Author: Kanayan Tamar

HIGH AIR TICKET PRICES IMPEDE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN ARMENIA :U.S. AMBASSADOR

YEREVAN, April 19./ARKA/. Air price tickets are high in Armenia,
and small number of direct flights hinders tourism development and
flow to the republic even more.

This is a stance of John Heffern, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, on
tourism issues and drawbacks in Armenia.

Three large European air carriers -British Airways, LOT- Polish
Airlines and Air Baltic, stopped flying to Armenia’s capital in 2012.

During his briefing on Friday within the international conference in
Yerevan, Heffern said high prices, no competition in aviation impede
tourism development in Armenia. If a tourist, according to him, who
has several stops in his flight to Armenia, has to wait for 15 hours
in an airport, he will just refuse from an idea of coming here.

U.S. Ambassador noted the U.S. government is ready to support the
Armenian authorities in efforts to liberalize the air frontiers as
the USA and USAID attach great importance to tourism advancement
in Armenia, as well as opening new jobs in the regions, introducing
tourists with the rich historical and cultural heritage of Armenia.

The U.S. interests are not to bringing the American air carriers to
Armenia, but to see Armenia’s economy succeeding, he added.

On his side, Deputy Economy Minister of Armenia Ara Petrosyan
highlighted that the prices should be considered not separately but
in a full package.

“For instance, hotel prices are 10-15 lower in Armenia, compared with
the prices of the same-class hotels in Georgia. That’s why, we should
remember that a tourist spends his money not only on the flights,”
he said.

As it was earlier stated by Yeghishe Tanashyan, deputy head of Armenian
Union of Tourist Guides, the main reason why the air companies stopped
flying to Armenia is Zvartnots Airport’s high tariffs and congestion
of airspace.

According to him, the cost of flights from Eastern Europe to Armenia
has increased by 20-25% over the recent years.

Earlier Armenia’s General Directorate of Civil Aviation noted the
government is currently holding talks with air companies over reducing
ticket prices.

A two-day international conference, “Harmonization and Issues in
European Travel and Tourism Law: Lessons for Armenia” kicked off in
Yerevan on April 19.

The conference is organized by the USAID-funded Enterprise Development
and Market Competitiveness (EDMC) Project, the Armenian Ministry of
Economy, the National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia (NCFA),
and the International Forum of Travel and Tourism Advocates (IFTTA).The
conference has brought 28 leading tourism lawyers from across the world
to the Armenian capital, including experts from Austria, Belgium,
Brazil, Finland, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy,
Malta, Russia, Switzerland, the UK and the USA. It is also attended
by President of IFTTA Michael Wukoschitz.

The conference participants will focus on tourism development,
planning, competition, consumer protection, harmonization of laws,
rights of passengers, and alternative solutions to disputes. -0-

“ZHOGHOVURD”: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL IS INTERESTED IN LAWSUITS, PRESENTED AGAINST THE NEWSPAPER “ZHOGHOVURD”

19/04/2013 12:56:00
Oratert News

International authoritative organization Amnesty international is
interested in lawsuits, presented against the newspaper “Zhoghovurd”.

Yesterday, a representative of the organization, the researcher Natalia
Nozadze visited the editorial office of the newspaper “Zhoghovurd” to
understand the situation. N. Nozadze also expressed her bewilderment
created around the situation, saying that what is happening around
the newspaper will find a place in their reports.

DOES COALITION WANT TO FORM A COALITION?

The Armenian Time reported backstage rumors came that the acting Prime
Minister Tigran Sargsyan and the leader of Prosperous Armenia Gagik
Tsarukyan met on the eve. They reportedly discussed the cabinet. The
spokesman for the Prime Minister Harutiun Berberyan was asked to
confirm or deny rumors on this meeting, he said: “The prime minister
has regular meetings with leaders of different political forces.”

The newspaper inquired from the Prosperous Armenia as well. The
spokesman for PAP Tigran Urikhanyan told the reporter of the Armenian
Time he had no idea. Other representatives of the party avoided
official comments. One of them said to have heard about the meeting
and will try to find out more detail.

The newspaper has also learned that yesterday evening Tsarukyan
invited PAP leaders to his office for a meeting. No detail is known.

Earlier RPA and PAP were rumored to negotiate on a coalition
government. Tsarukyan is ready to join the coalition if the PAP
nominates five members of the cabinet while RPA agreed to 3 or 4.

11:12 19/04/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

PERSIAN-LANGUAGE MANOTO TV PRODUCES FILM ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE (VIDEO)

13:58 19/04/2013 ” SOCIETY

Persian-language channel Manoto TV has produced a film on the Armenian
Genocide. The film tells about the geopolitical events that occurred
during World War I and presents eyewitness memories.

The film presents the details of the genocide organized by the Ottoman
Empire, when more than 1.5 million Armenians were killed between 1915
and 1916 by the Ottoman Turks.

The Armenian Genocide has been recognized and condemned by Uruguay
(1965), the Republic of Cyprus (1982), Argentina (1993), Russia (1995),
Canada (1996), Greece (1996), Lebanon (1997), Belgium (1998), Italy
(2000), Vatican (2000), France (2001), Switzerland (2003), Slovakia
(2004), The Netherlands (2004), Poland (2005), Germany (2005),
Venezuela (2005), Lithuania (2005), Chile (2007), Sweden (2010). The
Armenian Genocide has also been recognized and condemned by Vatican,
the Council of Europe and the World Council of Churches.

Source: Panorama.am

ONE OF GENOCIDE STUDIES CONTEST WINNERS IS NOT ARMENIAN

April 19, 2013 | 10:45

YEREVAN. – The results of the contests, which were held in the lead-up
to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, were announced
on Friday.

Awards were set for the publication of scientific articles, about
the Armenian Genocide, by Armenian and foreign nationals.

The three winners of these contests will be awarded 400,000 drams
(approx. $975), each, and these winners are:

1) Vahram Ayvazyan, for his work entitled “Genocide: Intent,
Corroboration and Typology.”

2) Tigran Sarukhanyan, for his study entitled “Public Evidence
of Armin T. Wegner (1886-1978) During the First World War and the
Armenian Genocide.”

3) Tajik Shavkat Kasymov, for his article entitled “An Example of
the Armenian Genocide and the Role of the Millet [Nation] System in
its Execution.”

To note, these contests aim to encourage those dealing with genocide
studies and bringing this matter to the international arena.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

IRANIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS OFFER ANNEXING AZERBAIJAN

ARMINFO
Friday, April 19, 13:24

A group of Iranian parliamentarians has prepared a bill that gives
Iran the right to insist on re-annexing Azerbaijani to Iran, Golos
Rossii Radio reports.

The source reports that the bill that terminates Gulistan Treaty of
1913 and the Turkmenchay Treaty of 1928 between Persia and Russia
is a political propaganda, first of all. It has no perspectives, but
openly demonstrates the tension in the relations of Tehran and Baku.

Historically, Azerbaijanis proved to be divided between two super
powers on the basis of the above treaties. However, the political
and public systems in their countries are also different. The views
of the ruling elites in Tehran and Baku regarding the prior state
and national interests do not coincide either. Over the years of
Azerbaijan’s independence, the neighbors have accumulated many claims
to each other at the state level.

Director of the Russian Center for Public and Political Studies
Vladimir Yevseev says Iran is dissatisfied with secularization and
European lifestyle of its northern neighbors. Tehran is indignant at
the close ties of Baku with Israel, USA and NATO. Baku, in turn, is
concerned over active religious propaganda among Azerbaijani population
by Iranian preachers. Baku is discontented at Tehran’s support to
Armenia in the Karabakh conflict. There are serious discrepancies also
on the status of the Caspian Sea region and the hydrocarbon reserves.

These complicate relations prompt hotheads in Baku and Tehran raise
provocative issue on unification of Azerbaijanis of the two countries
under the flag of their country.

For the first time, one of the conflicting parties comes out for
denunciation of the treaties of the 19th century that legitimize
the existing borders and give the region certain stability. Some
parliamentarians come out for a referendum in the territory of
Azerbaijan on Armenia’s annexing to Iran. Another parliamentarian
Mansur Hakikatpur has already began forming a Movement of 17 cities
of the Caucasus to restore Iran’s control over Azerbaijan. The
parliamentarian thinks that to fulfill its goals, the Movement may
need a local war.

Not all politicians in Iran share these views, however. Former
parliamentarian Heshmatollah Falahatpishe believes that aggravation of
tension between Iran and Azerbaijan is not in favor for either Tehran
or Baku. Over the last decades disastrous changes have been observed
in the world. Many ruling regimes have been overthrown. Treaties and
agreements turn into pieces of paper, which sometimes results in deaths
of dozens of thousand of people. The epicenters of such geopolitical
shifts are in various parts in the world and in the given region.

MANIFESTATIONS TO BE ORGANIZED IN FRONT OF TURKISH EMBASSY IN JERUSALEM ON APRIL 24

10:17, 19 April, 2013

YEREVAN, APRIL 19, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian National Committee of
Israel in association with the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem will
hold a number of events on the occasion of the 98th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide. The “Armenpress” reporter in Jerusalem, member
of St. James Convent, Archimandrite Koryun Baghdasaryan stated this.

On April 23 the participants of the event will light candles and
hold watching ceremony by the cross-stone erected in memory of the
Genocide victims. Divine Liturgy will be served in St. James Cathedral
in the morning on April 24. The Divine Liturgy will be followed by
the Requiem Service for the repose of souls of the numerous victims
of Genocide. At 12:00 o’clock a manifestation will be organized in
front of the Turkish Embassy to Jerusalem. After “Grandmam’s Tatoo”
documentary by Suzan Khardalyan will be displayed in the Zharangavorats
College in the evening.

LES JEUNES DE LA REGION DE SIOUNIK DEMANDENT AU CHEF DE L’ETAT DE REMPLACER LE GOUVERNEUR SOURIK KHATCHATRIAN

Azg publie a la ” une ” la lettre des membres de l’union ” Gareguine
Njdeh ” (heros d’Armenie et homme d’Etat) de la region de Siounik,
demandant au President Sarkissian de remplacer le Gouverneur
controverse Sourik Khatchatrian et esperant qu’a l’avenir les
habitants de cette region n’auront plus, meme ” en cauchemar “, un
tel gouverneur. Pour le cas de sa reconduction au sein du nouveau
Gouvernement, les membres de cette union menacent d’entamer une grève
de la faim devant le Palais presidentiel. / Haykakan Jamanak

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 12 avril 2013

vendredi 19 avril 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

REGIONAL STATES’ ROLE IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH RESOLUTION IN FOCUS

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
April 18 2013

By Sara Rajabova

Delay in the negotiations over the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict concerns not only the conflicting sides, but also the
regional countries.

Armenia for many years has adhered to a non-constructive position in
peace talks and thus prolongs a solution of the problem.

Besides, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the hostile environment
caused by this problem hinder the development of the South Caucasus
region as a whole.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made
territorial claims against the neighboring country. Since a lengthy
war between the two South Caucasus countries that displaced over a
million Azerbaijanis and ended with the signing of a precarious
cease-fire in 1994, Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20
percent of Azerbaijan’s internationally recognized territory,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Peace talks brokered by OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs representing the
United States, Russia and France have been largely fruitless so far.

The negotiations are underway on the basis of a peace outline proposed
by the Minsk Group co-chairs and dubbed the Madrid Principles, also
known as Basic Principles. The document envisions a return of the
territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijani control;
determining the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh; a corridor
linking Armenia to the region; and the right of all internally
displaced persons to return home.

The role of regional states in the conflict resolution is frequently
mulled by other countries. The issue was recently discussed at a
meeting of Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his Russian
counterpart Sergei Lavrov.

During the meeting, which was held on Wednesday in Istanbul, Davutoglu
said that Turkey wants peace to be restored in the South Caucasus.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry highlighted Turkey’s
role in the settlement of the conflict. He said Turkey is holding
talks with the U.S. over the unresolved conflict.

Besides, Special Representative of the NATO Secretary General for the
South Caucasus and Central Asia, James Appathurai, recently said at a
meeting with a Georgian parliamentary delegation at the NATO
headquarters in Brussels that Georgia could play a mediating role
between Azerbaijan and Armenia on the settlement of the dispute.

Baku states that the conflict persists as a result of the
non-constructive policy of Armenia and urges the international
community to heighten pressure on Yerevan in order to achieve a
solution.

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov recently called on the
international community to display an impartial and fair approach to
the conflict settlement process.

Speaking at a meeting with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
Thomas Melia on Wednesday, Mammadyarov said that Yerevan evades talks
by making various excuses.

The minister also emphasized that the OSCE Minsk Group should step up
its efforts to arrive at a solution of the conflict and added that the
prolongation of its settlement poses the biggest threat to regional
stability.

Meanwhile, the Czech Republic expressed its readiness to participate
in the “Prague Process” for peaceful settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and to play a constructive role in mediating
the conflict settlement.

The remarks were made by Deputy Chairman of the Committee of Foreign
Relations of the Czech Chamber of Deputies Jan Hamacek, who met with
members of the Committee on Foreign Relations and Inter-parliamentary
Relations of the Azerbaijani Parliament on Wednesday during his visit
to Baku.

“This is a very complicated conflict, but nevertheless the status quo
on Nagorno-Karabakh cannot last forever… The unresolved conflict is
a big burden for Azerbaijan, which has to take care of refugees and
displaced persons from the occupied territories,” he said.

The status quo in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must be moved from the
deadlock in compliance with UN resolutions, Hamacek noted.

The Prague Process is a series of negotiations over the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign
ministries.

MINISTER: TURKEY WANTS PEACE REESTABLISHMENT IN SOUTH CAUCASUS

Journal of Turkish Weekly
April 18 2013

Turkey wants the reestablishment of peace in the South Caucasus,
Foreign Minister of Turkey Ahmet Davutoglu said during a meeting with
his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, Turkish TRT Haber TV channel
reported on Wednesday.

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was also discussed during the meeting.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding
regions of Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the U.S. are
currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the occupied territories.