Author: Kanayan Tamar

ZHOGHOVURD: OWNER OF ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION IN KHOSROV RESERVE UNKNOWN?

tert.am
02.08.12

The paper says the environmentalists issued a statement on Wednesday
claiming that illegal construction in Gilan territory of Khosrov
state reserve belongs to the speaker of the Armenian National Assembly
Hovik Abrahamyan.

Speaking to the paper, though, spokesperson for the NA speaker Gohar
Poghosyan dismissed the information. “It is not true. We have stated
many times that all that has no relation with Hovik Abrahamyan,”
the paper cited her as saying.

PAPER SAYS EX-MINISTER SIRADEGHYAN DEAD

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 2, 2012 – 10:44 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenia’s former interior minister Vano Siradeghyan
passed away a few months ago, Hraparak paper reports, citing
ex-minister’s friend.

A famous intellectual, who was once friends with Siradeghyan, said the
ex-minister died abroad of serious illness, the fact kept in secret
for some reasons. The intellectual cites Siradeghyan family’s silence
about the Facebook signature campaign on his return to prove his point,
the paper says.

However, if the information proves to be rumors, the ex-minister
himself will soon react to it, Hraparak reports.

CHRIS BOHJALIAN’S PRESENTS BOOK ABOUT ARMENIAN GENOCIDE ON CAPITOL HILL

news.am
August 02, 2012 | 10:35

WASHINGTON, DC – New York Times Best-Selling author Chris Bohjalian
capped a full day on Capitol Hill with a compelling presentation of
“The Sandcastle Girls,” his newly published novel about the Armenian
Genocide, to a standing room only Congressional audience today,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The event was co-hosted by Armenian Genocide Resolution lead sponsors,
Representatives Robert Dold and Adam Schiff and the ANCA.

The Washington Post, a day before the presentation, announced that
“The Sandcastle Girls” debuted as the #4 best-selling book in the
national capital area. The author, in addition to making a compelling
presentation, signed books for over two hours for a long line of
readers that stretched out of the meeting hall.

Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone and
Representatives Schiff, Jackie Speier and David Cicilline, as well
as, former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans and his wife Donna
joined Congressional staff and community members at the event.

Community members, who had earlier purchased copies of the book,
stood in line to meet the author and have the novel signed before and
after the official book presentation. ANCA Executive Director Aram
Hamparian welcomed attendees and cited the important role that works
like “The Sandcastle Girls” play in educating mainstream America about
the Armenian Genocide and the consequences of Turkey’s Genocide denial.

ARMENIA TOPS CIS MEMBERS IN INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION GROWTH, 15% IN JAN-MAY

/ARKA/
31 July, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, July 31. /ARKA/. Industrial production in Armenia rose by
15 % in January-May of this year fr om the same period a year earlier
making Armenia the first among CIS members in this indicator.

Along with this, this production climbed by 9.2% in May from April,
according to the CIS Statistical Committee.

The source states that seven Commonwealth countries reported growth in
industrial production within the reported period, wh ereas Azerbaijan-
drop by 2.9%, Kyrgyzstan- by 31.2%. There is no information on the
three countries provided (Moldova, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan).

In average the industrial production boosted by 2.8% in the CIS.

In Jan-May industrial production grew in Tajikistan by 10.1%, Belarus-
by 7.2%, Russia-3.4%, Kazakhstan- 2.3% and Ukraine- 0.7%.

EURASIAN UNION COULD BECOME INSURMOUNTABLE OBSTACLE FOR ARMENIA – POLITICAL OPPOSITION PARTY

news.am
July 31, 2012 | 16:52

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s opposition Free Democrats Party released a
statement which specifically reads:

“In the current political context, Armenia is obligated to maintain
equal relations with other states, international political,
economic and security systems, which will contribute to our state’s
democratization, economic growth, and the raising of its international
standing.

In this case, Armenia’s membership in the Eurasian Union could become
an insurmountable obstacle before Armenia’s liberal development
and identity.

Greatly underscoring the further necessity to expand friendly relations
with the [Russian Federation] RF, at the same time the Free Democrats
Party is hopeful that these relations will develop under mutually
beneficial conditions for the two states.

At present, Armenia’s independent, liberal and democratic development
is a reliable guarantee for the sustainable development of the region.

In this context, we are convinced that Armenia’s further political
and economic growth is possible solely in the case of becoming a full
member of the European family.”

ARMENIA TO BAN FOREIGN FUNDING OF RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS

NEWS.AM
July 31, 2012 | 17:03

YEREVAN.- Armenia plans to ban foreign funding of the religious
organizations.

Such a requirement is included in the new law “On freedom of conscience
and religion” which is scheduled to be submitted to the government
on August 2, representative of Justice Ministry Edward Astsatryan
told reporters.

In addition, religious organizations will be prohibited from conducting
mass propaganda, coming up to the same person more than once. Religious
organizations also have to publish annual financial reports on their
websites or submit them to the government.

Unless they obey the rules, religious organizations will have to pay
a fine of nearly $1,000 (AMD 400 thousand).

However, the law contains a number of more liberal provisions,
including reduction in registration membership fee. The ideology of
the organization will not undergo an examination as well.

The latter caused disapproval of Vardan Markaryan, the head of the
religion department at the Armenian government.

“Even if Satanists appeal, we are forced to register them,” he
emphasized.

EXPERT: NO ARMENIAN MONUMENT HAS BEEN DAMAGED IN MILITARY ACTIONS IN SYRIA YET

arminfo
Tuesday, July 31, 14:20

Armenian monuments in Syria have not been damaged yet, Samvel
Karapetyan, Head of the Research on Armenian Architecture (RAA) NGO,
told ArmInfo.

He said that there are many Armenian cultural and historical monuments
in Syria, especially in Aleppo and in the Kesab region populated
by Armenians.

“Kesab is an integral part of the historical Cilicia. Armenians have
settled there centuries ago, therefore there are many Armenian cultural
and historical centers there. However, Arabs began to resettle in
Kesab,” Karapetyan said.

THEY DON’T “VISIT” TUMANYAN

02:03 pm | Today | Social

There are always many people visiting the sites worth seeing,
historical and cultural monuments and the local museums in Lori region
in the summer due to the high number of tourists visiting the region.

However, the home-museum of great Armenian poet Hovhannes Tumanyan
is an exception since there are few people visiting the home-museum.

There aren’t even any tourists.

Director of the museum Rosa Ghazumyan says this is due to the tourists’
lack of awareness.

She is certain that many guests visiting Lori region don’t even know
about the existence of this museum and adds that the museum mainly
hosts schoolchildren in the region and schoolchildren from Dsegh.

Autumn is the best season for visits at the Tumanyan Home-Museum
because several guests visit Dsegh village of Lori province to
participate in the already traditional event called “Tumanyan Day”.

According to Ghazumyan, the days devoted to Tumanyan’s fairy tales
help develop cross-cultural ties.

THE BRANCH OF THE ONLY ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN TV CHANNEL WILL BE OPENED IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH

ARMENPRESS
31 July, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JULY 31, ARMENPRESS: The branch of the first Armenian-Russian
TV channel TV ARM RU will be opened in Nagorno-Karabakh since August
15. Armenpress reports that about this informed about this from
“Kavkazsky Uzel”.

Since August 1 informational series about Nagorno-Karabakh will be
broadcasted on the same channel. The director of Armenian office of
TV ARM RU Vahan Ghazaryan informed during the presentation of the
channel in Stepanakert that the informational series will consist of
one or two reportages.

Previously for work in the channel from Yerevan will be invited
specialists of TV ARM RU after which reportages will be made by young
journalists who will take part in trainings in Yerevan.

TV ARM RU is the only Russian language TV channel on which news about
Armenia are broadcasted. “Armenians of Russia follow with great
interest the news about Nagorno-Karabakh. Our TV channel seeks to
complete the gap of news telling about Nagorno-Karabakh in the world”
mentioned Ghazaryan.

WHO COULD REPLACE BASHAR AL-ASSAD? – ARMENIAN ANALYST

news.am
July 31, 2012 | 12:18

YEREVAN. – A compromise figure who will replace Bashar al-Assad at
the helm of power is found in Syria, and that person is the former
Defense Minister’s son, Manaf Tlass, Arab Studies specialist Suren
Manukyan said during a press conference on Tuesday.

In his words, Tlass is al-Assad’s childhood friend and they are
connected with each other through very strong ties. At the same time
Manukyan noted that it seems there is consensus with respect to Tlass,
but this is difficult to carry out simply because many are involved
in this matter.

Against the backdrop of the developments in Syria, Suren Manukyan also
pointed to the Kurdish issue because the Kurds, whose number reaches
tens of millions, do not have statehood and they need to materialize
this somewhere.

The Arab Studies specialist also reflected on the foreign pressure
regarding this matter.

“It is not a domestic conflict issue in Syria. Otherwise, this problem
would have been resolved in one week. The [Persian] Gulf monarchies are
losing patience and they can ask their main ally, the United States,
to no longer follow-at least formally-the norms of international law.

But Russia is full of determination to defend Syria. We should also
note that the Russians have remained as the Syrians’ only hope. Iran
itself is in a very bad condition. [And] China will never go against
the US and other superpowers on its own. Furthermore, if the Russians
allow for a little chance to doubt their determination, there will
be a foreign invasion to Syria,” the Arab Studies specialist noted.