Author: Madatian Greg

WE HAVE NOT LOST OUR CONFIDENCE IN TURKEY: AZERBAIJANI RULING PARTY OFFICIAL

Today.Az
cs/55704.html
Sept 17 2009
Azerbaijan

"Our official attitude towards the normalization of Turkey-Armenia
relations is obvious."

"We have stated several times that every state determines relations
with its neighbors itself. But at the same time when saying "every
state" the relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey are beyond this
framework," Vice-Speaker of Azerbaijani Parliament and ruling party
official Bahar Muradova said.

Muradova said Azerbaijan-Turkey relations are quite different and
underlined that she does not want to believe that the friendly country
will take a step contradicting Azerbaijan’s interests.

"We want to believe that Turkey will never harm Azerbaijan’s interests
while normalizing its relations with Armenia and will take this action
within the implementation of the stipulations laid when the borders
were closed with Armenia," she said.

As regards Azerbaijan’s official protest against Turkey, Bahar Muradova
said it is not time to express protest.

"Though Azerbaijani officials and public are concerned, they have not
lost their confidence that Turkey will protect Azerbaijan’s interests
in the relations with Armenia. I think they will take our position
into consideration. Anyway, our position is obvious," she said.

ARMEN HARUTYUNYAN: NEUTRALITY IS HARDLY EXPECTED

Aysor
Sept 18 2009
Armenia

"Impartial report is a little bit hardly expected from the commission
consisted of political forces," said at today’s press-conference
Armenia’s human rights defender Armen Harutyunyan about the official
conclusion of Temporary Parliamentary Committee on investigation of
March 1-2 events.

"Definitely, from the early beginning to the end they were trying
to spare Public Prosecutors Office. Almost nothing was said about
torture. Public Prosecutors Office promised results nonetheless
still nothing."

In Mr. Harutyunyan’s assessment, all the negative examples are given
from the opposition’s side, thus, "balance is not sustained". The
Ombudsman noted there was not a single word about an emergency that
opposition media exposed. Only police speaks as can’t stay silent
but Public Prosecutors Office keeps silence. The Ombudsman considers
it strange.

Speaking about positive conclusions of Temporary Parliamentary
Committee’s report, Mr. Harutyunyan noted that it contains those
key weaknesses that were identified in the Ombudsman’s report: force
against citizens and non-identified guns.

"That is, they avoided a number of questions; however, some of them
had been definitely marked," said Mr. Harutyunyan.

Human rights defender noted that the report was one-sided; however,
in terms of special issues turned objective in summary. It definitely
shows that March 1-2 events had systemic and institutional features.

ARONIAN DID NOT EXPECT STRAIGHT VICTORY

Information-Analytic Agency NEWS.am
Sept 17 2009
Armenia

One of the most talented Grandmasters Levon Aronian has recently
celebrated victory in the Grand Slam 2009 in Bilbao, Spain.

"Frankly, I did not expect to win straightly, especially after losing
to Grischuk in the first round. This game was very challenging, it’s
a pity I was short of time to attain all ideas. But when feeling that
my opponents are geared up for playing with me, I braced myself and
improved the situation," Aronyan confessed.

For the second time Aronian participates in Bilbao tournament. Armenian
Grandmaster underlined that last year’s tournament was much more
thrilling, as chess players like Anand and Topalov participated
were in. In 2008 Aronian was one of the six participants who got 13
points. This time he got the same points edging four rivals.

Speaking of further projects, Aronian said he "intends to take part
in the traditional tournament dedicated to renowned Mikhail Tal in
Moscow, November 4-19, 2009, expected to the extremely gripping."

RPA: INTERIM COMMISSION DID GOOD JOB

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
16.09.2009 14:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The fact-finding commission for investigation into
March 1, 2008 events did a good job, according to a spokesman for
the Republican Party of Armenia.

"The commission has carried out a great deal of work and I am hopeful
that the report developed by chairman Samvel Nikoyan will be approved,"
Eduard Sharmazanov said.

"The report would be complete if opposition representatives joined
the commission instead of boycotting it," he added. "At that, the
commission’s conclusions only advisory in nature."

MICHEL LEGRAND IN YEREVAN: LOST IN TRANSLATION?

Tert.am
Sept 15 2009

No one translated world-renowned composer Michel Legrand during a press
conference in Yerevan. Before the press conference, a representative
from one of the concert’s major sponsors, VTB-Armenia Bank, announced
that they don’t have a translator and the composer will listen and
respond to journalists’ questions with the help of his producer,
Suren Apikian.

Legrand’s producer was initially quite nervous about this and during
the course of the press conference asked journalists to pose short
questions, and even asked the maestro to give short answers.

The journalists, having no other option, were obliged to communicate
with Legrand, who is in Yerevan for an exclusive concert, on these
"incomprehensible" terms. Consequently, we had no choice but to
doubt the responses we received, since either the questions were
mistranslated, or the answers.

During the press conference, the same VTB-Armenia Bank representative
insisted that it was Apikian who had offered to translate for
Legrand. In fact, the producer was so frustrated that he didn’t even
conceal his anger before the camera. In the end, a woman was invited
to the press conference room who was at least prepared to translate
Legrand from English into Armenian, but she didn’t succeed either,
since she was probably so anxious due to the unexpected situation
that she didn’t convey the maestro’s words correctly.

We would like to pose a few rhetoric questions to the organizers of
this exclusive concert: Where do the sums allocated for the concert
go after all? What do you sponsor? And how will you attempt to realize
any future projects with Suren Apikian?

The tickets for Legrand’s concert cost 3,000-20,000 AMD. Suren
Apikian’s role as Michel Legrand’s producer covers all of the
post-Soviet Union countries. Apikian is also one of Charles Aznavour’s
producers.

IT CENTRE IN GYUMRI JOINS DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAM

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.09.2009 17:56 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ IT centre in Gyumri is joining the distance learning
program, Enterprise Incubator Foundation’s (EIF) Director Bagrat
Yengibaryan told journalists during IT representatives’ non-official
meeting in Aghveran.

In particular, Yengibaryan said that distance learning programs
in Armenia are very few in number, one of them implemented by the
Association of Armenian Engineers and Armenian State Engineering
University.

Realization of a distance learning program is a rather complicated
task conditioned first of all by technical problems, he added.

HSBC BANK ARMENIA TO INCREASE NUMBER INTERNET BANKING CUSTOMERS TO 3000 TILL YEAREND

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.09.2009 14:03 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ HSBC Bank Armenia intends to increase the number
Personal Internet Banking customers to 3000 till yearend.

"Around 900 customers have already signed up to the service to view
their accounts, make transactions and open new accounts on-line,"
HSBC Bank Armenia Chief Executive Officer Tim Slater said.

HSBC Internet Banking is new for customers in Armenia, but it has
been used in more than 40 countries by more than 40 million HSBC
customers worldwide, who consider it as the most convenient and secure
way of banking, with the ability to control their finances anywhere
and anytime.

"Personal Internet Banking will allow Diaspora to manage accounts in
Armenia," Mr. Slater said.

Personal internet banking is a USD 2 million investment and provides
HSBC customers a secure internet system to access and manage their
accounts. To safeguard customers HSBC internet banking uses one
of the most advanced security technologies. The log-on process and
transactions are protected by the use a portable on-line security
device provided to customers registering for the service.

SERGEY SOLOVEYCHIK. "JUDO IS AN AMBASSADOR OF PEACE"

Aysor
Sept 14 2009
Armenia

The president of the European Judo Federation Sergey Soloveychik
arrived to Yerevan on occasion of the European Youth Judo tournament,
and was watching the process of the tournament in the Karen Demirchyan
stadium. Even if you are sure that people respect the responsibilities
undertaken by them and are ready to implement them, anyhow you desire
to see And to check everything by your own eyes and to form your own
impression. Especially when in the case of Armenia there were also
some disturbing issues, as for the first time in the post-Soviet
period Azerbaijani sport delegation had arrived to Armenia. Surely
there was a need to check and fide out how the attitude towards them
is and whether the hosting side realizes all its duties or not.

– Organizing such kind of tournaments is a very difficult process,
said the president of the European Judo Federation Sergey Soloveychik
to the Aysor.am journalist during the conversation, – especially for
the not so big federations as the Armenian Judo Federation is. Anyway
I am satisfied as the level of this tournament was not lower than the
others. In some cases it was even better prepared. The quality of the
organizing process was high. The Armenians are very hospitable nation,
and I am really satisfied.

– It was the first time that the Azerbaijani sport delegation visited
Armenia. And though it is surprising the members of the Azerbaijani
delegation didn’t agree to speak to the representatives of the Armenian
media. So I would like to ask you personally how have the Azerbaijani
sportsmen felt themselves in Armenia? Of course I hope that you have
had a discussion with them and you know the answer.

This was not only the step of Azerbaijan but also the step of
Armenia. Armenia made a step forward inviting the Azerbaijani
Federation and showed its readiness to realize some demands for the
Azerbaijani delegation to arrive to Armenia. It is very important. So
I would say that the first step has been done by the Armenian side.

The Azerbaijani Judo Federation is very strong and has got a lot
of good sportsmen. They answered in the same way, they came here,
though they had some reasons and it was not that much easy to apply
immediately. May be that is the reason why the Azerbaijani delegation
didn’t want to speak to the Armenian media. However we have spoken
to them and I am sure that they are pleased. I know that there have
been realized a lot of things in Yerevan for the Azerbaijani to feel
themselves as the rest of the delegations. I know also that some of
the members of the Azerbaijani delegation have visited the graves of
their relatives. I know that in the VIP section has been organized
diner for the Azerbaijani delegation. Probably the respectful attention
towards the Azerbaijani delegation was too much stressed.

When we say that Judo is not just a sport we understand that judo
is a peace ambassador for us, it educates the youth as it forms
a respect towards his friends, his rivals and trainers, etc. This
is taught from the very childhood. I attach more importance to the
respect towards the rival, doesn’t matter what kind of relations do
they or their countries have. I think that the sport helps people
having different political looks to find a general language. I am
happy that judo served as a small bridge between our countries. Yes,
Azerbaijan and Armenia are my countries, and I am proud that judo
helped to make bridge between these two countries.

– Can Yerevan have the hope of making bigger tournaments in the future?

– It depends on the Armenian federation. It has to realize some of
the demands. One of them is receiving delegations from all over the
world without political context and interests. Armenia proved already
that can receive all of them showing good will, and organized the
tournament with high quality. And this means that yes Yerevan is
eligible to organize bigger tournaments.

– Almost all the federations if sports today tend to make their works
on the professional basis. What is the disposition of the European
Judo federation in this concern?

We wish judo could become a professional sport. We would like to
realize serious marketing activities and have implemented some steps in
that direction. Now we have got a new project that has been affirmed
in the congress of the Federation. We have just stated realizing that
project and the results will come out in some years.

What are Your impressions about Armenia?

You know, I didn’t manage to see too much, as the schedule of the
European tournament is too heavy. I had learnt from different films
that it is a beautiful country with beautiful nature. And what I
saw and what is not able to see in the films was the treatment of
people, their hospitability. I have friend here, and it is always
wonderful visiting somewhere where they wait for you, they meet you
and understand you. This is the most important thing. There are a
lot of nice countries in the world, but the countries where you feel
yourself comfortable, and at home, where there are people who you are
always eager to speak whit are not too much. I like visiting Armenia
and I hope that I will have a lot of opportunities visiting Yerevan.

ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS NEED AND MUST BE AMENDED

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.09.2009 15:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Any document, especially preliminarily signed
Armenian-Turkish Protocols, is liable to change," Head of ARFD faction
Vahan Hovhannisyan told today a press conference in Yerevan.

Even if preliminary documents were signed, that wouldn’t mean
there are no mechanisms for changing them, the speaker finds. "If
it is impossible to make amendments, why then discuss documents in
Parliament," he said.

Such processes, according to Hovhannisyan, require support by large
public circles. "ARF Dashnaktsutyun will soon apply its proposals to
Protocols, specifying the clauses that need amendments," he added.

Aysor, Armenia
Sept 12 2009

Raffi Hovannisyan isn’t going to leave `Heritage’

`Heritage’ ‘s spokesman denied the information spread by media outlets
that the founder of the party, Raffi Hovannisyan, was going to leave.

`We do have a letter received from Raffi Hovannisyan but the posted in
media outlets information is distorted,’ told `Aysor’ Hovsep
Khurshudyan, a spokesman.

Recall that expelled Zoya Tadevosyan has spread the message, according
to which Mr Hovhannisyan briefed his leaving out of the party.

Mr Khurshudyan has deplored that those people have lost the sense of
proportion and turned to speculation over private letters.

The spokesman also noted that content of letter is not for public
because `it is closed and the only one who has corresponding right is
Raffi Hovhannisyan’.