Author: nina hovnanian

Armavia pays 20 per cent of outstanding debt to Zvartnots: flights resumed

YEREVAN, October 19. / ARKA /. Armenia’s national air carrier Armavia
said it had paid about 20% of its $3.6 million outstanding service
debt to Zvartnots international airport, following which the facility
resumed the flights, suspended again this morning. A spokeswoman for
Zvartnots, Gevorg Abrahamyan, said the transfer was made and the debt
was reduced to $3 million.

The dispute between Armavia and Zvartnots is about the level of
service charges set by the airport. Flights have been suspended
several times – in November 2011, March, in September and earlier
October 2012 and most recently today morning.

Armavia argues that the service charges at Zvartnots, Armenia’s main
international airport are unreasonably high. Mikhail Baghdasarov, the
airline’s majority shareholder since 2005, has several times said that
Armavia might be forced to file for bankruptcy unless the charges are
reduced. After the September suspension the sides were said to have
signed a new debt-restructuring deal.

Earlier, Armavia said it was paying the debt on a daily basis claiming
also that the suspensions were prompted by the plans of Armavia to
sell its shares.

Armavia operates more than 100 flights a week to 40 destinations in 20
countries. In April 2011, it became the first commercial airline to
put a Russian-made Sukhoi Superjet 100 into operation, but later
cancelled its order for a second Superjet and tried to return the
first. However, on October 5, Sukhoi announced that it had reached a
new six-month leasing agreement with Armavia on the Superjet.

Zvartnots airport is run by Armenia – International Airports company
under a 30-year concession agreement signed with the Armenian
government in 2001. The owner of the company is the Argentine American
International Airports, owned by Argentine citizen of Armenian origin
Eduardo Eurnekian. -0-

The wealthy should bear responsibility for nation’s future – Armenian PM

news.am
October 20, 2012 | 12:30

The rich Armenians should bear a societal responsibility for the
Armenian nation’s future, Premier Tigran Sargsyan said Saturday during
the Armenian General Benevolent Union’s (AGBU) General Meeting, which
is being held at the newly opened Matenadaran (Armenian ancient
manuscript library) building at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

In Sargsyan’s words, having been founded in Cairo in 1906, the AGBU
did not remain a mere local community organization, but rather it
scattered all over the world. `At present, the AGBU has organizational
structures in 26 countries. There are very few organizations in the
world that have such rich track-record, that are spread across all
corners of the world, and unite thousands of Armenians,’ the PM said.

Specifically, Tigran Sargsyan underscored the AGBU’s education
activities – including the founding of the American University of
Armenia – being carried out in Armenia.

9 CIS member states to launch joint network college

tert.am
18:13 – 19.10.12

Nine member countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
agreed to launch a joint virtual college following the 19th
ministerial conference in Yerevan.

At a news conference on Friday, the education ministers of Armenia,
Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and
Moldova summed up the results of the meeting.

Armenia’s Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan said the
conference helped the participants raise the existing problems and
agree over new projects.

`We agreed, in particular, to create a joint network college of CIS
states,’ the minister said, promising that the project will promote
the professional development of the education sector.

Ashotyan said they had proposed a plan for opening a free rating
agency that would offer students an opportunity to rate the higher
educational institutions across the region.

`The free rating agency operating on the CIS territory will help
objectively evaluate the activities of all the higher educational
institutions in the member states, allowing entrants to decide which
university to apply,’ he said, adding that a proposal had been made to
offer double-diplomas to graduates as a measure to promote the
inter-university program.

`Art education was discussed first. The educational program
Eurostudent, which aims to study the students’ life with all its
socio-economic aspects (housing, education) was also in the ministers’
spotlight,’ Ashotyan added.

Speaking further, Belarusian Minister of Education Sergey Maskevich
said the next session to be hosted by their country in 2014 will focus
on high schools. He expressed hope that the virtual college will have
been launched by then, enabling the member states to prepare highly
qualified human resources by using one another’s potential.

Considering the Yerevan meeting successful, President of the National
Academy of Kazakhstan Alma Abilkasimova noted that the member states
can use their Soviet heritage to build a new system through
collaboration.

Tajikistan’s Minister of Education Nuridin Saidov recommended his
country’s universities to the Armenian youth.

`Anyone can select profession in Tajikistan. Our country is always
open, and we are ready to admit Armenian students,’ he said.

At the end, the Tajikistani and Armenian education ministers signed a
joint agreement on extending bilateral cooperation.

No splits within Prosperous Armenia – Vartan Oskanian

tert.am
22:27 – 19.10.12

Armenia’s ex-FM, MP of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) Vartan
Oskanian has left a message on his Facebook page and commented on
press reports on the PAP and his person.

According to the message, certain circles are using the press to
achieve their political aims.

The first topic deals with Vartan Oskanian’s political persecution and
alleged discontent with the PAP and its leader’s stance.
The second is that the PAP is allegedly splitting from within.

With respect to the first topic, Oskanian says that he is grateful to
the PAP and its leader Gagik Tsarukyan for their stance. The party
immediately made the right assessment of the charges against its
member as political persecution, aimed not only at Oskanian, but also
at the party.

The PAP leader and fellow-members supported Oskanian by making
speeches in parliament and political statements.

Oskanian is especially grateful to fellow-members for their readiness
to yield their seats in PACE to him to ensure additional immunity for
him.

With respect to alleged splits within the party, Oskanian writes that
alternative approaches should not be viewed as splits. Tolerance to
different approaches and proposals is the PAP’s advantage.

The PAP political team is unanimous as it is aware of the people’s
great expectations and its great responsibility in this crucial period
of Armenia’s modern history. Everyone is well aware that the country
is entering the most important stage of political struggle, when
competition and victory are only possible due to unity and
determination, says Vartan Oskanian’s message.

Armenia’s ex-FM faces 20 years imprisonment – lawyer

tert.am
21:58 – 19.10.12

Tigran Atanesyan, lawyer of Armenia’s ex-FM, MP of the Prosperous
Armenia Party (PAP) Vartan Oskanian says that, in the worst-case
scenario, his client may be sentenced to 20 years.

`Of course, no one has called me from the Court of Cassation and told
anything. This is my personal view that it may be the worst to
happen,’ he told Tert.am.

The money laundering charges against Vartan Oskanian are not at all
coincidence. This is the `best count’ for playing with a person’s
reputation.

`This is one of the worst charges in western countries. They have
found the most `suitable’ charge for labeling that man because they
know where he comes from,’ Atanesyan said.

He rules out any petition for the charges to be re-qualified. `That
would mean that my client pleads guilty of other offences.’

Civilitas Foundation donates AMD 3 million to `Help Your Brother’ initiative

15:42 19/10/2012 » Society

The Civilitas Foundation has donated AMD 3 million to `Help Your
Brother’ civil initiative.

`The Civilitas Foundation welcomes `Help Your Brother’ initiative
which has raised funds from Armenian companies, organizations and
individuals to send humanitarian aid to Syria. The Civilitas
Foundation is happy to announce that it has donated AMD 3 million to
the initiative,’ the Foundation said in a statement.

Source: Panorama.am

DEFENSE MINISTRY: RUSSIAN MISSILES’ DEPLOYMENT IN ARMENIA NOT EXCLUDED

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 19, 2012 – 19:02 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenia’s Defense Ministry commented on the
possibility for deployment of Russia’s S-400 missiles in Armenia.

As Press TV reported citing the Turkish daily Hurriyet, Russia is
installing an advanced anti-aircraft missile system in its southern
military region in reaction to Turkey’s deployment of a NATO missile
system.

Considering the lack of Russia’s land frontier with Turkey, it cannot
be ruled out that the missiles will be deployed in the territory of
Armenia, where Russia’s 102nd military base is stationed.

As the Ministry’s spokesman Artsrun Hovhannesyan told PanARMENIAN.Net
“noting can be ruled out at the moment. With rearmament of the Russian
military base in progress, renewal of anti-aircraft missile system
might also be expected. However, we’re not sure as to the specific
systems to be deployed.”

CHANGES IN AGGRESSIVE TONE OF AZERBAIJAN PROVE THE STRENGTH OF THE ARMENIAN ARMY: MILITARY EXPERT

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 19, ARMENPRESS. Recently there has been a change
in bellicose and aggressive tone of Azerbaijani authorities. Former
aggressive stresses have now become more defensive. This conclusion
was made by military expert David Jamalyan. As reports “Armenpress”
the expert said, that he considers these changes worth attention
during the press conference on October 19. Jamalyan underlined that
this change is very characteristic and proves that military potential
of the Armenian Armed Forces is constantly growing. The expert is
sure that in case of the possible war Armenian side has much better
chances to be victorious.

According to the military expert Azerbaijani militaries are aware
of the potentials of the Armenian Army. The Armenian side has new
antitank, missile, air defence system and tank equipment. He said:
“The fact that during last two months no pilotless vehicle appeared
in the airspace of Nagorno Karabakh Republic is due to the presence
of this equipment in the Armenian Armed Forces”.

AZERBAIJAN’S AGGRESSIVE TONE CHANGES TO SELF-PROTECTION – EXPERT

tert.am
19.10.12

Armenian military expert David Jamalyan observes changes in
Azerbaijan’s aggressive rhetoric.

According to him, the aggressive tone in the country’s
political-military statements has yielded to the policies of
self-protection and attempts to quell possible attacks by Armenia.

“That means they realize that the opposite side has power when the
point comes to eliminating economic infrastructures, which is quite
real,” he told a news conference on Friday.

It comes after a spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense, Artsrun
Hovhannisyan, said Armenia’s air forces keep considering long range
missile defense a primary source of protection and can, upon necessity,
launch attack against Azerbaijan’s economic facilities. A response
by the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry, which came shortly afterwards,
said the country the country has all the potentials to protect its
oil and natural gas resources.

Speaking of the military exercises in Nagorno-Karbakh, the expert
said it is one of the rounds of the Armenian Armed Forces’ active
drills in the country.

“It is one thing to say that you have an efficient army and
a completely different matter when you demonstrate your power
materially. These are events urging stability and peace, and a tendency
to ensure fundamental security to make the people see that they have
an army capable of protecting them,” Jamalyan added.

As for any threats of war, the expert ruled out such a possibility.

“It does not pose a big hazards; these are just steps aimed to prevent
threats,” he said, adding that the drills will enable the armed forces
to acquire skills and strengthen their efficiency.

ARMENIA CAN BECOME THE SECOND SWITZERLAND: SECRETARY-GENERAL OF WTO

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 19, ARMENPRESS. Document for “Global Code of Ethics
for Tourism” was signed in Yerevan alongside with the ceremony of
admission of “Yerevan Declaration”, which was held on October 19. As
reports “Armenpress” Secretary-General of World Tourism Organization
Taleb Rifai mentioned that the activity of the conference, which
resulted the signing of the documents is over.

Taleb Rifai said: “The accuracy of Armenia and its potential proves one
more time that Armenia can become the second Switzerland in the world
for everything created by the work of its hands and mind”. He mentioned
that cultural diversity and universal values should not be lost in the
sphere of tourism. The Secretary-General of the organization said:
“In this sector, that reaches billions small activity is multiplied
by billions and shows positive result”. He also said that the tourism
is an experience to involve as many people as possible.

The Secretary-General also expressed his gratitude to the Armenian
organizers of the conference for their warm attitude towards the
quests of the conference.

The Minister of Economy of the Republic of Armenia said: “I hope we
have done a good job by discussing a row of questions deserving our
attention. Our future activity will be conducted on a foundation
of those results and information that we all acquired during this
conference”.

“Yerevan Declaration” will encourage the evaluation of cultural
diversity and universal values via sustainable development of tourism,
as well as active participation of Armenia in these procedures.