Author: Kanayan Tamar

RAFFI HOVANNISIAN: I WAS NOT READY TO SEND HUNDREDS OF CONDOLENCE TELEGRAMS AFTER APRIL 9

15:19 29/04/2013 ” ANALYSIS

We all are facing a dilemma. New Armenia is just a proposal, and
is one of the demands of the people, Heritage party leader, former
presidential candidate Raffi Hovannisian told reporters on Monday.

He called unfair the criticism voiced by some politicians, civil
activists and political analysts who say that the Raffi Hovannisian-led
movement instead of power change and radical steps chose a different
way after April 9.

“I was not ready to send hundreds of condolence telegrams after April
9 or to become the successor of someone’s ideology or thoughts. We are
in a unique Armenia, in a situation when nothing can be changed in
one day, but I am convinced that the changes will come eventually,”
Raffi Hovannisian said, adding that the tough demographic situation
and emigration will continue unless changes are made.

Source: Panorama.am

ARMENIAN GRANDMASTER VARUZHAN AKOBIAN TO COMPETE IN THE 2013 U.S. CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS

14:43, 29 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 29, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Grandmaster Varuzhan Akobian
is going to compete in the 2013 U.S. Chess Championships beginning
May 2 in St. Louis. Akobian will be one of only 24 elite chess players
competing for the coveted title at the Chess Club & Scholastic Center
of St. Louis, a spot he earned based on his exceptional competitive
ranking, reports Armenpress referring to The Topeka Capital-Journal.

Up for grabs at this tournament is the title of U.S. champion,
accompanied by a grand prize of $30,000. Furthermore, if any competitor
is able to reproduce Bobby Fischer’s 1963-64 U.S.

Championship performance of winning every game, he will earn a bonus
prize of $,000. The top five players also will qualify to play in
the World Championship cycle.

Akobian is a professional player who has achieved the elite rank of
Grandmaster, now settled in Topeka. His father was his first opponent,
and the match took place shortly after Akobian’s family moved to
Mongolia from his home country of Armenia. The bone-chilling weather
conditions outside kept Akobian cooped up indoors for long stretches,
and his father must have hoped the game was complex enough to keep
his young son occupied for days – even weeks – at a time.

As Akobian stared down at the checkered board for the first time that
day, tentatively sliding rooks and pawns with his tiny fingers, he had
no way of knowing that chess was to become his calling, purpose and
passion. But that one match was all it took to hook Akobian for life.

“I fell in love with it, and I’ve been playing ever since,” he said.

Akobian’s success is the result of years of dedication and discipline.

Mastering the game of chess meant learning a multitude of smaller
lessons along the way, many of which he has found to be applicable
to everyday life. Akobian reflected on those lessons as he shared
his story.

L’UE ET LA TURQUIE DOIVENT RENOUVELER LEUR ENGAGEMENT MUTUEL

Publie le : 29-04-2013

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
presente cette information publiee sur le site du Parlement europeen
le 18 avril 2013.

Parlement europeen

L’UE et la Turquie doivent renouveler leur engagement mutuel, affirment
les deputes

Session plenière Elargissement – 18-04-2013 – 12:37

Un engagement reciproque renouvele est necessaire afin de maintenir
des relations constructives entre l’UE et la Turquie dans le cadre du
processus de negociation, ont declare les deputes ce jeudi. Dans une
resolution sur le rapport de suivi 2012 de la Turquie, ils demandent
l’ouverture des negociations sur le système judiciaire, les droits
fondamentaux et les affaires interieures. Ils saluent egalement les
recents pourparlers qui pourraient contribuer a resoudre la question
kurde.

“L’engagement doit venir tant de l’Union europeenne que de la
Turquie”, a declare Ria Oomen-Ruijten (PPE, NL), rapporteur sur ce
dossier. “La Turquie doit multiplier les efforts visant a garantir
la liberte d’expression, la liberte des medias et toutes les autres
libertes fondmentales conformement aux valeurs de l’UE. L’Union doit
tout mettre en oeuvre pour soutenir la Turquie dans le processus
de reformes – renouveler les efforts pour l’ouverture de nouveaux
chapitres de negociation est important”, a-t-elle ajoute.

Reforme de la justice

La reforme du système judiciaire turc est essentielle pour
la consolidation de la democratie et la modernisation du pays,
soulignent les deputes. Ils saluent l’adoption des troisième et
quatrième paquets de la reforme de la justice, mais insistent
pour restreindre la definition très large des infractions penales,
notamment la definition d’acte terroriste, pour reduire les periodes
anormalement longues de detention preventive avant un procès et pour
limiter le rôle des tribunaux d’exception.

Afin d’accelerer le processus de reforme, les deputes appellent le
Conseil a ouvrir les negociations sur le système judiciaire et les
droits fondamentaux (chapitre 23) et la justice, les libertes et la
securite (chapitre 24).

Droits des femmes

Le Parlement salue les efforts de la Turquie en vue de lutter contre
les “crimes d’honneur”, la violence domestique et le phenomène
des mariages forces et des très jeunes filles mariees. Toutefois,
il s’inquiète du fait que la violence a l’encontre des femmes soit
encore frequente. Par ailleurs, les deputes demandent de promouvoir
activement les droits, l’education et la participation des femmes
sur le marche du travail et en politique.

Question kurde

Les deputes se felicitent du dialogue politique direct entre le
gouvernement turc et l’ancien dirigeant du PKK, Abdullah Ocalan. Ce
dialogue pourrait ouvrir la voie a un accord historique reglant de
manière pacifique et democratique le conflit kurde, soulignent-ils.

La presidence chypriote, une occasion manquee

Les deputes regrettent que la Turquie ait “laisse echapper une
chance importante d’amorcer un processus traduisant l’engagement et
la normalisation des relations avec Chypre” pendant la presidence
chypriote du Conseil.

Syrie et affaires etrangères

Les deputes felicitent le pays pour l’aide humanitaire fournie au
nombre croissant de refugies syriens mais soulignent que l’UE et la
Turquie devraient parvenir a une vision strategique commune afin de
mettre un terme a la crise tragique en Syrie. Ils affirment egalement
que Turquie devrait developper sa politique etrangère dans le cadre
d’un dialogue et d’une coordination avec l’UE davantage renforces
par rapport a 2012.

Le texte a ete adopte par 451 voix pour, 105 voix contre et 45
abstentions.

Procedure: resolution non legislative

REF. : 20130412IPR07199

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : Parlement europeen

ARTSAKH LEADER MEETS CCAF MEMBERS IN PARIS

April 29, 2013 – 10:20 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – President of the Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) Republic
Bako Sahakyan met in Paris with members of the Coordination Council
of Armenian Organizations in France (CCAF) to discuss strengthening
of ties as well as a number of foreign policy issues.

President Sahakyan specifically praised the Armenian General Benevolent
Union as an organization with a great role in the development of
Artsakh.

NKR minister of foreign affairs Karen Mirzoyan, Armenian ambassador to
France Vigen Chitechian, head of the Central Information Department of
the Artsakh Republic President’s Office David Babayan, NKR permanent
representative to France Hovhannes Gevorgyan and other officials also
attended the meeting, reported the Central Information Department at
the Artsakh President’s Office.

NEW BLAST IN ALEPPO’S ARMENIAN DISTRICT

18:22 ~U 30.04.13

Aleppo’s Armenian-populated district, Sulaymaniyah, was hit by
mine explosions on Tuesday, a day after similar attacks ravaged the
neighborhood.

Tert.am’s sources in Syria’s largest city say the attack has left
several people injured. No specific figures or other details have
been reported so far.

The Monday mine attacks are said to have left four people killed and
another 20 injured in Sulaymaniyah. No Armenians were reported among
the victims but later statements said two had been slightly injured.

Armenian News – Tert.am

AZERBAIJAN’S RULING PARTY CALLS TO EXPEL RUSTAM IBRAHIMBEKOV AND AKRAM AYLISLI OUT OF THE COUNTRY

17:57 30/04/2013 ” SOCIETY

In Azerbaijan, the youth wing of the ruling party “Yeni Azerbaijan”
calls to expel famous Azerbaijani screenwriter Rustam Ibragimbekov
out from the country, together with Akram Aylisli, the author who
wrote a novel about Armenians’ massacre.

According to the Azerbaijani news agency “Haqqin.az”, Seymour
Orujov, chairman of the youth organization of the ruling party “Yeni
Azerbaijan” appealed to declare Rustam Ibragimbekov and Akram Aylisli
as “persona non grata”.

“It is a shame that these people still call themselves representatives
of the Azerbaijani intelligentsia. Their actions can be regarded as
high treason. We do not consider them members of our intelligentsia,
and therefore demand to declare Rustam Ibragimbekov and Akram Aylisli
as “persona non grata”, said Seymour Orujov.

In September 2012 the establishment of the Union of Azerbaijani
Diaspora organizations in Russia (UAOR) was announced, among the
founder of the Union were Russian billionaires from Azerbaijan,
as well as film director Rustam Ibrahimbekov. The establishment of
the Union has angered the authorities of Azerbaijan. Thus, the State
Committee for Work with Diaspora of Azerbaijan called the creation
of UAOR impractical. Azerbaijan has started to pursue relatives of
UAOR members. In particular, in December, Elmar Valiyev, the Mayor
of Ganja ordered to close the office of Abbas Abbasov, the son of
one of the founders of UAOR.

The newspaper of the ruling party “Yeni Azerbaijan” accused R.

Ibragimbekov of “having ties with the Dashnak”, etc. After a series
of attacks in the media Ibrahimbekov satted that if the President
of Azerbaijan does not respect him then he also is not going to
count with Ilham Aliyev. In the beginning of January R. Ibrahimbekov
stated that a new movement is to be created with his participation,
the main task of the movement will be to ensure the protection of
votes in the presidential elections and the formation of resistance
against election frauds. The media named it “Resistance movement.”

Ekrem Eylisli is national writer (since 1998) and Honored Artist
of Azerbaijan, holder of the highest order of Azerbaijan “Istiglal”
(2002) and the order of “Shokhrat” for his outstanding merits in the
literature of Azerbaijan. Recently, on the website of Russian magazine
“Friendship of Nations” was published his novel titled “Stone Dreams”
in which the author describes the massacres of Armenians in Baku
in 1990 and in Nakhichevan in 1919. The author in his novel speaks
positively about the Armenian people and their culture. The novel
“Stone Dreams” also contains criticism over the former Azerbaijani
President Heydar Aliyev and the tyranny of the system created by him.

After publication of the novel, Eylisli was exposed to severe pressures
in Azerbaijan; the pro-governmental youth held rally in front of
his house, his issue was discussed in the parliament of Azerbaijan,
MPs suggested to burn his books and to deprive him of citizenship and
deport from Azerbaijan. Many people “blamed” Eylisli in his Armenian
origin, etc. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev deprived him of
personal pension and the title of National Writer, and accused him of
“purposefully distorting the history of Azerbaijan” and “in distorting
realities about history of Azerbaijan in an inappropriate way.”

The leader of the pro-governmental party “Modern Musavat” Hafis Hajiyev
announced that he would pay about 10 Euros to the one who will cut
the ear of the writer. Only after the intervention of the media,
the politician was “warned” by the Interior Ministry of Azerbaijan
about the illegality of such appeals.

The U.S. Department of State and the OSCE Office in Baku condemned
persecution of Eylisli in Azerbaijan and called on the authorities
to fulfill their obligations.

Source: Panorama.am

HELLO YEREVAN BLOC CONDEMNS OBSTRUCTION OF ELECTION CAMPAIGN

Tuesday,April 30

“During the election campaign of Hello Yerevan bloc of parties in
Kanaker-Zeytun district of Yerevan yesterday – on April 28, several
attempts were made to disrupt the meeting with citizens: at first
a transmission line was broken, then the power supply of the whole
building was shut off,” says the statement of the headquarters of
Hello Yerevan bloc of parties.

When the meeting organizers tried to connect to another source of
power, a group of young people from the headquarters of Republican
Party of Armenia (HHK) provoked a scuffle that ended only after the
intervention of police.

“The headquarters of Hello Yerevan bloc of parties condemns such
behavior of HHK members and demands that the police take the
appropriate measures in order to find and punish those guilty and
to ensure order and the security of participants of events to be
organized by the bloc,’ the statement reads.

29.04.2013, 19:38

Aysor.am

RPA: ARMENIAN, AZERI DELEGATIONS DIDN’T MEET DURING PACE MEETING

April 30, 2013 – 17:14 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – No meeting between Armenian and Azerbaijani
delegations was held during the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe (PACE) session, member of the ruling Republican Party of
Armenia (RPA) said.

“Despite the statement by the leader of Azerbaijani delegation,
no such meeting was held,” Davit Harutyunyan said, adding that the
issue is unlinked to the activity of PACE sub-committee on Nagorno
Karabakh problem.

He further noted the agreement stipulating for confidentiality of
the issues discussed between the heads of the two delegations and
PACE Secretary General.

“The Azerbaijani side, however, often violates the agreement and
makes fake statements,” Mr. Harutyunyan said.

AMD 150 thousand to either of spouses of newlywed families.

Monday, 29 April 2013 14:23

During the recently held session of the NKR government the Executive
approved of NKR Minister of Labour and Social Issues Narine
Narimanyan’s proposal concerning introducing an amendment in the decree
“On defining marriage benefit for newlywed families”.

“Currently newlywed families are allocated one-off marriage benefit at
an amount of 300 thousand drams. The family does not get any benefit
if either of the spouses had been married once and divorced after
January 1, 2008. No benefit is allocated if either of the spouses
is not registered in the NKR. If the presented draft decision is
adopted equal halves of the one-off marriage benefit at an amount of
150,000 drams will be granted to either spouse. This way the cases
of depriving the family of the right to benefit because of one of
the spouses will be excluded,” the Minister explained.

Going on with the issue she reported that the procedure of
appropriating one-off marriage benefits to contract servicemen who
are not registered in the NKR is going to be simplified as well.

A VERY SUBTLE ISSUE

The Armenian National Congress has applied to the Prosecutor General’s
Office requesting an investigation to find out the origin of the
immense hidden and unhidden property of the incumbent candidate for
mayor Taron Margaryan, its lawfulness, corruption, kickbacks.

The application also notes the time when Taron’s income and property
grew dramatically. It is the year 2007. In that year his father Prime
Minister Andranik Margaryan died.

Logically, either Taron Margaryan inherited his property or it was a
“gift” from some people. So, here is a subtlety – by asking to inquire
into the origin of Taron Margaryan’s property actually a request is
placed to check the activities of the deceased prime minister.

The Office of the Prosecutor General will not go that far, of course,
and Taron’s property will be ascribed to donations and his business
talent. Neither will the Armenian National Congress go into such
detail, proceeding from the pre-electoral logic and the Armenian
political traditions.

Nevertheless, one cannot help remembering the developments at Mashtots
Park when citizens fought against the unlawful decision of the City
Hall to destroy the public park and allocate the territory for setting
up boutiques. While the citizens were fighting unlawfulness, the
Congress and its sponsor and client PAP fought against the citizens.

And this “ideological” fight complained that the citizens were
discrediting not only Taron Margaryan but also his father, the
lamentable Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan who used to sustain a
double-digit economic growth. Here we are.

Meanwhile, Taron can take his time to legalize his property though
the price is too expensive.

16:05 30/04/2013 Story from Lragir.am News: