Author: Kanayan Tamar

ARGENTINE VICE PRESIDENT, ARMENIAN ENVOY DISCUSS EXPANSION OF TIES

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian ambassador to Argentina Vahagn Melikyan
met with the country’s Vice President, Senate Chair Amado Boudou on
Tuesday, Nov 6.

The parties focused on interparliamentary ties, stressing the
importance of boosting activities of Armenian and Argentinean
parliamentary friendship groups.

The Vice President emphasized the importance of boosting ties
in scientific and cultural sectors, with the envoy noting that a
memorandum of cooperation between the University of Buenos Aires and
Yerevan State Linguistic University is being discussed.

Also, a visit to Armenia of Jose Lino Barañao, the Argentinean Minister
of Science, Technology and Productive Innovation is planned to expand
bilateral ties in the sectors of science and technology.

In conclusion, the Vice President accepted Armenian parliament
speaker’s invitation to visit Yerevan.

YAKUTIA AIRCOMPANY TO FLY FROM IRKUTSK TO YEREVAN IN NOVEMBER

YEREVAN, November 7. /ARKA/. Russia’s Yakutia airlines start direct
flights from Irkutsk to Armenia’s capital Yerevan on November 8,
Yakutia Irkutsk affiliate director Sergey Fayzulin told journalists,
state-run RIA Novosti reports.

“Boeing 737-800 will fly to Yerevan on Thursdays. Flight time is
six o’clock forty minutes. Economy ticket price is 10,500 rubles
(nearly 136,000 drams),” Fayzulin said.

According to him, the Irkutsk-Yerevan first flight (on Thursday)
will have 105 passengers, and 20- on the way back. Yakutia intends
to increase the number of its flights to Yerevan by summer 2013.

“To not face losses from flights we need to have no less than 130
passengers on one way,” the director said.

Nowadays, none of the airlines makes direct flights from Irkutsk
to Yerevan.

Yakutia was the first airline to open a direct flight from Irkutsk to
Europe. In spring 2011 the company’s Boeing-757-200 flew to Munich
for the first time. Throughout 2011 Yakutia transported over 3,000
passengers to Munich. However, the flight was closed later.

“Flights to Munich were closed due to losses. Now we are negotiating
with the authorities, tourism companies about resuming the flights. We
cannot state for sure whether the flights to Munich will be resumed
in 2013 or not,” he said.

In 2012 Yakutia was the only company to make charter flights to Japan .

“In summer we were operating five flights to Japan. It is possible,
that the charter flights will be available in 2013 too,” Fayzulin
resumed. -0-

“THEY SEEMED TO BE WAITING FOR VAHE TO START”
Zhanna Alexanyan

Law – Wednesday, 07 November 2012, 10:39

During the hearing of the case of Vahe Avetyan’s murder the injured
party Artak Bayadyan confirmed that the incident had been premeditated.

During the cross examination of Artak Bayadyan the advocates of the
accused acted on a common front, passing to each other notes with
questions.

Artak Bayadyan stated in his testimony that the actions of the waiter
of Harsnakar Restaurant and later Ruben Hairapetyan’s bodyguards
were premeditated. He mentioned the waiter’s aggressive behavior,
the fact that the waiter invited Avetyan out and the bodyguard who
was waiting at the parking lot for Vahe first hit him and then others.

The injured party also said he had had the feeling that they were
waiting for Vahe to start. Besides, Artak heard someone say “stop
beating, he is dead”. Vahe was beaten severely and it was intended,
while his friends were spared.

Artak Bayadyan cannot understand what the reason of such cruelty
could be. The preliminary version regarding Vahe Avetyan’s murder
was that Vahe had insulted Hairapetyan who was in the restaurant and
instructed his bodyguard to kill him.

“ARMAVIA” PROMISES TO COMPENSATE THE COSTS OF CONCEALED FLIGHTS TO SYRIA

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS: Armenia’s national air carrier
“Armavia” air company continues to refund the costs of concealed
flights to Syria. “Armavia” company press service informed Armenpress,
more than 400 Syrian Armenians have got compensation equal to the cost
of the ticket, 70 people are still waiting for the return of their
money. Syrian Armenian Raffi, who has lately come to the Homeland
from Syria stated in the briefing with Armenpress, “Armavia” company
has reimbursed the cost of his three tickets out of four .

“I have got another ticket else, the company has promised to return
its cost in the near future” our compatriot noted. The cases vary.

Another Syrian Armenian Hakob Martirosyan has been compensated only
for one ticket. “I frequently turn for the return of the cost of
my three tickets, yet there is no news, they promise to compensate
later” the interlocutor stated. In the words of Firdus Zakaryan,
the head of the working group dealing with Syrian Armenian issues,
Ministry of Diaspora of the Republic of Armenia, the Ministry in its
turn does not abstain from relevant actions, they undertake a number
of measures, have sent letter to the air company.” The air company has
made efforts reportedly the majority of the ticket holders have been
compensated. The applications of the rest stakeholders are underway
and will be solved down in the near future”.

According to Zakaryan currently 5000 Syrian Armenians are habiting
in Armenia. “Zvartnots” airport in recent times regularly suspends
“Armavia” air carrier flights due the depts. This worries not only
the air carrier but its customer as well. Regular suspension of
flights causes mistrust about the carrier by its customers in one
hand resulting in the reduction of the passengers’ number in the
other hand grow of debts.

” Armavia” air company suspended its flights to Syria on September
10. According to the Airline Company the flight have been suspended
only for the clients’ interests after the rebels have announced they
will bombard any plane passing through Syria airspace.

Currently only “Syrian Airlines” launches direct flight from Armenia
to Syria.

EU CONTINUES TO SUPPORT CIVIL SOCIETY PEACE BUILDING EFFORTS OVER NAGORNO-KARABAKH

Trend
Nov 6 2012
Azerbaijan

The European Union has announced the launch of the second phase
of the civil society program European Partnership for the Peaceful
Settlement of the Conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh (EPNK), the EU said
in a statement.

This program aims to support peace-building efforts concerning the
conflict over NagornoKarabakh by facilitating dialogue between civil
society, media and policy-makers.

Established under the Instrument for Stability – the EU’s special
financial instrument created to support the peaceful settlement of
conflicts, de-escalation of tensions and post-conflict rehabilitation
worldwide – EPNK is a consortium of five European NGOs, which seeks
to work with local partners in the South Caucasus on a wide range
of peace-building projects and to help improve conditions for the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement process.

The program promotes a dynamic dialogue between a broad range of
policymakers, media and civil society from all sides of the conflict.

It also supports a wider participation of conflict-affected people
in the peace process, including women, youth, internally displaced
persons and refugees.

Programme activities are arranged around three main themes: media,
public policy and conflictaffected groups. They aim to:

~U Broaden the base of participation in peace-building initiatives,

~U Build confidence between all sides of the conflict

~U Promote fresh analysis and new ideas and

~U Actively engage of civil society in dialogue with policy makers
at national and international levels on the transformation of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

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 the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

MP: TEHRAN-YEREVAN GOOD RELATIONS FURTHER EXPANDING

Trend
Nov 6 2012
Azerbaijan

Iranian Head of Iran-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group Ali Kaidi
referring to good and still expanding Tehran-Yerevan relations,
attributed the exceptionally favorable bilateral ties to good
neighborly ties and two nations’ increasingly friendly relations.

According to IRNA, the News and Media Office of the Islamic Parliament,
Majlis, further quoted Kaidi as referring to the shared historical and
cultural commonalties of the two nations in his Monday meeting with
the Ambassador of Armenia Republic to Iran, Gregor Araklian, stressing
the need for further improvement and deepening of bilateral ties.

Kaidi said that the comprehensive expansion of ties, including the
parliamentary relations would naturally lead of evermore stronger
friendly relations between the two nations.

He expressed hope that the Iran-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship
groups would relying on each other’s assistance mange to open a new
chapter in the two countries’ relations.

Kaidi reiterated, “The Islamic Parliament, Majils, fully supports
efforts made for expansion of bilateral expansion of bilateral ties,
beginning with expansion of parliamentary relations.”

The Armenian ambassador to Tehran, too, while congratulating the
establishment of the Iran-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group at
the Islamic Parliament, announced Erevan’s strong will and enthusiasm
for further expansion of relations with Iran.

HISTORIC SCHOOL RETURNED

Hurriyet
Nov 7 2012
Turkey

An Armenian foundation has received back an Istanbul school building,
following a court case that lasted 30 years.

The historic Bomonti Mıhitaryan School in Istanbul’s Bomonti
neighborhood, which belonged to the Surp Ä~^azar Armenian Catholic
Mıhitarist Monastery and School Foundation but was not registered
in the 1936 Declaration, was returned to the foundation after a trial
held on Nov. 1.

‘Justice has been served’

“Justice has been served,” the foundation’s head, Rita Nurnur, told the
Hurriyet Daily News, adding that the Director General of Foundations,
Adnan Ertem, had first advised them to open a law case on the issue.

“When the foundation law entered into force, we filed two appeals with
the Foundations Directorate General, but both of them were rejected.

The esteemed Ertem then advised to us to open up a new case against
the Directorate. Legally, the procedures should have progressed in
that way originally,” Nurnur said.

Turkey’s minorities were obliged to declare their properties in 1936
upon a government request. However, many of the properties did not
remain registered under the names of the minority foundations and
many were even sold to third parties in subsequent years.

November/07/2012

LUBNA AL QASIMI MEETS WITH ARMENIAN VICE PRIME MINISTER

WAM – Emirates News Agency, UAE
Nov 6 2012

WAM Abu Dhabi, Nov 6th, 2012 (WAM) — Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al
Qasimi, Minister of Foreign Trade has held talks in Abu Dhabi with
Armen Gevorkyan, Vice Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, and
his accompanying delegation on strengthening economic and investment
relations between the UAE and Armenia and promoting joint investments
in various fields.

The meeting also centered on the need to explore new horizons for
investors from both the UAE and Armenia in order to better utilize
the strong bilateral relations and signed economic agreements the
two countries enjoy.

During the meeting, Sheikha Lubna said that the UAE is witnessing
rapid growth in various fields, which is in turn having its positive
impact on the country’s trade exchange, placing it at unprecedented
positions in trade and investment indices, which is in line, she added,
with the government strategies and goals that that were put in place
to strengthen the UAE’s standing in the global trade map.

Sheikha Lubna invited Armenian companies to invest in the UAE and
benefit from its available opportunities, especially with regards to
making it their entry point into many neighboring regional markets,
adding that the UAE is geographically and strategically well positioned
as a transit trade hub between east and west and that it has flexible
investment and economic legislations and excellent incentives and
advantages such as its modern infrastructure, high consumption and
income rates, advanced logistical support and the presence of a
sophisticated and wide spanning air, land and maritime network that
adopts the best global standards.

For his part, Gevorkyan emphasized the importance of the UAE market
for Armenian companies, expressing his hope for strengthening and
expanding Armenia’s commercial and investment ties with the UAE,
in light of the advanced standing enjoyed by the UAE and its unique
developmental approach and philosophy, adding that his government looks
forward to welcoming UAE investors to invest in Armenia’s sectors
that are witnessing rapid growth, especially that the consumption
rate there is witnessing exponential growth.

Trade between the UAE and Armenia has witnessed noticeable growth
over the past two years, increasing by 6 percent from 2010 to 2011,
with the UAE contributing 97 percent of the two country’s bilateral
trade during that period.

WAM/ES/AM

BELARUS INTERESTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ARMENIA, MAKEI SAYS

News of Belarus
Nov 6 2012

MINSK, 6 November (BelTA) – Belarus and Armenia agreed to strengthen
the partnership in the political, economic, humanitarian and other
areas, the Foreign Ministry press service told BelTA after the meeting
of Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei with Deputy Foreign
Minister of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan.

“The parties exchanged views on the ninth meeting of the
intergovernmental Belarusian-Armenian commission for trade and
economic cooperation held recently, discussed the state and prospects
of the Belarusian-Armenian cooperation. The parties agreed to
continue strengthening the partnership in the political, economic,
humanitarian and other areas. It was emphasized that the current
volume of bilateral trade does not match the economic potential and
the level of Belarusian-Armenian relations,” stressed the Foreign
Ministry press service.

The parties discussed a number of projects which will contribute
to the growth in mutual trade. Thus, the Armenian side has drawn
attention to the free economic zones in Armenia. During the meeting,
the agreement was reached to continue the practice of holding
ministerial consultations, including to harmonize the positions of
the two countries in international arena.

BELARUS INTERESTED IN COOPERATION IN JEWELRY BUSINESS WITH ARMENIA

News of Belarus
Nov 6 2012

MINSK, 6 November (BelTA) – Belarus shows interest in developing
cooperation with Armenia in jewelry business, Deputy Foreign Minister
of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan said after the Belarusian-Armenian
ministerial consultations on 6 November.

“Today the Armenian government is busy with implementing the program
on development of free economic zones. These zones will promote the
development of the industry, high technology and gem cutting. We hope
the Belarusian side will be interested (and such interest has already
been expressed) in cooperation in diamond jewelry because the terms
in the FEZ are quite favorable. The cooperation in this business will
allow us to increase the trade,” said Shavarsh Kocharyan.

First Deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus Alexander Mikhnevich
noted that there is an objective reason for the Belarusian-Armenian
successful interaction in the jewelry business, namely highly qualified
personnel. Specialists are very important in this business.

To our credit, we, Belarus, have has preserved the staff at
enterprises, we did not let the brain drain happen. So we have an
objective reason for cooperation,” he said.