Author: Kanayan Tamar

TIR
L’équipe d’Arménie junior 3e des Championnats d’Europe de tir à 10 m à
Odense (Danemark)

L’équipe d’Arménie de tir à 10 mètres a remporté la médaille de bronze
des Championnats d’Europe junior de tir à Odense (Danemark) le 27
février. L’équipe d’Arménie, composée de Ramig Minassian, Chant
Sarkissian et Arthur Petrossian a obtenu 1043 points et une 3e place
au podium. L’Arménie devance la Russie. L’Ukraine est médaille d’or et
la Finlande médaille d’argent. L’équipe d’Arménie est entraînée par le
tireur Noraïr Pakhdamian qui a beaucoup fait progresser l’équipe
d’Arménie ces dernières années. A titre individuel, sur les 16
sportifs classés, Ramig Minassian est 7e avec 361 points, Chant
Sarkissian est 14e (342 pts) et Arthur Petrossian est 15e (340 pts).
Chez les filles sur les 13 sportives classées, la représentante de
l’Arménie, Lilit Mkrdtchian prit la 11e place avec 334 points.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 3 mars 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

R. HOVANNISIAN: WHY DID HAKHVERDYAN EXPRESS SUCH AN OPINION?

01:59 PM | TODAY | POLITICS

Before today’s march in commemoration of the ten victims of March
2008 post-election clashes, Heritage party leader Raffi Hovannisian
gave an open air press conference at Liberty Square in Yerevan.

He promised to do his utmost to exclude repetition of the March 2008
tragic events. Mr Hovannisian also answered journalists’ questions
regarding his decision to appeal the results of the February 18
presidential election in the Constitutional Court.

The Heritage leader said he was going to consult over the issue with
people at Saturday’s rally in Liberty Square and make his decision
the following day.

“I will announce my decision publically on Sunday, March 3,” said
Mr Hovannisian.

The Heritage leader said he has no connection with the parliamentary
hearings initiated by the Heritage faction, Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) and Republican Party of Armenia (HHK). At
the same time, Hovannisian said he did not object to the undertaking as
‘the National Assembly is also a platform for waging a fight.’

Speaking about Ruben Hakhverdyan’s statement made at Liberty Square
during the Feb. 28 rally, Mr Hovannisian said he did not agree with
the singer’s viewpoint though he respects the opinion of every and
each citizen.

“We had better think about what happened in our country, which gave
rise to such an opinion,” said the Heritage party leader.

In the end, Mr Hovannisian re-affirmed his commitment to continue the
nation-wide movement, saying ‘people should be prepared for long-term
struggle, rather instant solutions.’

Speaking about Serzh Sargsyan at yesterday’s rally at Liberty Square,
Ruben Hakhverdyan said ‘he had come from the remotest depths of an
Azerbaijani province.’ he meant to say when Serzh Sargsyan was living
in Stepanakert, the Nagorno-Karabakh liberation movement had not yet
started and Nagorno-Karabakh was still a part of the Soviet Azerbaijan.

Hovannisian’s press conference was followed my a march to the Statue
of Myasnikyan to commemorate the ten people killed during the violent
clashes on March 1, 2008.

TOXIC ELEMENTS IN LAKE SEVAN EXCEEDING MPC

02:41 PM | TODAY | SOCIAL

Heavy metals and toxic elements in Lake Sevan exceed the maximum
permissible concentration. “Environmental Impact Monitoring Center”
SNCO took 18 samples from 5 observation sites in lake Sevan in
December 2012. It turns out, under fish-economic assessment norms,
in the samples taken from Lake Sevan ammonium ion exceeded MPC by
1.1-1.9 times, magnesium – 1.2 – 1.4, vanadium – 5.4-5.9, chrome –
1.3-2.0, copper – 1.1, and selenium – 1.8-2.0., EcoLur reports.

NO ONE HAS RIGHT TO SAY ANYTHING TO OUR UNIVERSITY STUDENTS – ARMENIAN OPPOSITION LEADER

March 01, 2013 | 13:12

YEREVAN. – I always prefer classes rather than their boycott, but no
one has the right to say anything to our university students.

Armenia’s opposition Heritage Party Chairman Raffi Hovannisian-who
is declared runner-up to the winner, incumbent President Serzh
Sargsyan, as a result of the presidential election on February 18,
but who claims to be the real winner in the vote-stated this Friday,
during an open-air press conference in capital city Yerevan’s Liberty
Square, commenting on the ongoing demonstrations that are staged
nearby several of the country’s institutions of higher education.

“No one has a right to raise their hands against, to punish
our students. It is these very students that ought to be in the
universities, whereas the election-violating ‘bosses’ should come
out of the university,” he noted.

As per Hovannisian, there was widespread fraud on Election Day. And
speaking on the resignation of some officials, Heritage’s leader
specifically said:

“I am confident that they have thousands of election fraud evidence. I
am glad that there is the [resignation] process, but it should not
be partial.”

To the query as to why he does not demand President Sargsyan’s
resignation during the rallies, Hovannisian responded: “We will speak
tomorrow [Saturday].”

The news reporters also asked why the members of Raffi Hovannisian’s
family are not citizens of Armenia to this day, and his sons have
not served in the Armenian Armed Forces.

“My sons and my family are in service all through their lives, and I
am very glad that my son, Armen Richard, has applied and been granted
citizenship of Armenia at the age of sixteen,” he noted. Furthermore,
it turns out that, after receiving the citizenship of Armenia himself,
Hovannisian had applied to be called up for army duty, but he was
rendered ineligible for military service due to his age.

To note, following the press conference, Raffi Hovannisian headed,
with a march, to the Myasnikyan statue to pay respects to the victims
of the tragedy that occurred nearby the area on March 1, 2008.

– See more at:

COMPLAINT ON SAFAROV CASE FILED TO EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS

March 01, 2013 | 13:14

YEREVAN.- Armenia has filed a complaint to the European Court of Human
Rights on murderer Rafil Safarov’s case, Deputy Justice Minister said.

The private complaint has been filed by legal successors of deceased
officer Gurgen Margaryan and representatives of Hayk Makuchyan.

At the current stage, given the fact of a personal complaint, Armenian
authorities refrain from taking steps, but in due time the Armenian
side will take an active part in the proceedings as the third party,
Deputy Minister Ruben Melikyan told reporters.

The complaint refers to violations of Article 2 (right to life)
and 14 (prohibition of discrimination) of the European Convention on
Human Rights. The working group engaged in preparing the complaint,
involved local and foreign experts, including attorney Nazeli Vardanyan
representing the Armenian side during trial in Budapest.

Melikyan noted this is an unprecedented case for the European Court,
taking into account the committed crime. Armenian side hopes for an
adequate response, he added.

Ramil Safarov, a lieutenant in the Azerbaijani military, was
extradited on August 31, 2012 from Hungary, where he was serving a
life sentence-and with no expression of either regret or remorse-for
the premeditated axe murder of Armenian lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan,
in his sleep, during a NATO Partnership for Peace program in Budapest
back in 2004. Safarov had planned on killing the other Armenian
military serviceman, who likewise was attending the aforesaid program,
but he was unable to carry out this plan.

Ramil Safarov’s return to Baku was welcomed, as was his act of murder,
by the officials of president Ilham Aliyev’s government and much
of Azerbaijani society, and the Azerbaijani president immediately
granted him a pardon, he was declared a national hero, promoted to
a higher military rank, and was allocated housing and pension.

And Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan announced on August 31, 2012
that Armenia is suspending its diplomatic ties with Hungary. Also,
Sargsyan instructed the Ministry of Justice to take all measures to
petition to the international judicial tribunals, and with respect
to the Safarov case.

Ramil Safarov’s pardoning was condemned by virtually all international
organizations.

– See more at:

AZERBAIJAN TURNS PARLIAMENTS OF DIFFERENT COUNTRIES INTO PLATFORM OF DISCUSSION OF KARABAKH ISSUE – RULING PARTY MP

TERT.AM
12:35 ~U 01.03.13

Using its lobby Azerbaijan is trying to make Nagorno Karabakh issue
a target of discussions in the parliaments of different countries,
chairman of Foreign Relations Standing Committee Artak Zakaryan told
the reporters on Friday.

The ruling party MP said Armenia’s diplomatic forces are trying to
combat it.

“Parliaments of different countries voice readiness to be subjected
to misinformation. Recently Czech Republic’s parliament has adopted
a document relating to Khojaly cases. It is a bad precedent and the
main concern is that parliaments of different countries become arena
for discussions,” he said.

Zakaryan said the Armenian diplomatic forces must be able to work
in these parliaments and explain that the discussions in third,
fourth countries will negatively affect the attempts to smoothen the
existing disputes.

“It is the continuation of caviar diplomacy that is gradually
coming forth. The matter of concern is not the misinformation
spread by Azerbaijan. It is strange that our partners, friends, the
parliaments of loyal countries allow their parliaments become a stage
for diplomatic wars,” he said.

Asked how the Armenian side responds to the events, Artak Zakaryan
said he has already sent a letter to his Czech Republic counterpart
and added that in reality Armenia carries out a large-scale work.

“This work must not necessarily be seen. Only in one out of its ten
initiatives Azerbaijan manages to reach success, in other nine cases
Armenia makes them fail. Our diplomatic missions manage to raise
certain issues connected with Sumgait. We will try to present the
whole reality,” he said.

HRAPARAK: PEOPLE READY TO FORGIVE RAFFI HOVANNISIAN’S MISTAKES BUT THEY WILL NOT FORGIVE HIS UNFAITHFULNESS

11:14 01/03/2013 ” POLITICS

Raffi Hovannisian’s electorate both directly and indirectly warns him
that he should not become Artashes Geghamyan and Arthur Baghdasaryan,
Hraparak daily says. The people say that they will stand by him
and that they are ready to wait and support him, but he should not
disappoint them. They are ready to forgive his mistakes and omissions,
his excessive kindness and politeness, but they will not forgive his
unfaithfulness. The time will show if the Heritage leader will manage
to fulfill the hopes of these people, the paper says.

Source: Panorama.a

PALLONE COMMEMORATES AZERBAIJANI POGROMS IN SUMGAIT

12:10 01.03.2013

Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
commemorated the 25th anniversary of the Azerbaijani pogroms against
the Armenian population of the Azerbaijani city of Sumgait, and
condemned the ongoing atmosphere of violence and intimidation being
fostered by the government of President Ilham Aliyev, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“The history of the past quarter century has been one of Artsakh’s
enduring democratic triumph over relentless Azerbaijani government
aggression, blockades, intolerance, and war. We look to American
leaders, revolutionary heirs to the world’s greatest independence
movement, to help support and sustain the proud victory of a free
people against foreign tyranny, against massacres, outright war,
economic blockade, ongoing sniper attacks, and, now, a Baku-led
international campaign to demonize each and every Armenian on the
planet,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “We join
with Armenians in New Jersey and across the nation in thanking
Congressman Pallone for continuing to raise his voices in support
of a peaceful, democratic, secure, and sustainable resolution that
will end Azerbaijani threats against the free citizens of the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic.”

In remarks submitted to the Congressional Record, Representative
Pallone reminded his colleagues, “it was on the evening of February
27, 1988, that hundreds of Armenians were brutally murdered, some
burned alive and others thrown from windows.” Pallone went on to
explain that the Sumgait pogroms were the beginning of decades of
violence, fomented by successive Azerbaijani government leaders. “For
more than two decades, authorities in Azerbaijan have attempted to
ignore and cover up these crimes and have instead fostered hatred
toward the Armenian people. In an affront to basic senses of justice,
the Azerbaijani government recently pardoned Azerbaijani military
officer, Ramil Safarov who was sentenced to life in prison in Hungary
for murdering an Armenian military officer during a NATO-sponsored
training program in 2004. I continue to be outraged by this promotion
of violence against innocent Armenians,” stated the New Jersey
legislator. Rep. Pallone went on to urge the immediate reincarceration
of Ramil Safarov by the Aliyev government. The complete text of of
his statement is provided below.

PETITION URGES BRITISH MUSEUM TO STOP MISREPRESENTATION OF ARMENIAN HERITAGE

12:45 01.03.2013

Petition posted on change.org calls on the British Museum to stop
misrepresentation of Armenian Armenian Heritage as “Ancient Turkey.”

The full text of the petition is provided below:

“The British Museum is misinforming visitors about the artifacts
found within room 54, claiming they originated from Ancient Turkey and
Ancient Anatolia. This is absolutely ridiculous and beyond inaccurate
because there is no such thing as Ancient Turkey or Ancient Anatolia!

This is a discrimination of Armenian heritage and shall not be
tolerated. They refer to artifacts dated from 5500-300 BC from Kingdom
of Ararat, known as “Urartu”, present day Armenia, as “eastern Turkey.”

They are trying to validate their point by stating that “most
visitors use modern geographical references to decide which parts of
the collection they wish to see.” As an educational institution they
should be educating their visitors about the origins of the art and
the culture it was created by, not manipulating them to “decide which
parts of the museum they wish to see.”

Other museums around the world, such as the Metropolitan Museum,
acknowledge and respect the Armenian culture by properly naming
their collections. Why is the British Museum trying to change history
by giving the Ottoman Empire credit for art they never created? By
deceiving visitors the British Museum is losing credibility as an
institution that conserves historical importance.”

The petition has been signed by 6,387; 1,113 signatures are needed.

Salpi Ghazaryan refused to give testimony

Fri, 03/01/2013 – 16:24

The questioning of the Director of `Civilitas’ Foundation Salpi
Ghazaryan is over; she used her right and refused to give testimony.

According to the press release of the Foundation, today at 14:00 Salpi
Ghazaryan was invited to the National Security Service assigned to the
RA Government for questioning.

It should be remembered that the Investigation Department of the
National Security Service is examining the case of the legalization of
illicit income in which the defendant is the member of the RA National
Assembly, the founder of the `Civilitas’ Foundation Vardan Oskanyan.

Author:
Factinfo
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