Author: nina hovnanian

ARMENIA BECOMES FULL AND EQUAL MEMBER OF EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY SPORTS ASSOCIATION

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 23, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 23, ARMENPRESS: At the assembly of the European
University Sports Association (EUSA) held March 15-18 in Maribor town
of Slovenia, University Sports Association of Armenia became a full
and equal member of the above-mentioned European association.

Education and Science Minister of Armenia Armen Ashotyan is the
chairman of the University Sports Association of Armenia. As Education
and Science Ministry of Armenia told Armenpress, thanks to the recent
active work of the association, the assembly recognized it as full
and equal member of EUSA. To mention, 44 countries participated in
the assembly.

The first European student Olympiad will be held July 13-23 in Spain,
in which student-athletes of Armenia will participate as well.

BOTH AUTHORITIES AND THE OPPOSITION ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR HOLDING TRUSTWORTHY ELECTIONS, US AMBASSADOR SAYS
Karen Ghazaryan

“Radiolur”
23.03.2012 16:30

The Armenian authorities are resolute to hold the most transparent
and freest elections in the history of independent Armenia, Prime
Minister Tigran Sargsyan said at the conference titled “Towards free
and transparent elections.”

“First, the Armenian authorities have the political will to hold
transparent and free elections. Second, the Republic of Armenia is
more than ever ready for it,” the Prime Minister said.

According to Armenian Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepyan, the
conference is called to inform the public about the responsibility and
punitive measures for electoral frauds envisaged by the Criminal Code.

“It will help improve the electoral process and the participation of
law-enforcement bodies in it,” he said.

US Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern urged to investigate all cases
of violation. “There has been progress in the pre-election process
and this conference is a proof of that,” he said.

Ambassador Heffern welcomed the willingness of the authorities to
hold free and fair elections, to investigate and punish all cases of
election fraud.

Both the authorities and the opposition are responsible for holding
trustworthy elections, he concluded.

WORLD CHAMPION ZINAIDA SIMONIAN DIES

Aysor.am
March 24, 2012

On March 24 the Armenian famous shooter Zinaida Simonian died in 62.

She was a repeated world champion (1966 – 1985), European 15 times
champion (1973-1983), European absolute champion 1975, 1976, 1979,
World 4 times champion 1974-1981.Since 1996 she was working at
the professional school of shooting of the RA education and science
ministry. Since 2008 she was the head of the school, the RA education
ministry reports.

AZERIS’ THREATS WILL NOT SCARE ARMENIAN DELEGATION TO EURONEST

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 24, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, ARMENPRESS. The issue of Azerbaijan is to ensure
the security of all the delegations participating in the Euronest
plenary sitting to be held in Baku, including Armenia”s. According
to their statements in Brussels, Azerbaijan was highlighting the
participation of Armenia”s delegation in the sitting.

Armenia”s MP, member of the Armenian delegation to Euronest Artak
Zakaryan, commenting on the statement of notorious leader of the
so-called “Karabakh Liberation Organization” Akif Nagi who threatened
to prevent the entrance of the Armenian delegates to Baku, noted that
they will assess the reception of the Armenian side on site.

“If some “hot heads” manage to be stronger than the state bodies of
Azerbaijan and will impede and suspend our activity, it will become a
problem for Azerbaijan,” Artak Zakaryan said, adding that despite the
statement, nothing has changed and the Armenian delegation is ready
to head to Baku. The plenary sitting is scheduled in Baku April 2-4.

BAGIS CONTINUES DENYING FACT OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

11:12 . 24/03

The prosecution of Zurich finished the pre-trial investigation against
Turkish Minister for the EU Affairs and State Minister Egemen Bagis,
who denied the Armenian Genocide in the territory of Switzerland and
turned to the foreign ministry of Switzerland to process the case.

Zurich’s prosecutor general Christine Braunschweig said Egemen Bagis
is prosecuted under Article 261 of the Swiss Criminal Code. The
foreign ministry of Switzerland confirmed that the prosecution made
an inquiry on the immunity of the Turkish minister. “Such inquiries
and discussions between the prosecutor’s office and the foreign
ministry are usual. All the members of the foreign governments who
came to Davos to participate in the World Economic Forum have immunity
according to international law. But the final decision to initiate
a lawsuit against Egemen Bagis is not to be dealt with the foreign
ministry but the judicial bodies,” the response letter of the Swiss
foreign ministry says.

To note, Bagis had said in Zurich that he can state there was no
Armenian Genocide in a country where denying the Armenian Genocide is
a crime. “I am announcing today in Switzerland that the 1915 events
were not genocide. Let them come and arrest me,” Bagis said. After
this, Zurich’s prosecutor general Christine Braunschweig started
pre-investigation against Bagis.

NEGOTIATION CONCERNS: REMOVAL OF FRANCE FROM MINSK GROUP TROUBLING TO SOME
By Gayane Abrahamyan

ArmeniaNow
24.03.12 | 14:26

The document adopted by the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs
Committee on replacing France’s mandate in the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group by that of
a European Union (EU) representative on March 22 is viewed to be
“a dangerous development” in Armenia, which is the result of “the
passive, retreating diplomacy adopted by the Armenian side.”

The document has yet to be voted on at the plenary session of the
European Parliament, which is likely to take place in a month.

However, statements over its possible adoption have already been made.

There were speculations that France would be withdrawn from the
negotiation process and actions to achieve it had been taken long ago,
however this document was the first official step taken in this regard.

Azerbaijan has been against France’s involvement in the Minsk Group
since the very beginning. Vafa Guluzade, who served as an advisor
to Azerbaijan’s ex-president, has stated recently that “France
was fraudulently included in the Minsk Group, without Azerbaijan’s
agreement.”

A month ago when the bill criminalizing the denial of genocides was
brought to vote in France, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
stated that “It is high time to discuss the issue of removing France
from the OSCE Minsk Group.”

“Either Turkey will have a place around this table, enjoying equal
membership, or France must leave here,” Davutoglu said and made sure
that he would voice this issue at the European Parliament.

MP Naira Zohrabyan, Chairwoman of RA National Assembly’s Standing
Committee on European Integration, says that it is a pity that “The
Council of Europe has made this decision under the pressure of the
Azeri lobby.”

Meanwhile, MP Larisa Alaverdyan who has been dealing with the Karabakh
issue since the 1990s does not blame Azerbaijan, saying that “It is
the result of our being too passive.”

“I do not want to blame any foreign minister; however, since 1992 the
Armenian side has adopted a passive position, and has taken the role
of the runner or even walker behind a train which has left long ago.

This is dangerous, and it is necessary to cease this passive
diplomacy,” Alaverdyan told ArmeniaNow.

Political analyst Sergey Minasyan, deputy director of Caucasus
Institute, also considers the adoption of this document to be
“dangerous”, however, “not a tragedy.”

“Even if the worst scenario works – if the document is adopted,
France is a country which has a crucial role in the European Union,
and it will not lose its weight in the OSCE Minsk Group either,”
Minasyan concludes.

ARMENIAN-CHINESE HIGH-LEVEL MUTUAL VISITS ARE EXPECTED IN THE FUTURE

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 24, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, ARMENPRESS. “Steps are carried out in arranging
Armenian-Chinese high-level bilateral visits; in fact there are
no certain agreements,whereas real preconditions exist to realize
them,” Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Sergo Manasaryan told a press
conference, Armenpress reports.

“We do not have any problem in the terms of political dialogue
with China,” Deputy Minister stated. Manasaryan reiterated that
2012 is a symbolic year for China. Changes are expected both in the
Chinese Communist Party, and Government; China is going to elect new
President. We expect to continue our dialogue after People”s Republic
of China faces all those changes.

Deputy Minister deems cooperation among two states can be assured
within the framework of international organizations. Armenia and
China do not have disagreement on this context.

Dwelling on bilateral cooperation Sergo Manasaryan noted that Armenian
-Chinese cooperation already becomes tangible; passenger buses testify
above mentioned statement. “Cooperation projects are underway. Social
oriented projects are planned in the near future. We hope to expand
the partnership in terms of investment,” Deputy Minister highlighted.

According to Deputy Minister Armenian side is very interested that
Chinese companies enter local market; preconditions already exist.

“Several Chinese companies are already working in our country. We voice
hope the cooperation deepen in the sphere,” Manasaryan underlined.

Armenia and China established diplomatic relations since 1992 April 6.

ASSYRIAN WOMAN RUNNING FOR ARMENIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

Posted GMT 3-24-2012 1:9:47

(AINA) — Armenia will hold its National Assembly elections on May 6.

The Democratic Party of Armenia (DPA) has invited Irina Gasparyan,
an Assyrian, to run on its party list as an independent candidate. Ms.

Gasparyan is the president of the Federation of Assyrian Organizations
of Armenia (FAOA), called Khayadta in Assyrian.

Ms. Gasparyan will be the first Assyrian to run for parliament in
Armenia. FAOA has expressed gratitude to DPA.

If elected, Ms. Gasparyan hopes to call attention to the plight of
the Assyrians in the world and to work for the rights of Assyrians
in their historical lands of Iraq, Syrian, Turkey and Iran.

There are approximately 15,000 Assyrians in Armenia.

FOREIGN MINISTER OF ARMENIA EXPRESSES CONDOLENCE ON THE DEMISE OF POPE SHENOUDA III

ARMENPRESS
MARCH 22, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MARCH 22, ARMENPRESS: Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward
Nalbandian visited Egyptian Embassy in Armenia to express condolence
on the demise of Pope Shenouda III.

As Foreign Affairs Ministry of Armenia told Armenpress, Edward
Nalbandian made a note in the Mourning Register opened in the embassy
on that occasion. In a conversation with Ambassador of Egypt Mohamed
Alaaeldin Saad Elleissy, Minister Nalbandian said he had the honor
to hold numerous meetings and conversations with Pope Shenouda III.

Edward Nalbandian expressed confidence that Pope Shenouda III will
always remain in the memory of those who had the honor to know the
distinguished religious leader, prominent intellectual and great
Egyptian.

OSCE/ODIHR OPENS ELECTION OBSERVATION MISSION IN ARMENIA

news.am
March 22, 2012 | 15:06

YEREVAN. – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human
Rights (ODIHR) opened on Thursday an election observation mission
for the parliamentary elections to be held in Armenia on 6 May.

The mission’s deployment follows an invitation from the Armenian
authorities, says the OSCE website.

The mission is led by Radmila ekerinska and consists of 13
international experts based in Yerevan and 24 long-term observers to
be deployed throughout the country. In addition, ODIHR will request
250 short-term observers to monitor election-day proceedings and the
counting process.

Observers will assess these elections for compliance with principles
for democratic electoral processes, including the commitments
agreed to by all the OSCE participating States, as well as national
legislation. The mission will analyse the legislative framework and its
implementation, and will follow campaign activities, media coverage,
and the work of the election administration and relevant government
bodies, as well as the resolution of election disputes.

As part of the observation process, the mission will meet with
relevant authorities, candidates, political parties, the judiciary,
civil society and the media.

Short-term observers arriving for election day will be deployed
in teams of two throughout the country to monitor the opening of
polling stations, voting, the counting of ballots, and the tabulation
of results.

For election-day observation, the ODIHR election observation mission
will also join efforts with the delegation of the OSCE Parliamentary
Assembly and other parliamentary delegations.

A statement of preliminary findings and conclusions will be issued
on the day after the elections.

ODIHR will issue a final report about two months after the end of
the electoral process.