Author: Kanayan Tamar

INTERESTS IN OPERA AND BALLET INCREASES

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 6, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 6, ARMENPRESS: Very often an opinion is being voiced
that the age of opera and ballet has already passed and the growing
generation is not interested in it. To find out the real picture,
Armenpress spoke with the director of the Al. Spendiaryan Opera and
Ballet National Academic Theatre Kamo Hovhannissyan.

– Mr Hovhannissyan, what kind of interest does exist in the Opera
and Ballet Theatre today?

– Each century has its peculiar, firm forms of art loved by the
people and during the past twenty years the Armenian people have been
attracted by the easily perceived arts. Of course it is difficult
to name them art. I prefer saying perceivable forms reaching to
preference to restaurant music. But thank’s God the situation is
controllable as there is big difference since 2006.

– There is a concrete mass visiting the opera theatre. Who are they?

– Yes, we have a clear mass visiting the theatre, but when young
people come it is more pleasant to work. For bringing people here,
we applied different measures, like organization of concerts that
raised big interest among the audience. It already proves that the
interest in these arts has increased.

– What steps are you going to undertake to attract school age children
and young people?

– During each performance we invite more than 30 schoolchildren both
from Yerevan and the provinces. We are also cooperating with the
Yerevan City Hall as a result of which a number of schoolchildren
come to see our performances. Students from Yerevan State Institute
of Theatre and Cinema, Teachers’ Training University, etc are also
our expected guests.

– What problems do you see connected with the level of education of
contemporary Armenian audience?

– I see no issues in our permanent audience. The problems are connected
with the upbringing of the newly growing generation. I mean aesthetic
upbringing. The solution of this issue is connected with time. I am
an optimist in this issue.

– Which is our place in the world culture? What do we have to show
the world?

– With “Aida”, “Spartak,” “Gayane” ballets we not once proved the whole
world our right of existence. But we must not ignore the circumstance
that we had great losses in this area and cannot be compared with
other countries. It is agreed with a number of financial difficulties,
issue of continuation of traditions that still must be solved. In
separate cases we do not concede.

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT MEMBERS CONDEMN HRANT DINK CASE VERDICT

Panorama.am
06/02/2012

Members of European Parliament have declared they are disappointed
with a Turkish court verdict on Hrant Dink’s, editor-in-Chief of
“Agos” daily, murder case, Turkish “Sondakika.com” reported.

Ria Oomen-Ruijten, European Parliament’s rapporteur on Turkey, said
in Brussels that Turkey had failed a favorable chance.

“It’s evident that Turkey’s judicial system definitely needs reforms.

European Parliament thinks that the situation is really shameful.”

English MP Andrew Duff said he knew Hrant Dink, who was a great man.

“I had a chance to meet him several times. It’s shameful after so many
years of the murder; the case hasn’t been completely investigated and
condemned. Advanced and liberal lawyers say the country’s judicial
system needs serious reforms. Ruling “Justice and development party”
is uncertain with it. They are committed to reforms but are not
committed to react quickly.”

Today’s Zaman
Feb 5 2012

OSCE’s third co-chair France to be replaced by Turkey in minsk Group?

5 February 2012 / LAMÄ°YA ADÄ°LGIZI, Ä°STANBUL
After the French Senate passed a bill penalizing denying the 1915
killings of Armenians at the hands of Ottoman Turks constituted
genocide, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet DavutoÄ?lu, speaking in an
interview broadcast by news channel CNN Türk on Jan. 28, denounced
France’s co-chairmanship of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe’s (OCSE) Minsk Group.
Although Azerbaijanis are in favor of replacing France as co-chair,
finding France biased, Armenians are satisfied with the French role as
a co-chair, claiming the country is non-aligned and impartial. Talking
to Sunday’s Zaman, Fazil Mustafa, an Azerbaijani deputy, says it
justifiable that Turkey calls into question the French
co-chairmanship, underlining that France must be replaced by Turkey.
Commenting on the French bill criminalizing the denial of the Armenian
`genocide,’ Mustafa says that by passing the bill France revealed its
biased and one-sided position, and added that the argument put forward
by senior Turkish officials is reasonable. `France’s position as a
co-chair of the Minsk Group has been compromised. The country is not
neutral, a prerequisite for any mediator. France supports Armenia in
opposition to Azerbaijan, so the country must be made to give up its
position.’

Following the approval of the bill in France’s lower house, Turkish
President Abdullah Gül announced that France should withdraw from the
Minsk Group if the bill is approved by the French Senate and becomes
law as this would mean that France is no longer neutral in the
resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Gül’s statement was
recently restated by DavutoÄ?lu, meaning the issue of the French
co-chairmanship needs to be reconsidered.

Considering the issue political rhetoric, Sabine Freizer, the
Ä°stanbul-based director of the International Crisis Group’s Europe
Program, in an interview with Sunday’s Zaman commented on the chances
of any changes in co-chairs, saying it is unlikely that Turkey will
get France replaced. `I don’t believe that Turkey will get much
support from the OSCE states when it tries to link the problems of the
Minsk Group with the passage of legislation in France that penalizes
persons denying the genocide,’ she said.

`Turkey needs to get the support of all 56 participating states — or
at least of the country that chairs the organization at that time. It
will also need the support of Armenia, Azerbaijan and the other three
current co-chairing countries, the US, France and Russia,’ Freizer
added.

The OSCE, the world’s largest security-oriented intergovernmental
organization, works on the basis of consensus, so if Armenia, as a
member of the OSCE, vetoes Turkey’s co-chairmanship of the Minsk
Group, Turkey cannot become the Mink Group’s co-chair.

Richard Giragosian, director of the Yerevan-based Armenian Center for
Regional Studies, considers the removal of France from the Minsk Group
unlikely, especially as earlier pressure from within the EU failed to
unseat the French.

Freizer also stated that when the issue of replacing France as
co-chair by another EU country was on the table, her team was in
favor, saying that `the EU would be responsible for much of the
technical [nation building] and financial support if there is ever a
peace agreement.’ Hence, the expert thinks that any kind of change in
the leadership of the Minsk Group will be difficult to pass.

Praising Turkey’s enthusiasm for the Minsk Group, Giragosian says an
active Turkey within the Minsk Group `may play a greater and more
direct role in the region through this under-used format [Minsk group
mediation].’ According to Giragosian, if Turkey truly seeks to benefit
from a new dynamic focus on the OSCE, it needs to reconsider the
reconciliation process between Armenians and Turks. `The quickest path
toward garnering diplomatic dividends would be to re-engage and
restart the normalization process with Armenia in a more sincere and
resolute manner,’ he said.

Commenting on the role of the Minsk Group in the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Mustafa says the Minsk Group seems to have
failed as the conflict has remained unresolved for two decades and
progress in the negotiations process has been minimal.

Mustafa notes that questioning the French position in the Minsk Group
could be a shortcut to the start of calling into question the group’s
very mandate. The Azerbaijani deputy considers the Minsk Group
ineffective as it does not follow up on its commitments. `Not only
France, but the Minsk Group in its entirety needs to be replaced. It
is better that the Minsk Group be replaced by an international
institution such as the UN so that the Minsk Group, with its biased
member states openly supporting Armenia, does not ossify and that its
impartiality does not become permanent,’ he said.

Considering the Minsk Group format in many ways outdated, Freizer
thinks that a serious discussion is needed on the value and
effectiveness of the Minsk Group format.

The Minsk Group was established in 1992 to encourage a peaceful
resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which erupted in the late
`80s between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Minsk Group has been
mediating for 20 years between the conflicting sides, however, no
positive results have yet been reached, making the Minsk Group an
institution with an unfinished mission.

BUSINESS SUPPORT CENTER PRESENTS PROGRAM DESIGNED TO BOOST ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN RURAL COMMUNITIES

/ARKA/
FEBRUARY 3, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, February 3. /ARKA/. Samvel Gevorkian, the chairman of the
Business Support Center (BSC), presented a program today designed
to boost entrepreneurship in rural communities. According to him,
boosting entrepreneurship in communities outside Yerevan is not very
difficult and does not require large financial investments.

“The basic idea is to encourage entrepreneurship in the regions through
identifying their top priorities. All you need to have is the desire
of the people and support of community heads,” he said.

According to Gevorkian, Armenia should adopt the Japanese method of
development – “one village – one production.”

“For example, one community has very attractive historical monuments,
the other community is known for preparing a national dish,” he said.

Gevorkian cited the example of the town of Berd in the Tavush region
where women produce teddy bears. This business has appeared very
profitable as a teddy bear is sold at 15,000 drams.

The Business Support Center was founded in 1994 as Armenian Foundation
for Small and Medium Enterprises, acting within the framework of EU
TACIS program.

In 1998 it became a private and self-financing company, and was
renamed the Business Support Center to provides consulting and training
services.

THE FEAST OF ST. SARKIS TO BE CELEBRATED ON JANUARY 4

armradio.am
03.02.2012 17:11

The Commemoration Day of St. Sargis has been declared the Day of
Blessing the Young. Tnis year it will be celebrated on February 4.

The feast day honoring St. Sarkis is movable. It occurs between
January 11th and February 15th. Each year it follows the five-day
Fast of Catechumens.

Captain St. Sarkis is one of the most beloved saints among the Armenian
nation. Together with his 14 soldiers-companions he was martyred for
the sake of Christian faith.

During the period of reign of the king Kostandianos the Great (285-337)
St. Sarkis, being very courageous, was appointed the prince and
General in chief of the region of Cappadocia bordering Armenia.

When during the period of reign of the king Julianos the Betrayer
(360-363) the persecutions against Christians started by God~Rs will
St. Sarkis and his only son ~V Martyros, came to live in Armenia,
and the Armenian king Tiran, grandson of Tiridates, received them
very well.

>>From Armenia St. Sarkis and his son went to Persia, and started
serving in the army of the Persian king Shapouh as the captain of
regiments. Become aware of the fact that Sarkis was Christian the king
Shapouh ordered him to worship the fire and offer sacrifice to the
heathen gods. But the captain immediately refused to obey the order
saying, ~SWe should worship one God – the Holy Trinity, which has
created the earth and the heaven. Whereas fire or idols are not gods
and the human being may destroy them.~T After these words the saint
destroyed the temple. The annoyed crowd fell on the saint and his son.

First the son of the saint was martyred. The saint was put into prison
and remaining unshaken in his faith was beheaded. After the martyrdom
of the saint light appeared over his body. 14 soldiers-companions of
the saint also were martyred for the sake of Christian faith.

Later St. Mesrop Mashtots brought the relics of the saint to the
village Karbi and the Church of St. Sarkis was built over his relics.

According to one of the folk stories upon return of their victorious
battle Captain St. Sarkis and his 39 soldiers-companions celebrated
their victory in the royal palace, When all of them were drunk and
went to sleep, the king ordered 40 young women to kill the brave
soldiers. 39 of the women obeyed the order and killed the soldiers,
whereas one of them seeing the handsome and peaceful face of sleeping
Sarkis fell in love with him and instead of killing kissed him.

Getting up and seeing what had happened St. Sarkis straddled his
white horse and taking the young woman with him smashed the gates
of the city, brought up violent snow-storm and left the city. It is
because of this folk story that people in love started to consider
St. Sarkis their intercessor and protector. St. Sarkis always helps
and supports all young people asking his help and support.

According to the studies of Academician Karapet Melik-Ohanjanyan, St.
Sarkis was the patron of David of Sassoon and all heroes of Sassoon
not only in the field of battle, but also in love.

The feast of St. Sarkis the Captain and his soldiers-companions is
celebrated not only by means of church rites and prayer, but also
folk traditions.

Wonders are worked by the mediation of St. Sarkis. On the day of the
feast young people pray asking the saint to make their prayers audible
to God. The day before the feast young people eat salty cookies and
relate the appearance of their future bride or bridegroom in their
dream to eating of the salty cookie. After eating the salty cookie
they eat nothing else and pray waiting for the dream. Seeing future
bride or bridegroom in the dream is the result of the wonder worked
thanks to sincere faith.

There are many miracles and folk traditions related to the saint. On
the night preceding the feast of St. Sarkis the faithful people place
a tray full of gruel before the door believing that while passing
near their door at dawn St. Sarkis will leave his footprint on the
gruel symbolizing the fulfillment of their dreams.

People in love present each other cards, flowers or sweets on the
occasion of the feast.

ARMENIAN MP DESCRIBES ADOPTION OF BILL BY FRENCH SENATE AS RESTORATION OF JUSTICE

ARMENPRESS
FEBRUARY 3, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 3, ARMENPRESS: The adoption of bill penalizing the
denial of the Armenian Genocide is restoration of justice almost after
a century since it was committed, member of the RPA party’s faction
Karine Atchemyan told a news conference today, stressing that many
in Europe first learnt about it during the debates and adoption of
the bill by the French Senate.

“Using pressure Turkey is trying to present the adoption of bill in
a way convenient to it. It is being explained with the geo-political
and personal pre-electoral interests, but the fact remains that as a
result Turkey is being presented to the community with its real face,”
the MP said.

PRESS RELEASE
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA
40 Baghramyan Ave.
Yerevan 0019, Republic of Armenia
Email: [email protected]
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AUA e-Bulletin

AUA Low Cost Student Loan Program featured on CivilNet.TV Segment

Chief Financial Officer Gevorg Goyunyan was recently invited by
CivilNet.TV to talk about AUA’s affordable alternative to the high cost
of student loans in Armenia. AUA has led the charge to make high quality
education affordable by offering a low cost Student Loan Program, the
first of its kind in Armenia, which has been embraced by hundreds of
students over the years.

AUA Alum Elected to Chair Presidential Commission on Ethics of High
Ranking Officials

AUA Alumnus Emil Babayan, who is also a Senior Lecturer in the Law
Department, was recently appointed to head the Commission on Ethics of
High Ranking Officials. The Commission, established by Presidential
decree, aims to “raise society’s confidence in public institutions
functioning in Armenia” and create a more transparent public domain.
Previous to this appointment Babayan served as Deputy Minister of
Justice of the Republic of Armenia. Babayan served as AUA’s 2011
Commencement Speaker.

AUA Alum leads Seminar on Challenges and Opportunities for Better Health

AUA Alumnus Dr. Tatul Hakobyan, Public Health Adviser in the World
Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe, led the Public
Health seminar at the College of Health Sciences on December 20, 2011.
Dr. Hakobyan’s talk was devoted to “Challenges and Opportunities for
Better Health in Europe.”

READ MORE…

Anti-Smoking

College of Engineering Developing Innovative Solar Space and Water Heater

The College of Engineering’s Engineering Research Center (ERC) has
initiated “Development of a Solar and Natural-Gas Driven Hybrid Hot
Water and Space Heating System,” a project funded by Industrial
Technologies Co. (ITC), an Armenia-based engineering and
product-development company. ERC will develop an optimized design for
the unit and provide product schematics and specifications.

READ MORE…

Anti-Smoking

Center for Excellence in Negotiation hosts Seminar

The Center for Excellence in Negotiation (CEN), a program of AUA’s Legal
Resource Center, hosted a seminar led by Boston-based Bridgeway Group
negotiation expert Arthur Martirosyan on the role of values and
environment on negotiation processes. The discussion aimed to help the
CEN set its agenda for the coming year. The CEN’s work is comprised of
three components: (1) training, (2) analytics/research, (3)
consultation/interventions.

READ MORE…

Anti-Smoking

Mane Beglaryan Joins SBM Faculty

The School of Business and Management (SBM) announces the appointment of
Mane Beglaryan as Coordinator of Internship Program and Instructor of
Management. Ms. Beglaryan comes to SBM with a background in
international development having worked for private consulting companies
in Washington, D.C. Beglaryan is not new to AUA as she taught
Organizational Behavior in the School of Political Science and
International Affairs in Spring 2011, and designed and taught Effective
Communications at SBM last fall.

READ MORE…

Anti-Smoking

Faculty Member named Deputy Minister of Justice

AUA Law Adjunct Lecturer Yeghishe Kirakosyan has been named Deputy
Minister of Justice. Mr. Kirakosyan is teaching Public International Law
this winter in the Law Department. Over the past year, he has organized
and led a number of round tables at AUA on emerging issues in
international law in conjunction with International and Comparative Law
Center of which he is a co-founder. Mr. Kirakosyan holds his doctorate
in public international law from Yerevan State University and has
completed the Foreign Ministry Training Program at the Fletcher School
of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. We congratulate Mr. Kirakosyan
on his appointment and wish him all the best as he undertakes this
important public service.

Anti-Smoking

AUA and Northeastern University: Study abroad this summer

AUA will once again host Northeastern University’s Dialogue of
Civilizations Study in Armenia program which offers students an
opportunity to study Armenia’s history, politics, and culture while
earning college credit. This year the program will be held from late May
to late June 2012 and will include field trips to Armenia’s various
historical sites. The application deadline is February 15, 2012. For
more information please see:

Anti-Smoking

Faculty Research and Scholarship

College of Health Sciences Associate Dean Varduhi Petrosyan was recently
appointed Associate Editor of the International Journal for Equity in
Health, “an open access, peer-reviewed, online journal presenting
evidence relevant to the search for, and attainment of, equity in health
across and within countries.”

Dr. Syuzanna Vasilyan, Assistant Professor, Political Science and
International Affairs, recently participated in the round-table
conference “Democracy promotion East and South after the Arab Spring:
Re-evaluating the EU’s Engagement with Authoritarian Regimes,” organized
jointly by Maastricht University (the Netherlands), the Trans-European
Policy Studies Association (Belgium) and the Institut für Europäische
Politik (Germany). Dr. Vasilyan presented a talk on “The European Union
(EU) as a ‘Moral Power’ through its Democracy Promotion Policy in the
South Caucasus.”

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MORT D’UN SOLDAT ARMENIEN PRES DE HORADIZ
Krikor Amirzayan

armenews.com
samedi 4 fevrier 2012

Un soldat armenien a ete mortellement blesse le 2 fevrier vers
17 heures dans la region de Djabraïl sur la ligne frontalière au
sud-est du Haut Karabagh. Le soldat Karlen Baghdassarian (28 ans) de
Stepanakert servait au sein d’une unite armenienne de defense près
de Horadiz. Grièvement blesse, il mourrait lors de son transfert
a l’hôpital. Neanmoins d’après les premiers elements de l’enquete,
il semblerait que K. Baghdassarian s’est donne la mort.

ROMAN BEREZOVSKI TRANSFERE AU ” DYNAMO ” DE MOSCOU
Krikor Amirzayan

armenews.com
samedi 4 fevrier 2012

Le gardien de la selection d’Armenie, Roman Berezovksi (37 ans)
qui jouait dans le championnat de Russie a ” Khimki ” vient d’etre
transfere au ” Dynamo ” de Moscou. Roman Berezovski a signe un contrat
d’un an avec le club moscovite. Dès mars, il devrait prendre sa place
au sein du ” Dynamo ” de Moscou en remplacant le gardien titulaire
Anton Chounine, blesse. Le ” Dynamo ” de Moscou occupe actuellement
la troisième place au classement du championnat de Russie.

DELEGATION COMPRISING FRENCH SENATORS COMPLAINING TO CONSTITUTIONAL COURT OF FRENCH SENATE’S LAW TO VISIT AZERBAIJAN

APA
Feb 3 2012
Azerbaijan

Baku-APA. Azerbaijani official authorities, parliament and society
condemned the French parliament’s adoption of draft law criminalizing
denial of made-up “Armenian genocide”.

The State Committee on Work with Religious Organizations told APA
that the Azerbaijanis living in various parts of the world protested
this decision of the parliament. More than 60 Azerbaijani Diaspora
organizations condemned the French parliament’s abovementioned
decision, underlined that this law infringed the freedom of speech
and expression, as well as didn’t serve to establishment of peace,
tranquility and mutual confidence in the region.

Official Ankara positively assessed Azerbaijan’s support to Turkey
on this issue. Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan noted
that Azerbaijan rendered necessary support to Turkey on this issue
and underlined that “Azerbaijan is our brother and fraternal shoulder
is always near us”. Turkey said that Azerbaijan played a significant
role in French senators’ appeal to the French Constitutional Council
in abolition of the abovementioned draft law.

The Republic of Azerbaijan completely continues its efforts for the
abolition of this law. A group of the senators who appealed to the
French Constitutional Court will arrive in Azerbaijan on February
5 by the invitation of the State Committee on Work with religious
Organizations. The delegation includes senators Nathalie Goulet,
Sylvie Goy-Chavent, Jean-Marie Bockel, Herve Maurey, Andre Reichard,
Jeanny Lorgeoux. They senators will hold meetings in the Parliament
as well as several ministries. The French Seantors will also meet
with the refugees and IDPs suffered as a result of Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, will familiarize with their living conditions. The visit
will end on February 10.