Author: Kanayan Tamar

L. SARGSYAN: IT IS NOT MORAL TO RAISE THE ISSUE NOW

04:03 pm | January 16, 2013 | Politics

Two senior members of the Armenian National Congress (HAK) are calling
for major changes in the opposition bloc.

Petros Makeyan (Democratic Homeland party) and Sos Gimishyan
(Christian-Democratic Revival party) demand that the leader and
coordinator of the opposition bloc be changed. They blame the crisis
in the bloc on [HAK Leader] Levon Ter-Petrosyan and [HAK Coordinator]
Levon Zurabyan, saying they have been unable to realize the goals of
the opposition alliance.

“Today HAK exists thanks to its leader, first President of Armenia
Levon Ter-Petrosyan. I see no one in the field who can replace him,
work with his team and maintain it. I do not agree that there is a
need for changes. Moreover, I want to remind that the first President
has not quitted politics and HAK and is not going to. It is not moral
to raise such a question,” Lyudmila Sargsyan, Chair of the Social
Democrat Hnchak Part (SDHK) said.

ZHOGHOVURD: ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS TO DISCUSS SUPPORT FOR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE?

16.01.13

The Political Council of the opposition bloc Armenian National Congress
(ANC) is to meet at 3:00pm on Wednesday.

The meeting is likely to discuss the proposals submitted by Petros
Makeyan, Chairman of the Democratic Homeland party.

First of all, Mr Makeyan demands ANC Coordinator Levon Zurabyan~Rs
resignation.

Sources close to the ANC informed the newspaper that ANC members
are trying to dissuade Mr Makeyan from demanding Mr Zurabyan~Rs
resignation.

In private talks many of ANC members say that Mr Makeyan would hardly
demanded the ANC coordinator~Rs resignation without solid grounds.

However, Mr Zurabyan is the ANC leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan~Rs
~Srepresentative,~T the ANC is seeking a ~Speaceful settlement~T for
the issue of Mr Zurabyan~Rs resignation not to be raised.

The meeting may also discuss the issue of supporting one of the
presidential candidates.

INCUMBENT PRESIDENT’S ELECTION PROGRAM TO BE RELEASED JAN 19 – PAPER

January 16, 2013 – 13:53 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – According to Haykakan Zhamanak daily, incumbent
president Serzh Sargsyan’s election program will become available
Saturday, January 19.

As the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) central office told
the daily, presented at the last party congress, the program was
amended and made ready to print.

The program will be posted on RPA official website, with Sargayn’s
election headquarters having failed to provide more detail information,
the daily said.

ARMENIA: DECLINE IN PROCESSED VEGETABLE PRODUCTS

According to the National statistics service, for the period from
January to November 2012, Armenia produced in total 8.53 thousand tons
of canned food which is 24.5% less than for the same period of the
year 2011.

In addition to all other kinds of canned products, it is 2.829
thousand tons of canned vegetables in 2012 (against 3.759 thousand
tons in 2011), as well as 2.814 thousand tons of canned fruit.

There is a decline in production of tomato ketchup – only about 178.6
tons were produced which is 63.5 per cent less than for the previous
corresponding period. However, the production of natural juice
increased – from 12.238 thousand liters in 2011 to 13.854 thousand
liters in 2012.

Source: arka.am

Publication date: 1/16/2013

ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI WEBSITE TO BE LAUNCHED

January 16, 2013 – 19:38 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenia-based Region research center and Azerbaijan’s
Institute of Peace and Democracy (IPD) have initiated to launch a
joint internet portal, to be financed by UK government.

“British government aims to finance and implement programs that will
boost humanitarian ties. Internet must become a platform for people
open to cooperation,” UK ambassador to Armenia Katherine Leach said.

“We have for a long time cooperated with different Azerbaijani
organizations, journalists and experts. It’s time Armenian-Azerbaijani
joint website launched.”

As director of Region research center Laura Baghdasaryan said,
the website will feature joint discussions on migration problems in
Armenia and Azerbaijan, power shift in Georgia, etc.

MAFIA BOSS GUNNED DOWN IN MOSCOW
Vitaliy Belousov

RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, January 16 (RIA Novosti) – A reputed top criminal kingpin
was killed in a contract hit in Moscow on Wednesday, police said.

Aslan Usoyan, also known as Granddad Khassan, was fatally wounded by
a sniper in central Moscow and died in hospital soon afterward.

The sniper fired a total of six shots from a nearby building as
Usoyan, 75, walked out of a restaurant. Only one bullet hit him
while two others seriously injured a woman passerby, who was put into
intensive care.

The assailant escaped.

Granddad Khassan survived at least two previous attempts on his life,
one in 1998 and the other in 2010.

Police have linked the attack to an ongoing turf war.

Usoyan, “in the business” since the 1960s, has worked his way up in
the Soviet and post-Soviet underworld.

He controlled a large number of organized crime groups in the
Caucasus, the Urals region and central Russia, especially in Moscow
and St. Petersburg, as well as abroad. He has engaged in gambling, drug
trafficking, illegal arms sales and extraction of mineral resources.

ARMENIA, GEORGIA OBLIGED TO HELP EACH OTHER

17:51 17.01.2013

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan received today the delegation
headed by Georgia’s Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili. President
Sargsyan once again congratulated Mr. Ivanishvili on the victory in
the parliamentary elections.

Serzh Sargsyan stressed that Armenia is interested in the maintenance
of stability in Georgia and wishes to further strengthen the friendly
relations, which will benefit both the Armenian and Georgian peoples.

The Prime Minister assured that his government would do its best to
ensure that the Armenian-Georgian relations reach the highest level
ever. Bidzina Ivanishvili noted that he held comprehensive talks
with his Armenian counterpart on all issues of mutual interest, and
added that there is no reason to think that the parties will ever
have problems agreeing on any issue.

The Georgian Prime Minister underlined that the two neighbor states,
which have long been living side-by-side and supporting each other,
are obliged to help each other to develop the two economies, which
face a number of similar problems.

Noting hat Armenia is also set to hold elections in the near future,
the Georgian Prime Minister said he hopes they will be peaceful and
the voice of the people will be heard.

PARUYR HAYRIKYAN DOES NOT EXCLUDE COOPERATION WITH ANYONE
Karen Ghazaryan

“Radiolur”
16:01 17.01.2013

Presidential candidate Paruyr Hayrikyan says he does not exclude the
cooperation with anyone, but this cooperation should focus only on his
platform, as what he suggests is an ideal democratic program for all.

Hayrikyan added, however, that this does not mean unification around
himself. “First, my program must be accepted, after which we’ll
discuss who’s better prepared to implement it,” he said.

Paruyr Hayrikyan added that it would not be wise to urge all opposition
candidates to unite. “The main presidential hopefuls were once included
in one team and acted against my principle of the right of the Armenian
people to self-determination. I mean Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s team,”
he explained.

Leader of the National Self-Determination Union is the first to
use the free airtime on Public Television. He said he will use all
opportunities provided by the election campaign.

GRAND CELEBRATION KICKS OFF ARF’S 122 ANNIVERSARY EVENTS

Wednesday, January 16th, 2013

More than 950 mostly young community members turned out for the ARF’s
122nd anniversary celebration

GLENDALE-The Armenian Revolutionary Federation 122nd anniversary
events were kicked off Saturday during a grand dinner-celebration at
the Glendale Civic Auditorium attended by more than 950 mostly young
community members.

Harout Pamboukjian performs

The evening’s celebratory mood was heightened by Harout Pamboukjian,
who through his rendition of Armenian traditional and patriotic songs
enlivened the event. Appearing with Pamboukjian on stager were guest
performers Ani Christie and Joseph Krikorian. Also performing in a
special appearance was Viken Yacoubian.

The event was sponsored by the ARF Central Committee of Western United
States and was organized by the La Crescenta, Burbank and Los Angeles
chapters of the ARF.

Organizing committee member Nazareth Sadorian welcomed the crowd and,
in brief remarks, highlighted the important role the ARF has played in
the history of the community in the Western US, but more importantly
its impact on modern Armenian history.

He thanked the community for rallying around the ARF and its mission,
and for coming together to celebrate the 122nd anniversary of the
organization.

An ARF Day celebration will take place at 6p.m. on Sunday, January
27 at the Glendale High School Auditorium. The event will feature
cultural performances, as well as messages from the ARF Western US
Central Committee and keynote speaker Lilit Galstian, a former member
of Armenia’s National Assembly. The community is invited to take part
in this celebration and renew its commitment to the pursuit of the
Armenian Cause.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MEETS WITH COMMUNITY IN FRANCE

NEWS.AM
January 17, 2013 | 15:00

Presidential candidate and former foreign minister Raffi Hovannisian
met on Thursday with Paul Jean-Ortiz, the chief diplomatic counsellor
of French President Francois Hollande.

The official encounter, which included a discussion of Armenia’s
upcoming elections, its state of democracy, Armenian-EU relations
and Yerevan’s foreign policy priorities for the future, took place
at the Elysee, France’s presidential palace.

Earlier, Raffi Hovannisian took part in a public forum with the
French-Armenian community, delivering an address and taking questions
on the combined challenges, today and tomorrow, facing the Republic
of Armenia, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (Artsakh), and the Armenian
Diaspora.