Author: Tvankchian Parkev

CHILDREN IN ARMENIA BACK TO SCHOOL AFTER ONE MONTH QUARANTINE

Tert.am
14:22 ~U 11.01.10

Children went back to school in Armenia today, after schools and
kindergartens were closed for a little over a month in an effort to
curb the spread of respiratory illnesses in the republic.

The decision to close schools, made on December 8, was made by the
RA Minister of Healthcare and the RA Minister of Education and Science.

Though children got an early start to the holidays, the decision
to close schools resulted in working parents scrambling to secure
childcare – a consequence which the state didn’t take into account
apparently.

Trend, Azerbaijan
Jan 7 2010

Economically suffering Armenia better to compromise: expert
07.01.2010 14:17
Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 6 / Trend News E.Tariverdiyeva /

It is very much in the interest of landlocked and economically
suffering Armenia to proceed with the treaties, which will open up the
Turkey-Armenia border, U.S. expert on Turkey Michael Gunter believes.

"Both sides must make compromise to implement that they have already
agreed," American expert and political science professor at the
Tennessee Technological University Gunter told Trend News. "However,
Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh are still a major obstacle to the
parties."

Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers Ahmet Davutoglu and Edward
Nalbandian signed the Ankara-Yerevan protocols in Zurich Oct. 10.
Diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey have been broken due
to Armenia’s claims of an alleged genocide, and its occupation of
Azerbaijani lands. The border between them has been broken since 1993.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are
currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. General Assembly’s
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh region and the
occupied territories.

According to the expert, in the case of normalization of relations
with Armenia, Turkey will also benefit from the absence of problems
with neighbors.

Recently, "soccer diplomacy" between the two ancient rivals has given
further hope for much more cooperation on further issues, the expert
believes.

"If both countries would ratify the treaties on the development of
relations and establishment of diplomatic relations signed in Zurich
in October 2009 it would facilitate further Turkish-Armenian
rapprochement," Gunter added.

Poughkeepsie Journal
Jan 6 2010

Armenian pianist to open Howland series
January 6, 2010

BEACON ‘ The Howland Chamber Music Circle’s Piano Festival will
feature three outstanding young pianists from three continents.

Opening the series at 4 p.m. Jan. 17 is Nareh Arghamanyan, the winner
of the 2008 Montreal Music Competition, where she also received the
Audience Choice Award and a special award for the best interpretation
of a work by a Canadian composer.
She made her New York debut in the fall at the Frick collection and
continues with appearances throughout the United States and Canada.

The 20-year-old pianist has won first prize in many prestigious
international competitions, has appeared in concert with major
orchestras and has performed at several international festivals.

Born in Armenia, she began her piano studies at age 5. Three years
later, she entered the Tchaikovsky Music School for Talented Children
in Yerevan.

In 2004, she was the youngest student to be admitted to the University
for Music and Performing Arts in Vienna.

In 2005, after one year of study, she won the Josef Dichler Piano
Competition and the following year she was awarded a scholarship from
the Herbert von Karajan Foundation.

In 2008, she graduated with highest honors.

Sonatas to be played

For her recital at the Howland Center, Arghamanyan will play three
sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti, the Sonata No. 31 in A-flat Major Op.
110 by Beethoven, two selections from "Miroirs" by Maurice Ravel, the
Polonaise fantaisie in A-flat Major Op.61 by Chopin and Etudes
tableaux Op.33 by Rachmaninoff.

The concert is at the Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main St. and will
be followed by a reception to meet the artist.
The piano festival continues Feb. 7 with a performance by Lithuanian
pianist Andrius Zlabys, who has performed as a soloist with the New
York Philharmonic.

On Feb. 21, pianist Vanessa Perez from Venezuela will conclude the
series. She is a graduate of the Royal Academy in London.

Tickets for the three-concert series are $80; tickets to a single
concert are $30. Student tickets are $10.

Tickets can be reserved by calling 845-297-9243.

article/20100106/NEWS01/1060313/Armenian-pianist-t o-open-Howland-series

news.am, Armenia
Jan 1 2010

Crisis will be met by 2012 mid or end: Artsvik Minasyan

17:34 / 01/01/2010`This year was marked by might-have-been
governmental forecasts, including the insignificant effect of global
crisis on Armenia,’ ARFD member Artsvik Minasyan told NEWS.am.

According to him, the achievement in 2009 is perhaps certain sobering
up of our society, including the attitude towards the government
policy. It developed that the reality differs from what the
authorities depict. `As to the forecasts for 2010, I hesitate to make
assertions, merely assuming that crisis overcoming will take longer
than the government predicts. That is to say, it will happen in the
mid or even end of 2012. I presume that next year the recession will
go on,’ Minasyan maintained.

Asked of Armenian foreign policy’s achievements and neglects, the
expert mentioned only shortcomings, as failed find virtues. `The most
significant neglect is the development of Armenia-Turkey relations
resulted in the Protocols’ signing. Our authorities actually went off
the foreign policy course, just as off the domestic. We should strive
for having initiative policy of Armenia to emerge in interior first,
bettering living conditions of the people, whereas be more balanced
and accurate in foreign policy. In essence, this is a wish, not a
forecast, as I find difficulty in giving forecasts,’ Minasyan
outlined.

S.T.

AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
Dec 28 2009

Armenia threatens to recognize rebel region

28-12-2009 21:54:54

Armenia has threatened to recognize the so-called `independence’ of
the self-proclaimed Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh republic, in a bid to
blackmail Azerbaijan into making concessions in the ongoing talks on
settling the two countries’ long-standing conflict.
Parliament Vice-Speaker Samvel Nikonyan told Russia’s slon.ru website
that Yerevan has not recognized the rebel region so far `only due to
its respect for the international community’s stance and the
negotiating process.’ `But for us, for any Armenian, there is no
alternative to Upper Garabagh’s independence and there can’t be one,’
Nikonyan claimed.
The vice-speaker said further that if Armenia recognizes the
self-proclaimed republic, the work of the OSCE Minsk Group brokering
the conflict settlement will become unnecessary.
`In doing so, we will have terminated the internationally-brokered
negotiating process. It is for this reason that we are not raising the
issue of recognizing Garabagh. But, I repeat, there is no alternative
to this. If we see that there are no advances in the conflict
settlement process and Upper Garabagh’s independence is under a
threat, Armenia will recognize its independence,’ Nikonyan maintained.
The conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia emerged in the late 1980s,
during the last few years of the USSR, due to Armenia’s territorial
claims. Though the separatist regime in Upper Garabagh declared
so-called independence in 1991, this `independence’ has not been
recognized by the world community. A lengthy war ended with the
signing of a cease-fire in 1994, but Armenia continues to occupy Upper
Garabagh and seven other Azerbaijani districts in defiance of
international law.*

Israel Diamond Portal
Dec 27 2009

Armenia in Negotiations with Russia for Jewelry Business Loan

27.12.09, 11:15 / World

At a press conference last Friday, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
disclosed that the Armenian government is in the middle of
negotiations with Russia on a new loan designed to be used exclusively
for the development of the jewelry business in Armenia.

If the deal goes through, the $100 million loan will assist Armenia in
the opening of a diamond exchange that will be used to supply Russian
diamonds to local jewelry factories.

http://www.israelidiaArmenia in Negotiations with Russia for Jewelry
Business Loan

Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline unprofitable for Turkey
26.12.2009 14:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project is unprofitable for
Turkey, the Turkish "Vatan" newspaper wrote, referring to a secret
report sent by the BOTAS company to the commission of the Grand
National Assembly of Turkey. The latter examines the work of state
enterprises and the Supreme Control Office of the Cabinet of Turkey.

According to the report, BOTAS has suffered 210 million dollars losses
within 3 years from the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project and if the current
contract is not changed, the losses will increase.

The Commission held a closed meeting on December 9 at the Turkish
Grand National Assembly.

BOTAS International LTD suffers losses for 2 reasons. First, contracts
do not contain any guarantees of the volume of exported oil. Second,
due to increased prices for gas BOTAS also suffered losses. BOTAS
requires from BTC Co. guarantees of supply of agreed volumes and
denominated stable gas prices.

Armenian PM invites his Lebanese counterpart to Yerevan

armradio.am
26.12.2009 12:45

Armenian Ambassador to Lebanon Ashot Kocharyan had a meeting with the
Prime Minister of Lebanon, Saad Hariri.

During the meeting the parties exchanged views on the expansion of
bilateral cooperation in different spheres. The interlocutors
underlined the importance of the activity of the Armenian-Lebanese
Intergovernmental Commission.

On behalf of the Armenian Government, Ambassador Kocharyan expressed
gratitude for the support to the Radiothone organized in Beirut by the
`Hayastan’ All-Armenian Fund.

The Armenian Ambassador conveyed the Armenian Prime Minister’s
greetings and an invitation to visit Armenia.

Prime Minister Hariri expressed gratitude for the invitation and
expressed hope that the high-level visits would resume within the
coming months.

ARMEN HARUTYUNYAN: THE RIGHT TO A FAIR TRIAL IS NOT DEFENDED
Lusine Vasilyan

"Radiolur"
25.12.2009 17:17

The right to a fair trial is not defended and the property right is
not guaranteed, Armenian Human Rights Defender Armen Harutyunyan
said, when presenting the "Public Ad Hoc Report on the Right to a
Fair Trial in the Republic of Armenia."

The 60-page report consists of the monitoring results of court
sittings, carried out by representatives of the Ombudsman’s office
over several years.

The report pays great attention to the court cases of disputes over
right to property of citizens since 2001. It also closely examined
cases of prisoners who were detained as a result of March 1-2, 2008
post election clashes.

"It has been several years now that I have been continuously raising
the issue that the court cases concerning alienated property are
quite disputable, and that they have not provided the citizens’
right to a fair trial," Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan said.

According to the Human Rights Defender, the March 1 trials have also
given rise to serious concerns.

This report is the fourth submitted by the Ombudsman this year. The
Armenian Ombudsman hopes, all the submitted reports will serve as
a helpful guideline and be a guide for state bodies and the civil
society of Armenia.

Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan does not understand the stir caused by
the report of the co-rapporteurs of the Monitoring Committee of the
Council of Europe Georges Colombier and John Prescott.

"Prescott and Colombier’s assessments 90% overlap with the assessment
we gave earlier. But our papers create the impression that something
new has been invented. I cannot understand this stir," he said.

PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW FEELS ‘CRUCIFIED’ IN TURKEY

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
25.12.2009 14:10 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Patriarch Bartholomew, the leader of 300 million
Orthodox Christians, said he feels "crucified" living in Turkey under
a government he says would like to see his Patriarchate die out.

After a stormy public reaction, Patriarch said he used the word
crucifixion figuratively. "It was supposed to mean we have problems.

Such idiomatic expressions exist in all languages, and sometimes
Turkey’s public figures including the Prime Minister use them,"
the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople said in a statement.