Author: Kanayan Tamar

ARMENIA NEEDS LAW ON THEATER

Tert.am
27.03.12

March 27 is World Theater Day, but Armenia has not so far a Law on
Theater and Theatrics.

Talking to Tert.am, Sona Meloyan, Press Secretary, Theater Workers
Union of Armenia, stressed the urgency of such a law.

For six years, the relevant bill, which was drafted by Heghine
Bisharyan, Head of the Rule of Law parliamentary group, and Victor
Dallakyan, an MP of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA),
has been on the Armenian parliament’s agenda.

Interestingly, Armenia’s parliament regularly postponed consideration
of the bill on the government representatives’ proposals.

Heghine Bisharyan, co-authors of the bill, finds it difficult to
explain the reasons for putting off consideration of the bill by
Armenia’s Ministry of Culture. “I think it would be better to turn
to the minister of culture. She may be informed of the reasons for
delay,” Bisharyan said.

Tert.am applied to Armenia’s Ministry of Culture. However, an official
promised to answer later.

SERZH SARGSYAN: NUCLEAR SECURITY REMAINS A PRIORITY FOR ARMENIA

armradio.am
27.03.2012 14:56

Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan participated in the 2012 Nuclear
Security Summit in Seoul. Speaking at the event, President Sargsyan
first thanked the organizers of the summit for hosting this gathering,
which is of key importance for global security. He also hailed
the continous efforts of US President Barack Obama ever since the
Washington Summit of 2010.

“Nuclear security has been and remains a priority issues for Armenia.

We have been consistently implementing programs and taking concrete
steps towards creating a viable control mechanism to reach expected
results,” President Sargsyan noted. According to him, Armenia has
adopted a new law on dual-use items, including the control of export
and transit of nuclear and radioactive materials, as well as the
transfer of dual-use information and results of mental activity.

“Armenia, a producer of nuclear energy, is developing comprehensive
cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The
secure exploitation of the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant (ANPP), the
raise of its security level is among the priorities of our government.

We are strongly committed to IAEA requirements from nuclear plants of
that generation,” the President said, adding that “the full compliance
of the exploitation of the ANPP to those norms has been confirmed by
the OSART Mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency.”

President Sargsyan availed himself of the opportunity to express
gratitude to IAEA, the Russian Federation, the European Union and
all other countries, organizations and experts who cooperate with
Armenia and provide support on this important issue.

Serzh Sargsyan touched upon the misinformation about the ANPP
presented by the Azerbaijani President at the Seoul Summit. “The
obvious misinformation of the Azerbaijani President regarding the
functioning of the Armenian Nuclear power Plant does not surprise me,
because slandering Armenia has long become a common practice for
Azerbaijan. They have been presenting distorted information about
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh from most different podiums. They even
distort the famous UN Resolutions on Nagorno Karabakh, forgetting that
they were the ones to launch military actions and refuse to stop them.

It’s them making bellicose statements today and refusing to solve the
Nagorno Karabakh issue on the basis of international law,” President
Sargsyan stated.

Serzh Sargsyan stated that it would be correct to consider the nuclear
security issues along with other adjunct problems. He attached
importance to the fight against the efforts of using the energy
resources as a political capital, noting that the results of it are
hard especially for the countries, which are deprived of natural
energy resources and have to search for ways of energy independence.

“Two out of the four immediate neighbors of Armenia have been keeping
put country in blockade for two decades, violating the norms of
international law, thus leaving no alternative as regards the choice
of the ways of energy independence,” Serzh Sargsyan stated.

At the end of the speech the President reiterated Armenia’s commitment
to fighting the illegal trafficking of nuclear materials, as well as
our country’s resoluteness to contribute to the international efforts
of fighting terrorism.

K. ANDREASYAN EVALUATES THE ACTIVITIES OF RA MINISTRY OF ECONOMY FOR 2011

Armenian Human Rights Defender Karen Andreasyan has evaluated the
activities of the RA Ministry of Economy on 2011. Press service of the
AHRD office informs about this. Here is the text of the evaluations.

Shortcomings and problems identified.

A control on non-food labeling, using and maintaining requirements
has not been properly provided.

The Ministry has not taken sufficient measures to protect
consumers’ rights in the field of non-food quality and safety control
requirements.

Despite the measures taken by the Ministry, public awareness of
consumer rights issue is still essential.

In spite of fact that state control over the requirements of technical
regulations and metrological rules and norms was implemented by
Ministry of Economy state Inspectorate of the market and consumer
rights in 221 business entities in 2011, however, it is was evaluated
by the specialists as inadequate, so there is a need for activating
the control in this direction.

While licensing of the commercial facility, the agency for licenses
and permits of the Ministry has not provided a unified approach to
the examination and evaluation of circumstances leading to possible
infringement of the rights and freedoms of the others.

Enough steps have not been taken to increase the offer for hotel
services and other recreation services in the regions, their quality
and competitiveness.

Positive developments

Types of activities subject to licensing were reduced from 169 to
96 and electronic possibility for acquisition of licenses has been
made available.

During the inspections violations of the requirements on no food
labeling was found in 32 business entities, which resulted in the
orders for suspension of the batches of products not complying with
their orders, and the people responsible for violations were charged
with of the administrative penalties in the amount of 7160000.

The scope of liability of joint stock companies’ directors has
expanded, thereby enhancing the protection of investors.

According to the statistics the tourism has expanded.

Karen Andreasyan, Human Rights Defender of the Republic of Armenia The
list of the identified positive developments, gaps and shortcomings
is not exhaustive.

The introduced Chapter (7) of the HRD Annual Report 2011 is available
in full at 28.03.12,
16:57

MUSICAL ARMENIA CONCERT WINNER TO PERFORM AT NY CARNEGIE HALL

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 28, 2012 – 14:47 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The Armenian Prelacy has sponsored the “Musical
Armenia Concert” for 29 seasons, choosing the best among Armenian
musicians. The winners go through an application process for the
opportunity to play at New York’s Carnegie Hall.

This year, the Prelacy chose Marta Bagratuni, a graduate of Okemos
High School and a graduate student at Michigan State University,
City Pulse reports.

Bagratuni started playing cello when she was 4 years old and has been
playing for almost 20 years. Both her parents are also cellists:
Her father played at “Musical Armenia” 15 years agoand her mother
has also played at Carnegie Hall.

“I guess it’s my turn,” Bagratuni said. “It’s a really good start,
to play at Carnegie Hall,” she added, even though she is anything
but a beginner.

In addition to MSU performances, she has performed in concerts
throughout the United States and abroad. She also sings opera (that
runs in the family, too) and manages to juggle both passions.

Bagratuni has even been to Carnegie Hall before: In November, she
traveled there to play with the New York Women’s Ensemble.

She says that it’s a different experience playing solo, though, and
the concert, which will be held at 8 p.m. Friday at the Weill Theater
will be her first solo performance at Carnegie Hall. Her accompaniment
will be provided by pianist and fellow MSU student Zhao Zhao Yang.

They will perform selections by Adam Khudoyan, Robert Schumann,
Sulkhan Tsintsadze and Vache Sharafyan.

Bagratuni would like to move to New York eventually. “Once you get into
the scene, there are so many opportunities for musicians,” she said,
as well as greater opportunity to be part of the classical music elite.

After her Carnegie performance, Bagratuni plans to get right back to
work. “You can’t just get comfortable,” she said. “I have to come
back and prepare for my graduate recital and send in a couple of
competition tapes. You have to keep finding more things to do and
more opportunities.”

She would like to record a cello album at some point and hopes that
she can raise enough money to produce and distribute a record as
widely as possible. “When I have concerts, it’s important to be able
to give out my CD,” she said.

Bagratuni welcomes the challenge that the Carnegie performance
provides, but she is also looking toward the future.

“It’s going to feel great, and then it’s going to be over,” she said
of her Friday concert. “And then – what now? I need to do more.”

ARMENIA IS A LEADING REGIONAL COUNTRY IN IT SECTOR – ECONOMY MINISTRY

news.am
March 28, 2012 | 13:59

YEREVAN. – Armenia is considered a leading country, in the Information
Technology (IT) sector, from among its neighboring CIS and Middle
Eastern countries, states the Economy Ministry’s 2012 Program for
Promotion of IT Sector.

According to this program, new IT companies sharply increased in
Armenia in the past ten years. In 2011, this number was close to 300;
near 5,500 specialists were involved in this sector; and, together
with the telecommunications sector, this totaled more than 10,000
specialists.

The IT sector’s share in Armenia’s GDP amounted to 1.7 percent,
which can be compared with that of India (1.4%) and Germany (1.3%).

The Armenian IT companies’ total revenue reached US$ 205 million
in 2011.

And around 50 percent of the IT companies’ products and services
are exported

TATUL HAKOBYAN PRESENTED HIS NEW BOOK, ENTITLED “LOOKING FROM ARARAT: ARMENIANS AND TURKS”

Noyan Tapan
2012-03-27

On March 19 an Armenian veteran journalist Tatul Hakobyan presented
his new book, entitled “Looking from Ararat: Armenians and Turks.”

This 500 page book is the result of eight years of extensive
research, analysis and travel by the author. It was first published
in Western Armenian using classical orthography. This most recent
one in Eastern Armenian will be presented in Yerevan and Gyumri as
well – Armenia’s capital city and second largest city consecutively
– at the beginning of April. There will also be an English version,
which is being prepared for print this fall.

In the words of Shahan Kandaharian, Editor-in-Chief of Azdak daily
in Beirut, the author “presents each end of Yerevan-Ankara relations
with high journalistic professionalism,” having carried out extensive
archive analysis and frequent visits to Western Armenia during which
he conducted a number of in-depth interviews with Armenian, Turkish
and foreign diplomats, presidents, and historians.

Lebanese Armenian intellectuals Khatchig Dedeyan, Tigran Jinbashian
and Sargis Giragosian presented comments on the author and his new
published book.

“Looking from Ararat: Armenians and Turks” is comprised of three
parts. The first ten chapters describe Armenian-Turkish (Kemalist)
relations from 1918 to 1921. The seven chapters of the second part
dwell on Armenian-Turkish relations at a time when Armenia was a part
of the Soviet Union. In the eleven chapters of the third part you can
examine the relations from 1988 to present day. The book also includes
a preface (“The saddest Liturgy”) and an epilogue (“Where are you,
Land of Nairi?”), as well as an Appendix where the author presents
all of the documents ever signed between Turkey and Armenia.

“I started this book almost simultaneously with my first one –
“Green and Black: Karabakh Diary.” This could be considered as a
continuation to that and its second volume,” said Hakobyan at the
Beirut presentation, adding, “If you have read “Green and Black”,
I would advise you to read this one as well and stay tuned for the
next ones!”

First published in 2008, Tatul Hakobyan’s first book – “Green and
Black: Karabakh Diary”, has three editions in Armenian and was
translated into Western Armenian, Russian, English, Arabic and
Turkish languages.

LA LOI ARMENIENNE SUR LES SITUATIONS D’URGENCE VOTEE
Stephane

armenews.com
mardi 27 mars 2012

Le Parlement armenien a approuve un projet de loi du gouvernement
qui selon les politiciens de l’opposition permettra aux autorites
d’employer l’armee pour supprimer les manifestations.

Le projet de loi est suppose règuler la declaration et l’execution
de l’etat d’urgence en Armenie. Il stipule que le president de la
republique peut declarer la situation d’urgence s’il y a ” un danger
immediat pour l’ordre constitutionnel ” dont des tentatives par la
force de prendre le pouvoir, le terrorisme et ” des perturbations de
masse “.

Le projet de loi permet au chef de l’Etat de se tourner vers les forces
armees si la police et d’autres forces de securite sont incapables de
mettre en application la loi. Dans ce cas, on permettra au personnel
militaire d’employer des equipements anti-emeutes et des munitions
conformement a une loi sur la police.

L’opposition a l’Assemblee nationale et le Congrès National
Armenien (HAK) ont exprime leur inquietude au sujet du projet de loi
immediatement après qu’elle ait circule plus tôt cette annee. Ils ont
pretendu que les autorites preparent le terrain pour l’utilisation
future des forces armees contre l’opposition politique.

En reponse aux objections de l’opposition, le gouvernement a modifie
le projet de loi avant que l’Assemblee nationale ne l’ait approuve
en première lecture le 1er mars. Les chefs de l’opposition ont ecarte
les changements les considerant comme cosmetiques.

68 deputes sur 131 ont vote en faveur du projet de loi. Les adversaires
du projet de loi, parmi eux quelques deputes du parti Armenie Prospère,
n’ont pas participe au vote.

Les membres du gouvernement et les leaders de la majorite parlementaire
progouvernementale ont nie le moindre lien entre la nouvelle loi et
les elections le 6 mai.

RAFFI HOVANNISIAN APPELLE L’OPPOSITION A SE RASSEMBLER
Laetitia

armenews.com
mardi 27 mars 2012

Le leader de l’opposition, Raffi Hovannisian, a appele vendredi 23
mars 2012 l’opposition a presenter des candidats communs pour environ
un tiers des sièges au parlement pour les elections du 6 mai 2012.

Le parti d’Hovannisian, Zharangutyun (patrimoine) et d’autres forces
d’opposition ont nomme des dizaines de candidats dans la plupart des
41 circonscriptions. Certains d’entre eux seront en competition les
uns avec les autres.

” Il est maintenant temps pour ceux qui se considèrent comme de
l’opposition … de s’asseoir autour d’une table et, avant qu’il
ne soit trop tard, d’aller de l’avant d’une manière raisonnable et
prudente de sorte qu’il reste un seul candidat commun dans chaque
district “, a declare Hovannisian lors d’une conference de presse.

Le chef Zharangutyun a confirme les informations selon lesquelles
son parti a deja tenu des consultations officieuses avec le Congrès
National Armenien (HAK) et la Federation revolutionnaire armenienne
(Dachnaktsoutioun) sur la question. Mais il a dit qu’aucun accord
n’a ete trouve pour le moment .

Hovannisian a irrite de nombreux militants du HAK : il sera en tete de
liste des candidats du parti Zharangutyun au Parlement et se presente
egalement a Erevan au district No. 7. La circonscription couvre une
grande partie de l’ouest d’Erevan. La circonscription administrative
Malatia-Sebastia est representee a l’Assemblee nationale actuelle
par Samvel Aleksanian, un des hommes les plus riches de l’Armenie
soutenu par le Parti republicain au pouvoir (HHK). Aleksanian sera
en concurrence avec Nikol Pashinian, un redacteur de journal et un
ancien membre du HAK.

Les partis HAK, Zharangutyun et Dashnaktsutyun ont affirme que la
probabilite de fraude electorale massive diminuerait considerablement
si les elections legislatives se tiendraient uniquement sous le
système de representation proportionnelle.

NOUVELLE REUNION DE ROBERT KOCHARIAN AVEC VLADIMIR PUTIN
Stephane

armenews.com
mardi 27 mars 2012

L’ancien president Robert Kocharian a rencontre le President russe
Vladimir Putin a Moscou alimentant ainsi la speculation des medias
sur un possible retour possible en politique.

Le porte-parole de Kocharian, Victor Soghomonian, a dit au service
armenien de RFE/RL (Azatutyun.am) ” qu’une autre reunion ” entre les
deux hommes a eu lieu le 15 mars. M.Soghomonian n’a pas specifie les
questions discutees entre eux ou donner d’autres details.

Le service de presse de Putin n’a pas confirme ou refute l’information
contacte par le service armenien de RFE/RL (Azatutyun.am).

Robert Kocharian voyage a Moscou regulièrement en tant que membre
du conseil d’administration du groupe AFK Sistema base a Moscou qui
possède en Russie et en Armenie un reseau de telephonie mobile. Il
a rejoint le conseil comme ” directeur independant ” en juin 2009,
plus d’un an après l’achèvement de son second mandat.

AZERBAIJAN’S FOREIGN MINISTRY: ARMENIA USING DELAYING TACTICS IN PEACE TALKS

Trend
March 26 2012
Azerbaijan

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian recently used a pretext
of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the OSCE Minsk Group
to make provocative statements aimed at delaying and derailing the
peace process over Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry
spokesman Elman Abdullayev told Trend.

“Statements by Nalbandian indicate that Yerevan ignores statements by
leaders of the co-chairs of the Minsk Group made in L’Aquila, Muskoka
and Deauville, which emphasise the unacceptability of preserving the
status quo in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” Abdullayev said.

Abdullayev said Yerevan has ignored the four UN Security Council
resolutions calling for the withdrawal of Armenian forces from occupied
territories of Azerbaijan.

“Many international organisations, in addition to the UN Security
Council, such as the OIC and the European Parliament also adopted
resolutions calling for the withdrawal of Armenian troops from
occupied territories of Azerbaijan. All countries in the world and
international institutions recognise the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan,” said Abdullayev.

He said using the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group as a cover,
Nalbandian wants to put the blame on Baku while showing extreme
disrespect for international norms.

“It’s Armenia that took an unconstructive position aimed at preserving
the status quo and breaking down peace talks,” said Abdullyaev.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian at the 20th anniversary of
the establishment of the OSCE Minsk Group said that a breakthrough in
the settlement of the problem wasn’t achieved due to the destructive
position of the second side of the conflict.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the U.S. –
are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.