Author: Kanayan Tamar

FROM ARARAT TO ARARAT ON THE ROPEWAY
Hasmik Dilanyan

“Radiolur”
17:52 25.12.2012

In this age of conflicts, ethnic and religious intolerance,
international terrorism and challenges, the international community
needs a pivotal idea to unite people following different religions.

Ex-Mayor of the city of Gavar Felix Gharabaghtsyan suggests
implementing a program of international concord by building “Noah’s
Park.”

“All countries of the world will join the idea of dialogue in a small
country,” Felix Gharabaghtsyan said.

He suggests building “Noah’s Park” on the slope of Mount Ararat to
provide an opportunity to representatives of the clergy, trans-national
and international organizations to cooperate.

The project envisages building a ropeway to Mount Ararat. To
what extent is the construction of a ropeway from Armenia to
Turkey possible? Felix Gharabaghtsyan says it will be easy if the
international community demands. He believes Turkey will also agree
and assures there are many people ready to finance the project.

The author presented the project to the Government three years ago.

Initially, it has been decided to build the park in Ararat marz.

Gharabaghtsyan wants to meet with the President to present the details
of the program.

BUILDING OF UNDERGROUND PARKING UNDER REPUBLIC SQUARE CAUSES DISPLEASURE OF ECOLOGISTS

arminfo
Tuesday, December 25, 14:59

The turning of the Republic Square into a business-centre is
inadmissible, the head of the association “For stable development”,
Karine Danielyan, said at today’s press-conference.

She said that no wide-scale discussion was held around turning of the
Foreign Ministry’s building into a hotel. Moreover, the viewpoint of
several experts which were against the given project, was not taken
into account. She said that the Republic Square is a symbol of the
statehood as several administrative buildings, including the Government
building, are located here, and opening of another hotel may change
the meaning of the square and turn it into a business-centre.

Danielyan was also displeased with opening of a parking under the
square, as no investigation was held on the matter. For his part,
an architect Sashur Kalashyan said he doubts if the exterior of the
building of the Foreign Ministry will be preserved after its turning
into a hotel, as without serious reconstruction it is practically
impossible to turn an administrative building into a hotel.

NEW YEREVAN BOOK STORE TO OFFER CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE

hetq
16:58, December 25, 2012

Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan and Writers Union President Levon Ananyan
ceremoniously cut the ribbon of a new bookstore located next to the
Union’s building on Baghramyan Street in Yerevan.

Aptly named “New Book”, the store was the brainchild of the Writers
Union and will offer titles of both contemporary Armenian and foreign
authors.

Book lovers will also periodically get a chance to meet some local
authors at the shop.

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN HOSTS HOLIDAY PARTY FOR THE PRESS

hetq
16:10, December 25, 2012

On the occasion of the New Year and Christmas holidays, a reception
was held today at the Presidential Palace hosted by Serzh Sargsyan
for members of the press in Armenia.

President Sargsyan stated that during the past year, the media and
the government continued to work hand in hand to strengthen freedom
of speech and democracy in Armenia.

“I want to congratulate you for doing such a good job, especially
regarding the parliamentary elections. I cannot recall another election
in Armenia since independence when news coverage for the electorate
was so accessible.”

President Sargsyan added that he was gratified to see that more and
more reporters in Armenia have learnt to put aside their personal
perspectives when covering politics in Armenia and described it as
a sign of growing professionalism.

ARMENIAN CHESS PLAYERS PARTICIPATE IN VARIOUS INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENTS

Armenian GM Tigran Kotanjian has scored 3 points after three rounds
and is leading together with GM Evgenij Miroshnichenko (Ukraine) at
the open that is being held in Al-Ain, UAE. Armchess.am informs about
this.

IM Karen Grigoryan has 2 points.

52 chess players are taking part in the tournament.

According to the same source Armenian GM Zaven Andriasian has scored
3,5 points after 4 rounds at the open that is being held in Groningen,
Netherlands. Andriasian is only half a point behind the leader –
GM Peter Michalik (Slovakia).

IM Mher Hovhanisian has 3, IM Vahe Baghdasaryan – 2,5 points.

25.12.12, 14:55

VICTOIRE DE LA JUSTICE
Stephane

armenews.com
mercredi 26 decembre 2012

L’ensemble de la presse rend compte du verdict du tribunal de première
instance de la region de Chirak qui a acquitte, le 18 decembre,
trois anciens soldats impliques dans la mort en 2003 de deux autres
soldats dans une unite militaire d’un village au HK, Mataghis. Les
trois soldats en cause avaient ete arretes au debut de 2004 et inculpes
de meurtre. Un tribunal de première instance avait condamne les trois
soldats a 15 ans de prison en 2005, que la Cour d’appel avait commuee
en une peine d’emprisonnement a perpetuite en mai 2006. La Cour de
cassation avait ensuite annule les deux verdicts en decembre 2006,
ordonnant la liberation immediate des suspects et un ” complement
d’enquete ” sur les homicides. Un nouveau procès avait donc demarre
en juillet 2008. L’annonce du verdict a suscite des applaudissements
et des cris de joie dans la salle d’audience. Le tribunal a juge
non satisfaisantes les preuves de participation des trois accuses
aux homicides. Meme les parents des victimes ne croyaient pas en la
culpabilite des accuses, affirmant que les veritables criminels se
trouvaient en liberte. RFE/RL relève que les avocats de la defense
avaient a plusieurs reprises affirme que le veritable auteur des
meurtres serait un officier qui commandait l’unite de Mataghis.

L’enquete avait ete supervisee en 2004-2006 par Gaguik Djhanguirian,
procureur militaire en chef de l’epoque et actuellement depute du
Congrès National Armenien d’opposition. Les quotidiens considèrent
la liberation des anciens soldats, actuellement âges de 27 ans, comme
une victoire sans precedent de la justice. / Rapporte par l’ensemble
de la presse

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 19 decembre 2012

mercredi 26 decembre 2012, Stephane ©armenews.com

RENCONTRE DES CHEFS DE LA SECURITE NATIONALE D’ARMENIE ET D’ALGERIE A EREVAN
Krikor Amirzayan

armenews.com
mercredi 26 decembre 2012

A l’invitation d’Arthur Baghdassarian le secretaire du Conseil
de securite nationale armenienne, du 26 au 28 decembre se trouve
en Armenie une delegation algerienne conduite par Mouhamed Kamel
Rezag Bara, le responsable de la securite nationale de la Republique
d’Algerie. Smaïl Chergui l’Ambassadeur d’Algerie en Armenie (residant
a Moscou) est egalement present au sein de la delegation algerienne
a Erevan. La delegation algerienne rencontrera le president armenien
Serge Sarkissian, le ministre de la Defense Seyran Ohanian et le
responsable de la police armenienne. Arthur Baghdassarian et son
homologue algerien Mouhamed Kamel Rezag Bara discuteront sur la
cooperation armeno-algerienne en matière de securite interieure.

mercredi 26 decembre 2012, Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

LES EMIRATS POUR UNE TRANSITION PAS FONDEE SUR DES CRITERES CONFESSIONNELS
Ara

armenews.com
mercredi 26 decembre 2012

ABOU DHABI, 26 dec 2012 (AFP) – Les Emirats arabes unis, pays petrolier
du Golfe, soutiennent une transition en Syrie qui ne soit pas basee
sur des critères confessionnels, selon leur ministre des Affaires
etrangères, cite mercredi par les medias officiels.

“Les Emirats soutiennent un futur changement de gouvernement” non base
sur des critères confessionnels, a declare cheikh Abdallah Ben Zayed
Al-Nahyane lors d’un entretien mardi a Abou Dhabi avec le president
de la Coalition nationale syrienne, Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib.

Le ministre a ajoute que son pays soutenait aussi les efforts de
l’emissaire international Lakhdar Brahimi tendant a obtenir un arret
des violences et preparer “une Syrie moderne ouverte a tous ses enfants
sans discrimination et loin de tout esprit de rancune ou de vengeance”.

M. Brahimi, en mission a Damas, n’a pas obtenu pour le moment
l’assentiment du president Bachar al-Assad ni celui des principaux
groupes de l’opposition a un plan international de sortie de crise. Au
terme d’un sommet mardi a Manama, les monarchies du Golfe, dont
les Emirats, ont souhaite que la transition politique en Syrie soit
acceleree pour mettre fin au conflit, qui a fait plus de 45.000 morts
en 21 mois.

Le soulèvement populaire, declenche en mars 2011, s’est militarise
face a la repression, et les rebelles sunnites ont radicalise leurs
actions contre le regime de Bachar al-Assad, issu de la communaute
minoritaire alaouite, une emanation du chiisme.

Dans leur dernier rapport sur la Syrie, les enqueteurs de l’ONU
ont affirme la semaine dernière que le conflit etait desormais
“ouvertement intercommunautaire”, citant les tensions entre les
chiites et les sunnites.

Les experts indiquent en outre que “les (…) minorites, comme les
Armeniens, les Chretiens, les Druzes, les Palestiniens, les Kurdes
et les Turkmènes ont ete emportes par le conflit”.

Selon le chercheur francais Fabrice Balanche, 80% des Syriens sont
sunnites, environ 10% sont alaouites dont M. Assad, 5% chretiens, 3%
druzes et 1% ismaeliens.

mercredi 26 decembre 2012, Ara ©armenews.com

ODNOKLASSNIKI PRESENTS AZERBAIJAN WITHOUT KARABAKH

Fri 14 December 2012 07:48 GMT | 7:48 Local Time

Famous Russian social network Odnoklassniki has released an
inforgraphics to speak about distribution of its users on countries.

Those preparing the inforgraphics have allowed a serious mistake
regarding the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, Gun.Az reports,
referring to Facebook page Azerbaycan xeberleri.

Thus, the map of the Republic of Azerbaijan was shown without
Nagorno-Karabakh, which is an integral part of the country.

This is not the first mistake of this social network regarding
Azerbaijan. In the previous infographics, Azerbaijan was shown without
the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic.

News.Az

PRESS RELEASE
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA
Diana Manukyan, AUA PR Coordinator
40 Baghramyan Ave.
Yerevan 0019, Republic of Armenia
Email: [email protected]
Web:
Facebook

December 24, 2012

Dear Friends of AUA:

During this busy holiday season, I would like to personally thank you for
your continued support of the American University of Armenia. As we reflect
upon the year past and look ahead to 2013, I would like to share with you
some of our accomplishments and some of our plans for the year ahead. AUA is
gaining momentum in a variety of ways, and there is a renewed sense of
enthusiasm in the air. We look forward to a busy year ahead.

Milestone Accomplishments and the Year Ahead

The university received a record number of applicants to our graduate
programs for the fall 2012 semester. Our faculty and graduates are
consistently recognized as leaders in their fields. We have signed
cooperative agreements for internships and new programs with several
Armenian government ministries and the Central Bank of Armenia. We are
renovating and expanding our facilities to accommodate our expanding student
body. We also opened our doors to meet the urgent needs of the students from
Syria. We have been able to do this due in large part to the generous
support of key philanthropic leaders.

Looking ahead, our biggest news is that we will launch our undergraduate
program in fall 2013. This will be a significant expansion of our
educational mission. We have received the necessary accreditation to proceed
with this expansion that will quadruple our student body over the next five
years. With an American-accredited undergraduate program in place, AUA will
soon be able to host students from abroad who wish to spend their summers or
junior year studying in Armenia.

Your Role in AUA’s Future Success

AUA’s success is a team effort. From the beginning, AUA has been supported
by a dedicated group of founders, trustees, community organizations, and
visionaries. Your financial contributions have had, and continue to have,
tremendous impact on our students. Educational excellence requires
tremendous resources. To give you a sense of it all, it costs AUA
approximately $10,000 to educate each student.

Yet students from Armenia are charged only $2,500 in tuition. This gap of
$7,500 is subsidized by the university and by you, our generous supporters.
With your support, we are able to maintain our commitment to the principle
that no qualified Armenian student should ever be denied an AUA education
due to an inability to pay tuition, despite rapidly rising costs.

I hope you will consider AUA in your year-end charitable contributions. Your
contribution, whatever its size, will have a profound impact in providing an
exceptional American education to all our students. You may donate your U.S.
tax-deductible gift online ( )
or mail it directly to: American University of Armenia, 300 Lakeside Drive,
Suite 700, Oakland, CA 94612.

I thank you in advance for considering the American University of Armenia in
your year-end charitable giving. Together we can make a difference in
educating Armenia’s youth and helping them become the leaders of tomorrow.

With warmest wishes during this holiday season from all of us at AUA to all
of you,

ny_clip_image001.gif

Bruce Boghosian
President
American University of Armenia