Author: nina hovnanian

ITAR-TASS, Russia
July 20, 2012 Friday 05:46 PM GMT+4

Speaker of Russian State Duma to visit Armenia on July 23-24

MOSCOW July 20

Speaker of the Russian State Duma lower parliament house Sergei
Naryshnkin will pay an official visit to Armenia on July 23 through
24, a Duma spokesman said on Friday.

According to the spokesman, the program of Naryshkin’s visit includes
bilateral meetings with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, Prime
Minister Tigran Sarkisyan, and speaker of the Armenian parliament Ovik
Abramyan.

“Key attention at talks will be focused on the development of
inter-parliamentary ties between Russia and Armenia, issues of
humanitarian cooperation, and to the dialogue with Armenia as an
observer country in the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC) within
the frameworks of Eurasian integration processes and their
parliamentary aspects,” the spokesman noted.

The Russian speaker will also meet with people of science from
Armenia’s National Academy of Sciences.

The Duma delegation led by Naryshkin will visit the Armenian Genocide Museum.

Returning to former status out of question for Karabakh – MFA

news.am
July 21, 2012 | 17:48

STEPANAKERT. – Nagorno-Karabakh Republic MFA released a statement
regarding the July 19 presidential elections.

`Nagorno-Karabakh held on July 19 presidential elections. Total of
73.4 percent of the voters participated in the elections.

International observers from 22 states, as well as local observers
from the NGOs and political parties monitored the elections. According
to the initial data by the international observers, the elections met
democratic norms and the affiliation of several candidates secured
expression of will freely by the citizens. Through each election,
Karabakh confirms its will to continue its independence, while
returning its former status is out of question.

At the same time, the allegations that elections in Karabakh may
hamper the settlement of Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict, are baseless
and carry provocative objective,’ the statement reads.

ASTRONOMIE-SCIENCES
Le Prix Victor Hampartsoumian attribué à deux astronomes, un Estonien
et un Russe

Le Prix Victor Hampartsoumian fut décerné cette année conjointement
aux astronomes Yan Eynaston (Estonie) et Igor Novikov (Russie). Hier
Radig Mardirossian le Président de l’Académie des Sciences d’Arménie
qui décerne ces prix a lors de la remise salué la mémoire de
l’astrophysicien arménien Victor Hampartsoumian. « L’objectif de ce
prix est de pérenniser la mémoire du scientifique arménien de
célébrité mondiale Victor Hampartsoumian. Il fut durant 46 années le
Président de l’Académie des Sciences d’Arménie et président de
nombreuses organisations scientifiques internationales, ce qui était
exceptionnel lors de la période soviétique » dit Radig Mardirossian.
Cette année, de nombreux scientifiques d’Arménie, mais également
d’Australie, d’Inde, de Russie, d’Estonie et d’autres pays avaient
présenté leurs dossiers pour le Prix Victor Hampartsoumian richement
doté. « Nous avons traité chaque dossier avec soin et minutie et les
vainqueurs furent désignés quasiment à l’unanimité des voix du jury »
dit à « Armenpress » le secrétaire de la commission Arék Mikaélian, le
secrétaire de la commission chargé du Prix Victor Hampartsoumian.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 22 juillet 2012,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

AZERBAIJAN SPREADS DISINFORMATION: ARMENIAN SIDE HAS NOT VIOLATED CEASEFIRE REGIME

An officer of the Azerbaijani Army was killed. As Azerbaijani Press
Agency informs the incident was recorded on Tovuz frontline.

Senior Lieutenant of the Azerbaijani Army Jafar Ibrahim Jafar died.

Azerbaijani media write that “Armenian side violated ceasefire regime
on the frontline”.

Speaker of Armenian Ministry of Defense Artsrun Hovhannisyan denied
this information during the conversation with Armenpress news agency.

“Armenian side has not violated ceasefire regime. If there are
some problems inside the Azerbaijani Army which cause deaths of the
soldiers, it is their own problem”.

AL. ISKANDARYAN: THE OPPOSITION IN NKR MANAGED TO UNITE

May be an opposition fraction will be created in the Nagorno-Karabakh
Parliament. Head of the “Caucasus” Institute, politician Alexander
Iskandaryan announced about this during the press-conference today.

“If it takes place the authorities must take it under consideration.

It will cause changes in the political life of the NKR. The political
atmosphere is changed in Artsakh and it is one of the important
lessons of the elections”, the speaker underlined.

He added that Vitali Balasanyan is really opposition candidate and his
supporters managed to unite and get big percent of the votes. “The
struggle was really serious. The opposition managed to unite and as
a result the opposition candidate got serious amount of votes. This
time the votes were 2.5-3 times more than the opposition candidates
managed get during the previous years.”

A. Iskandaryan said that the administrative resources have been used
during the elections and it is characteristically for all post-soviet
countries.

“Of course there were some problems during the elections,
administrative resources have been used and it could not be prevented.

But nothing terrible happened. The opposition won in three big towns:
Martakert, Askeran and Martuni. Yesterday an announcement about the
violation was spread I one of the towns. And it was only extraordinary
case”, A. Iskandaryan underlined.

MP CANDIDATE NIKOGHOSYAN SUES SLAQ.AM FOR SLANDER
Tatevik Shaljyan

hetq
17:26, July 20, 2012

A Yerevan court has accepted to hear the slander suit of Anoushavan
Nikoghosyan, who ran for parliament in the May election, against the
news site slaq.am.

Nikoghosyan claims that slaq.am maligned his good name and reputation
in a May 4 article alleging that the reason he entered the race
in Election District 32 against Republican Party candidate Karen
Karapetyan was purely based on commercial interests.

The article alleged that Karapetyan had turned down Nikoghosyan’s
request for help in obtaining a minivan commuter route and that
Nikoghosyan took this as a personal insult.

Nikoghosyan is demanding a retraction of the allegations and 3 million
in compensatory damages.

The trial will get underway on July 31.

GOD FORBID A WORST THING…
Arman Galoyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 16:22:01 – 20/07/2012

Interview with the member of the Armenian National Congress, Doctor
of Economy Zoya Tadevosyan

The authorities confirmed the rumors that they are negotiating the
gas price with Russia. What consequences can the gas price increase
bring about?

As a rule, it is a factor generating crisis. It has been that way
since the years of the “Big depression” and this trend is present up
to now. So, since the crisis is still underway, the price increase
will deepen it even more because the enterprises using gas will
increase prices to their goods, so the level of consumption will
decrease which will bring about the reduction of scales of production.

If the production is meant for export it will lead to the decline in
the export competition. Then, the gas price increase will decrease
the real income of large parts of the society.

Is there a political subtext under all this?

Sure there is. During the 20 years of the political independence,
the Republic of Armenia has been more dependent than ever. The danger
is that Russia has the 100% of gas supply, 22% of import, 30% of the
trade banks assets, 70% of insurance companies. Among the creditor
partners of Armenia, Russia is the second after the International
Development partnership. The loan support of Russia reached 20.5%.

According to approximate assessments, Russian companies have acquired
in our country assets costing 2.9 billion the 35.1% of which has been
invested in production infrastructures. This is not just statistics,
but this makes it clear that Russia has not only geoeconomic but also
geopolitical interests in Armenia.

Why do they increase the gas price on the eve of presidential
elections?

The enhancement of the gas price for Russia aims at making its treasury
richer by creating “anti-crisis funds” on account of vassal countries,
while we can connect this step with the elections in Armenia only
after we learn the name of the Russian candidate for president. Let’s
wait till September, though we can guess now who the candidate is. God
forbid a worst thing.

May all this lead to a social rebellion?

The rebellion is a category alien to the social-economic and political
situation of Armenia. Protests are possible but revolts – never.

Protest actions will be held with the participation of those who
don’t deal with the gas market. I don’t think everyone will go out
demanding the government’s resignation.

Is Congress ready to lead the social rebellion because it seems
Congress has been passive recently and there are concerns that the
ANC will limit its activities to those in the parliament?

Since I rule out the rebellion, I think all the other concerns are
improper.

Why are people leaving the Congress?

The reason for the events in the Congress is the tactics of the ANC
to make the PAP opposition. PAP became an alternative or reserve
opposition. Time will show.

There have been opinions that Congress is collapsing.

If Congress does not start the process on the president’s resignation,
I’m afraid these opinions will come true.

MARIA GEVORGYAN WINS EUROPEAN YOUTH RAPID & BLITZ U 18 CHAMPIONSHIP

PanARMENIAN.Net
July 20, 2012 – 16:59 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenian chess player Maria Gevorgyan won European
Girl’s Champion’s title at 12th European Youth Rapid & Blitz U 18
Championship in Banja Vrucica, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

With 5,5 points out of maximum 6, Gevorgyan left her nearest rival
1,5 point behind.

Gevorgyan became European Girl’s Rapid Absolute Champion, coming first
at the super final, with the winners of all age groups participating.

Moreover, she became European Girl’s Vice-Champion at U18 group at
Blitz Championship.

NKR DEFENSE MINISTER INSTRUCTS ARMY TO VOTE FOR SERVING PRESIDENT – NEWSPAPER

news.am
July 20, 2012 | 07:05

YEREVAN. – Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) Defense Minister, Defense
Army Commander, Lieutenant General Movses Hakobyan instructed the NKR
military command to work for incumbent NKR President Bako Sahakyan and
to vote solely in his favor during Thursday’s presidential elections,
Zhoghovurd daily writes, referring to its well-informed sources.

‘”It’s true that [presidential candidate] Vitali [Balasanyan] is our
friend, but we must stand alongside Bako Sahakyan.’

He did not deny these statements, in an interview with Zhoghovurd,
and only said: ‘I’m not obligated to respond to your questions. Whoever
told you that, let him come, I’ll tell him,'” Zhoghovurd writes.

To note, according to preliminary information, the voter turnout was
73.38 percent in NKR’s presidential elections. And Vitali Balasanyan
received more votes primarily in his place of birth, Askeran Region,
and in Martuni Region.

ARMENIAN-IRANIAN JOINT PROGRAMS ARE AT GOVERNMENT’S FOCUS – PM SARGSYAN

news.am
July 20, 2012 | 13:59

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s Premier Tigran Sargsyan received Iran’s
newly-appointed Ambassador to Armenia, Mohammad Reisi.

“We highly assess the Armenian-Iranian relations and we are obligated
to exert efforts toward developing them,” said the PM. Sargsyan also
noted that the Armenian-Iranian joint programs are at the focus of
the Government of Armenia.

In his turn, Ambassador Reisi conveyed Iranian First Vice President
Mohammad Reza Rahimi’s warm greetings to Armenia’s Premiere. Mohammad
Reisi stressed that Iran attaches great importance to its relations
with Armenia, and he expressed his readiness to do his utmost toward
developing these ties.

The interlocutors expressed a conviction that there is a huge potential
to expand the current trade turnover between Armenia and Iran. They
also reflected on the large-scale joint projects and discussed other
programs of mutual interest.

In addition, Armenia’s PM appreciated the Iranian authorities’
balanced position, with respect to settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, and noted that this position contributes to guaranteeing
regional stability.