Stefan Fule Arrives In Armenia

STEFAN FULE ARRIVES IN ARMENIA

news.am
April 6 2010
Armenia

April 6, a two-day forum "Justice-New Challenges" organized by
International federation for Human Rights, focused on right on
effective legal safety in independent judiciary starts.

Today, the forum will be attended by the head of OSCE Office for
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Janez Lenarcic and
EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy
Stefan Fule.

In Yerevan Lenarcic and Fule will meet with RA Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandian, Justice Minister Gevorg Danielyan, Ombudsman Armen
Harutyunyan and CC Chairman Gagik Harutyunyan.

Inter alia, issues on implementation of judicial reforms with the
ODIHR assistance as well as intensification of recommendations on
human rights and democracy to be touched upon.

Fule will also discuss Armenia’s participation in Eastern Partnership
project and prospects of associate membership to EU with Armenian
top officials.

Four killed in Valley Village restaurant

Four killed in Valley Village restaurant

Two others are wounded during late afternoon attack at Mediterranean eatery

By C.J. Lin, Staff Writer
Daily News

Updated: 04/03/2010

VALLEY VILLAGE – Four people were killed and two others wounded in a
shooting at a Valley Village cafe Saturday, police said.

The shooting took place at the Hot Spot Cafe on Riverside Drive, which bills
itself as a Mediterranean restaurant but which neighbors described as often
oddly empty.
Police said a group of men was gathered inside the restaurant around 4:30
p.m. when at least one other man walked in and opened fire, striking at
least six people. Three men died at the scene, while the fourth died at a
local hospital and two others underwent surgery and were later listed in
critical but stable condition.

The main suspect was described only as a white male, possibly Armenian,
around 30 years old. Police were seeking to determine if he had accomplices.

Investigators, with the assistance of the Glendale Police Department, were
believed to be looking into possible organized-crime ties to the shooting,
but did not release any information about possible motives.

"It’s a very complex investigation that we are involved in right now," said
Deputy Chief Kirk Albanese, head of the LAPD’s Valley Bureau.

Police do not believe the shooting was random. When a local resident asked
Albanese if she should fear for her own safety, he replied, "We don’t
believe we have a crazed gunman running around looking to shoot someone."

Investigators were "feverishly" working to develop leads but did not release
any additional details Saturday night.
"We’re still trying to locate witnesses to the crime," said LAPD spokeswoman
Officer Rosario Herrera. "At this point we don’t know the motive or exactly
how it happened."

Neighbors and workers at nearby businesses said the tinted-window cafe often
seemed strangely empty. Many said it was rare for them to see customers eat
there, while some said they sometimes would see a crowd of men in suits
smoking outside, but not eating.

"The place is shady," said Matt Edwards, who lives close enough to have
heard the "pop, pop" of gunfire. "It opened five years ago and it’s always
closed and empty."
"There’s always people outside talking but never anyone eating," said Kim
Sutton, who lives around the corner.

Added Erin Yates, who has lived in the area for 16 years: "It just makes you
wonder, if no one’s eating there, what they’re doing. That freaks me out."
But other than that, most said, the area was generally quiet.

"This is a really great, safe neighborhood," said Kerim Duran, an area
resident of eight years. "Sure, there’s minor stuff like car break-ins, but
murder? No. This is crazy."

Anyone with information was asked to call the LAPD’s North Hollywood station
at (818) 623-4016.

Staff Writer Kevin Modesti contributed to this report.

Bako Sahakyan Discussed Celebration Of Triple Victory Day

BAKO SAHAKYAN DISCUSSED CELEBRATION OF TRIPLE VICTORY DAY

news.am
April 2 2010
Armenia

April 2, NKR President Bako Sahakyan held consultations on organization
of the May 9 Triple Victory Day celebrations.

President underlined that the celebrations should be arranged on a
high level, be impressive and memorable, NKR presidential information
department informed NEWS.am.

Bako Sahakyan gave instructions to the heads of relevant agencies.

NKR Premier Ara Haroutyunyan and other officials were present 0at
the meeting.

Ratification Of Armenian-Turkish Protocols Can Raise Possibility Of

RATIFICATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS CAN RAISE POSSIBILITY OF NEW WAR IN KARABAKH

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.04.2010 15:44 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan is likely to meet
with his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama in Washington. This meeting will
offer the U.S. President a chance to avoid using the term Genocide in
his April 24 address to the Armenian community, said Kiro Manoyan, ARF
Dashnaktsutyun Bureau’s Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office director.

"Erdogan knows that his refusal to take part in the impending Nuclear
Security Summit will bring more pressure on Turkey. So, he will go to
the U.S. to try to prevent recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Mr.

Obama," he said. "The U.S. is interested in normalization of
Armenian-Turkish relations. With ratification of protocols, it will
relieve the burden of Woodrow Wilson’s arbitration award."

As to Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, Mr. Manoyan said no
progress is expected. "War is possible on two cases: if Azerbaijan is
confident of victory and if Turkey sacrifices Azerbaijan’s interests
for reconciliation with Armenia. At that, ratification of protocols
can raise the possibility of a new war in Karabakh," he said.

Ameriabank Is Considering Expansion Into Regional Markets: Georgia,

AMERIABANK IS CONSIDERING EXPANSION INTO REGIONAL MARKETS: GEORGIA, SOUTHERN RUSSIA, UKRAINE

ArmInfo
01.04.2010

ArmInfo. Ameriabank is considering expansion into regional markets:
Georgia, Southern Russia, Ukraine, Director General of Ameriabank
Artak Hanessyan said during a press-conference today.

The bank may buy either banks or stakes in the capitals of developing
and successful manufacturing and power companies. For this purpose
the bank has earmarked some $5mln. There are three specific candidates
for merger.

"We have already set up an Ameria Equity Partners with $20mln capital
and are going to increase it fivefold by the end of this year. All
this money will be spent on profitable businesses," Hanessyan said.

In May 2010 Ameriabank is going to review its investment strategy but
no drastic changes will be made. The bank may just consider active
growth in all of its key figures and expansion into regional markets.

Ameriabank’s strategy for 2010 stipulates 25% increase in credit
portfolio (with merger-induced growth exclusive).

Armenian-Turkish Process Can’ Be Seen Through Rose-Colored Glasses

ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROCESS CAN’ BE SEEN THROUGH ROSE-COLORED GLASSES

PanARMENIAN.Net
01.04.2010 18:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian-Turkish process in recent months has
become very complicated within recent months, significantly more
complicated, Felix Stanevsky head of the Caucasus department at the
Institute for CIS countries told to PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

According to him, the normalization process of Armenian-Turkish
relations became complicated after the U.S. House Committee on Foreign
Affairs adopted the Armenian Genocide Resolution 252.

Referring to a possible tripartite meeting of Armenia – Obama –
Erdogan in Washington, Stanevsky said that one meeting cannot solve
the problem.

"After that meeting the Armenian-Turkish process may have a progress
and may not. In any case, the U.S. is interested in the progress, and
even if no progress is recorded they will pretend it is," Stanevsky
said, adding that the current situation in the Armenian-Turkish
relations cannot be seen through pink glasses. He said the planned
meeting is also associated with the 95th anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide.

The Protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of
the border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich by Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet
Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of diplomatic talks
held through Swiss mediation.

On January 12, 2010, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of
Armenia found the protocols conformable to the country’ Organic Law.

Erdogan Will Attend Nuclear Energy Summit In The United States

ERDOGAN WILL ATTEND NUCLEAR ENERGY SUMMIT IN THE UNITED STATES

armradio.am
31.03.2010 18:44

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will attend nuclear energy
conference in the United States on April 12-13, APA reports quoting
Sky Turk.

The conference will be hosted by US President Barack Obama. Turkish
ambassador to the United States Namik Tan will return to Washington
a day before the Prime Minister’s visit.

Turkey recalled its ambassador after the approval of the draft
resolution on the Armenian genocide at the US House Committee on
Foreign Affairs. Erdogan said earlier that he wouldn’t attend the
nuclear conference he was invited to.

"Tete De Turc" : Les Petits Pardons

"TETE DE TURC" : LES PETITS PARDONS

Auteur Imprimer Texte
URCAFF.jpg
23/03/10 | 01:20

Ce soir au Publicis sur les Champs Elysées avait lieu l’avant-premiere
officielle de "Tete de turc" en presence de l’equipe et des partenaires
du film : Pascal Elbe, Roschdy Zem, Ronit Elkabetz, Laure Marsac,
Valerie Benguigui, Florence Thomassin, Warner, producteur du film,
Europe 1, sponsor principal, la fondation Diane et Lucien Barriere
qui recompense un film chaque annee depuis onze ans, ici sous la
presidence du realisateur Radu Mihe~Cileanu. C’est d’ailleurs par le
groupe Barriere que j’etais invitee a cette soiree passee en l’agreable
compagnie de mon Voisin blogueur ("Tadah! blog").

Pitch.

Dans une cite d’une banlieue sensible, un ado provoque une serie de
drames en blessant un medecin dont le frere est policier, soumis a
un conflit : preserver son avenir ou soulager sa conscience. Mais
dans les deux cas, la machine s’est emballee…

Film a la fois choral et focalise sur le destin d’un ado de 14 ans,
Bora, qui declenche une serie d’evenements dramatiques en lancant
une bombe sur la voiture du medecin urgentiste de la cité lors
d’affrontements avec la police, puis, affole par ce qu’il vient
de faire, descend de l’immeuble pour le sortir des flammes… Le
medecin en question passant trois jours dans le coma, se reveillant
avec le risque de rester paralyse, son grand frere, flic de son etat,
cherche le coupable.

photo Warner

Ce double geste de Bora n’arrange personne, la police arrete un de ses
voisins, la maire de la ville veut decorer l’ado pour calmer le jeu,
les meres de famille se lamentent, l’une parce que son fils est en
prison, l’autre parce que le sien veut se denoncer. Pire, des casseurs
saccagent l’appartement de la famille de Bora a la fois coupable
impuni et heros. Pour couronner le tout, le business de la drogue ne
marchant plus avec la cite truffe de flics, une bande impose a Bora
de prendre son petit frere comme mule a transporter de la drogue
dans son cartable d’ecolier. Pendant ce temps, un homme desespere
(Simon Abkarian le plus convaincant de tous) par la mort de sa femme,
par la faute de l’absence de soins de la part du medecin urgentiste
qui n’a pas pu se deplacer, veut a son tour se venger.

photo Warner

Ce polar social et familial joue des le depart sur les antagonismes
culturels, les deux freres, le medecin et le flic, sont armeniens,
Bora est turc, quant aux acteurs, Roni Elkabetz (ici dans le surjeu),
actrice israelienne de premier plan, interprete une mere turque dans
la tradition des meres italiennes de la periode neorealiste genre
Anna Magnani, Roschdy Zem, un armenien, Simon Abkarian, d’origine
armenienne, ne joue pas un armenien, etc… Malgre quelques tentatives
realistes, le debut avec une arrestation musclee dans la cité, la
voiture qui prend feu, l’appartement saccage, quelques bandes assez
floues, le film croule sous les bons sentiments jusqu’a incorporer
une histoire d’amour naissante entre le medecin victime et la mere de
Bora. Pour sentimentaliser encore les rapports entre les deux freres,
le flic introverti se comporte comme un papa poule pour son frere
medecin parce que jadis on l’a tenu responsable de la mort d’un petit
frere noye… Mais, finalement, tout s’arrange, les petits pardons
des offenses a tous les etages, ou presque… car la fin etant beclee,
non achevee, on aura le loisir de la terminer soi-meme.

photo Warner

le comedien Pascal Elbe dont c’est le premier film en tant que
realisateur s’applique a coller des effets, comme ces horripilants
ecrans blancs brillants en insert, ces passages d’une histoire a
l’autre en un plan debouchant sur un autre en miroir ou a peu pres,
ses tentatives maladroites de filmer dans la vitesse les evenements
violents, couper le son quand un protagoniste n’entend pas, bricoler
quelques ralentis. Il aurait mieux valu faire simple, filmer simplement
sobrement, la reference a James Gray dans le dossier de presse est
louable mais ca s’arrete la…

Une violence tres allegee a la portee de tous, une dimension sociale
aseptisee, des relations humaines et familiales idealisees, des
trahisons qu’on rachete, des conflits qui trouvent leur resolution,
des blesses qui guerissent, le film est pave de bonnes intentions
et de menagements pour le spectateur qui n’en sortira certes pas
traumatise, cette forme light de polar pas trop noir, filtre tout
public, pourrait bien plaire…

http://www.cinemaniac.fr/images/thumbs/TETET

Italian Government Suggests Expanding Bilateral Cooperation With Arm

ITALIAN GOVERNMENT SUGGESTS EXPANDING BILATERAL COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA WITHIN THE FRAMES OF EUROPEAN PARTNERSHIP

Arminfo
2010-03-30 20:41:00

ArmInfo. On March 30 the Commission for Coordination of
Armenia-European union Cooperation held a sitting at the Armenian
Government. The sitting was presided over by Tigran Sargsyan.

The Armenian governmental press-service reports that the sitting
covered various issues. The commission’s sitting covered the Armenian
economy minister’s report on implementation of Armenia-EU cooperation
program for 2009-2011 within the frames of the European Neighborhood
Policy, the foreign minister’s report on the negotiation process on
preparation for conclusion of an association agreement with EU, as
well as the justice minister’s report on implementation of reforms
in the justice sphere of Armenia.

As regards the EU Eastern Partnership initiative, members of
the Government reported to Sargsyan on their work to intensify
cooperation in the field of democratization, effective administration
and stabilization, economic integration, energy security and culture.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Karine Kazinyan said that the
Italian Government has suggested enlarging bilateral cooperation with
Armenia in the framework of the Eastern partnership program. SME,
energy, ecology and emergency response were pointed out as the key
priorities of this cooperation.

The commissioners approved national indicative program for 2011-2013,
discussed ways to implement Twinning, Sigma and technical assistance
programs, heard report by Minister of Economy Nerses Yeritsyan on
budgetary and macro-financial support provided by the EU.

The Sipan Dance Ensemble Of Hamazkayin Cultural And Educational Asso

THE SIPAN DANCE ENSEMBLE OF HAMAZKAYIN CULTURAL AND EDUCATIONAL ASSOSIATION CYPRUS OSHAGAN CHAPTER WILL PRESENT ITS 10TH ANNUAL PERFORMANCE

NOYAN TAPAN
MARCH 29, 2010
NICOSIA

NICOSIA, MARCH 29, NOYAN TAPAN-ARMENIANS TODAY. Educational Assosiation
Cyprus Oshagan Chapter will present its 10th Annual Performance at
Strovolos Municipal theatre on 10 April. The Concert will be under the
Patronage of his excellency Mr.Andreas Demetriou, Minister of education
and culture, and Mr.Vartkes Mahdessian, Armenian Representative in
the House of Representative.