Author: nina hovnanian

MARINE LE PEN A L’ONU : BRAVE RENCONTRE AVEC LES AMBASSADEURS D’ISRAEL ET D’ARMENIE
Stephane

armenews.com
vendredi 4 novembre 2011

La presidente du Front national francais Marine Le Pen s’est rejouie
jeudi d’avoir pu rencontrer l’ambassadeur d’Israël a l’ONU Ron Prosor,
a l’occasion d’un dejeuner au siège des Nations Unies a New York avec
une poignee d’ambassadeurs.

C’est la première fois que la candidate a la presidence francaise
rencontre un responsable israelien, a-t-elle dit. “C’est un signal de
sa part”, a-t-elle declare tout sourire, a l’issue du dejeuner. “Il
a clairement montre par ce geste qu’il considerait ma personne,
ma candidature, comme parfaitement legitimes, quelqu’un avec qui,
comme avec n’importe qui d’autre, on pouvait discuter des revolutions
arabes ou de l’avenir de la zone euro”, s’est-elle felicitee.

M. Prosor n’a pas participe au dejeuner. Il a quitte la salle,
dressee pour 30 convives, environ 20 minutes après y etre rentre,
après y avoir bu un verre, a constate un journaliste de l’AFP.

“Nous apprecions la diversite d’opinions”, a-t-il declare a sa sortie.

“Nous avons parle de l’Europe et d’autres questions, et j’ai beaucoup
apprecie la conversation”, a-t-il ajoute.

“Je suis un homme libre”, avait-il declare a des journalistes avant
sa rencontre avec Mme Le Pen, creditee de 17% a 19% des intentions
de vote au premier tour de l’election presidentielle francaise.

Le dejeuner de Mme Le Pen a l’ONU etait initialement prevu avec des
diplomates et ambassadeurs francophones, selon son programme.

Trois ambassadeurs auprès de l’ONU y ont participe : l’ambassadeur
de Trinidad et Tobago Rodney Charles, celui de l’Uruguay Jose Luis
Cancela et celui d’Armenie Garen Nazarian. Le numero 2 de la mission
japonaise Kazuao Kodama etait egalement present.

“C’est une candidate a la presidence de la France et une euro-deputee,
c’est pour nous très interessant de connaître les opinions de tout
le monde”, a declare a sa sortie M. Cancela.

Mme Le Pen n’a finalement pas tenu le discours de politique
internationale prepare, qui etait notamment axe sur la defense de la
francophonie, a precise son entourage. La candidate du Front national
continuait jeudi a New York son voyage aux Etats-Unis entame mercredi
a Washington. Après son passage a l’ONU, Mme Le Pen devait rencontrer
en fin d’après-midi un groupe de femmes republicaines.

Mercredi, après de multiples contre-temps, elle avait rencontre pendant
dix minutes au Congrès a Washington, Ron Paul, un republicain proche
du Tea Party, et candidat aux primaires republicaines a l’election
presidentielle de 2012.

Elle avait rencontre dans la foulee Joe Walsh, republicain
ultra-conservateur de l’Illinois, avant de se rendre devant le siège
du FMI qu’elle a taxe d'”affameur des peuples”.

DISMISSALS ARMENIAN COALITION’S PR MOVES – EXPERT

Tert.am
13:31 03.11.11

The sociologist Aharon Adibekyan believes that people that facilitated
the Republican Party of Armenia’s (RPA) progress have left the party.

The internal struggle going on now runs counter to the authorities’
work style. Personnel changes are interesting due to their
consequences. Specifically, a number of key figures have left the
Armenian National Congress (ANC), but nothing has essentially changed
as the ANC has a leader “who considers himself much more superior to
the others.”

Personnel changes always take place both before and after elections.

So the recent dismissals must be considered in the context of
elections. They are also a means of distracting public attention
from the ANC-coalition confrontation. It might be considered an
effective PR move by the coalition – it is not ANC rallies, but the
recent dismissals that are the talk of the town now. This panic will
subside before the New Year.

Adibekyan forecasts a heated struggle in the new Parliament – “fresh
forces against the old team.” A number of MPs are “very difficult to
change.” “If the RPA replaces them with fresh forces, we will have a
Parliament of new quality. Otherwise, the Parliament is now kind of
in shadow,” Adibekyan said.

“An authoritarian regime is still in power in Armenia. So the
president’s further tactic is of importance,” the expert added.

LE PRESIDENT DU PARLEMENT DEMISSIONNE
Laetitia ©armenews.com

armenews.com
jeudi 3 novembre 2011

ARMENIE

Le president du parlement, Hovik Abrahamian, a annonce mercredi
qu’il souhaite demissionner. Le president armenien, Serge Sarkissian,
a decide de remanier le gouvernement.

Lors d’une interview a RFE/RL, Abrahamian a rejete les speculations
des medias. Ces derniers affirment que le president du parlement a
ete contraint de demissionner. Il pourrait soutenir l’ancien president
Robert Kocharian qui souhaite faire un retour en politique.

La nouvelles a ete diffusee après la reunion du parti de Serge
Sarkissian (HHK). Le porte-parole du parti, Edouard Sharmazanov
Abrahamian, a accepte l’offre du president pour mener la campagne
des elections parlementaires qui auront lieu en 2012.

Abrahamian s’est exprime a RFE/RL :” Le president a propose que je
lance la campagne pre-electorale du Parti republicain et je trouve
cela très important. ”

” Etant donne que le president, le parti et moi-meme attachons une
grande importance a la campagne pre-electorale, je ne veux pas cumuler
deux emplois et negliger ma fonction de president de l’Assemblee
nationale ” a-t-il ajoute.

Abrahamian a deja organise la campagne de Sarkissian lors des dernières
elections nationales, tout en etant vice-premier ministre et ministre
du gouvernement local.

Abrahamian a annonce sa demission un jour après le limogeage du chef
de la police, Alik Sargsian, et moins d’une semaine après la demission
inattendue du maire d’Erevan, Karen Karapetian.

Les commentateurs ont suggere que ces changements font partie des
efforts du president Serge Sarkissian pour eviter la concurrence
de son rival Kotcharian. Ce dernier a indique a la fin du mois de
septembre qu’il souhaiterait faire un retour en politique.

Karapetian et Alik Sarkissian ont affirme que leur depart n’etait
pas lie a des raisons purement politiques.

Abrahamian a meme insiste sur ce point, affirmant ” que sa demission
n’a rien a voir avec Kotcharian “.

Abrahamian est soupconne d’etre un proche de Gagik Tsarukian, un riche
homme d’affaires qui a des liens avec Kotcharian dont le parti Armenie
prospère (BHK) est un partenaire de la coalition gouvernementale. Un
de ses fils est marie a une des filles du magnat.

Tsarukian a declare le mois dernier que Kotcharian a le droit moral
et politique de faire un retour en politique. Il a egalement refuse
de s’engager a soutenir la reelection de Sarkissian en 2013. Le BHK
aurait subi des pressions de l’administration presidentielle peu après.

Abrahamian a affirme mercredi qu’il serait plus influent en tant que
chef de campagne du HHK qu’en tant que president du Parlement dans
les mois qui precederont les elections legislatives.

Stepan Safarian, un leader parlementaire de l’opposition
Zharangutyun (Heritage), a affirme que ces explications n’etaient
pas convaincantes. Il a declare qu’Abrahamian est au contraire dans
une situation très difficile car il va devoir gagner des voix pour
son parti.

Davit Harutiunian, un parlementaire du HHK qui devrait devenir le
prochain president du parlement d’après certains commentateurs,
a annonce que la demission du president du parlement n’etait pas le
resultat de differents au sein du gouvernement. ” Bien que nous ne
sommes pas dans une situation pre-electorale, il est necessaire de
commencer a nous mobiliser ” ,a-t-il declare aux journalistes.

THEATRE: QUAKE
by Elizabeth Moss

Varsity Online, UK
Nov 2 2011

Marriage proposals, a collapsed hotel and an overprotective tortoise:
Lizzie Moss enjoys the opening night of Sian Docksey’s new play at
Corpus Playroom

A myriad of proposals, a huge explosion and an overprotective tortoise:
Siân Docksey’s play is so much more than the story of her grandmother,
who was trapped under the telephone switchboard when a bomb destroyed
the King David Hotel where she worked in Jerusalem in 1946. The
writing and the production were slick, poignant and witty.

Quake opens with all five characters gazing into the distance speaking
in turn to set the scene. For some reason a mysterious musician in
the background provides drums at the beginning and between scene
changes, and although he looked somewhat uninterested in the play,
this fortunately did not reflect my own feelings.

The dramatic and gloomily lit opening scene moves smoothly into a
family home in the Armenian quarter of Jerusalem. Two of the sisters,
Anoush (Lydia Morris-Jones) and Myriam (Holly Marsden), argue over
clothes. For me this is where the tone was really set for the whole
play – the girls manage to talk about their worries for their safety
and their future but always in a light-hearted and often amusing way.

Family tensions concerning moving away to America, prejudice against
the British military command and indeed about who the girls might
marry never spill over into uncomfortable argument, and the characters
never take themselves too seriously.

There are only subtle hints that the play is moving towards a disaster
for Anoush. Our attention is focussed instead on the plight of
Anoush’s admirer, an English gentleman, Ernest (played effortlessly
by Hugh Wyld), who is baffled about how to behave when offered a
cup of tea by a surly Armenag (Sam Curry), thanks to insights into
Armenian etiquette offered by the sisters. He deals with this, and
also being attacked by a tortoise, very well. (The tortoise itself is
not, as I first assumed, a Stoppardian touch on the writer’s part but
apparently a real family pet alive and well in Jerusalem to this day.)

When Anoush runs back into work to retrieve her handbag before a
cigarette break it is apparent that something more is going on. While
she talks through the minutiae of her daily life in the office, the
whole cast are on stage adding their voices, building up to the moment
of the explosion. The contrast between the usual activities of the
office and the sudden outburst of the explosion had me jumping out of
my skin. I had wondered how, with some white boxes and a cabinet, they
were possibly going to suggest the aftermath of a bomb in the Corpus
Playroom. But with some well-choreographed physical theatre, it worked.

Even then, I wondered how, if much of the rest of the play would be
one girl’s monologue whilst stuck under some rubble, we would be kept
entertained. Again, I was not disappointed. Anoush prays desperately
and imagines various scenes of speaking to her colleagues and Christmas
with the family. She becomes obsessed with forcing herself to wake
up. We realise the clever ambiguity of whether this takes place while
she was trapped, later when she was in a coma, or when we see her now,
a grandma, forcing herself to wake up from a nap to find she is safe
in her own son’s home in England with a teenage granddaughter who
has absolutely no desire to play scrabble with her.

Her son and his wife nervously discuss whether to tell Anoush the news
of her sister Miryam’s death in Armenia but after all “She’s hardy,
they dropped a hotel on her remember?”

Anoush’s death is happily not the last thing we see. Miryam’s doctors
become Anoush’s after her rescue as the cast dramatically pound their
chests in the rhythm of a heartbeat. Instead of the end of a long life,
we end with her reading the letters from Ernest who, after two years
of asking every day, has made his last proposal. (His approach was
always hopelessly casual: “Will you marry me” “No” “Shame”.)

Morris-Jones, quite rightly, comes close to stealing the show, but
for me it was the way the actors worked together so well that gave
the play its charm. Powell is responsible for a lot of the play’s
ability to move so smoothly from one time to another. She manages to
be completely different in voice and mannerisms in every one of her
characters with no help from a costume change and very little time
between scenes.

The movement back and forth between past, present and future
works fantastically. The scenes with all five actors miming various
activities didn’t always run smoothly, with Curry stumbling over his
lines a bit whilst remembering his precise action for moving the
wires of the operating board. But I put this down to first night
nerves which will no doubt be banished by the knowledge that the
play was received so well by its audience. Docksey’s first play is
brilliantly written and well directed – the writing is amusing but
the cast made it even more so.

YEREVAN: COVERED FOOD MARKET
by Alex Robertson

Gadling.com
Nov 2 2011

Markets are great places for getting a sense of what makes a place
tick, for grasping both the local agricultural bounty of a place and
its culinary inclinations. Yerevan’s covered food market presents no
exception to this general principle.

It’s physically a very impressive site, looking for all intents and
purposes like an ornate Jugendstil airplane hanger. It is lively
and fascinating, a great place for observing life in the capital of
Armenia as well as for shopping for fruits, vegetables, and spices.

Stall owners at the covered food market have perfected the art of
the medium sell, occupying that fantastic space between insouciance
and overbearing intensity. Visitors are invited to inspect and taste
products by salespeople, who in turn know how to read cues and back
off when appropriate. My half-hour stay resulted in a dozen offers to
try samples of nuts, dried fruit, and various spices. One fellow was
so rapid-fire with his offerings of dried and candied fruit that I
had to bow out. There is, after all, only so much dried stone fruit
that a person can eat in 90 seconds. The entrepreneurial instinct
turns the market into a hands-on place. At one point, a salesman
dipped his finger into a bag of cardamom and brought it to my lips.

Pricing at the market is pretty reasonable, which makes it a great
place for picking up food for immediate consumption and gifts alike.

My wishlist was short: saffron and honey.

Saffron is particularly well represented at the market, with many
stands offering the very pricey spice. A small cup of saffron costs
1000 drams (about $2.65); a special rare saffron of identical weight
was priced at 5000 drams ($13.20). Iran currently produces most of
the world’s saffron, and Iranian saffron can be purchased all over
the market. The Iranian saffron on offer is professionally packaged
(in distinction to the local variety, which is very informally enclosed
in lidded plastic condiment cups) and also considerably more expensive.

The ubiquity of Iranian saffron here can be explained by proximity.

Armenia’s border with Iran is just five hours by car from Yerevan.

My honey needs were easily met. Several vendors sell the stuff in
old soft drink bottles among other repurposed containers. For anyone
wanting to purchase a labeled jar of honey, there is a stall under
the arcade on the right side of the market (entering from Mesrop
Mashtots Avenue) that sells delicious honey by Multi-Agro, a local
brand. A small 150 gram jar costs 550 drams ($1.45).

The market’s visitors are mostly residents, with a handful of tourists
wandering through. If you don’t look like a local you will probably
attract a fair amount of attention from stall operators.

TURKISH PRIME MINISTER BLASTS GERMANY ON PKK TERROR

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Nov 2 2011

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan slammed Germany on Tuesday
for becoming “an accessory” to the campaign of terror launched by
the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) terrorist organization in Turkey.

“Those who tolerate terrorism become an accessory to the bloody face of
terrorism,” Erdogan said without naming Germany in a speech delivered
in Berlin during a gala dinner to mark the 50th anniversary of the
migration of Turkish workers to Germany. “I am calling on those who
turn a blind eye to the activities of the terror organization in their
publications, foundations, fundraising efforts as well as on those
who let criminals roam freely [on their soil]. Are you aware of an
8-month-old baby slain in her mother’s womb [by the PKK],” he said.

At a joint press conference with Merkel on Wednesday, Erdogan
complained that the PKK was able to collect 6 million euros in
Germany. “This money goes to the terrorist organization as financial
support. This is really sad and thought-provoking,” Erdogan said,
calling on the German authorities to step up measures to prevent PKK
fund-raising activities in the country.

Turkey accuses Germany, among other EU member states, for not doing
enough to prevent the PKK’s fundraising activities and recruiting
efforts. The PKK has increased its attacks in recent months, claiming
the lives of many civilians, including a pregnant woman and children.

“Do those who preach democracy know the fate of the mother,
Mizgin Doru,” Erdogan said, adding: “I am asking those who do not
lend necessary backing to the fight against terror, but lecture
us on human rights. Are you aware of four-year old Sultan who was
viciously killed?” Erdogan was referring to a September incident in
which the PKK opened fire on civilians and police in Batman, killing
eight-month-pregnant Mizgin Doru (35) and her 6-year-old daughter
Sultan Doru.

Doru’s husband, her 8-year-old daughter and three police officers were
injured in the attack, while three terrorists were also killed. The
woman’s unborn baby was saved via C-section, but later died in the
hospital, bringing the death toll in this attack to three.

“The terror organization is not the only responsible party for these
inhumane attacks,” Erdogan said, adding that not only are those who
pulled the trigger and ordered these killings liable, but those
who support the PKK and lend material and moral support are just
as responsible

“European countries should see how tolerance shown for the terrorist
organization in Europe translates into bloody acts of terror in
Turkey,” Erdogan told the audience. He said the fight against terrorism
would not prove successful though the efforts of a single country,
calling on all countries to cooperate on the fight against terror.

The Turkish prime minister also lamented what he saw as a lack
of cooperation by European countries, saying Europe does not take
action when Turkey wants to discuss terror-affiliated organizations
and their fundraising activities during meetings. “If you can justify
these excuses, let them justify your conscience first and foremost,”
Erdogan underlined.

This is not the first time Erdogan has criticized Germany for not
dealing with the terrorist PKK and other terrorist organizations
active in Turkey. He echoed similar remarks during a visit in
February in Dusseldorf. Turkey also complains that Germany is not
extraditing members of those organizations living in Germany, where
it is estimated that around 4 million Turks live. Last month, Erdogan
accused a number of German organizations of funneling money to the
PKK through loans offered to municipalities run by the pro-Kurdish
Peace and Democracy Party (BDP). Expressing his discomfort with the
behavior of some foundations that fund infrastructure projects in
Turkey, Erdogan said: “These [BDP] municipalities receive financial
support from some foundations. The activities of one German foundation
in the region are particularly striking. These foundations draw up
loan contracts, especially with municipalities run by the Republican
People’s Party [CHP] and the BDP. They not only sign such contracts,
but also make sure the deal goes to a specific contractor. This is
an outright money transfer to the PKK.”

Erdogan continued to hammer Germany in a joint symposium with
Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday. He said the EU should think big
and become a global player. “Our expectation is that Germany should
assume a leading role for the future of the EU by putting out such
a vision,” he said.

Erdogan repeated his earlier remarks that Turks in Germany should
be seen as a “big opportunity for both Turkey and Germany.” He said
his government agrees with Germany on integration while rejecting
assimilation policies. “We encourage Turks to learn German and adopt
German citizenship. Likewise, I invite Germans to assume Turkish
citizenship,” he said, referring to German retirees settled in Turkey.

Noting that some 4 million Germans visit Turkey every year, Erdogan
said this would help develop common bond between the two peoples.

Turkish prime minister reiterated that Turkey rejects all forms of
discrimination including anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. “I believe
Germany will sincerely join in the common fight against these human
rights crimes,” Erdogan said.

On her part, Merkel acknowledged there are problems with integration.

“We spent over 1 billion euros on integration courses between 2005 and
2010,” she said, adding that education is a key to overcoming these
problems. “I think the children of immigrants should be especially
supported in that regard to offer better opportunities,” she said.

“When children start school with perfect German, then they can be
successful,” Merkal argued.

Merkel emphasized that Turks are an integral part of German society,
stressing that diversity is important. “We need a common foundation,
which is a constitution. Human rights constitute the core of the
constitution,” she explained.

The German chancellor noted that the success of integration policies
would determine the future of Germany. She lamented, however, the
emigration of highly skilled Turks from Germany, saying the trend
saddens Germany. Merkel also underlined that Germany is closely
involved with the future of Turkey. “We are on your side with utmost
determination in the fight against terror, especially the PKK. There
is no doubt about that.

Touching on Turkish migrants’ integration into German society, Erdogan
said on Tuesday Turks living in Germany must learn the German language,
adding, “However, no one should expect us to forget our own mother
tongue.” He added, “And after these 50 years, we now want to see Turks
who make valuable contributions to every aspect of their country of
residence with their culture, traditions, beliefs and language.”

He said German authorities should acknowledge that Turks are an
indispensible part of German society today. “They are not guest
workers or immigrants anymore,” he said, stressing that integration is
a two-way street. “It is our right to ask and question to what extent
Turks here benefit from equal participation, equal opportunities and
coexistence,” Erdogan noted.

Turkey complains that Turks in Germany are discriminated against
when it comes to job opportunities and that Germans of non-Turkish
descent are preferred in the workplace. Turks are also confronted
with educational disadvantages in Germany, with dropout rates higher
among the Turkish community than the national average. Difficulties
in learning Turkish in the German educational system still continue.

‘We feel Germany abandoned us in EU bid’ In an interview with the
German Bild newspaper, Prime Minister Erdogan criticized Germany’s
stand on Turkey’s EU aspirations, saying the EU’s largest member state
has “abandoned” Turkey on the issue of EU accession. “Germany should
do much more for Turkey’s EU membership bid as this would massively
support integration. Since we Turks regard Germany very positively,
we feel much let down on this issue,” he said in the mass-circulation
German daily. Merkel’s government opposes Turkey’s full membership,
though it says the negotiations should continue. German’s proposal
of a “privileged partnership” instead of full membership was rejected
flat-out by Turkey as unacceptable.

Linking Turkey’s EU bid with the integration issues faced by some 3
million Turks living in Germany, Erdogan said Germany must do more
to support Turkey’s EU aspirations as a way of boosting integration.

Asked what he considered German politicians’ biggest failing over
integration, Erdogan said, “German politicians insufficiently
acknowledge the integration of the three million Turks in Germany.”

When asked how he describes Turks in Germany, Erdogan said if they
obtained German citizenship, they should be seen as Germans. Otherwise
they are Turks. “It is very much like German retirees who settle in
Turkey. They are Germans with all honors and rights,” he said.

Thousands of German senior citizens moved to Turkey in recent years,
settling especially in the southern parts of the country where they
enjoy the sun and beaches.

Describing Turks as open and loyal, Erdogan said Germany should
show much more solidarity with Turkey. He also criticized Germany’s
opposition to dual citizenship and laws that oblige any Turks moving
to Germany to speak good German before arrival, saying this infringed
their human rights.

“If a young Turkish man loves a woman in Turkey and wants to marry her,
this is seen as a mistake, as Germany demands that she first learn
German. But what is the language of love?” he said. Erdogan pointed out
there are no similar requirements in the EU acquis and asked Germany
to overhaul its immigration policy. “It cannot be that the love of
young people is only allowed to exist in German by decree,” he added.

Noting that even France allows dual citizenship, Erdogan asked why
Germany cannot do the same with its citizenship laws. About one-third
of Turks in Germany have German citizenship, but they are required
to renounce Turkish citizenship since changes introduced in 2000.

Erdogan is scheduled to depart for France on Wednesday to attend
the G-20 meeting in Cannes where world leaders will discuss plans
to stabilize the eurozone and further boost the global recovery. The
summit will focus on Europe’s efforts to contain its sovereign debt
crisis and avoid a repeat of the financial shock that roiled markets
after the Lehman Brothers collapse in 2008.

ARMENIA CLAIMS FOR TURKISH AND GEORGIAN LANDS – VICE SPEAKER

news.az, Azerbaijan
Nov 2 2011

Armenia seeks to occupy not only Azerbaijani but also Turkish and
Georgian lands.

The statement came from first vice speaker of Milli Majlis Ziyafat
Asgarov.

“Armenia has earlier sought to occupy other’s lands and today it
continues this war claiming not only to occupy Azerbaijani lands,
but also Turkish and Georgian”, he said.

All the same, he noted that Armenian people want to return occupied
lands to Azerbaijan.

“Sooner or later Armenia will accept the fact that Karabakh belongs
to Azerbaijan and that it is necessary to give it back. The people of
Armenia also wish this. The proof is the situation when millions of
Armenian citizens quite their country stricken with famine and chaos”,
Asgarov said.

According to the vice speaker, the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict
over Nagorno Karabakh will be settled within the framework of the
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

“Armenian leadership must take a due decision in connection with the
conflict settlement and accept the fact that Azerbaijan is a regional
leader in all parameters including political, economic and military
ones”, the deputy chairman of Milli Majlis said.

ARF DASHNAKTSUTYUN’S “POCKET” IS EMPTY – NEWSPAPER

news.am, Armenia
Nov 2 2011

YEREVAN. – Hayatsk daily recalls that months ago it had reflected on
Armenia’s opposition ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party’s 31st General Assembly,
which was held this summer and in an unusually tense atmosphere.

“For the first time in the Party’s history after decades, no
Dashnaktsutyun member representing the most influential US body and no
representative from the European circles was nominated and elected to
ARF’s new governing body, the Bureau. They had refused to nominate
themselves and had harshly criticized the action-more correctly,
the inaction-of the organization’s leadership in Armenia. We already
wrote about that. And now our Dashnaktsutyun sources claim that today
all this is already affecting the Armenia ‘pocket’ of the Party. The
parliamentary elections are approaching, and the ‘pocket’ is virtually
empty. The US body made it understood to not place any hopes on them.

According to our information, they said approximately the same, in
Beirut. And as luck would have it, the entrance of huge businessmen
is virtually prohibited in the coming elections. What should the
100-year-old Party do?”, Hayatsk daily writes.

THE ARMENIAN FM RECEIVED THE SECRETARY ON EASTERN AFFAIRS OF THE INDIAN MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Armenia
Nov 2 2011

On November 1 the Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian
received Sanjay Singh, the Secretary on Eastern Affairs of the Indian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Welcoming the guest, Minister Nalbandian highly assessed the visible
intensification of the Armenian-Indian relations being noted recently,
underlining that it is a result of the consistency provided by the
two sides, and that Armenia is interested in the further development
and deepening of the Armenian-Indian traditionally warm and friendly
relations.

Sanjay Singh stressed that India has a particularly warm attitude to
Armenia and the Armenian people and the authorities of his country
intend to expand the friendly partnership and cooperation with Armenia.

The interlocutors noted with satisfaction that the agreements reached
in the course of the official visit of the RA Minister of Foreign
Affairs paid to India last year have already been implemented.

Edward Nalbandian and Sanjay Singh discussed the results of the meeting
of the Indian-Armenian Intergovernmental Commissions held on 31st of
October and the consultations held between the two MFAs today.

During the meeting the sides touched upon the projects directed to
the expansion of the cooperation in the bilateral political, economic,
education, information technologies, cultural and health spheres and
the steps to be undertaken towards that direction, particularly holding
of consultations between the appropriate departments, intensification
of contacts between the business circles through the expansion of
legal framework as well.

The sides exchanged views on a number of regional and international
issues.

The RA Minister of Foreign Affairs presented Armenia’s positions
on the regional issues in the South Caucasus and the settlement of
those issues. Edward Nalbandian highly appreciated India’s balanced
position on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

IRAN TO USE AZERBAIJAN FOR CONNECTION TO RUSSIAN ENERGY SYSTEM

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Nov 2 2011

Iran plans to join Russia’s energy system through Azerbaijan. Talks
on the issue have been held in Baku, Iranian Deputy Energy Minister
Mohammad Behzad says, Iran News reports.

Iran wants to synchronize its energy system with Lebanon. Iran
exchanges electricity with Azerbaijan, Nakhchyvan, Pakistan, Turkey,
Iraq and Armenia. The export sum will reach $1 billion by March
2012.Iran wants to become one of the largest electricity exporters in
the region. It has invited $1 billion of investments for construction
of 3 power plants.

Iran plans to synchronize its electricity grid with Azerbaijan and
Russia. It needs a power of 700 MW to connect with Europe.