Author: Madatian Greg

ARMENIAN LEADER, FSB HEAD DISCUSS REGIONAL PROBLEMS

Interfax
Sept 10 2009
Russia

YEREVAN Sept 10

Armenia attributes large significance to cooperation and regular
contacts with Russian security services, Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan told Federal Security Service Director Alexander Bortnikov
on Wednesday.

He said the Armenian and Russian security services were working
together to suppress new threats and challenges, a source at the
Armenian presidential press office told Interfax.

Sargsyan also lauded the Russian role in stabilizing the region.

Bortnikov said he was satisfied with the cooperation with Armenian
colleagues.

The sides discussed a number of regional problems.

Bortnikov visited Yerevan to attend a meeting of Armenian and Russian
security service chiefs.

IRAN-ARMENIA RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION CONSTITUENT OF ARMENIA’S FLEXIBLE STRATEGY

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.09.2009 13:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Construction of Iran-Armenia railway is a
constituent of Armenia’s flexible strategy, no matter whether the
Armenian-Turkish is open or not, said Arsen Ghazaryan, chairman of
RA union of industrialists and entrepreneurs.

"This link will offer Armenia an outlet to the Persian Gulf and
Central Asia," he said. "The construction project was developed in
the soviet era but its implementation was hampered by USSR decline."

ARMENIA’S PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE PRESENTS CREDENTIALS TO UN SECRETARY GENERAL

armradio.am
11.09.2009 12:46

Armenia’s Permanent Representative at the UN, Ambassador Karen Nazaryan
presented his credentials to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

The parties talked about Armenia’s involvement in the UN, as well
as the cooperation between the Armenian Government and the UN Office
in Yerevan.

Ambassador Nazaryan expressed appreciation for the process of programs
implemented in Armenia by different UN agencies and attached importance
to the participation of RA state agencies and non-governmental
organizations in the development of the United Nations Development
Assistance Framework (UNDAF) 2010-2015.

UN Secretary General noted, in turn, that when planning its activity,
the UN Office in Armenia will be guided by the millennium development
goals and Armenia’s priorities.

The interlocutors dwelt on the negotiations on the Karabakh conflict
settlement and the process of normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations.

REANIMANIA ANIMATION FESTIVAL IN YEREVAN FEATURES 5 FULL-LENGTH AND 100 SHORT-LENGTH FILMS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
09.09.2009 17:17 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ October 3-6, ReAnimania the first international
animation festival will take place in Yerevan. The festival will
host representatives of over 31 countries of the world, including
France, Russia, Armenia, USA, Italy, Mali, Ukraine. Festival program
features 5 full-length and 100 short-length films to be nominated in
the following categories: "Best short-length film", "Best full-length
film", "Best degree work", "Best TV script", "Audience sympathy prize",
"RA Ministry of Culture prize", "Children’s prize".

The festival will also present special projects, entitled "Festivals,
organizations and schools" and "Animation masters’ retrospectives".

ReAnimania will premiere the following works: Waltz with Bashir
by Israeli animator Ari Folman, Sita Sings the Blues by Nina Paley
(USA), Idiots and Angels by Bill Plympton (USA), Persepolis by Marjane
Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud (France).

The festival is collaborating with Annecy international animation film
festival, Stuttgart film festival, Aardman Studio, Calouste Gulbenkian
Foundation, Golden Apricot international film festival. The festival
is dedicated to 3D animation founder Alexander Shirinyan

MEMORIAL TO COMMEMORATE VICTIMS OF GENOCIDE TO UNVEIL IN MOSCOW

Aysor
Sept 9, 2009
Armenia

A memorial to commemorate the victims of Armenian Genocide will be
unveiled in Moscow, the information center of Russia’s Armenians
newspaper "Yerkramas" reports.

September, 8, Moscow City Council held next in turn meeting of the
Monument Art Commission. Commission considered a proposal received
from the Union of Armenians of Russia to build in Moscow a monument
to commemorate the victims of Armenian Genocide in Turkey.

The monument may be placed in New-Nakhichevan cathedral and Russia
Diocese of Armenian Apostolic Church

ARMENIA 2-1 BELGIUM: RED DEVILS IN CRISIS AS HOSTS ENJOY HISTORIC WIN

Goal.com
Sept 9 2009

A disastrous result for the visitors in Yerevan…

Sep 9, 2009 6:52:22 PM

Armenia 2-1 Belgium Lineups/Stats European World Cup Qualification
Fixtures, Results

Belgium crashed out of contention for World Cup qualification after
Armenia enjoyed their first competitive win since June 2007.

Hovhannes Goharyan and Sargis Hovsepyan hit the decisive strikes on
either side of the break to make it four points for the campaign and
knock the Red Devils formally out of the competition.

The first period saw few chances for the hosts and none at all for
the Belgians. To the Armenians’ credit they took one of theirs,
Goharyan netting after his first shot was rebounded back at his feet.

Timmy Simons prevented the Belgians from adding a second shortly
afterwards as the hosts turned up the pressure.

For the second goal, just after the restart, captain Hovsepyan
waltzed through the static Belgian defence before slipping the ball
past Gillet.

The visitors were in panic mode, but they struggled to turn their
urgency into opportunities.

Indeed, their consolation goal came in the very last minute as Daniel
Van Buyten netted at the death.

This, though, will not save the players and departing coach Franky
Vercauteren from the wrath of the fans after suffering a defeat to
a side half their FIFA placing, 125 to Belgium’s 62.

SNIPPETS: INGA & ANUSH’S NEW SONG; SVETLANA & BEYONCE
Jarmo Siim

Eurovision.tv
Sept 8 2009

Above: Svetlana Loboda gave quite the show in Moscow. Photo: Indrek
Galetin (EBU)

Send through Facebook This year’s Armenian and Ukrainian entrants
at the Eurovision Song Contest, respectively the sisters Inga and
Anush and the Ukrainian Svetlana Loboda have some news to report to
the readers of Eurovision.tv!

First of all, if you’ve been longing to hear something new from the
Armenian representatives in Moscow, Inga and Anush, then here’s your
chance. They’ve been looking for inspiration and have been avoiding
civilisation for a while but now they’re back! Listen to their song
on their blog.

Inga and Anush finished tenth in the Final of Europe’s favourite
TV-show with their Jan Jan.

Beyonce and Svetlana cross paths The American superstar Beyonce took
the stage in Donetsk, Ukraine, at the Grand Opening of the Donbass
Arena. At the same event, Svetlana Loboda, who represented Ukraine
at the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, did the same. She performed
Queen’s We Will Rock You, together with Natalya Mogilevskaya and
Aliona Vinnitskaya.

She’s also been looking for new hits to perform. For that, a
competition on her website was opened where everyone can send in
their songs, music or lyrics or both. She’ll make the final choice
out of the submitted songs. So, if you have anything to publish,
send it to [email protected] and be sure to leave your contacts.

DIGITEC EXPO – THE LARGEST REGIONAL EXHIBITION

Aysor
Sept 7 2009
Armenia

"We aspire to become the largest regional exhibition over the next
10 years, and we have already achieved that in meaningful terms,"
said the organizer of the exhibition, the executive director of the
Union of Information Technology Enterprises Karen Vardanyan on the
fifth International Technology Exhibition DigiTec Expo 2009 "Your
digital future".

According to K. Vardanyan, they managed to solve the exhibition
venue problem this year. The exhibition will be held in October,
2-4, in K. Demirchian Sport- concert Complex Hall. It is expected the
participation of 50 companies and more than 11-12 thousand visitors.

According to organizers, within the exhibition framework the newly
created companies’ forums will be held. For about 10 companies will
showcase their new products to attract investment.

It is scheduled "i-Government" forum where the state authorities will
provide their services.

K. Vardanyan said "GameZone" program would take place and young people
would have an opportunity to get more about latest gaming innovations,
test them and compete.

Besides Armrobotics Championship will take place – "Cyborg following
a line" and "Computer simulation".

"The traditional cycle of seminars will take place, where the latest
technological innovations will be showcased three consecutive days,"
said K. Vartanian, who assured that the exhibition would be rich in
various events and sweepstakes, as well as representation of "IP TV"
and "IP Telephony" be used in Armenia for the first time.

Interfax, Russia
Sept 4 2009

Armenian, Georgian foreign ministers meet in Yerevan

YEREVAN Sept 4

Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan is holding a meeting with
his Georgian counterpart Grigol Vashadze in Yerevan, Nalbandyan’s
press secretary Tigran Balayan told Interfax.

The Georgian minister is paying a two-day working visit to the
Armenian capital, and he does not plan to meet with journalists,
Balayan said.

A number of problems have emerged between the two countries in recent
years, Armenian political scientists said.

Last week, Georgian border guards moved several dozen meters inside
Armenian territory in the direction of Armenia’s northern Shirak
region, which paralyzed agricultural work in this area.

"The commission in charge of the delimitation of the Armenian-
Georgian border continues its work," Balayan said earlier.

At a meeting with heads of Armenia’s diplomatic missions abroad last
week, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said that it would be
desirable to grant regional language status to the Armenian language
in Georgia’s Samtskhe-Dzhavakheti village, which is predominantly
populated by ethnic Armenians. Sargsyan also proposed registering the
Armenian Apostolic Church’s diocese in this village.

According to some experts, the Armenian president’s remarks have
provoked a sharp reaction from Georgia’s political and public circles.

Analysts do not rule out that the latest events could create a tense
atmosphere during the ongoing ministerial talks.

Information-Analytic Agency NEWS.am, Armenia
Sept 5 2009

Turkish press: EU to involve Armenia in Nabucco project at Georgia’s
expense

13:07 / 09/05/2009According to the Turkey-based Star newspaper, the
European Union (EU), which rendered great assistance to Armenia and
Turkey in reaching an agreement, wants the planned Nabucco natural gas
pipeline to run through Armenia, not Georgia, as a transit
country. The normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations may be
accompanied by changes in the regional energy balance. Armenia was
announced a prospective participant in the Nabucco project.

According to anonymous sources at the Turkish Ministry of Energy and
Natural Resources, the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement will alter the
energy project routes. A high-ranking representative of the Turkish
energy sector, the EU’s long-lasting wish has been Armenia’s
involvement in the Nabucco project. France was especially active in
promoting Armenia’s participation. The EU does not want the pipeline
to be laid along the Georgian territory to avert new risks. So Armenia
is considered an alternative in energy projects as well. Caspian
energy resources will be transported to Europe through Armenia and
Turkey. This route is regarded not only as an alternative, but also as
the safest one.

According to the source, Armenia’s participation in the Nabucco
project was on the agenda, but the issue was not considered because of
the discussions on the Armenian Genocide. Turkey set a veto on
France’s participation in the project, and Germany was involved.

Other projects awaiting Armenian-Turkish rapprochement

The London-Beijing railway: In 2007, when the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars
railway construction project was launched, a statement was made that
the project was to be implemented for peace and stability. All
countries, including Armenia, were invited to take part in the
project.

The highway bypassing the Black Sea: The following Black Sea countries
will participate in the construction of a 7,000-long highway: Turkey,
Russia, Georgia, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Armenia, Albania,
Azerbaijan, Moldova and Serbia.

Air communication: The open borders will contribute to trade and
cultural communication. The Yerevan-Istanbul flights will be more
frequent, and the Ankara-Yerevan air route will be opened.

The TRACECA and INOGATE projects are ahead.