Author: nina hovnanian

PACE RESOLUTION ON ARMENIA CONTAINS POSITIVE AND DISPUTABLE POINTS – ARMENIAN MP

news.am
Oct 6 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN.- PACE resolution on Armenia contains both positive and vexed
points, said Armenian MP Armen Martirosyan.

“I am concerned over the issue of A1+ television which is left out
of the framework of the Committee of Ministers, as well as partial
closing of the March 1 chapter in the context of government-opposition
dialogue,” he said.

Fortunately, the PACE Committee will be monitoring investigation into
10 deaths during the March 1 events, he added. Martirosyan is also
concerned about wording of the amendments to Electoral Code.

The resolution was adopted with 40 votes “for” during the Wednesday
session in Strasburg.

A. ISKANDARYAN SEES NO FUTURE FOR THE PROTOCOLS

Panorama
Oct 6 2011
Armenia

“The return of Armenian-Turkish protocols to Turkey’s Parliament
still don’t mean anything. They are still frozen,” said the director
of Caucasus Institute Alexander Iskandaryan in a news conference.

The expert has said that there are similar issues included in
the agenda of Turkish Parliament, which remain untouched and not
discussed. “Today, Turkey has more important issues to challenge,
than the Armenian-Turkish relations,” said the expert.

According to the expert there is another obstacle to rebirth those
processes – the forthcoming presidential elections.

ARMENIA AND FRANCE SIGN AGREEMENTS

09:28 pm | October 06, 2011 | Official

On October 6, within the framework of French President Nikola
Sarkozy’s state visit to Armenia, Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward
Nalbandyan and French Minister for Cooperation Henri de Rencour signed
an agreement on the “Plan for Cooperation between the Government of
the Republic of Armenia and the Government of the French Republic in
Culture, Science and Technology”.

Then, RA Minister of Economy Tigran Davtyan and Director General
of the French Development Agency Deauve Zera signed a Memorandum
of Mutual Understanding between the RA Ministry of Economy and the
French Development Agency.

According to the MFA press release, the signed documents enrich the
broad Armenian-French juridical-contractual field that includes 25
interstate, inter-governmental and inter-ministerial agreements and
creates new opportunities for further deepening of cooperation.

RODIN’S SCULPTURE GIFTED TO ARMENIA BY FRANCE THROUGH ORANGE SUPPORT

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 6, 2011 – 17:43 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Stephane Richard, Chairman and CEO of France
Telecom-Orange arrived in Yerevan on October 6 as part of a delegation
accompanying French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

During his visit, Mr. Richard will meet the Orange Armenia team as
well as attend other meetings with Armenian officials.

On October 7, Mr. Richard will welcome officials to the Orange Flagship
store with members of the French-Armenian Business Club, Eric Besson,
French Minister of Industry, Energy and Digital Economy, and Pierre
Lellouche, State Secretary in charge of Foreign Trade invited.

Later, Mr. Richard will attend the official inauguration of renowned
French sculptor, Auguste Rodin’s sculpture by the presidents of
the two countries. The statue, a gift from France to Armenia,
has been acquired with the support of Orange, as a sign of France
Telecom-Orange’s commitment to Armenia, Orange Armenia reported.

EARTHQUAKE HITS ARTSAKH

hetq
12:46, October 6, 2011

A 4.0 earthquake hit the Karavatchar region of Artsakh yesterday at
9:33 pm.

Tremors were felt as far away as Vardenis in the RoA.

VLADIMIR PUTIN’S FACTOR IS NOT ENOUGH FOR ROBERT KOCHARYAN’S RETURNING TO THE POWER IN ARMENIA, POLITICAL EXPERT THINKS

arminfo
Thursday, October 6, 19:48

The returning of the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to the
presidential position is not enough factor for ex-president of
Armenia Robert Kocharyan’s returning to the power, irrespective of
their strong friendship, political expert Aleksandr Iskandaryan said
at today’s press-conference.

He said that one should not compare Putin with Kocharyan, as unlike his
Russian “boss”, after his presidency Kocharyan was not prime minister
of Armenia. “Undoubtedly, the second president of Armenia owns big
financial resources and has an influence in the political life of
the country, but this is not enough. Unlike Putin, who is the leader
of the ruling “Edinnaya Rossia” party, he did not found and head the
ruling party of Armenia – Republican Party. After leaving the post of
the president, Putin continued determining the foreign political line
of the state, but we cannot say the same about Kocharyan. For this
reason, it is extremely wrong to compare them”, – Iskandaryan said.

He also added that after Putin’s coming, the policy of Russia towards
Armenia will not change, taking into account the fact that Putin has
been always defining the foreign policy of the country.

AZNAVOUR SUPPORTS OPENING OF ARMENIA-TURKEY BORDER

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 6, 2011 – 19:00 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian Ambassador to Switzerland, a world-acclaimed
chansonnier Charles Aznavour supports opening of Armenia-Turkey border.

As the Ambassador told Nouvelles d’Armenie, “I wish the two countries
reconciled. Turks have to come to terms with their past.” However,
Mr.Aznavour attaches minor importance to “Genocide” term. “The use
of the word changes nothing for me,” he said.

As the Ambassador noted, the reconciliation must be started with true
facts about 1915 Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Empire, which Turkey
has always failed to provide. “We must be the ones to make Turkey
aware of the true story behind 1915 massacres. And there is hope
-the population of Turkey’s borderline regions isn’t biased against
Armenians, with even Diyarbakir Mayor publicly stressing the necessity
of Genocide recognition.”

“Our adversaries are waiting for the deaths of the last Genocide
survivors. Which country will sacrifice its interests to protect
Armenians? There’s no such country. France had recognized the Genocide,
but that’s its only step. No country will ever support us,” he said,
regretfully.

“The dream of Arabs, who’ve started a revolution was to have Kemalist
government, which, basically, plays into Turkey’s hands. Ankara, a
G20 member already, gets increasingly richer, with an EU membership
only a matter of time,” the Ambassador stressed.

FRANCE DOES NOT FORGET: PRESIDENT SARKOZY PAYS TRIBUTE TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS

armradio.am
06.10.2011 19:16

Within the framework of the two-day state visit to Armenia, President
of France Nicolas Sarkozy, accompanied by Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan, visited Tsitsernakaberd Memorial Complex. The Presidents
of Armenia and France laid wreaths at the memorial to the Armenian
Genocide Victims.

President of France Nicolas Sarkozy laid flowers at the Eternal
Fire and honored the memory of the innocent victims with a minute
of silence.

The Armenian and the French delegations visited the Armenian Genocide
Museum-Institute and took a tour of the museum. President of France
Nicolas Sarkozy left a note in the Commemoration Book. ~SFrance does
not forget,~T he wrote.

Afterwards President Sarkozy planted a fir tree in the Memory Alley.

In 2001, France became the first country to recognize the Armenian
Genocide by a law.

MARCH 1 PAGE, RELATIVELY SPEAKING, CAN BE CONSIDERED CLOSED: ARMENIAN MP

epress.am
10.06.2011

Law enforcement agencies and the special parliamentary Commission on
March 1 had all the possible discussions (regarding the events of Mar.
1, 2008), Prosperous Armenia MP Vardan Bostanjyan told Epress.am
on Thursday.

Weighing in on the resolution adopted by PACE which considers
the chapter on the March 1 case closed, Bostanjyan said, it’s
understandable that some issues have remained unsolved and some
questions, unanswered, but “to continue this would mean increasing
confrontation in our country.”

“At this time, I assume that we’re moving toward parliamentary
elections [set to take place in 2012]. There exists a certain
understandable tension among political entities, and to season this
also, especially, with the remaining not yet solved issues of Mar. 1,
most likely would exacerbate the situation in our country. I also think
that relatively speaking this page can be considered closed,” he said.

However, he said, there are “many moments” which he would like “to
be truly disclosed.”

“As for the 10 victims, which are so much of a fact that it’s
impossible… not to talk or think about this phenomenon, they will
remain. But the Armenian people have always had such types of pages
in its past history, but I don’t think they’ve taken it and made
it into their axis to move, to develop. Though it’s understandable
that any imperceptible, unacceptable incident and deed, especially
if the authorities willingly or unwillingly are mixed up in this-
historically, it always has to be answered [or, someone will have
to answer for this]. Particularly, the more total version of this is
genocide,” said Bostanjyan.

Today, it’s not because of genocide recognition that Armenians have to
claim lands from a powerful country and other things that stem from
this, Bostanjyan continued, but simply that humanity has to condemn
the act of genocide, so it doesn’t happen in the future.

Recall, 40 out of 44 PACE delegates voted in favor of the resolution,
including Armenian delegates Davit Harutyunyan (of the ruling
Republican Party of Armenia) and Naira Zohrabyan (of the Prosperous
Armenia party, one of the 3 parties in the governing coalition).

FRENCH PRESIDENT ARRIVES IN ARMENIA ON TWO-DAY VISIT

arminfo
Thursday, October 6, 19:17

President of France Nicolas Sarkozy has arrived at Yerevan Zvartnots
Airport.

President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, the Foreign Minister, the Mayor
of Yerevan and a group of government officials and MPs met the French
President at the airport.

Sarkozy will stay in Armenia for two days, will meet with Catholicos of
All Armenians Karekin II and will visit the Armenian Genocide Memorial.

The French and Armenian presidents will attend the opening of the House
Museum of Charles Aznavour. Sarkozy will also attend the ceremony of
granting Auguste Rodin’s Jules Bastien Lepage monument to Armenia.