Author: nina hovnanian

Slovak journalist: It is a catastrophe that few people know of Artsakh (video)

18:42 22/05/2013 » INTERVIEWS

Artsakh is a democratic country, Slovak journalist Libor Spimr Ing says.

He was visiting Artsakh to participate in the celebrations of the May
9 triple holiday. Panorama’s camera crew met the European journalist
near the front line, where he is shooting a film on Artsakh. In an
interview with Panorama.am, Libor Spimr Ing spoke about his
impressions of Artsakh and about his film.

`I made my first visit to Artsakh this January. I stayed here for
three weeks. Life is here different from that in Europe and Slovakia.
My film, to be titled `Time,’ aims to show that Artsakh is a free
country and that there is no problem here.

“I have said in an interview that in Slovakia, we live a 100 percent
material life, while here in Artsakh people live 50 percent material
life and 50 percent spiritual life. There are 5th and 6th century
churches here – something you cannot find in Europe. I want to show
that the people that live in Artsakh are our friends and that contrary
to Aliyev’s allegations, Artsakh is not the enemy of the Caucasus or
the world.

“Unlike my country, no crimes are committed here.

“The democracy that exists in our country is not a real democracy. The
real democracy is here. Why? Because there is a lot of bureaucracy in
our country. In our country, you cannot just go and talk to a
minister. But here there is no problem with talking to a minister. In
my country, very few people know of Artsakh and I think it is a
catastrophe because there are people and churches here, and there is
life here.’

Russian expert rules out Karabakh war renewal by Armenia

May 22, 2013 – 22:01 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The possibility of the renewal of Nagorno Karabakh
war should not be exaggerated in the face of the balance of power that
has remained unchanged for many years, Russian political expert said.

Alexander Krylov noted that Azerbaijan does its utmost to shift the
situation in its favor, voicing skepticism over Armenia to initiate a
new war with a neighbor like Turkey.

`Baku hopes for radical changes in the balance of power in terms of
the situation in Iran. This will boost cooperation with the U.S., NATO
and Israel, whilst harming ties with Moscow,’ he said, adding that
Russia currently stands against a military solution to Iran problem.

`Military solutions to problems in the face of foreign intervention
and support to the opposition don’t contribute to problem settlement,
on the contrary they create new ones,’ he said, deeming renewal of
Karabakh war hardly probable in view of the current balance of power
and Armenia’s membership in CSTO, vesti.az reported.

U.S. Ambassador: U.S. Geological Survey has completed study of
Armenia’s shale gas resources

Wednesday, May 22, 12:59

U.S. Geological Survey representatives have completed study of
Armenia’s shale gas resources, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern
said in response to ArmInfo’s question, Wednesday.

He said that the U.S. specialists launched their work last year. Now,
they are in Washington to process the data received. Thematic survey
results will be presented to the Government of Armenia later, the
ambassador said.

To recall, on August 3 2012, a memorandum of understanding was signed
between the Armenian Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources and the
Isle of Man-registered International Minerals & Mines Ltd. It is
paving the way for the exploration of Armenia’s shale reserves. Should
large-scale commercial extraction proceed, Armenia’s energy find could
grant the country a measure of energy independence and, with it,
newfound geopolitical freedom.

The Aug. 3 deal comes on the heels of another agreement between the
Energy Ministry and the U.S. State Department in June to cooperate in
energy exploration, commercialization and investment. This agreement
plans “cooperative assessment and technical studies of Armenia’s
energy resources, including any potential shale gas resources.”
According to the Armenian energy ministry, the August agreement is the
result of an international shale gas conference sponsored by the U.S.
government, which has offered exploration grants to Armenia and other
countries. Previous assessments suggest Armenia’s hydrocarbon reserves
are small. The US Geological Survey, which is identified in the June
memorandum as a technical partner in the joint effort, identified 44
million tons of in-place shale oil reserves in the
Aramus region based on a 1994 study. The Armenian government, however,
raised the figure in a 2005 report (.pdf), listing 17 million to 18
million tons of shale oil reserves in Ijevan, Shamut and Jermanis and
128 million tons in Dilijan, reports the World Politics Review.

`Gas tariff increase is disproportionate to objective factors’

Chairman of the Association of Armenia’s Consumers Armen Poghosian
sent a letter to Human Rights Defender Karen Andriasian, urging him to
pay attention to the increase in the price of gas supplied to
consumers.

`We want to draw your attention to the problem of the increase in
tariffs of gas supplied to the population. The quality and tariffs of
utilities services have always been the center of your attention. In
this connection we are concerned about the formation of the gas
tariff, which we consider as unfair.

According to principles of the tariff policy of public services in
Armenia, prices can increase for such reasons as an increase in the
tariff of imported gas, a change in the Armenian dram/ dollar exchange
rate, a decline in consumption volumes, and investments.
All these factors exist, but, in our opinion, they are
disproportionate to the increase in tariffs and generate an unfounded
profit at the expense of rights and interests of consumers.

We are ready to raise this problem by taking joint steps and demand
that the review of tariffs by appropriate government bodies (Public
Services Regulatory Commission of Armenia, National Assembly,
government) should not go beyond the limits of proportionality,’ the
latter said.

Baku’s Trying To Grab Something With Moscow’s Help

The joint press conference of the foreign ministers of Russia and
Azerbaijan in Moscow has revealed several subtleties relating to the
settlement of the Karabakh conflict. First, Elmar Mammedyarov stated
bluntly that there is no need to expect news before the Azerbaijani
presidential election in November. But the main message was sent by
Sergey Lavrov.

He said in 2007 Armenia approved the principles of Madrid, whereas
Azerbaijan insists on the proposals of 2009. In other words,
Azerbaijan insists on withdrawal of Armenian troops from the
territories surrounding the former autonomous region of
Nagorno-Karabakh, while Armenia insists on a simultaneous solution of
all the problems, including the recognition of NKR.

Lavrov made another statement. He actually hinted that the
`Azerbaijani territories’ could be returned if Azerbaijan and Turkey
lifted the blockade of Armenia. It is the continuation of the
unwritten policy of mediators who are known to have offered to lift
the blockade of regional communication without the political
recognition of Karabakh and later continue the negotiations.

However, it was worrying to hear the phrase `return of Azerbaijani
territories’ in Sergey Lavrov’s speech. What territories are meant?
Which part of Karabakh does Lavrov refer to as Azerbaijani territory
and why? It is even more interesting to learn about the attitude of
Armenia which trumpets its agreement to the principles of Madrid.

Obviously, the settlement of the Karabakh issue has been reduced to
Azerbaijan’s efforts of getting at least part of the territories of
NKR. For this purpose Azerbaijan is ready to recognize NKR, and most
probably it will after the presidential election. Baku understands
that the longer the process, the more prone the mediators are to
recognize Karabakh, and what is now possible to get peacefully will be
impossible with force in two years.

Azerbaijan is trying to make friends with the United States and France
to seize at least a slice of Karabakh with their help but in vain.
Mammedyarov is now trying to make friends with Lavrov but did not
succeed. Moscow does not believe tears, as well as assurances that
Baku gave a high score to Russia on Eurovision.

Naira Hayrumyan
16:35 22/05/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

Armenia’s authorities broke electoral system – ARF Dashnaktsutyun MP

May 22, 2013 | 13:57

YEREVAN. – The political majority in Armenia thinks it earned the
unconditional trust of the people in the past elections, but we are
confident that the authorities broke the electoral system, and nothing
in the country is decided by elections.

Opposition ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party National Assembly (NA) Faction
member Aghvan Vardanyan noted the aforesaid during Wednesday’s NA
discussions on the government program.

`There were two typical incidents for me in the last [capital city
Yerevan Council of Elders] elections [that were conducted on May 5].
They show a footage when a `neighborhood guy’ had made uproar in the
polling station, [but] the four persons in police uniform did not dare
to restrain that `neighborhood guy.’

The second footage: The journalists ask the PM [that] there are
reports that election bribes are distributed. The PM says it is a lie.

Tens of thousands of Yerevan residents received that election bribe,
[and] thousands distributed [it]; that many people know what is going
on. This contradiction between words and reality is the accurate
description of our life,’ the opposition MP maintained, in particular.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

Gas price hike to affect all areas – Transport Minister

May 22, 2013 | 13:50

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s Transport Gagik Beglaryan said gas price hike
will affect all areas, including transport.

Asked how the price hike will affect transport fare, Beglaryan refused
to give a concrete answer, saying the issue is not being discussed in
the government.

`I cannot give a precise answer, until we learn how much the gas price
will rise,’ he told reporters on Wednesday.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

Debates on gas price to be closed to public

May 22, 2013 | 12:49

YEREVAN. – The debates on gas price initiated by parliament speaker
Hovik Abrahamyan will be closed to public.

Armenian Premier Tigran Sargsyan, Energy Minister Armen Movsisyan and
head of the Public Services Regulatory Commission Robert Nazaryan will
participate in the debate, head of parliament’s press service Gohar
Poghosyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

If a decision to hold parliamentary debate is made, then it will be
open to media, NGOs and other interested parties, she assured.

Earlier `Let’s stop gas price hike’ initiative sent a letter to Mr.
Abrahamyan, asking whether the debate on gas price would be open to
NGOs and media.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

Montserrat Caballe not to give concert in Karabakh

Wednesday,
May 22

The world-famous soprano Montserrat Caballe will not give a concert in
Nagorno Karabakh, concert manager Vahagn Gevorgian told Aysor.am.

`We did not officially announce that she will also give a concert in
Karabakh. Websites should try to get information from reliable
sources,’ he said.

According to V. Gevorgian, a concert of Montserrat Caballe will be
held at the Spendiarian Opera and Ballet Theatre of Yerevan on June 9.
The soprano will spend a week in Armenia. She also expressed a desire
to perform two songs in Armenia.

`She didn’t express any special demands. Mrs. Caballe only said she
prefers low-fat food. She also plans to visit several churches and
temples in Armenia,’ the concert organizer said.
TODAY, 13:58

Aysor.am

Armenian woman gives birth to 12th child – newspaper

May 22, 2013 | 07:55

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s Kharberd resident Armine, 41, on Tuesday gave
birth to her twelfth child, Haykakan Zhamanak daily reports.

`As we were informed from the [capital city Yerevan’s Erebuni] medical
center [where she delivered her baby], the child weighs 3.550
kilograms and is 50 centimeters in height. She was named Anahit.

The newborn is the family’s fifth girl. He mother, who also has a
grandchild, promised that she will have more children.

Armine’s husband had expressed a wish to be present at his wife’s
delivery, and he was permitted,’ Haykakan Zhamanak writes.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am