-Russian cooperation in
law and order as well as in the strengthening of legality,” Prosecutor
General’s Office said in a report released today.

ARMENIA TO DEEPEN AGRICULTURAL COOPERATION WITH ISRAEL

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 16, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, APRIL 16, ARMENPRESS: Armenia and Israel will sign a
cooperation agreement in the field of economy. The news was announced
by Sergo Karapetyan, Armenian Minister of Agriculture, and Orit Noked,
Agriculture and Rural development Minister of Israel,at April 16’s
press conference.

Orit Noked expressed the hope that the cooperation will not only be in
the form of an agreement but will become a reality in a few years. The
Minister informed that a special working group will be formed to solve
the issues discussed at the meeting. The discussion, in particular,
touched upon such issues as the sharing of work experience in livestock
production sector as well as the issues of specialist trainings.

“Our relations with Israel have a great potential of development”,
Armenian Minister of Agriculture said. He expressed the conviction
that mutual visits will boost cooperation and development in the
agricultural field.

Noked invited Karaperyan to a response visit to Israel in May.

The delegation headed by Orit Noked will pay a two-day visit in
Armenia on April 15-17.

EASTER IS CELEBRATED AT ARMENIAN CHURCH IN TURKEY’S DIYARBAKIR

news.am
April 16, 2012 | 10:01

An Easter mass was celebrated for the first time in the St. Giragos
Armenian Church in Diyarbakir, Turkey, ever since its restoration.

The Divine Liturgy was served by pastor Avedis Tabashyan of the Forty
Children Church in Hatay Province, Turkish Haberfx informs.

Aside from the Diyarbakir Armenians, Mayor Abdullah Demirbas of Sur
city and other officials also attended the Holy Mass.

The St. Giragos Armenian Church, which is one the biggest churches
in the Middle East, was reopened and consecrated on October 22, 2011,
and the first mass was celebrated on the next day.

The St. Giragos Armenian Church of Diyarbakir was built in 1376 at the
city’s Hancepek district, which was called the “gavur (non-Muslim;
infidel) district” by the local Muslims, since a great number of
Christians used to live there until the Armenian Genocide.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION READY TO COOPERATE TO GET RID OF RULING REGIME

news.am
April 17, 2012 | 15:29

YEREVAN.- The opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) bloc is
ready to do everything to get rid of present authorities, ANC leader
Levon Ter-Petrosyan said.

“We are ready to cooperate with any political force to get rid of
the ruling regime,” he told reporters on Tuesday.

He is confident that their main goal is to work hard not to have
election rigging. “We will work hard. Serzh Sargsyan will not be a
president on May 7,” he added.

On Tuesday ANC activists headed by Levon Ter-Petrosyan visited Komitas
Pantheon-Park in Yerevan to commemorate the 80th anniversary of former
speaker Karen Demirchyan killed during the 1999 Armenian parliament
terror attack.

MALAYSIA MAY BUY RUSSIAN MISSILES

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 17, 2012 – 15:58 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Malaysia is close to a contract with Russia on
the delivery of Kornet antitank missile systems, Igla portable
anti-aircraft missiles and is also negotiating a deal on Russian
guided missile and patrol boats, Russian state-controlled arms exporter
Rosoboronexport said on Tuesday, April 17, according to RIA Novosti.

Rosoboronexport deputy chief Viktor Komardin said Russia is ready to
sell Malaysia a license to build Molniya-class guided missile boats
and Mirazh-class patrol boats.

“Malaysia is interested in our Molniya and Mirazh boats,” he said.

“This refers to their construction under license at local shipyards
as shipbuilding in Malaysia is well developed.”

NEW TREATMENT FOR PROSTATE CANCER GIVES ‘PERFECT RESULTS’

Tert.am
17.04.12

A new treatment for prostate cancer can rid the disease from nine in
ten men without debilitating side effects, a study has found, leading
to new hope for tens of thousands of men, The Telegraph reports.

It is hoped the new treatment, which involves heating only the
tumours with a highly focused ultrasound, will mean men can be treated
without an overnight stay in hospital and avoiding the distressing
side effects associated with current therapies.

A study has found that focal HIFU, high-intensity focused ultrasound,
provides the ‘perfect’ outcome of no major side effects and free of
cancer 12 months after treatment, in nine out of ten cases.

Traditional surgery or radiotherapy can only provide the perfect
outcome in half of cases currently.

Experts have said the results are ‘very encouraging’ and were a
‘paradigm’ shift in treatment of the disease.

It is hoped that large scale trials can now begin so the treatment
could be offered routinely on the NHS within five years.