Author: Kanayan Tamar

PRESIDENT OF FRANCE WRAPS UP HIS STATE VISIT TO ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
OCTOBER 7, 2011
YEREVAN

President of France Nicolas Sarkozy wrapped up his state visit to
Armenia and departed for Azerbaijan. RA President Serzh Sargsyan,
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, Economy Minister Tigran Davtyan,
acting head of President’s staff Vigen Sargsyan, Ambassador of
France to Armenia Henri Reynaud and other officials saw the French
President off.

Within the framework of state visit to Armenia, Nicolas Sarkozy met
with President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, His Holiness Catholicos of
All Armenians Karekin II, visited Tsitsernakaberd memorial and paid
tribute to the victims of the Armenian Genocide. With the participation
of the presidents of the two countries, statue authored by Auguste
Rodin was unveiled at the France Square.

Sarkozy continues its regional visit and will be in Georgia and
Azerbaijan.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT CONGRATULATES RUSSIAN PRIME MINISTER ON BIRTHDAY

/ARKA/
OCTOBER 7, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, October 7. / ARKA /. Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan sent
a congratulatory message to Russian prime minister Vladimir Putin on
the occasion of the latter~Rs birthday. Today Putin turns 59.

“Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich! Please accept my heartfelt
congratulations on your birthday! I am confident that your vast
political experience in achieving the set goals will continue to
serve the interests of development and prosperity of the Russian
Federation, further consolidate its authority and role on the world
stage,” the letter says.

Sargsyan noted with satisfaction that issues on Armenian-Russian
strategic cooperation have always been in the focus of Russian prime
minister.

“It’s hard to overestimate your personal contribution to building
up the Russian-Armenian allied cooperation and partnership in all
fields based on mutual support and coordination that emanates from
the interests of the peoples of Armenia and Russia, contributes to
the maintenance of security and stability in South Caucasus,” the
congratulatory message says.

The president of Armenia praised personal trustful relations
established between him and Putin which undoubtedly contribute to
and promote the further implementation of important agreements for
the benefit of our peoples.”

“I look forward to continued constructive dialogue with you in the
course of further meetings in Yerevan and Moscow. I sincerely wish
you Mr Prime Minister good health, well-being and success in your
endeavours for the benefit of brotherly Russia,” Armenian president
said.

SARGSYAN PRAISES SARKOZY’S CONTRIBUTION TO DEVELOPMENT OF RELATIONS

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 7, 2011 – 13:19 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has praised his
French counterpart’s contribution to development of relations between
the two countries.

“Yerevan and Paris enjoy high-level relations, what is proved by
French investments in the Armenian economy and a 500-thousand Armenian
community in France,” President Sargsyan said during the joint press
conference with Nicolas Sarkozy.

Commenting on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, the Armenian
leader hailed France’s efforts within the OSCE Minsk Group and the
country’s balanced position on the issue.

ARTSAKH WELCOMES THIS YEAR’S10000TH VISITOR

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 7, 2011 – 16:06 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – On October 7, Artsakh Republic has welcomed this
year’s 10000th visitor, Russian poet and translator Vadim Rakhmanov,
who was awarded a certificate and a memorable gift, symbolizing the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

According to NKR Foreign Ministry data, the number of foreign visitors
to the republic in 2011 exceeded that of 2010 by 64%, with tourist
inflow from Russia increasing thrice. The origin of NKR guests
includes those from European countries, U.S., Iran, Canada, Japan,
China, Singapore, Brazil, Venezuela, Israel, New Zealand, India,
Cote d’Ivoire and many others.

SARGSYAN PLEASES PUTIN
HAKOB BADALYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 13:24:41 – 07/10/2011

October 7 is Vladimir Putin’s birthday. He becomes 59 years old. Serzh
Sargsyan congratulated Putin on this occasion. His congratulatory
message can be called fantastic because of its interesting content.

The fantastic thing is that usually a president congratulates a
president, a prime minister a premier according to the principle of
equal “subordination”.

While in this case the president congratulates the premier. At personal
plane, there can be no issue: maybe Serzh Sargsyan just wanted to
congratulate Putin personally. But in this case, the address should
not be an official one, but it should be delivered through personal
cables, there would be nothing weird.

But the President of Armenia officially congratulates the Prime
Minister of Russia. This is not a tragedy, of course, but there is an
issue. The last conference of Yedinaya Rossia party evidenced that in
reality Putin is already and again the President of Russia but he is
still the de jure Prime Minister, while the states and their first
figures are a legal category. Consequently, maybe for subordination
dignity, it would be better not to congratulate him at the level of
the President.

Two circumstances are possible to push Sargsyan to this step. The
first is perhaps the one that Putin appeared in the psychological
trap of the causal and consequential connection of Putin-Kocharyan
possible return, or under the psychological pressure and so, now he
is trying to do everything not to arouse Putin’s suspicion proving
he is attentive and committed.

“I can note with satisfaction that we have always been focused on
the issues relating to the Armenian-Russian strategic cooperation”,
said Serzh Sargsyan in his letter, which means that “I have always
felt your glance and did everything under your sight”.

The stress on personal relations is not less noteworthy: “I highly
appreciate the personal trustworthy and close relations between us,
which, no doubt, promote the further fulfillment of our bilateral
plans”.

Serzh Sargsyan is trying thereby to emphasize that there is a warm
relationship with Putin, because in the Armenian political circles,
“personal relationships” are valued particularly highly. Sargsyan
is trying to dispel the deep-seated belief that Kocharyan has much
“more friendly” relationship with Putin than Sargsyan.

The second motive of the congratulatory message could be the visit to
Yerevan of the French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who made â~@~Kâ~@~Ka
statement in Armenia that can be perceived as “encroachment” on
Russia’s interests in the energy sector of Armenia.

He said that his country would help Armenia develop alternative energy
sources. And alternative energy in Armenia may be only alternative
to the Russian presence, because all the power in Armenia is Russified.

If we add to this the fact that Sarkozy quite transparently urged
EU countries to show interest in the energy system of Armenia and
Armenia to take into account the initiatives of European pipeline
bypassing Russia, it becomes clear how unpleasant came out to be the
day of October 7 in Armenia for Russia.

It is possible that this is the reason why Serzh Sargsyan forgot
about the subordination and congratulated Putin’s birthday in order
to disperse the unpleasant impression from Sarkozy’s visit.

LE GROUPE VALLEX A INVESTI ENVIRON 250 MILLIONS DE $ EN 15 ANS DANS L’ECONOMIE DE L’ARMENIE ET DU KARABAKH
Stephane

armenews
vendredi 7 octobre 2011

La societe Groupe Vallex a investi environ 250 millions de $ en 15 ans
dans l’economie de l’Armenie et du Karabakh, a declare le directeur de
l’entreprise Valeri Mezhlumyan lors des evenements dedies a la Journee
de la metallurgie a Alaverdi.

100 millions ont ete investis dans la construction d’une installation
minière dans le Teghut et dans le projet d’exploitation de la mine de
cuivre-molybdène.

Au cours des deux prochaines annees, la societe prevoit d’investir 250
millions de dollars ce qui signifie que le montant total des
investissements du “Groupe Vallex ” en Armenie et du Karabagh sera de
un demi-million de dollars.

SARKOZY ARRIVE EN ARMENIE, PREMIERE ETAPE DE SA TOURNEE DANS LE CAUCASE
Stephane

armenews
vendredi 7 octobre 2011

EREVAN, 6 oct 2011 (AFP) – Le president Nicolas Sarkozy est arrive
jeudi a Erevan pour une brève visite d’Etat destinee a celebrer les
liens particuliers entre la France et l’Armenie, première etape d’une
tournee dans le sud du Caucase qui le conduira vendredi en Azerbaïdjan
et en Georgie.

Une semaine a peine après l’avoir accueilli a l’Elysee et avoir assiste
avec lui a un recital parisien du plus armenien des chanteurs francais,
Charles Aznavour, M. Sarkozy a ete accueilli a l’aeroport peu après
12H00 GMT par son homologue, Serge Sarkissian, qu’il doit retrouver
en soiree pour un dîner.

Protocole et tradition obligent, le sejour du chef de l’Etat francais
a debute par un entretien avec le patriarche de l’eglise chretienne
d’Armenie, puis un hommage aux centaines de milliers de victimes du
massacre ottoman perpetre en 1915 et 1916 en Turquie.

La qualification de ces evenements de “genocide” a ete reconnue par
la France, le Canada et le Parlement europeen.

Comme Nicolas Sarkozy l’a rappele dans un entretien a l’agence de
presse Mediamax, les liens “indestructibles” qui unissent la France
et l’Armenie ont ete forges “dans la tragedie du genocide, lorsque
la France a accueilli des dizaines de milliers d’Armeniens rescapes
des massacres”.

Près d’un siècle plus tard, cette question devrait peser sur la visite
du president a six mois du scrutin presidentiel. Avant son election
en 2007, il avait promis aux representants de la forte communaute
armenienne de France, estimee a 500.000 personnes, de soutenir une
loi reprimant la negation du genocide de 1915, reconnu il y a dix
ans par une loi francaise.

Mais ce texte a ete enterre en mai faute d’une majorite au Senat
(chambre haute) et surtout du soutien du gouvernement de Nicolas
Sarkozy, suscitant l’amertume des Armeniens de France et de leurs
partisans.

“Il n’a pas respecte sa promesse pour ne pas froisser un peu plus
les Turcs, auxquels il a le courage de refuser l’entree dans l’Union
europeenne. Mais il n’est pas trop tard”, espère le depute UMP (droite)
Richard Mallie.

Dans ce contexte, certains comme l’ex-ministre d’origine armenienne
Patrick Devedjian, qui accompagne le president avec Charles Aznavour
et la chanteuse Helène Segara, considèrent sa visite comme un “geste”
a l’endroit des Armeniens de France. “On a bien compris l’importance
pour lui de cette visite en Armenie”, commente un diplomate de la
region, “2012 n’est plus très loin”.

Outre ce dossier sensible, Nicolas Sarkozy debarque dans le
Caucase avec l’ambition de faire avancer la paix entre l’Armenie et
l’Azerbaïdjan voisin, qui se disputent le territoire azerbaïdjanais
du Nagorny Karabakh, une enclave separatiste peuplee en majorite
d’Armeniens.

Jeudi, le ministère azerbaïdjanais de la Defense a annonce la mort
de deux soldats tues par les forces armeniennes autour du Nagorny
Karabakh, où 17 militaires au total ont ete tues dans des accrochages
depuis janvier.

Le president francais a promis d’oeuvrer en faveur de la paix egalement
lors de sa rencontre son homologue azerbaïdjanais, Ilham Aliev,
vendredi a Bakou, pour une etape de quelques heures. Paris espère
aussi de cette rencontre un “coup de pouce” a la conclusion de gros
contrats pour des entreprises francaises dans ce pays, important
producteur de gaz et de petrole.

Et c’est avec la meme casquette de “faiseur de paix” que Nicolas
Sarkozy doit conclure son periple vendredi après-midi a Tbilissi,
trois ans après avoir negocie un cessez-le-feu controverse entre la
Russie et la Georgie.

Cet accord suscite aujourd’hui le mecontentement des Georgiens, qui
jugent que les Russes ne l’ont pas applique. Trois semaines après
avoir ete accueilli en sauveur en Libye, M. Sarkozy espère toutefois
peaufiner a Tbilissi sa stature d’homme d’Etat, a quelques mois de
la presidentielle francaise qui s’annonce pour lui très difficile.

DES SON ARRIVEE NICOLAS SARKOZY EST ALLE SE RECUEILLIR AU MEMORIAL DU GENOCIDE ARMENIEN

armenews.com

vendredi 7 octobre 2011

Après son arrivee a l’aeroport de Zvarnots et une rapide visite a
sa saintete le catholicos Karekine II Nicolas Sarkozy est alle se
recueillir au memorial du genocide sur la colline du Tzitzernagapert.

A pas lents avec a ses cotes le president armenien Sarkissian il a
emprunte l’allee du deuil. Devant le memorial deux immenses gerbes
ont ete deposees et les hymnes nationaux francais et armeniens ont
et interpretes par un detachement de la musique militaire.

Les deux chefs d’etats ont ensuite descendu les marches pour
s’approcher de la flamme qui brule au centre du memorial, et refaisant
le geste que font des milliers d’Armeniens chaque 24 avril, il ont
depose un ~illet blanc. Nicolas Sarkozy a ensuite visite le musee du
genocide s’attardant sur les ” unes ” des journaux francais de 1915
qui traitaient du massacre des Armeniens par les Turcs ” et a signe
le livre d’or avec cette simple dedicace : ” La France n’oublie pas “.

A l’exterieur du musee Le President francais a plante un arbre,
place juste a cote d’une stèle qui rappelle que la France a reconnu
le genocide armenien.

Silencieux pendant toute la ceremonie et la visite, Nicolas Sarkozy
s’est alors exprime : ” Le genocide des Armeniens est une realite
historique. Il a ete reconnu par la France. le negationnisme collectif
est pire que le negationnisme individuel. la Turquie qui est un grand
pays s’honorerait a revisiter son Histoire comme d’autres pays l’ont
fait l’Allemagne, la France ” a precise le President francais

” On est toujours plus fort quand on regarde son histoire. Le
negationnisme n’est pas acceptable. Si la Turquie regardait en face
son histoire avec ses ombres et ses lumières la reconnaissance du
genocide suffirait. Si elle ne le fait pas alors sans doute faudrait
il aller plus loin. ”

Puis se tournant vers Alexis Govcyian president de l’ UGAB Europe il
aurait ajoute : La balle est dans le camp des Turcs. Soit la Turquie
reconnaît le Genocide, soit la France devra legiferer. Car il faut
que les choses se stabilisent.

En soiree le chef de l’etat et la delegation francaise a participe
a un diner officiel offert par le president Sarkissian.

Jeanine Paloulian

Envoyee speciale pour Nouvelles d’Armenie Magazine

A GROUP OF STUDENTS FROM MOVSES KHORENATSI UNIVERSITY OF YEREVAN VISITS THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

National Assembly of RA

Oct 6 2011
Armenia

On October 5 a group of students from Movses Khorenatsi University
of Yerevan, who visited National Assembly within the framework of the
“Open Lesson” programme, attended the sitting of the parliament, and
then they met the Speaker of the National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan.

The format of these traditional meetings gives an opportunity to
communicate with the Head of the Parliament in sincere atmosphere,
address him questions, and talk on different matters. In this regard
the dialogue between the students from Movses Khorenatsi University
of Yerevan and the NA Speaker was not an exception. First Hovik
Abrahamyan briefly presented the structure and activity, voting
system and functions of the Parliament, following that during the
question and answer with the students he touched upon a number of
issues relating to the issues of parliamentary work and diplomacy,
the region, the youth, education and elections.

Highlighting the role of parliamentary diplomacy and documenting
that during the recent years it has been significantly enlivened,
and in this context the NA Speaker particularly, considered necessary
the presence of the professional deputies in the parliament, who can
actively take part in the delegations. The Youth Parliament, where
the young people have the opportunity to show their knowledge and
abilities, can bring forth future parliamentarians. The NA Speaker
called on the students to be more active, moreover that the NA “Open
Lesson” programme gives an opportunity to more actively and directly
contact with the higher legislative body, to closely get acquainted
with its work. And the activation of the youth is also important from
in terms of shaping civil society.

In response to one of the students’ question, touching upon the
election theme, Hovik Abrahamyan stated that when several months had
been left to the elections, every person respecting himself, every
political force thinking about the people and the state should not
only speak about the snap elections, but also get prepared for the
regular elections, take part in them, seek to occupy a seat in the
parliament. The NA Speaker has stated that with the participation of
the international organizations and structures the new Electoral Code
adopted months ago gives an opportunity to hold fair elections.

In the name of the students and professors from University Movses
Khorenatsi of Yerevan the President of the University presented the
regular issue of the scientific periodical of the Higher Educational
Institution, afterwards the students had been taken a photo with the
NA Speaker in the session hall of the Parliament.

ARMENIA-MACEDONIA

Miusoccer.com

Oct 6 2011

Only one side here has a motive to play at all, and that is Armenia
who are on 14 points and with some chance still to at least finish
2nd, and with Slovakia -also on 14 points- hosting Russia who are
atop with 17 points; Armenia has a golden chance of messing up the
cards if they can win here.

Before I go an and to clarify, let’s take the hypothetical assumption
of Slovakia managing a win over Russia with Armenia beating Macedonia
into consideration. In theis case all 3 sides will be on 17 points with
one game to go for each. In this hypothetical and temporary situation
Armenia will have the advantage with 7 points having drawn at home
to Russia and done the double over Slovakia. Slovakia already beat
Russia in Moscow so they will have 6 points while Russia will be at
a disadvantage with only 4 points from a win and a draw vs Armenia.

Russia will still have a better chance as they will host Andorra
in their last game while Armenia will have to travel to Dublin and
Slovakia will take the short trip to Skopje.

Worthy to mention is that Ireland has 15 points as we speak and
they play away to Andorra, so the situation for Armenia is even more
complicated than it looks, but the point is a win over Macedonia is
a must to keep the Armenians in the run.

Macedonia has nothing to play for as they have only harvested 7 points
from therir previosu 8 games (2 wins over bottom side Andorra plus
a home draw vs Armenia).

Armenia scored 7 without conceding in their last 2 games while
Macedonia only scored once in their last 3 games (or 2 in their last
5), so obviously I will be backing the side on better form that has
a higher motive and is backed by the home fans.

Final words: Pandev is out injured for Macedonia.