Author: nina hovnanian

ARMENIA TO CANCEL SUMMER DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME

ITAR-TASS
January 26, 2012 Thursday 06:54 PM GMT+4
Russia

Armenia is going to drop the practice of setting the clocks forth
in the spring and back in the autumn to ensure its time zone should
always coincide with Moscow’s.

The government on Thursday considered a legislative initiative by
parliament members from the ruling Republican Party of Armenia,
under Galust Saakian and Karine Adzhemian, who proposed amendments
to the law on time calculation in the territory of the republic.

The legislators believe that with the adoption of their initiative
Armenia would return to the normal time zone, which would have a
positive effect on people’s health. Besides, a number of countries
have canceled the transition to daylight saving time, the legislators
recalled. Various ministries and agencies in Armenia have arrived at
the conclusion that amendments to the time calculation rules would
have no effects on small or medium businesses and competition, while
it would have positive effects on social protection.

The government found the arguments offered in support of the
legislative initiative as clear and acceptable. After certain polishing
and proof-reading the proposal will be submitted to parliament for
consideration. The document says that in the last Sunday of march the
country will cancel the practice of resetting the clocks to summertime
to stay in the fourth UTC zone (Greenwich plus four hours).

On the last Sunday of October Armenia shifted to winter time, which
coincides with Moscow time.

SUSPENDING TURKISH MANEUVER

09:45 – 25.01.2012

The adoption of the bill criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide
by French Senate has moral but also a political context. Turkey has
a problem to neutralize the chain of countries that would follow the
French steps. Which means that Turkey can make a reserve stake as if
it is reforming its relations with Armenia?

This gives us a notion that we must think outside French emotions. As
Turkey can bring the protocols, which were signed in 2008 and not
yet validated forth.

If it happens then Armenia will have no way to avoid the new
negotiations of, even, validating the protocols, which results the
suspension of the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

The only way to avoid it is taking the signatures back, something
our authorities do not even wish to see.

VAHAGNI CONCERT KICKS OFF SHUSHI ART PROJECT

asbarez
Thursday, January 19th, 2012

A scene from Sunday’s Vahagni concert

LOS ANGELES-The newly launched Shushi Art Project presented its first
public event, a benefit concert held in Los Angeles on January 15.

Featuring Vahagni and his band, the sold-out “Solitude” concert took
place at Hollywood’s Barnsdall Gallery Theatre.

An award-winning guitarist and composer, Vahagni led his flamenco-jazz
ensemble (including pianist Vardan Ovsepian, cellist Artyom
Manukyan, percussionist Zach Harmon, bassist Hamilton Price, and
guest percussionist Geraldo Morales) to deliver a set of original
compositions and folk arrangements. Much of the material was culled
from Vahagni’s forthcoming album, Solitude.

Proceeds from the concert will benefit “Land & Technology,” the Shushi
Art Project’s showcase event for 2012, said executive director Harry
Vorperian. An international festival of contemporary art, “Land &
Technology” will be held in Shushi, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh,
from October 1 through 14, featuring the works of over 15 visual
artists from the United States, Europe and Armenia.

“In terms of its topography and cultural history alike, the city of
Shushi is a breathtaking site,” Vorperian said. “Once there, as you
take in the imposing beauty of the countryside, you can’t help but
reflect on the meaning of geography in a world that seems to get
smaller and smaller.”

“It’s no accident that our organization was named after Shushi,”
Vorperian continued. “Beyond our fascination with what the city evokes
and inspires in a purely aesthetic sense, we like the silent challenge,
or at least question, it poses. A place like Shushi, perched as it
is at an altitude of some 5,000 feet, and given the fact that it’s
literally cut off from the rest of the world, compels you to think
about the role of land in the shaping of identity. Shushi can also make
you think about the potential points at which its cultural heritage
and modern technology can legitimately converge and even complement
one another. Hence the ‘land and technology’ theme of our inaugural
event in Shushi.”

All artworks featured at the “Land & Technology” festival will be
built or assembled during the course of the event at various sites
throughout Shushi, often in collaboration with local residents. The
artworks, including installations and land art, will remain in the
city to become permanent elements of its landscape.

In addition to “Land & Technology,” events planned for 2012 include
“Ode to Komitas,” a major collaborative concert slated for summer.

With performances by musicians from across the world, the concert will
be an homage to the legacy of the great composer Komitas Vardapet,
expressed through new renditions of his music, Vorperian said.

About the Shushi Art Project: A Los Angeles-based nonprofit
organization, the Shushi Art Project seeks to present extraordinary
artistic events that celebrate diversity, promote discourse, and
foster change.

“ARMY BECAME TOOL FOR AUTHORITIES”

06:20 pm | Today | Politics

Any encroachment upon Armenian army is condemnable, commander of
the Shushi battalion Jirair Sefilian said, considering it extremely
dangerous for a country which is in a military situation.

“At the same time I do not approve of the efforts of army officials
and the country’s administration who are doing everything to conceal
criminal phenomena ins the ranks,” he said.

Jirair Sefilian, who strongly believed that the army would guard
the country, now says the army has become a tool in the hands of
the authorities.

“It is necessary to be most careful”

Regardless of army problems, deputy director of Literature Institute
Vardan Devrikyan advises being most careful when writing anything
about the armed forces.

Each sentence and each line written about our army should be analyzed
and well-reasoned,” he said.

ARF-Dashnaktsutyun member Aghvan Vardanyan does not agree with the
opinion that army is the mirror of the society.

“Army lives by its own rules. It is a different structure with its
unique discipline and cannot reflect the events occurring in the
society,” he said.

AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING FROM BELARUS TO BE IMPORTED

ARMENPRESS
27 January, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JANUARY 27, ARMENPRESS: On January 27, Secretary for National
Security Council Arthur Baghdasaryan received Director General of
“Promagroleasing” company Pavel Krupnov. The company is a national
leasing operator of agricultural engineering in Belarus. Based on
results of the rating drawn up by the Belarusian Union of Leasing
Companies, in 2010 Promagroleasing ranked first among Belarusian
leasing companies according to basic indicators such as volume of
new business, leasing portfolio and leasing payments.

As a result of the negotiations, a protocol on intentions was signed
between the Ministry of Agriculture of Armenia and “Promagroleasing”
company, press service of Armenian Ministry of Agriculture told
Armenpress. The parties agreed to set up a joint venture as a result
of cooperation of “Promagroleasing” company and another company
subordinated to the Ministry of Agriculture. The latter will organize
the import of the Belarusian agricultural engineering to Armenia. A
service center will also be set up, which will offer a package of
complex services.

According to the initial agreement, the imported agricultural
engineering will be provided in leasing system, with 4-5% annual
interest rate.

MOSCOW REGIONAL COMMISSION IS FOUNDED FOR ORGANIZING EVENTS DEDICATED TO 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

news.am
January 27, 2012 | 19:34

A session dedicated to the foundation of the Moscow Regional commission
for organizing events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide was held at the Russian Public Policy Center,
the Russian Armenian Commonwealth center informs Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Representatives of NGOs, scientists and experts were present at
the session.

The commission will closely cooperate with relevant institutions and
organizations in Armenia and Russia.

ARMENIAN ARMY ONE OF MOST EFFICIENT IN WORLD – BULGARIAN JOURNALIST

news.am
January 27, 2012 | 13:34

YEREVAN. – Armenian Army has proved to be one of the most
efficient armies in the world, Bulgarian journalist and author of
Nagorno-Karabakh war documentaries Tsvetana Paskaleva said at a press
conference on Friday.

“The Army was established in the years of war. At that time life and
death issue of the Karabakh people was to be solved. The Karabakh
people had to protect their right to live in their historic homeland,”
she stated.

The journalist reminded that the projectiles reached to every place
in Karabakh in those disastrous war years unleashed by Azerbaijan and
forced many people to become refugees. Army was established just then
by the volunteers, who proved how much it is possible to achieve with
small resources.

“Armenians proved that power and quantity are not the decisive factor
to excel over the opponent, but important is motivation, organization
and consciousness that one protects for the homeland,” she stressed
adding Azerbaijanis go on provocation, shootings and militant rhetoric.

The Army should all the time be ready to stand for the state,
she concluded.

ARF DASHNAKTSUTYUN PLANS TO ORGANIZE HEARINGS AT ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT – NEWSPAPER

news.am
January 26, 2012 | 09:34

YEREVAN. – Opposition ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party MP Lilit Galstyan
told Aravot daily that ARF and the other parliamentary opposition
Heritage Party will soon motion that National Assembly (NA) hearings
be convened on the matter of changing to a 100-percent proportional
parliamentary election system, the daily writes.

“As per the MP, even though the pro-government parties’ position is
apparent on this matter, the parliamentary opposition will attempt to
make this matter become a topic of discussion in NA, too. ‘For the
most part, the authorities speak about its technical impossibility,
but, in our view, this is a matter of political will,’ Lilit Galstyan
said. She also added that ARF plans to enter this matter in NA agenda
as an urgent issue,” Aravot writes.

ARMENIA WILL NOT SHIFT TO “SUMMER TIME”
Hasmik Dilanyan

“Radiolur”
26.01.2012 13:32

Armenia will not shift to “summer time” any more. The decision was
made during today’s sitting of the Government. The proposal was made
by Minister of Economy Tigran Davtyan.

Tigran Davtyan briefed the members of government on the problems of
the time zone. “Geographically Armenia is situated in the GMT+3 time
zone, and the shifts in spring and autumn disturb this,” he said.

According to the Minister, Georgia and Russia have also shifted to
that time zone.

TURCS ET ARMéNIENS UNIS AUTOUR DE LA BD
Jean Eckian

armenews.com
jeudi 26 janvier 2012

Le climat est tendu entre la France et la Turquie depuis que
les discussions ont été ouvertes sur le problème du génocide
arménien. Le Sénat vient d’adopter une loi pénalisant la négation
des génocides, ce qui ne va pas arranger les choses.

Mais l’ambiance sera tout autre au festival d’Angoulême cette semaine.

On n’y brÔlera pas des livres, ni des BDs, contrairement a ce que
le ministre des Affaires étrangères de Turquie redoutait, avant
l’adoption de la loi.

En effet, ans le cadre du programme ” Bandes dessinées sans
frontières ”, des artistes Turcs et Arméniens exposeront leurs
oeuvres ensemble, au-dela des clivages politiques.

Créé par Jean Mardikian, Laurent Mélikian et Didier Pasamonik,
avec l’aide du Conseil Général de Charente, Bandes dessinées sans
frontières encourage le dialogue entre les deux pays et présentera
entre autres les aventures de Adbulcanbaz créé par Ruthan Selcuk
(Hergé turc), grand maître du dessin humoristique, Turc (1922-2010),
ainsi que Foot Furieux, de Gurcan Gursel (Editions Joker).

L’invité spécial de cette édition est le Studio Rodeo, qui compte
des auteurs tels que Cem Ozuduru, Murat Mıhcıoglu et Ergun Gunduz. Le
programme présentera également l’histoire de la BD en Turquie,
moyen de liberté d’expression incontestable sous les périodes les
plus autoritaires.