Author: nina hovnanian

ELECTIONS’ RESULTS DO NOT EXPRESS WILL OF PEOPLE – ARMENIAN FORMER FM

news.am
May 16, 2012 | 20:46

YEREVAN. – Armenian former FM and member of Prosperous Armenia Party
Vardan Oskanyan received the Head of the Election Observation Mission
of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
(OSCE/ODIHR) Radmila ekerinska on Wednesday, Oskanyan wrote about
this on his Facebook page.

“ekerinska wanted to know my opinion and assessments about
the election process, results and also about the work done by
the observation mission. I told her that the results of the May 6
parliamentary elections do not express the will of the nation and I
explained why,” he wrote.

ARS HOLDS ‘DINNER DAY’ IN JAVAKHK

Armenian Weekly
May 16, 2012

The Armenian Relief Society (ARS) Georgia recently launched the
“Dinner Day” Project in Javakhk. Despite its limited financial
capabilities, ARS Georgia went ahead with the project so that those
in need, including the retired and homebound, could feel-even if for
just one day-wanted and cared for, rather than forgotten or ignored.

A group of participants in the ‘Dinner Day’ project The project, which
took shape on April 5, 2012, on the occasion of the Easter holidays,
involved 47 retirees, indigents, and recluse persons from the town of
Akhalkalak and the surrounding villages of Olaverd, Samsar, Bavra,
Diliska, and others. The oldest participant was 94-year-old Granny
Mariam, who clearly needed to socialize with her peers. The meals
were served at the “Syuze” Restaurant in Akhalkalak, which welcomed
the guests and treated them with a rich variety of dishes served in
a gracious atmosphere.

To put the participants at ease, as they were overwhelmed by the
unusually warm welcome and affable treatment by the hosts, the
chairperson of the ARS Georgia Executive Board, Karine Tatevosian,
explained that this kind of service to those in need is nothing
unusual for the diasporan ARS entities, and that they should feel
at home and enjoy their meal. Tatevosian then described the global
structure, wide scope of activities, and current programs of the ARS.

Over the meal, the ARS members conversed with the participants about
the meaning and message of Easter and Resurrection, ending with
pleasantries and good humor, affording them a few hours of enjoyment,
away from daily concerns.

Sarkis, an inhabitant of the village of Samsar, expressed his best
wishes, thanking the ARS not only for that evening’s hospitality-also
attended also by his wife and grandchildren-but also for ARS Georgia’s
continuous support of his family.

After a feast that lasted for almost four hours, the participants
departed with assurances of meeting again, and thanked the “Society
for the happy hours made possible by this program, wishing the ARS
success in all its endeavors,” as described by an ARS Georgia Executive
Board member.

The ARS Georgia Executive took care of the participants’ transportation
expenses from and to the villages for “Dinner Day.”

Many of the participants also received donations of clothes and shoes.

THE CULTURAL EVENT ENHANCES RELATIONS OF ARMENIA AND JAPAN

ARMENPRESS
16 May, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 16, ARMENPRESS: A cultural event dedicated to 20th
anniversary of establishment of Armenian-Japanese diplomatic relations
was held Wednesday in Henrik Malian Theater-Studio of Film Actors.

“We have been implementing similar events for years and people’s
growing attention to Japanese culture is apparent,” Karine Piliposyan,
the chairperson of the Armenian Japanese Cultural Hikari Center,
told Armenpress’ correspondent. The event has been organized on the
initiative of above-mentioned cultural center.

Japanese Ambassador to Armenia Tikahido Harada, Ashot Voskanyan,
the head of MFA Asia-Pacific and Africa Department and other top
officials attended the event.

ARAM KARAPETYAN: PUBLIC REVOLT HAS BEEN RIPENING IN ARMENIA

arminfo
Wednesday, May 16, 21:48

Public revolt has been ripening in Armenia which may move to the
needed direction under leadership of the deputies which refused
deputy mandates, the leader of the New Times party, Aram Karapetyan,
said at today’s press-conference.

“The opposition has no other way out but the revolution. In the
parliament all the opposition parties together have an absolute
minority and can do nothing but scandals. The ruling Republican Party
of Armenia is not interested in the viewpoints of the opposition. For
this reason, it would be expedient to go to the street and wipe out
disgrace of loss”, he said. At the same time, Karapetyan thinks that
Prosperous Armenia Party may become the initiator of the revolution
if it does not join the RPA coalition, as well as the Armenian
National Congress and the Sardarapat movement, which boycotted the
parliamentary election.

He also added that the Armenian authorities also suffered boycott
from outside and have already lost respect of the world community,
in particular, of the President of Russia Vladimir Putin. The fact
that President of Armenia was received by Prime Minister of Russia
Dmitriy Medvedev is evidence of that, Karapetyan said. “Putin did not
want to meet Sargsyan. He is not going to help Armenia until we join
the EurAsian Union”, – Karapetyan said.

He also added he is going to take part in the presidential election
2013. The parliamentary election in Armenia change nothing, while the
destiny of the country depends on the presidential ones, he said. He
thinks that Armenia is in an extremely hard social and economic
situation which will worsen during the presidential election. For this
reason, the society will come forward against the present regime and
vote for the candidate out of the “triangle” of the three presidents
of Armenia, he said.

KODAK ACKNOWLEDGES OPERATING SECRET NUKE REACTOR IN NEW YORK FOR 30 YEARS

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 16, 2012 – 19:48 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Kodak the company that gave us the Instamatic
cameras has acknowledged that for 30 years it operated a small nuclear
reactor in a basement on its corporate campus in Rochester, New York,
unbeknown to almost everyone save a few scientists and engineers,
Belfast Telegraph reported.

The firm, which began operating the device, called a californium
neutron flux multiplier (CFX), in 1974, insists there was nothing
unsafe about it.

None the less, it came pre-loaded with nearly 1.5kg of uranium
enriched up to a level of 93.4 per cent, which is just about right
for an atomic warhead.

The size of a fridge, the device was kept in a basement behind
2ft-thick concrete walls and was operated remotely. While Kodak
apparently did not deliberately seek to keep its existence a secret
– it claims it was mentioned at least twice in published company
research – it did not exactly advertise it either. Seemingly neither
the authorities in Rochester nor state-wide knew it was there.

“It’s such an odd situation because private companies just don’t
have this material,” Miles Pomper, a senior research associate at
the Centre for Nonproliferation Studies in Washington DC, told the
Democrat and Chronicle, the Rochester newspaper which carried the
first report about the reactor.

The company finally “decommissioned” its in-house reactor under
federal government supervision in 2007 and the uranium was sent to
a safe site in California. For more than three decades it had been
used by a tiny cadre of staff to help test chemicals for impurities
and perform neutron radiography, a form of imaging.

Experts say that Kodak, which filed for bankruptcy this year, had
one of only two CFX reactors ever made. The other belonged to the U.S.

Department of Energy. However, the government has issued special
licences to a small number of private companies over the decades to
operate other kinds of mini-reactors, including Dow Chemical and GE.

Kodak insists it did away with its unusual piece of kit because it
had found cheaper and easier ways to perform the same tasks. It had
nothing to do with security concerns, the company insisted.

GERMAN DOCTOR VISITS INJURED DUE TO BALLOON BLAST IN DOWNTOWN YEREVAN

news.am
May 16, 2012 | 13:07

YEREVAN. – Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery professor, German doctor
Adrien Daigler visited Yerevan at the invitation of the President of
Armenia Serzh Sargsyan to visit the injured Republic Square balloon
blast.

The professor visited the Center for Radiation Therapy on Wednesday.

Prior to it, he met with the Armenia’s Healthcare Minister Harutyun
Kushkyan who informed about the condition of the injured.

The doctor will stay in Armenia for two days, however, may prolong
his visit or return again in case of necessity. He also assured that
they are ready to accept injured if need be, however, the experts in
Armenia are good enough and the injured are “in good hands.”

To note, balloons blasted on May 4 during the Republican Party of
Armenia (RPA) concert-rally, as a result 154 young people got burns
of different degrees.

HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDER CALLS ON POLICE TO JOINTLY DRAFT PUBLIC ASSEMBLY GUIDELINES

hetq
17:27, May 16, 2012

The Human Rights Defender of Armenia, Karen Andreasyan, issued
a statement today in which he called on RA Police Chief Vladimir
Kasparyan to jointly sit down and draft a specific set of guidelines
for future peaceful public assembly.

Andreasyan said that while he was generally pleased with current
reforms of the “Freedom of Assembly Law”, there are still certain
issues that must be ironed out regarding their execution.

The Human Rights Defender pointed to problems and inconsistencies
that arose during the recent public protests in Mashtots Park.

DMITRY MEDVEDEV: ARMENIA AND RUSSIA REMAIN GOOD FRIENDS AND ALLIES

arminfo
Wednesday, May 16, 14:01

Armenia and Russia remain good friends and allies, Prime Minister
of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev said at his meeting with
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, who is on a working visit to Moscow,
the Armenian President’s press-service reports.

“I would like to congratulate you on your victory in the parliamentary
elections, on the victory of the Republican Party, which you head
and which won with a comfortable majority. I would like this victory
to promote the sustained and productive development of Armenia as a
nation, and, of course, to help address the large number of social
and economic goals that you have set yourself. Of course, Russia will
fully support these processes. We remain good friends and allies,”
Medvedev said.

Serzh Sargsyan, in turn, congratulated Medvedev on taking the office
of the prime minister. “I will also begin with congratulations, since
I didn’t have the chance to congratulate you in person. I wish you
success. Your new position is very crucial in our relationship. I am
confident that we will continue to strengthen the friendship between
our countries in your new capacity. We are prepared for this,”
Sargsyan sai. To recall, Serzh Sargsyan was in Moscow to attend the
unofficial meeting of the CIS Council of the Heads of State.

“THE ANCIENT ARMENIAN BOOK IN AMSTERDAM” EXHIBITION OPENS AT THE NATIONAL LIBRARY
Alisa Gevorgyan

“Radiolur”
16.05.2012 16:41

An exhibition titled “The ancient Armenian book in Amsterdam” was
opened at the Armenian National Library today within the framework
of celebrations of the 500th anniversary of Armenian printing.

The most notable events in the history of Armenian printing of the
15th century took place in Amsterdam. In 1660 Matheos Tsareci from
Etchmiadzin established an Armenian publishing house in Amsterdam.

>From 1664 it was headed by Voskan Yerevantsi. His student Matheos
Vanandetsi published Khorenatsi’s “Armenian History” here in 1695. In
1695 the same publishing house also put out the first geographic map
“Hamataratz Ashkharatsuits”

Fortunately, a few issues published in Amsterdam have been preserved
and brought to Armenia. They are now kept at the National Library of
Armenia. These exceptional items are on display within the framework of
“The Armenian ancient book in Amsterdam” exhibition.

HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE CALLS FOR AT LEAST $5 MILLION IN AID TO NAGORNO KARABAKH: $40 MILLION IN AID TO ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
17 May, 2012
YEREVAN

ARMENPRESS, MAY 17, ARMENPRESS. Today, the House Appropriations
Committee released the details of its draft Fiscal Year (FY) 2013
State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill, which calls for “at
least” $5 million in assistance to Nagorno Karabakh and includes
“not less than” $40 million in assistance to Armenia, reported the
Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly).

Reports “Armenpress” citing Armenian National Assembly. Overall
funding in the Appropriations Bill, which will be considered by the
full Committee tomorrow, was reduced by 5 percent when compared to
last year. In addition, bilateral assistance was cut by $1.1 billion,
and is $3 billion below the President’s request for FY 2013. However,
despite these reductions and the continued downward trend, funding
for Armenia was specifically highlighted, and remains consistent with
the FY 2012 enacted level of $40 million.

In addition to the $40 million, parity in military assistance to
Armenia and Azerbaijan was also maintained in the Foreign Military
Financing (FMF) and International Military Education and Training
(IMET) accounts and reflects the Administration’s request of $2.7
million in FMF and $600,000 in IMET funding to each country. State
and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Kay
Granger (R-TX) stated: “This is a tough, effective national security
bill that continues to cut spending, reform our aid programs,
and demand accountability from our partners and allies. This bill
reflects principled funding decisions that give the United States the
flexibility to respond to a rapidly changing world while making sure
our foreign aid is not a blank check for foreign governments who do
not support our national security priorities.”

When compared to the Administration’s budget request, which reduced
funding by 18 percent across-the-board in Europe, Eurasia and Central
Asia countries, the Committee’s draft Bill is a welcomed development.

The Administration’s request for Armenia, including military assistance
(FMF and IMET), totaled $35.843 million.

Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA), a Member of the House Appropriations
Committee, told the Assembly: “Working with Chairwoman Granger
and Ranking Member Lowey and with the support of my colleagues,
the Appropriations bill provides a balanced approach to the South
Caucasus region. I am particularly pleased that funding for Nagorno
Karabakh is specifically defined and that funding for the Javakheti
region in the Republic of Georgia, which includes a large and vibrant
Armenian population, will be reviewed with a strategy recommended
for future development. Given the cuts to the overall budget this
year, I fought hard to make sure that adequate levels of funding for
Armenia remained.”

“U.S. assistance programs to Armenia and Artsakh have played
a critically important role, especially in the face of the dual
blockades imposed by Turkey and Azerbaijan,” stated the Assembly’s
Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. “Given the overall budget reductions,
the Assembly appreciates the work of Subcommittee Chair Granger and
Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY) to maintain adequate support to
Armenia,” Ardouny continued.

“We especially commend Congressman Schiff for his tireless
dedication on behalf of the Armenian people,” added Ardouny. The
Bill’s report language also called for at least $5 million in
“humanitarian and development programs in Nagorno-Karabakh,” which
the Assembly advocated for in its testimony submitted before the
House Appropriations Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations
on March 30th. In addition, the Committee reiterated the importance
of confidence-building measures and specifically urged “all parties
to refrain from threats of violence.” “The Assembly remains deeply
concerned about Azerbaijan’s incessant anti-Armenian rhetoric and
continued cease-fire violations,” stated Ardouny. The Appropriations
Bill also restated the six customary exemptions for humanitarian and
other assistance to Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act. Section
907 was enacted in 1992 and requires the Government of Azerbaijan to
take “demonstrable steps to cease all blockades and other offensive
uses of force” against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. Earlier this
year, a bipartisan letter spearheaded by Armenian Caucus Co-Chair
Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) urged the House Appropriations Committee
to provide robust funding for Armenia and “at least $5 million” for
“humanitarian and development assistance” to Nagorno Karabakh.

The letter also discussed funding for the Armenian community in
the Javakheti region of Georgia as well as Christian communities
at risk in the Middle East; the U.S.-Armenia military relationship
and Armenia’s cooperation in anti-terrorism efforts; Azerbaijan’s
ongoing war rhetoric and cease-fire violations; and the importance
of Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act. Upon passage by the House
Appropriations Committee, the Bill must next clear the full House of
Representatives and then be reconciled with its counterpart in the
Senate. Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the
largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public
understanding and awareness of Armenian issues.