Author: nina hovnanian

Armenian Deputy FM visited Austria

armradio.am
15:55 03.11.2012

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Ashot Hovakimyan paid a working visit
to Vienna from October 31 to November 1.

Deputy FM Hovakimyan had working meetings with Austria’s Secretary
General for European and International Affairs Johannes Kyrle and
Johann Pucher, National Security Policy Director of the Federal
Ministry of Defense.

A wide range of issues was discussed during the meetings. In
particular, reference was made to the situation in the Middle East and
the developments in the South Caucasus region, the extradition of
Ramil Safarov to Azerbaijan, the programs of bilateral defense
cooperation between Armenia and Austria, organization of courses in
Armenia dedicated to the reforms in the field of defense, etc.

On November 1 Ashot Hovakimyan participated in the sitting of the OSCE
Permanent Council, where he delivered a speech and answered the
questions of the attendees.

Aharon Adibekyan is also concerned

03:22 pm | October 31, 2012 | Social

Armenuhi Manukyan, the mother of eleven children, relies on state
benefits of 68.500 drams to keep her family. Armenuhi’s husband, who
participated in the Artsakh war, is a disabled person.

“Six of my children go to school, and I think everyone will realize in
what conditions we live,” Armenuhi Manukyan told reporters on
Wednesday.

Lawyer Margarita Hovsepyan, the mother of five children, says she has
not received any help from the government.
“I have never applied to any official and I am not going to as there
is not such a program or law regulating the field. Many-children
families are not clearly defined in Armenia,” she said.

Margarita Hovsepyan, who chairs an NGO dealing with problems of
mothers with many children, says they have registered 200 many
children families in Armenia. However, the NGO has been unable to get
information from official sources.

“We made inquires from the statistical service but they did not answer
us,” she said.

Aharon Adibekyan, head of Sociometer Sociological Center, presented
the statistical figures presented by the UN, according to which at the
end of the century Armenia’s population will be between 1 500 000 mln
and 1 750 000 mln.

“Though 44-45000 births are reported in the country annually, the
number of population is declining due to emigration,” he said.

Public opposition prevents Turkey from attacking Syria ` journalist

November 3, 2012 – 14:08 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an would attack Syria right today,
if not the hindering factors, Istanbul-based Agos weekly former
employee said.

As Diran Lokmagyozian told a news conference, Turkish public mainly
stand against Turkey’s attacking Syria, while the country is concerned
with its interests only.

`The same happened in case of Iraq, as the U.S. sought for Turkish
intrusion into the country. However, Turkey had other claims that
disfavored the U.S. interests,’ Lokmagyozian said, adding that Turkey
seeks for becoming a leader in the region.

Parliament speaker elected chief of Sargsyan campaign headquarters

November 3, 2012 – 15:04 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian Parliament speaker Hovik Abrahamyan will
head the election headquarters of the Republican Party of Armenia
(RPA) presidential candidate Serzh Sagsyan, RA National Assembly vice
speaker said after the RPA executive body meeting.

RA parliament speaker was elected RPA election headquarters leader by
the unanimous decision of the party’s executive body.

As Eduard Sharmazanov noted, inter-party issues were also discussed at
the meeting.

Turkey aims to hinder Genocide 100th anniv. preparation – journalist

November 3, 2012 – 14:12 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Turkey is concerned with Armenias’ preparations for
the Genocide 100th anniversary in 2015, Istanbul-based Agos weekly
former employee said.

As Diran Lokmagyozian told a news conference, the Turks think
Armenians worldwide are making large-scale preparations for 2015, with
Ankara deeming it necessary to take counteractive steps.

`It’s like a football match, with one of the contenders to win,’ he
said, slamming Armenia’s foreign policy as unspecified and
characterizing it as wait and see one.

Hungary says EU cut in its funds would be a shame

tert.am
19:50 – 03.11.12

The European Union risks undermining the credibility of its drive
against national budget overshoots if it strips Hungary of structural
funds as punishment for running anexcessive deficit, a leader of the
ruling Fidesz party said, according to Reuters.

The EU is due to unveil its assessment of Hungary’s latest
deficit-cutting measures on November 7, which could be the basis of a
cut in funds and can also influence Hungary’s credit talks with
Brusselsand the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Lajos Kosa, a Fidesz vice chairman was quoted on Saturday by the daily
Magyar Nemzet as saying that the government had implemented tight
fiscal policy since it was elected in 2010, and a cut in funds would
be “a shame”.

“If they do (cut funds), that will have an amazingly bad message in
the entire Union which is cracking anyway even without that,” Kosa
said.

While Kosa is regarded as the most outspoken of Fidesz’s leaders, the
government’s tendency to talk tough about Brussels and the IMF at home
has bolstered expectations that talks over an international aid deal
will eventually fall apart.

Kosa repeated in the interview that Hungary needed an IMF deal but
analysts in a recent Reuters poll saw only a 50 percent chance,
judging that a more positive mood to global markets has eased pressure
on the government’s borrowing costs.

Two deficit-cutting packages that Hungary submitted to Brussels in the
past weeks included a further rise in taxes on banks and the
government has said that burden can even grow if the EU wants more
measures.

The central bank and international analysts have said that the heavy
taxation on banks hinders recovery from recession and IMF spokesman
Gerry Rice said on Thursday that Hungary needed a change in attitude
for the talks to go on.

Yaroslavsky Endorses Adrin Nazarian for State Assembly

asbarez
Monday, October 29th, 2012

LA County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY – Adrin Nazarian, leading Democratic candidate for
the 46th Assembly District, on Monday announced the endorsement of Los
Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavky.

`Adrin has earned my support because he has dedicated his life to
public service. We can always count on him to put public interest
first and fight for what is right for his constituents, I hope he
earns your vote on Election Day’ said Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky.

Nazarian overcame a crowded field of 6 candidates including $1.7
million in independent expenditures to finish the June primary in a
strong first place, and face off Republican Jay Stern in the November
General.

`I’m honored to receive Supervisor Yaroslavsky’s endorsement, a leader
who has dedicated his life to public service and making government
work for all residents,’ said Nazarian.

The newly drawn 46th Assembly District includes the Los Angeles
neighborhoods of North Hollywood, Toluca Lake, Studio City, Sherman
Oaks, Valley Village, Valley Glen, Van Nuys, Panorama City, North
Hills, Mission Hills, Lake Balboa, Universal City and Hollywood Hills.

Poll: Government inspections to carry imitative nature

2012-11-03 21:20:01

Lurer.com launched a poll within its readers: What expectations do you
have from Government inspections?

The majority of the respondents (81%, 16600 votes) think, that
inspections carry imitative nature. 9% (1900 votes) think the
inspections are belated, and 5% (1100 votes) is of the opinion that
the Overnment is self-cleaning.

5% of respondents (1000 votes) express hope, that inspections will be
continuous.

Note, 20600 readers took part in poll.

15.04.2012 `Affordable For Those Who Are Not Aware How the Average
Citizen Will Survive the Whole Winter.’

Thursday, 01 November 2012 13:05

Winter is at the door, so people are getting anxious about the
question how they will heat their flats this time. Many people have
begun preparatory activities, the others not yet.
84-year-old Shura Gasparyan is one of those who have to use wood for
heating the flat. `At least 60 thousand drams is needed for gas
heating per one month in winter whereas with this sum I can buy wood
for the three winter months with the square metre of it sold for 7 or
8 thousand drams. I will buy wood to avoid any additional expenses, we
shall prepare dinner on the stove and will have the tea pot always hot
on it, besides, the house will always be warm,’ the old man explains
his decision in this way.

Yet there are people who are going to continue to make use of gas
heating, 62-year-old Vladimir Abrahamyan is one of them. He admits,
`Though gas is expensive it is the only way to maintain room
temperature in the flat. I do not expect any increase of salary, so if
the price on gas rises again I will have to get in debts to make our
living’.

For many people electrical energy is the only alternative for heating.
This year Arlena Simonyan also is going to heat her flat with
electrical energy. `It is impossible for a person living on an average
salary to pay for gas heating during three months. The electrical
energy is both safe and affordable, though nowadays affordability is
quite a relative concept. Everything is affordable for those who are
not aware how the average citizen will survive the whole winter with
the 30 thousands drams he gets monthly’.

Most of the pollees have been heating their flats with electrical
energy for years. Many of them took to this method because of the
increase of the tariff on gas. `It is not convenient to use wood in
our conditions, we have repaired our flat recently and do not want to
return to the old times of smoke, grey ceiling, etc,’ 57-year-old Aida
says.

55-year-old Armida prefers gas heating but because of the low salary
and the daily increase of prices on goods they cannot afford such
`luxury’, so they will have to pass to electrical energy heating.

The above mentioned opinions imply how Stepanakert citizens are going
to heat their flats, what problems they face and why they prefer
electrical energy and wood to gas heating. And those who have decided
to apply gas heating state that they have no guarantee that the price
on gas will not rise again.

PRESS RELEASE
Center for Armenian Remembrance
535 N. Brand Blvd. Suite 245
Glendale, CA 91203
Email: [email protected]
Web:

Contact: Bill Paparian
Tel: 626-795-1750
Email: [email protected]

U.S. GOVERNMENT RESPONDS TO PROMINENT ARMENIAN-AMERICAN LAWYERS CALL UPON
U.S. GOVERNMENT TO ISSUE VISA WAIVERS FOR SYRIAN-ARMENIANS

The U.S. Government has responded to the request of Four
Prominent Armenian-American Lawyers to issue visa waivers for
Syrian-Armenians. Currently, there is no American Diplomatic presence in
Syria. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) of the
Department of Homeland Security has assigned a case number to the request
stating: `Due to the violent upheaval and deteriorating situation in
(Syria) USCIS announced that eligible Syrian nationals…in the United
States may apply for Temporary Protected Status (TPS).’

Citing the recent burning of St. Kevork Armenian Church in Aleppo and the
kidnapping of Armenians on a Beirut Aleppo bus, Vartkes Yeghiayan Esq.,
Former Assistant Director of ACTION/Peace Corps, and William Paparian Esq.,
Former Mayor of Pasadena, replied to the letter from USCIS:

`Through our letter of October 12, 2012, which was directed to State
Secretary Hillary Clinton and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano,
we wished to express our deep concern for the fate of the beleaguered
Christian citizens of (Syria). The fighting there has engulfed large
portions of the country and has made the already precarious position of
Christians even more untenable. It is precisely because we feel the current
legislation, including the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to
Syrian nationals, is insufficient in addressing the deteriorating
humanitarian situation that we turned to the United States government.’

`It is with deep regret that we conveyed our extreme displeasure with the
response of the U.S. Government to our request,’ said Varkes Yeghiayan.

After the initial announcement of the request for Visa Waivers for Syrian
Armenians, countless friends and family of Syrian Armenians in the United
States and elsewhere have expressed their support for the U.S. Government
taking favorable action to allow Syrian Armenians to come to the United
States.

`We will continue to press the U.S. Government to take immediate action to
alleviate the suffering of Christians in Syria and will immediately advise
the Syrian Armenian community and their family and friends of further
developments,’ said William Paparian.

# # #

CONTACT: Bill Paparian 626.795.1750 Email:
[email protected]