Author: Kanayan Tamar

GRAND SACRISTAN OF ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM WILL PARTICIPATE IN OBAMA’S RECEPTION IN ISRAEL

12:41, 20 March, 2013

YEREVAN, MARCH 20, ARMENPRESS. The President of the United States
of America Barack Obama will pay a three-day official visit to
Israel on March 20. The “Armenpress” reporter in Jerusalem, member
of St. James Convent Archimandrite Koryun Baghdasaryan states that
the Grand Sacristan of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, His
Eminence Archbishop Sevan Gharibian will participate in the ceremony
of official reception in Ben Gurion Airport.

Within the framework of the visit President Obama will also pay visit
to the Church of Holy Nativity in Bethlehem, Palestine.

Archbishop Sevan Gharibian (baptismal name Hovhannes) was born in
1940 in Beirut, Lebanon. He received his primary education at the
Abgarian and Roupinian school in Beirut.

In 1961 he entered the Jarangavoratz Theological Seminary at the
Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and graduated, becoming a member
of the Brotherhood of St. James. He was ordained as a celibate priest
in 1968, by then Patriarch of Jerusalem His Beatitude Archbishop
Yeghishe Derderian and given the priestly name of Sevan.

Father Sevan received the rank of Archimandrite (Vardapet) in 1972,
by then Patriarch Yeghishй Derderian. He was consecrated as a Bishop
in the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin, by the Catholicos of
All Armenians, His Holiness Vasken I, of Blessed Memory.

In 1990 he received the rank of Senior Archimandrite (Dzayraguyn
Vardapet) by Patriarch Torgom Manoukian of Jerusalem.

In 2006 Bishop Sevan was elevated to the rank of Archbishop by the
Pontifical Encyclical of the Catholicos of All Armenians, His Holiness
Karekin II.

During his priestly ministry, Archbishop Sevan has held different
scholastic and administrative positions at the St. Hagop Monastery. He
currently serves the Armenian Church as the Finance Director and
Chairman of the Council of Directors at the Monastery.

SERGE SARKISSIAN N’ENVISAGE PAS DE PROCEDER A UN REMANIEMENT MINISTERIEL

Le president Serge Sarkissian a indique qu’il ne fera pas de
changements radicaux au sein du gouvernement armenien. S’adressant
a des journalistes lundi soir, M. Sarkissian a egalement ajoute que
le principal problème que connaît le pays actuellement n’est pas la
corruption ou l’injustice, mais le cynisme de la population alimente
par les medias.

” Je ne peux pas vous dire maintenant que la composition du
gouvernement va changer, a-t-il dit. Mais cela ne signifie pas que
les membres du gouvernement sont a l’abri d’un quelconque remaniement
ou que je leur donne des privilèges. ”

Le president a fait valoir que le cabinet du Premier ministre Tigran
Sarkissian a reussi a atteindre un objectif de croissance economique
de 7%. ” Je ne dis pas que 7,2% [de croissance] est le maximum que l’on
puisse atteindre, mais il faut noter que la hausse du salaire moyen en
Armenie a depasse l’inflation “, a-t-il declare lors d’une conference
de presse. Sarkissian a precise que les membres du gouvernement doivent
veiller a ce que l’economie armenienne poursuive ses objectifs pour
les cinq prochaines annees s’ils veulent conserver leur poste.

Sarkissian a egalement evoque un ” sentiment d’insatisfaction ” parmi
les principaux membres de son Parti republicain (HHK). Ces derniers
ne parviennent pas a se rejouir de la victoire de Serge Sarskissian,
car le president a obtenu seulement 58,5% des voix lors de l’election
presidentielle (resultats officiels).

” Le plus grand problème de notre pays n’est pas celui de la corruption
“, a poursuivi M. Sarkissian. ” Le plus grand problème du pays est
cette atmosphère cynique dans laquelle nous vivons. ” Selon lui,
les medias participent du discours cynique.

” Notre pays est en mutation. On ne peut pas dire que rien n’a change
“, a conclu le president.

mercredi 20 mars 2013, Laetitia ©armenews.com

NIKOL PASHINYAN WAS NOT GIVEN RIGHT TO SPEAK IN NA

01:32 pm | Today | Politics

Today in the National Assembly NA chairman Hovik Abrahamyan gave
voice to CEC President Tigran Mukuchyan.

Yesterday Mr. Mukuchyan started his report on the parliamentary
elections of May 6 of 2012. Today he should have to continue answering
the questions of MP-s. “Heritage” party leader Ruben Hakobyan had
the right of giving a question.

But Mr. Mukuchyan had not yet approached the tribune, ANC deputy
Nikol Pashinyan from his sitting place without microphone announced
that after the vote he had asked Hovik Abrahamyan to give right of
voice to him but Hovik Abrahamyan ignored that statement and gave
the voice to Tigran Mukuchyan.

Shortly afterwards ANC MPs Levon Zurabyan and Gagik Jhangiryan, after
the consultation with each other together with “Free Democrats” party
representative Khachatur Kokobelyani left the session room together.

It was the turn of Republican Party of Armenia (HHK’s) MP Manvel
Badeyan who, however stated that his questions were the same as those
of Ruben Hakobyan and therefore he took out the questions.

After his words, the hall started laughing. And one of the questions of
Ruben Hakobyan related to the publication of signed electoral lists. It
should be noted that the government has always been against it.

HDI PLACES ARMENIA IN THE HIGH HUMAN DEVELOPMENT CATEGORY

18:21 19.03.2013

Armenia’s HDI value for 2012 is 0.729-in the high human development
category-positioning the country at 87 out of 187 countries and
territories. As the underlying data and methods for calculation of
HDIs have changed, it does not allow to compare values and rankings
related to Armenia with those of previously published human development
reports,

Between 1990 and 2012, Armenia’s HDI value increased from 0.628 to
0.729, an increase of 16 percent or average annual increase of about
0.7 percent.

Between 1980 and 2012, Armenia’s life expectancy at birth increased
by 3.5 years, mean years of schooling increased by 1.6 years and
expected years of schooling increased by 2.3 years. Armenia’s GNI
per capita increased by about 96 percent between 1990 and 2012.

Armenia’s 2012 HDI of 0.729 is below the average of 0.758 for countries
in the high human development group and below the average of 0.771 for
countries in Europe and Central Asia. From Europe and Central Asia,
countries which are close to Armenia in 2012 HDI rank and population
size are Georgia and Azerbaijan, which have HDIs ranked 72 and 82
respectively.

The 2010 HDR introduced the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI),
which identifies multiple deprivations in the same households in
education, health and standard of living. Armenia’s MPI value,
which is the share of the population that is multi-dimensionally
poor adjusted by the intensity of the deprivations, was 0.001 and
is slightly ahead of Georgia and Azerbaijan, which had MPI values of
0.003 and 0.021 respectively.

DEMIRCHIAN: NEW ELECTIONS ARE BEST SOLUTION

Tuesday,
March 19

A vicious phenomenon has emerged in the country – after each rigged-up
election, there is much talk about sensible compromises, tolerance,
and a dialog between the authorities and the opposition, the deputy
of Armenian National Congress (HAK) faction Stepan Demirchian stated
in the National Assembly today.

According to him, the best dialog is holding democratic elections.

“After what has happened, it is obvious that new elections should
be held. There is no other solution. This is the only sensible step
which may help handle the situation,” Demirchian said.

He stressed the need to understand that rigged elections hinder the
country’s development and result in a dramatic increase in emigration.

TODAY, 18:28

Aysor.am

ARMENIAN DUDUK PRESENTED AT UNESCO HEADQUARTERS

March 19, 2013 | 18:32

Armenia, Lithuania and Bulgaria presented their culture during the
event organized at UNESCO Headquarters to celebrate International
Francophonie Day and the tenth anniversary of the UNESCO Convention
for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Armenia was
represented by duduk player Levon Minasyan.

“Musicians and dancers performed masterpieces of the Armenian Duduk,
the Bulgarian Bistritsa Babi and the Lithuanian SutartinÄ-s, all of
which are inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible
Cultural Heritage, reflecting the wealth of these cultures, their
common influences and their interactions, handed down from generation
to generation, forging close ties between peoples throughout history,”
UNESCO said in a statement.

Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova and Armenian Ambassador to
France Vigen Chitechyan, heads of the international organizations
and diplomatic representations attended the concert held at UNESCO
Headquarters in Paris.

.

NEW ELECTIONS ONLY WAY OUT OF CRISIS IN ARMENIA – OPPOSITION MP

TERT.AM
19:21 ~U 19.03.13

Stepan Demirchyan, an Armenian National Congress (ANC) parliamentary
group member, stated in parliament on Tuesday that new elections are
the only means of resolving the present post-election crisis.

He is harshly critical of Armenia’s authorities for speaking of
“tolerance,” “dialogue,” “reasonable concessions” after they rig
elections.

On the other hand, they brand the opposition’s demands for fair
elections “maximalistic.”

The ANC has repeatedly stated that holding democratic elections is
the best dialogue.

“There is no other solution. This is the only reasonable step that
can resolve the present crisis,” he said.

Mr Demirchyan hopes that the interim parliamentary commission set
up to investigate the March 1 events in Armenia’s capital will solve
the murder crimes.

“The perpetrators of the March 1 slaughter must be punished – not only
for the sake of the victims’ relatives, but also for the sake of our
country and people. Such crimes must not recur,” Mr Demirchyan said.

AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN ARMENIA URGES SCPEC TO LOOK INTO OBSTACLES STANDING ON THE WAY OF CARREFOUR’S ARRIVAL IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, March 19. / ARKA /. The Board of the American Chamber of
Commerce in Armenia called on the chairman of the State Commission
for Protection of Economic Competition (SCPEC) Artak Shaboyan to
look into obstacles standing on the way of famous French retailer
Carrefour’s arrival in Armenia.

Gagik Arzumanian, a member of the Board of the American Commerce
Chamber in Armenia suggested that SCPEC should conduct some research
and present its findings to the public because ‘Carrefour is a very
important foreign investor.’ He was speaking at a discussion with
the business community and head of SCPEC.

Gagik Arzumanian said judging by media reports, the delay in
Carrefour’s entrance in Armenia is related to competition.

“I want to believe that these media speculations are not true and
that the government is not involved in this. This in mind, the SCPEC
appears to be the only agency that can give a clear explanation about
this problem,” he said.

In response Artak Shaboyan said his agency may look into the issue
only if it has a request from Carrefour. “Specifically in this case,
we need facts and evidence to make a grounded decision,” he said.

Earlier media reports claimed that a Russian-Armenian billionaire
Samvel Karapetyan, who is the owner of Dalma Garden Mall in Yerevan
suspended a contract with the Carrefour after a pressure from Armenian
businessman Samvel Aleksanyan, who is the largest importer of food
and other essentials.

Armenian prime minister Tigran Sargsyan said the government would do
everything possible to ensure Carrefour’s arrival in Armenia. He said
Samvel Karapetian and Carefour signed a memorandum of understanding,
not an agreement.

Carrefour S.A. is a French retailer headquartered in Paris. It
runs one of the largest hypermarket chains in the world (with 1,395
hypermarkets at the end of 2009), the second largest retail group
in the world in terms of revenue, and the third largest in profit
(after Wal-Mart and Tesco). Carrefour operates in Europe, Argentina,
Brazil, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, United Arab Emirates and
Saudi Arabia, but also has shops in North Africa and other parts of
Asia. It has 400,000 employees. Its net profits in 2012 saw a three
times rise from 2011 amounting to 1.23 billion euros. -0-

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP: ARMENIA’S JABURYAN LIKEWISE BIDS FAREWELL TO WRESTLING TOURNAMENT

March 20

Mihran Jaburyan, who represents Armenia, missed the opportunity
to compete for a gold medal at the European Freestyle Wrestling
Championship, which is being held in the Georgian capital city Tbilisi.

In the quarterfinals, Jaburyan (55 kg) was defeated by Artyom Gebekov
of Russia on points.

In his first match, the Armenian wrestler had defeated Bencze Llunaj
of Hungary.

Separately, Armenia’s Narek Sanoyan (66 kg) was unable to pass the
round of 16 at the event.

Photo by NEWS.am Sport

NEWS.am Sport

CO-RAPPORTEURS ON ARMENIA TO TELL ABOUT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

NEWS.AM
March 20, 2013 | 14:55

Co-rapporteurs on Armenia Axel Fischer and John Prescott will present
information on the February 18 presidential elections during the
meeting of PACE Monitoring Committee planed for March 20.

The committee is set to consider post-monitoring dialogue with Turkey.

The agenda also includes appointment of new co-rapporteur on Russia
and recent political developments in Azerbaijan.

The next meeting of the Committee will take place within PACE session
on April 22-26.