RUSSIAN CABINET APPROVED AGREEMENT CONCERNING MILITARY BASE IN ARMENIA
Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Feb 4 2014
4 February 2014 – 7:46pm
The Russian government has approved the protocol relating to the
Russian-Armenian agreement concerning the Russian military base in
the country,ITAR-TASS reports.
According the protocol, Russia is expected to hand the military camp
in Atsik over to Armenia, while Armenia is expected to the hand the
camps in Yerevan and Gyumri over to Russia.
TALE OF ARMENIAN “SABOTEUR” HIGHLIGHTS CONFUSION AROUND KARABAKH FIGHTING
EurasiaNet.org
Feb 4 2014
February 4, 2014 – 11:12am, by Joshua Kucera
Two weeks after tensions spiked on the line of contact between Armenian
and Azerbaijani forces, much information about what is actually
happening there remains unclear. A spokesman for Azerbaijan’s defense
ministry said on February 3 that “dozens” of Armenian soldiers had been
killed, while the Armenian authorities in the de facto Nagorno Karabakh
government denied that. And many of the first-reported claims about
the upsurge in fighting — an Armenian vehicle destroyed, attempted
incursions by both sides — remain murky.
One initial report has proven especially embarrassing for the
Azerbaijani side. Citing the defense ministry, Azerbaijani media
reported that on January 28, an Armenian “saboteur” was captured
by Azerbaijani soldiers: “Armed and injured leader of an enemy
intelligence-sabotage group Mamiko Khojayan was captured by our
soldiers after a brief firefight.”
But when Azerbaijani television stations aired footage of Khojayan, the
image was not of an elite special ops commando, but of a disheveled,
disoriented old man. And soon after, neighbors and relatives of the
man in Armenia identified him as a 77-year-old mentally ill man.
“Azerbaijanis present this poor Armenian as a saboteur, but that
doesn’t mean it’s the truth,” Baku-based political analyst Zardusht
Alizade told the BBC Azerbaijani service. Azerbaijani opposition
media and, naturally, Armenian media have picked up the tragicomic
story with gusto. “Look at this saboteur! To laugh or to cry? What
more can you say, there is nothing to add to these photos….” wrote
Azerbaijani opposition news site haqqin.az.
Some Azerbaijani sources, however, clung to the notion that
Khojayan was in fact a special forces soldier. An Azerbaijani
veteran of the Karabakh war told Baku newspaper Yeni Musavat that
Khojayan’s appearance was “camouflage” and that that is how members
of intelligence units look, the BBC reported. But for the most
part, people in the Azerbaijan government know that the story is
embarrassing and just want it to go away, one well-placed Baku source
told The Bug Pit. The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs did
not respond to a request for comment. But Khojayan remains in Baku,
with local representatives of the International Committee of the Red
Cross monitoring his treatment.
Meanwhile, the situation continues to be tense. While the opposing
ministries of defense have reported a recent decrease in ceasefire
violations, the International Crisis Group have warned that “[t]he
nature of the reported clashes and ominous statements by some
government officials mark an escalation unprecedented in recent
years.” But with misinformation abounding, it’s hard to know what’s
happening on the ground.
ARMENIAN DM, CSTO SECRETARY GENERAL MEET IN YEREVAN
18:35 04.02.2014
Armenia, CSTO
Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan received today the Secretary
General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Nikolay
Bordyuzha, and the Chief of the CSTO United Staff, Lieutenant-General
Alexander Studenikin.
Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of
Armenia, Colonel General Yuri Khachaturov and First Deputy Defense
Minister David Tonoyan were present at the meeting.
Issues related to the military component of the CSTO were discussed
at the meeting.
ARMENIA PRESIDENT: BALL IS IN TURKEY’S COURT
February 04, 2014 | 14:30
YEREVAN. – Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said Yerevan is ready
to resume normalization process if Ankara displays political will
and abandons putting forward preconditions.
In an interview with Czech “Lidove noviny” newspaper, President
Sargsyan said implementation of the protocols will become a key
component for strengthening of regional stability.
Asked about obstacles to normalization, Sargsyan named unwillingness
of Turkish side to comply with the previously reached arrangements
and ratify the protocols without any preconditions.
International community shares Armenia’s approach to normalize
relations without preconditions and shares the view that the ball is
in Turkey’s court, he said.
RAFFI HOVHANNISYAN IS GOING TO ADDRESS PEOPLE A YEAR AFTER THE ELECTIONS
Tuesday 4 February 2014 12:55
Photo: PanArmenian Photo
Raffi Hovhannisyan
Yerevan /Mediamax/. Deputy Chairman of Heritage party Armen Martirosyan
called the attempts of joint actions of non-ruling forces of the
National Assembly “a good start” noting at the same time that is
not enough.
“The demonstrations against the mandatory component of the funded
pension system showed that people demand radical reforms. The
situation in the country demands full change of the current system”,
Armen Martirosyan told the journalists.
He expressed the hope that from now on, the political powers will no
longer protect only party’s interests and jointly with the civic
groups, they will force the authorities to hold free and fair
elections.
Answering the question where the leader of the party Raffi Hovhannisyan
is now, Deputy Chairman of Heritage noted that the latter has always
been active “at the political arena”.
According to Armen Martirosyan, a year after the 2013 presidential
elections, on February 18, Raffi Hovhannisyan is going to address
a message to the people. The format of meeting with the citizens is
not being specified.
The party already informed the Yerevan Mayor’s Office about holding
a rally at the Liberty Square on February 18 but the decision is not
final yet.
FISHERIES IN ARMENIA SHUTTING DOWN AFTER ELECTRICITY BILLS WENT UP
02.04.2014 09:59 epress.am
The increase in the price of electricity has impacted also Armenia’s
fisheries, reports local dailyZhoghovurd.
As a result of a reduction in water resources in many rural communities
in Ararat and Armavir marz (provinces), fish farmers were forced to
consume more electricity, so that they would be able to pump water
into the pools where they breed the fish.
The newspaper reports that as a result, 30% of the fish-breeding
farms have stopped operations.
“Fisheries are on the way to being bankrupt, since they also have
large loan commitments and are now in critical condition,” Chair of
the Fish Farmers Association Armen Buniatyan said, in conversation
with the paper.
By Buniatyan’s account, the increase in the cost of electricity had a
great impact also on the cost of fish, which will increase by 100-200
AMD ($0.25-$0.50 USD) in the near future.
FOOD PRICES 5.3% UP IN ARMENIA IN JANUARY 2014, COMPARED WITH PREVIOUS MONTH
YEREVAN, February 4. /ARKA/. Prices for foods rose 5.3% in
Armenia in January 2014, compared with December 2013, mainly due
to ten-to-41-percent price hikes in vegetable and fruit markets,
the National Statistical Service of Armenia reports.
Prices for vegetables and potatoes went 9.3% up in Jan 2014, compared
with the same month a year before, and leapt 41.6%, compared with
December 2013.
Fruit prices added 0.2% in January 2014, compared with Jan 2013,
and jumped 10.6%, compared with Dec 2013.
According to the statistical report, as a whole, fruits, vegetables
and potatoes became 30.2% more expensive in January 2014 than they
were in the same month a year earlier.
The share of this group of products makes up 9.92% in subsistence,
and it added 3% to the total increase in consumer prices.
Dairy market accounted for 9.2% year-on-year and 0.8% month-on-month
price rise in January 2014.
Prices for meat products crept 0.7% and 0.5% up in January 2014,
compared with the same month a year before and with Dec 2013
respectively.
Instead, sugar prices sank 12.7%, compared with Jan 2013, and slid
0.6%, compared with Dec 2013. Nonfoods became cheaper as well –
their prices slipped 0.3%, compared with the previous month.
Consumer prices in Armenia went 2.8% up in January 2014, compared
with January 2013, and 5.5%, compared with December 2013.
Inflation rate was recorded at 5.8% in 2013. In the 2014 government
budget, inflation is projected at 4% (±1.5%). -0—
– See more at:
CANCER AFFECTED CHILDREN IN ARMENIA TREATED BY MOST MODERN MEDICINES – DOCTOR
YEREVAN, February 4. / ARKA /. Cancer affected children in Armenia are
treated by the latest medicines, Grigor Badalyan, head of Pediatric
Oncology and Chemotherapy Department at the National Oncology Center,
said today.
“We use all methods of cancer treatment – surgery, chemotherapy and
radiation therapy- to treat children suffering from cancer,” he said
to the press conference marking the International Day against Cancer.
He said these children are being aided by the Armenian fund “Gift of
Life “, chaired by First Lady Rita Sargsyan.
“The fund provides seek Armenian children with all the necessary
medicines, even the most expensive,” – he said, adding that only 2-3
cases need medical care abroad.
“There is a group of children with very severe type of the disease
requiring extremely high dosages of chemotherapy to be followed by
bone marrow transplant, and it is the only method we do not have here.
In such cases the children should be treated abroad, however, it is
not a 100% treatment guarantee, ” he said.
Badalyan also presented statistics, which say that treatment
effectiveness in developed countries is 75-80 %, and 20-25% in
underdeveloped countries. He said this figure for Armenia is 65%.
Of 7,877 primary cancer cases reported in 2012 more than 50 were cancer
affected children, he said denying allegations that this number was
on the rise.
February 4 is marked by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the
Day against Cancer. WHO forecasts that by 2020 the number of new
cases in the world will reach 20 million, and the disease may become
epidemic. -0-
– See more at:
REVUE DE PRESSE N1 – 04/02/14 – COLLECTIF VAN
Publie le : 04-02-2014
Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN [Vigilance
Armenienne contre le Negationnisme] vous propose une revue de presse
des informations parues dans la presse francophone, sur les thèmes
concernant la Turquie, le genocide armenien, la Shoah, le genocide
des Tutsi, le Darfour, le negationnisme, l’Union europeenne, Chypre,
etc… Nous vous suggerons egalement de prendre le temps de lire ou
de relire les informations et traductions mises en ligne dans notre
rubrique
Par ailleurs, certains articles en anglais, allemand, turc, etc,
ne sont disponibles que dans la newsletter Word que nous generons
chaque jour. Pour la recevoir, abonnez-vous a la Veille-Media : c’est
gratuit ! Vous recevrez le document du lundi au vendredi dans votre
boîte email. Bonne lecture.
Turquie/Affaire Dink : le chef de la police ne sera pas limoge Info
Collectif VAN – – “. Le Collectif VAN vous
propose ce Communique de presse publie sur le site Pinar Selek le 23
janvier 2014.
Darfour : la situation securitaire s’est deterioree au cours de 2013
Info Collectif VAN – – “La situation securitaire
au Darfour reste instable et s’est meme deterioree au cours de l’annee
2013, alors que la mise en oeuvre du processus de paix a peu progresse,
a declare jeudi le Secretaire general adjoint des Nations Unies aux
operations de maintien de la paix, Herve Ladsous, devant le Conseil
de securite”. Le Collectif VAN vous invite a lire cette information
publiee sur le site de l’ONU le 23 janvier 2014.
La declaration du president francais est une > selon un expert armenien francais Le
pôle > de Paris est ne des tensions opposant
la France au Rwanda depuis le genocide de 1994. Deux ans après la
creation de cette unite chargee de poursuivre les auteurs de crimes
de masse refugies en France, la cour d’assises de Paris ouvre son
premier dossier, mardi 4 fevrier, avec le procès de Pascal Simbikangwa.
Terrorisme. Pour Israël, la Turquie heberge des camps d’Al Qaïda
Certains djihadistes d’Al Qaïda qui combattent le regime de Bachar
al Assad en Syrie ont etabli des camps en Turquie, d’où ils peuvent
facilement se rendre en Europe, a declare mercredi le chef des
renseignements militaires israeliens.
Le genocide rwandais en procès a Paris Vingt ans après le genocide
des Tutsi du Rwanda, la cour d’assises de Paris s’apprete a ouvrir,
mardi 4 fevrier, le procès de Pascal Simbikangwa, accuse de complicite
de genocide et complicite de crimes contre l’humanite commis entre
avril et juillet 1994. Une première judiciaire en France.
Retour a la rubrique
AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383
Email: [email protected]
Website:
PRESS RELEASE
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
AGBU LEBANON AND THE ARMENIAN EMBASSY CO-HOST KHACHATURIAN TRIBUTE EVENT
OVER 400 GUESTS ATTEND COMMEMORATIVE EVENING OF FILM AND MUSIC
2013 marked a milestone anniversary: the 110th birthday of the great
Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian. In Beirut, AGBU Lebanon celebrated
through a special evening organized in collaboration with the Armenian
Embassy. The commemorative event, which featured musical performances and
an exclusive film screening, drew over 400 attendees to the local AGBU
Demirdjian Center.
Several distinguished guests filled the center to pay tribute to the
Armenian icon. Among those in the audience were Archbishop Kegham
Khatcherian; Members of Parliament Shant Chinchinian and Jean
Oghassabian; ambassadors from Argentina, Malta and Russia; as well as
representatives of the Czech Republic, German and Ukraine Embassies. AGBU
Lebanon District Committee president Gerard Tufenkjian, and AGBU
benefactors Avedis and Rita Demirdjian and Sarkis and Seta Demirdjian
were present. AGBU-AYA chair Vicken Tchertchian was also in attendance.
Anita Lebiar, the AGBU Lebanon executive director, welcomed the crowd,
stating, ³We are so pleased to see such a wonderful turnout here tonight.
Your presence shows that though it has been over a century since
Khachaturian¹s birth, and decades since his death, his music continues to
live on in each and every one of us today.²
Following opening remarks by honored guest Ashot Kocharian, Armenia¹s
Ambassador to Lebanon, presentations brought Khachaturian¹s work to life.
Documentary footage acquired from the Aram Khachaturian Museum in
Armenia, and a discussion by Harout Fazlian, the principal conductor and
the artistic director of the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra, highlighted
Khachaturian¹s countless contributions to the arts.
Pianists Armen and Suzanne Ketchek and violinist Boris Mirzoyan performed
some of Khachaturian¹s beloved compositions. Waltz from ³Masquerade²;
³Sabre Dance² from his ballet ³Gayaneh²; and ³Adagio of Spartacus² and
³Phrygia² from his ballet ³Spartacus² all drew rounds of applause. In the
reception that followed, guests looked back on their favorite
Khachaturian symphonies, concertos and film scores, all of which helped
make him a legend.
To learn more about the AGBU Lebanon District, please email
[email protected].
Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU
preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through
educational, cultural and humanitarian programs, annually touching the
lives of some 400,000 Armenians around the world.
For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please visit
*************************************************
PHOTO CAPTIONS:
agbu-lebanon-arm-embassy-khachaturian01.jpg: Pianists Armen and Suzan
Ketchek prepare to perform Aram Khachaturian¹s signature works.
agbu-lebanon-arm-embassy-khachaturian02.jpg: Distinguished guests fill
Beirut¹s AGBU Demirdjian Center to honor Aram Khachaturian. From left to
right: representative of H.H. Aram I. Catholicosate of Cilicia;
Ambassador Ashot Kocharian; Gerard Tufenkjian, AGBU Lebanon District
Committee president; Archbishop Kegham Khatcherian; AGBU benefactors
Sarkis and Seta Demirdjian; and MP Jean Oghassabian and Nadia Oghassabian.
agbu-lebanon-arm-embassy-khachaturian03.jpg: Anita Lebiar, AGBU Lebanon
executive director, welcomes guests to an evening commemorating the
legendary Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian.
agbu-lebanon-arm-embassy-khachaturian04.jpg: Ambassador Ashot Kocharian
delivers opening remarks at the Aram Khachaturian tribute event co-hosted
by AGBU Lebanon and the Armenian Embassy.
agbu-lebanon-arm-embassy-khachaturian05.jpg: Harout Fazlian, the
principal conductor of the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra, discusses
Aram Khachaturian¹s life and work.