Author: Kanayan Tamar

President calls for more cooperation between Iran, Armenia

Tehran, Sept 17, IRNA – President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad received
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian here on Saturday and told
him that more cooperation between Iran and Armenia is beneficial to
the region.

In the meeting, President Ahmadinejad, referring to existing
capacities in Iran and Armenia, said that trade with neighbors is
always good, because it is beneficial to expansion of security, peace
and friendship between neighbors as well as other regional countries.
According to the report of Presidential Office website, Ahmadinejad
described bilateral relations between Tehran and Yerevan historical,
deep and friendly adding that there is no limitation for development
of ties in all fields between the two countries.
Referring to constructive common programs on the agenda of both
countries, the president said Iran is interested that all nations live
together in peace and friendship and if there is any dispute between
them, it should be settled through negotiation.
He underlined that financial and technical problems in the way of
execution of signed agreements should be removed promptly and stressed
that communication lines and energy transfer lines are, as a matter of
fact, ties of friendship.
Edward Nalbandian, for his part, conveyed warm greetings and message
of Armenian president to his Iranian counterpart and said that there
are good and appropriate political and economic relations between the
two countries and added that trade exchange level between Iran and
Armenia has increased by 38 percent and it has reached 270 million
dollars annually.
In this direction, joint cooperation commission is trying to implement
signed agreements and in near future the 20th anniversary of
establishment of Tehran-Yerevan ties will be commemorated, said
Nalbandian.
The Armenian foreign minister continued that Armenia has always
appreciated Iran’s balanced stance on Karabakh and said that
Iran-Armenia railroad project, electricity transfer line from Iran to
Armenia, construction of Arras joint hydro-electric power plant and
transferring oil products pipeline are very big projects which will be
beneficial, not only for two nations, but for the whole region.

news.am, Armenia
Sept 17 2011

Delegation headed by Diaspora Armenian philanthropist Eduardo
Eurnekian arrives in Karabakh

September 17, 2011 | 17:48

STEPANAKERT. – President of Nagorno-Karabakh Bako Sahakyan met the
delegation headed by famous Diaspora Armenian philanthropist Eduardo
Eurnekian on Saturday.

The meeting discussed issued related to realization of different
programs in Nagorno-Karabakh, highlighting problems of agriculture,
finance, high tech and civil aviation.

The two sides stressed the importance of Diaspora potential for the
development of Artsakh.

The president dressed the philanthropist’s family with For Service in
Battle medal, posthumously awarded to his brother Andranik Eurnekian
for medical assistance delivered to servicemen during the defense of
Artsakh.

news.am, Armenia
Sept 17 2011

WikiLeaks opens new century of open politics and governing – Armenian opposition

September 17, 2011 | 14:40

YEREVAN. – WikiLeaks has opened a new century of more transparent
politics and governing, said the leader of opposition Heritage party
Raffi Hovannisian at a press conference on Saturday.

`This also implies that those speaking of high ideas would keep on
adhering to their words and deeds. One should never deem he can make
some confidential suggestion and keep it secret forever. All secrets
are revealed sooner or later.

Certain officials, both from the camps of opposition and authorities,
speak openly so that it becomes obvious they stand for private
interests rather than issues of national priority. I hope this will be
a good lesson for our leadership not to play games with foreign
diplomats and try not to gain dividends at the expense of our own
people,’ said Hovannisian.

Administrative Court Provided 20 Days to Nature Protection Ministry to
Prepare Explanations on NEMO Dolphinarium

arminfo
Saturday, September 17, 20:09

On 15 September the first hearing of the action brought by “Center
for Bird Lovers” and “EcoDar” NGOs against Nature Protection Ministry
of Armenia at the Administrative Court of Armenia.

In accordance with the lawsuit, the Ministry is accused of inactions
in regard with “Nemo” Dolphinarium and “Nerum” Company in Komitas
Public Park.

According to Ecolur, the dolphinarium was constructed in the absence
of positive opinion of the environmental expert assessment.
Nevertheless, despite all the public appeals to Nature Protection
Ministry that the dolphinarium was an illegal building, the Ministry
didn’t carry out necessary examinations either in terms of the
building, or in the terms of company documents.

However, the Ministry will most probably have to take these measures.
NGO Barrister Levon Ohanyan told EcoLur that Judge R. Hakobyan
provided Nature Protection Ministry 20 days to prepare explanations.
The first question is why the Ministry hadn’t required to carry out
the expert assessment of a building which is located in the square of
1250 square meters.

According to L. Ohanyan, the building was constructed when the old
standards for mandatory expert assessment were in force – more than
1000 square meters. New standards are 1500 square meters adopted only
in autumn 2010.

About 500 Representatives Of Armenian Communities From 50 Countries To
Attend Armenia-Diaspora Forum

YEREVAN, September 16. /ARKA/. About 500 representatives of Armenian
communities from 50 countries will travel to Armenia to attend
Armenia-Diaspora forum scheduled for September 19 in the Yerevan
Sports and Concerts Complex, Armenian Diaspora Ministry’s press office
reported on Friday.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and Nagorno-Karabakh President Bako
Sahakyan will speak at the forum. Catolicos Karekin II, Armenian
Apostolic Church leader, and Aram I, Catholicos of Great House of
Cilicia, will bless participants of the event. The forum is to be held
as part of the program of celebration of the 20th anniversary of
Armenia’s independence.

Ministers, experts, journalists from Armenian communities worldwide,
representatives of political parties are expected to speak at the
forum. Interaction between Armenia and Armenian communities overseas
will be among key issues on the agenda.

Language and education, the youth’s problems, Armenian Genocide,
Armenia-Diaspora cooperation will be discussed here.

Before to wrap up the participants will sign a national declaration
calling for setting up a united front to ensure Armenia’s security, to
press for peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, also
for international recognition of the Armenian genocide and for
rallying around the Armenian Apostolic Church for preservation of
Armenian identity. -0–

Argentina’s deputy minister shares his country’s hail suppression
experience with Armenian peers

YEREVAN, September 17. / ARKA /. Argentina’s deputy minister of
agriculture, Lorenzo Basso, was quoted today by Armenian ministry of
agriculture as saying that his country’s experts will be glad to share
their experience in hail suppression with Armenian colleagues as he
met here with Armenian minister of agriculture Sergo Karapetian.

The ministry said in a press release that Mr. Basso spoke in detail
about hail suppression technology used in his country and made a
cooperation offer.

Karapetian was quoted as saying that given virtually similar climatic
conditions in Armenia and Argentina, the countries can work in almost
all areas. He singled out a cooperation in cattle growing, seed
production, viticulture and winemaking.

Karapetian also emphasized the role of he Armenian community in
Argentina in cooperation between the two countries, in particular,
highlighting the activities here in Armenia of an Argentinean-Armenian
businessman Eduardo Eurnekian.
According to the press release, under an earlier arrangement,
Argentine’s winemakers will arrive in Armenia to share experiences
with Armenian colleagues. -0-

Public figures of Diaspora, Armenia granted presidential awards

September 17, 2011 – 15:40 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Armenia’s
independence, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan awarded 200
representatives of Diaspora, culture, art, healthcare, economy,
Foreign Ministry, army with orders, medals and honorary titles.`I’m
honoured to grant well-deserved awards to outstanding representatives
of our society and country,’ President Sargsyan said in his statement.

Among hose awarded were: VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian,
Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Arman Kirakossian, Yerevan Brandy
Company CEO Ara Grigoryan, etc. Van Bayburt, Georgian President
Mikheil Saakashvili’s adviser on minority affairs was granted a
special award for his contribution to preservation of national
identity.

Medal Like a `Black Mark’

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 15:27:55 – 17/09/2011

In societies where there is no equal access to the distribution of
national wealth and political decision-making, the division into `us
and them’ is becomes a necessity.

In the Armenian society, various methods of division into `us and
them’ are used, one of them is the award of medals, invitations to
celebrations and other regalia.

It becomes especially evident on holidays. For instance, looking at
dense rows of men in expensive suits on the Day of Independence of
Karabakh, people would not find those who began the Karabakh movement,
such as Igor Muradyan, Manvel Sargsyan, Ashot Manucharyan, and many
others. Certainly, these people will not be invited to the celebration
of 20th anniversary of independence of Armenia, though their
contribution to the independence of NKR and Armenia is invaluable. But
they appeared among `them’ and they have no place near the festive
tables. Similarly, Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan knows as Commandos has not
been invited to the military parade.

Maybe because these people put their heart and soul in the work which
they began, and they do not like that everything goes the wrong way.
Because they are not afraid of calling things by their proper names,
are not afraid talking about the mistakes and they do not hide
themselves behind insincere speeches.

Medals are given out like sunflower seeds, awards for contribution to
statehood are given to people who have absolutely no relation to
statehood but who have committed themselves to serving the government.
And if they want to give medals to certain people, but they don’t know
for what, they give undefined medals called after Anania Shirakatsi,
Movses Khorenatsi, medieval Armenian scholars.

Medals are used to tag their `own’ people. As soon as you are given a
medal, you are counted among `us’ and you will never be accepted in
the camp of `them’. Some of the people who receive state medals really
deserve them but the function of `tagging’ has depreciated the idea of
medals so that many people are ashamed of their medals.

But the authorities are not ashamed of giving the medals away. The
most important thing to keep in mind is who could tomorrow be in the
`enemy camp’, and `forget’ those who did not want to go into the camp
of `us’.

Armenian FM praises Iran’s balanced stance on Karabakh

armradio.am
17.09.2011 16:30

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian praised the Islamic
Republic of Iran for its balanced stance on the Nagorno-Karabakh
issue. Nalbandian made the remarks during a press conference after a
meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi in Tehran.

The Armenian top diplomat appreciated the Islamic Republic of Iran for
presenting proper and balanced views on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue,
and expressed the hope that Tehran would maintain the same stance and
continue presenting such positive views in future, Fars news agency
reports.

He further perceived positive and bright prospects for Tehran-Yerevan
relations, and stressed that the two countries’ ties and cooperation
would promote in future.

Nalbandian stated that during his meeting with Salehi, he invited his
Iranian counterpart to pay a visit to Armenia.

The Economist
Sept 10 2011

An unlikely refuge for Muammar Qaddafi

Come and be an Israeli!

The colonel has sympathisers in an unexpected place
Sep 10th 2011 | NETANYA | from the print edition

IF HE needs a refuge, Colonel Muammar Qaddafi might consider the
Israeli town of Netanya. An Israeli family of Libyan origin has
recently surfaced saying they are the colonel’s relatives and that he
should think of making aliyah (the Jewish voyage of return) and claim
Israeli citizenship as any Jew may do under Israeli law. Gita Boaron
told Israeli television she shares a great-grandmother with the
colonel. `She fled her Jewish husband for a Muslim sheikh,’ she says.
`Her daughter was the colonel’s mother, making him Jewish under
rabbinic law.’

Some jokers suggest that Mrs Boaron’s family want a share of the gold
the colonel is said to be carrying. But others say there may be a more
solid claim. `Jews from Tripoli remember he attended a Jewish wedding
in the 1960s, long before he became leader,’ says Pedazur Benattia,
founder of Or Shalom, a centre that promotes Libyan-Jewish culture in
Israel.

In Netanya, a resort north of Tel Aviv, where many of the 100,000-odd
Israeli Jews of Libyan origin have settled, a square has been called
Qaddafi Plaza in anticipation of his arrival. `Whatever he’s done,
Israel’s his home,’ says Rachel, a widow sipping her macchiato,
Libya’s beverage of choice, and nibbling abambara, a Libyan-Jewish
pastry in one of the square’s Libyan-owned cafés. `After all, he’s a
Jew.’ With his curls, she says, he would fit into many a Libyan
synagogue.

The colonel’s popularity is odd since he chased non-Muslims, Italian
Catholics and Jews alike out of Libya and took their property. But
Israel’s Libyan Jews say he has sought to atone for his youthful Arab
radicalism. In the New York Times in 2009 the Great Leader noted that
`Jews and Muslims are cousins descended from Abraham. The Jewish
people,’ he added understandingly, `want and deserve their homeland.’

Other family members are said to have kept up the tradition. Israeli
tabloids make much of reports that Saif al-Islam, the colonel’s son
and oft-presumed heir, used to date Orly Weinermann, a sometime
scantily clad Israeli soap-opera actress. Quite a few of the colonel’s
Libyan foes believe such gossip. Graffiti with Stars of David
superimposed on swastikas have spattered the walls of Benghazi, the
rebels’ eastern base. `Qaddafi Mossad agent,’ reads one of the
banners.