Author: Virabian Jhanna

"ORINATS ERKIR" BELIVES: RA GOVERMENT’S STATEMENT ABOUT THE GDP GROWTH IS VALID

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
20.11.2009 18:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "The Armenia’s draft budget 2010 ensures consistency
of all previously envisaged programs," Heghineh Bisharyan , secretary
of Orinats Yerkir national Assembly faction and and Hovhannes
Margaryan, member of the faction said November 20 during a briefing
at the National Assembly.

According to the MP, "Orinats erkir" attaches a great importance
to continuation of construction works in the disaster zone, paying
back to population the debts of soviet bank deposits, to the start of
cumulative funds operation, which will allow the retired to receive
double pensions.

"Orinats Erkir" belives, that RA goverment’s statement about the next
year GDP growth (1.2 per cent ) is valid. As Hovhannes Margaryan
suggests, "next year, the construction of the north-west highway,
the Iran-Armenia railway and new nuclear power station will bring
vast resources in the economy of Armenia".

COUNCIL OF EUROPE READY TO SUPPORT IN PROCESS OF NORMALIZATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

ARMENPRESS
NOVEMBER 19, 2009
STRASBURG

STRASBURG, NOVEMBER 19, ARMENPRESS: Secretary General of Council of
Europe Turborn Yagland at a press conference after the ceremony of
passing the chairmanship from Slovenia to Switzerland stated that
the Council of Europe is ready to display necessary assistance to
the process of normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey.

"As to the normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey, I
can say that if these countries need any support from the Council of
Europe we are ready to provide it. In this respect no one has applied
to us. The two countries are members of the Council of Europe and this
fact is important for the two countries and for the whole process. I
greet this normalization," Yagland said, adding that Council of Europe
hopes that the normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey
will help to the regulation of Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

SARGSYAN-ALIYEV MEETING IN MUNICH

news.am
Nov 19 2009
Armenia

November 18, speaking at the National Assembly, RA Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandyan informed that meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani
Presidents will take place in Munich at the end of the week. Today
Azerbaijani mass media clarified the date, referring to high ranking
official. Thus, Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev will meet on November
22. OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs will also participate.

The Presidents’ last meeting took place October 9 in Chisinau. It
is already the seventh meeting in 2009. After Presidents’ meeting,
Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers will meet in the frames
of OSCE Ministerial Council in Athens on December 1-2.

CONDITIONS OF SUPPORT CORRESPOND TO THE EUROPEAN STANDARDS
Albert Voskanyan

Azat Artsakh Daily
November 18, 2009
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

After a two-year break on a business trip, I again had to visit penal
jurisdictions of NK. The representative of one of the international
organizations wanted to get acquainted with the penal system of the
NKR, and turned to me, as a human rights activist, who was occupying
with this sphere for years, with a request for assistance. I wrote
a letter to the President of the NKR, sent this copy to the Chief
of Police, and almost immediately received a permission to conduct
monitoring. I consider that it will be interesting to the reader to
learn about the conditions and atmosphere in these establishments. We
selectively examined cameras of the investigation insulator
under the Police of the NKR, had conversations with prisoners,
including with women who were also there. In 2008, cameras of the
investigation insulator were transferred from Stepanakert to Shushi,
to the territory of the Department of Execution of Criminal Sanction
(DECS) under the Police of the NKR (former Shushi prison). The whole
outhouse of the DECS is given to the investigation insulator, there
is no communication between DECS and cameras of the investigation
insulator, and they are completely isolated from each other. Cameras
are equipped with metallic two-tiered beds, wooden tables and stools,
bedside tables and wall cabinets. The above items of furniture are not
fixed to the floor. It is neat, the floors are wooden and walls are dry
in the cameras. Jalousies are partially absent. Natural light enters
the camera through the window in sufficient quantities, artificial
light is provided by lamps of 100 or 120 watts. There are systems of
water pipe and sewerage in the cameras. There are no complaints of
hygiene from the part of prisoners. Bed linen is clean and in good
condition. All prisoners have sheets and pillowcases, blankets and
mattresses. Towels are clean. In the structure of the administration
of the Execution of the criminal sanction first-aid post functions;
this serves the special contingent of the jail, medical staff of
which consists of one medical assistance. Complaints about the health
of prisoners are fixed by the duty of DECS and transferred to the
medical assistance. In case of need, doctors from the clinic of the
NKR Police are involved, in cases of emergency "ambulance" is called
and the patient is delivered to the Republican Hospital. There are no
sick prisoners suffering tuberculosis. The first medical testimony
occurs during the receiving of the prisoner in the investigation
insulator, at which is fixed his physical state. Furthermore, during
the presence of a prisoner periodic testing of his physical state is
conducted. It is gratifying that at the time of our visit a dental
office was equipped here, which did not exist earlier. The prisoners
regularly receive periodic publications; they can use the library of
the investigation insulator, which has more than 1500 books in Armenian
and Russian languages. We had an opportunity to visit DECS under the
Police of the NKR, which acts since 1995 on the base of local prison
(date of building – 1869).

In its activity, the establishment is guided by the Criminal- executive
code, rules of the internal regulation and by corresponding orders of
the police of NK. In DECS act 3 regimes – half-open, half-closed and
covered. Convicted under different regime of detention are separated
from each other. The total capacity of institutions is 200 persons.
There are no prisoners who are sentenced to the life imprisonment in
the establishment. The death penalty is repealed in NK from August
1, 2003. On July 7, 2003 the Law of the NKR came into force in NK
"On consummation of the Criminal Code of Armenia from 18.04.03 on
the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh", 6-th article, which cancels the
death penalty on the territory of NK as an exceptional measure of
punishment and replaces it with the life imprisonment.

Those, who are sentenced to the life imprisonment, have the right of
appeal. Walls in the cameras are white. Windows are without jalousie,
but with lattices. The floor is concrete, beds are iron and are neatly
tucked, a tag with a name of a prisoner is fixed to each of them.

The temperature in the cameras on average is about 18 degrees Celsius.

In winter, the temperature is maintained using stoves, as heating
material firewood is used. The beds are iron and two-tiered in the
cameras. Chairs are wooden. There are benches for 8 persons. The state
of bed linen, blankets, mattresses, towels is satisfactory. There
were no Complaints from the part of prisoners on hygiene. Prisoners
are provided with necessary means of hygiene (by soap, by toothpaste
etc.). The state of kitchen is normal. Quantity, quality and caloric
content of food correspond to standard. There is always meat in ration.
There are 3 libraries and a small room. Clergyman of the Artsakh
Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church periodically conducts
spiritual conversations with prisoners. In DECS female prisoners
and juveniles are absent. In view of the absence of the reformatory
institutions for the indicated category in NK, they are sent to serve
their sentences in the Republic of Armenia. Also, there are well
repaired bathes with constant hot water in the investigation insulator
and in DECS. We had a conversation with the prisoners, there were no
complains on regime of detention and violation of their rights. It
was noted that after the change of the leadership of DECS conditions
of prisoners radically improved in many ways. The atmosphere became
healthier in the prison. In general, the regime in prisons of the
NKR makes it possible to keep people with dignity, without degrading
their human dignity, which is important for unrecognized by the world
community the State, which, despite all the difficulties, forms a
democratic state. By the way, the representative of international
organization shares my opinion, with whom we conducted the monitoring.

At the same time, I want to note that the penal jurisdictions of NK
have much to do in order to bring them into complete correspondence
with the European standards.

ARMENIAN ARTISTS UNION PRESIDENT REACHES OUT TO TURKEY THROUGH ART

Tert
Nov 18 2009
Armenia

Armenian Artists’ Union President Karen Aghamyan attempted to improve
relations with his Turkish colleagues perhaps about five years ago.

Speaking with journalists today, Aghamyan said that when he was in
Istanbul in 2004-2005, an arrangement had been made to organize
a joint exhibit of work by Armenian and Turkish artists. Though,
according to Aghamyan, the Turkish side had resigned from this project.

Speaking about the opening of the border and the influence of that
process, the president of the artists’ union added that "the Turkish
expansion won’t pay much as much attention to Armenian paintings as
it will to music."

ARS DELEGATION VISITS KARABAKH FOR HEALTH, EDUCATION COOPERATION TALKS

Asbarez Staff
Nov 18th, 2009

ARS "Soseh" Kindergarteners in Stepanakert.

STEPANAKERT-An Armenian Relief Society delegation traveled to the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic early this month where they met with
Karabakh’s Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Science for
talks on the status of 11 ARS Kindergartens in the republic.

The delegation, which met with Prime Minister Arayik Harutiunian and
Minister Vladik Khachatrian on November 5, included ARS Chairperson
Vicky Marashlian, ARS Executive Director Jirair Beujekian, ARS Artsakh
Chairperson Margarita Taranian and ARF Artsakh Central Committee
Representative, Davit Ishkhanian.

The delegation discussed with the two officials the possibility of
securing the necessary means for allowing the 11 "Soseh" kindergartens
to continue functioning and serving to their communities. The meeting
also covered the need for increased involvement of women in the social
sphere of the Republic, and the ARS expectations to that end.

The two ministers were also briefed on the various ARS educational,
health and humanitarian programs presently being implemented in
Artsakh.

Later in the day, Marashlian, Beujekian and Taranian met with Karabakh
Health Minister Gevorg Gevorgian to discuss a recent shipment from
the ARS of hospital beds to the Health Ministry, as well as future
programs planned by the ARS.

Gevorgian expressed his appreciation for the ARS’s efforts to
coordinate its activities with the Ministry. The ARS representatives
reiterated the organization’s commitment to ongoing cooperation with
the Ministry.

On November 6, the ARS delegation attended the opening ceremony of a
recently renovated building at the Hadrut region’s Taghlar village
ARS "Soseh" Kindergarten. In use for almost a decade, construction
work on the building began late this summer. The kindergarten has 65
pupils divided into three age groups.

Hadrut’s governor, present at the opening ceremony, pledged to soon
begin renovation of the ARS kindergarten in the village of Togh.

CALL FOR TURKISH-ARMENIAN PEACE FROM THEATER STAGE

Hurriyet Daily News
Nov 17 2009
Turkey

The Gulbenkyan Foundation, an Armenian organization in Lisbon, has
given full support to the play ‘Armenian Concert or Turkish Proverb’
to be staged in Turkey. ‘We cannot live by getting stuck in tragedy,’
says the writer and composer of the play, Gerard Torikian. Also,
director Serge Avedkiyan, who adapted the play to the stage, talks
about the new initiative among the diaspora

The Istanbul premiere of ‘Armenian Concert or Turkish Proverb’ is
tonight at Garajistanbul.

The reconciliation process between Turkish and Armenian people has
received support from the Armenian diaspora.

The Gulbenkyan Foundation, an Armenian organization in Lisbon, has
provided financial support for "Le Concert Armenian ou le Proverbe
Turc" (Armenian Concert or Turkish Proverb) to be staged in Turkey.

The play is the work of world-renowned Armenian composer and
France-based actor Gerard Torikian, who wrote it in collaboration with
French playwright Isabelle Guidard. It received full support not only
from the Gulbenkyan Foundation but also from Turkey and France.

Anadolu Kultur (Anatolian Culture), which is a civil society
organization run by Osman Kavala that supports the Turkish-Armenian
reconciliation process by organizing cultural and artistic events,
played a leading role in bringing Torikian’s play to Turkey.

In his play Torikian questions historical events and reveals the
struggles in his inner world. Directed by France-based Serge Avedikyan,
"Armenian Concert" was first performed in 2006 in France and has
been performed throughout the world since. Its Turkish premiere,
meanwhile, was Thursday in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir. It
will be performed today at Garajistanbul in Istanbul’s Galatasaray
neighborhood at 9 p.m. Though the original language of the 1.5-hour
play is French, there will be Turkish and English subtitles.

Facing the past

Torikian and Avedikyan, who came to Istanbul right after the
Diyarbakir performance, spoke to the Hurriyet Daily News & Economic
Review. Although Torikian came to Turkey for the first time last year,
his roots are in Anatolia. His father’s family is from the northwestern
city of Bursa while his mother’s family comes from the Black Sea
region. The artist grew up hearing about the painful events of 1915.

Torikian said he had prejudices until he came to Turkey. "I felt
myself a part of this land as soon as I came to Turkey because my
grandfather and grandmother are part of this land."

He said he was warmly welcomed during his visit last year. "I returned
to France with very nice memories. As a result of this nice experience,
I decided to stage the play here." Torikian defined the painful events
in 1915 as "a big tragedy."

"There was a big tragedy like genocide but it makes no sense to get
stuck in the tragedy. The best way to get rid of the pain is to be
able to see it from a distance," he said.

‘We can’t define our identity through genocide’

Even though Torikian and Avedikyan are Armenian, they grew up in
different cultures. Avedikyan lived in Armenia until he was 15 while
Torikian lived his entire life in France. Discussing the concept of
"belonging," Avedikyan said, "When I am alone, I question where I
belong: To France, where I live, or to Armenia, or to Anatolia?"

He said similar questions appeared in his inner world from time to
time. "I saw that one cannot survive by getting stuck in the past. As
Armenians, if we continue to define our identity through genocide,
we won’t be able to proceed. We are Armenian, but we remember that
we are human first."

New trend in diaspora

There are more than 1 million Armenians spread around the world from
Anatolia. "The diaspora is finally changing," said Avedikyan.

"Thoughtful artists from the diaspora reject politics and pressure.

They stay away from excessive nationalist statements and viewpoints.

They never deny the genocide but are more positive about the future."

As for the reconciliation protocol that was signed between the two
countries recently, Avedikyan said, "I prefer the sound echoed in the
conscience of people rather than the signatures of politicians. Let’s
support the reconciliation of Turkish and Armenian people, let peace
be our goal."

About ‘Armenian Concert’

In the play an Armenian composer is preparing for an Odyssey Suite
recital, but inspiration for the suite, the Homer Saga, never sets him
free. The past is determined to capture the composer with thousands of
ghosts. He is surrounded by these ghosts from the past. The composer
fights against the past and the ghosts with all his might. The power
of music helps the composer and he succeeds in being freed from the
past. As soon as he is free, he looks at the face of the past and
realizes the best way to vanquish the past is to make peace with it.

ARMENIAN FUTURIST VAGRICH BAKHCHANYAN PASSED AWAY IN NYC

Tert
Nov 16 2009
Armenia

Celebrated Armenian painter and writer-conceptualist Vagrich
Bakhchanyan (72), who was considered "one of the last futurists of
our time," passed away on November 12, 2009, in New York City.

Bakhchanyan was born in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, but moved
to Moscow in the late 1960s, where he worked at the weekly paper
Literaturnaya Gazeta. Bakhchanyan moved to the United States in 1974,
where he worked and lived for the remainder of his life.

His collections can be viewed in NYC’s Museum of Modern Art, Moscow’s
National Centre for Contemporary Arts, and Kiev’s Museum of National
Arts of Ukraine, among many other places.

Bakhchanyan considered himself 150% Armenian, since "even his
step-mother was Armenian."

ARONIAN DEFEATS MAMMADYAROV IN BLITZ GAME

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
17.11.2009 12:22 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian grandmaster Levon Aronian defeated Boris
Gelfand (Israel), Dmitry Yakovenko (Russia), Peter Leko (Hungary),
Alexandra Kosteniuk (Russia), Shahriyar Mammadyarov (Azerbaijan)
and Vladislav Tkachev (Russia). He sustained 5 defeats and made a
draw in 3 games. Presently, Aronian is the 10th with 7.5 points.

Viswanathan Anand (India) is leading the tournament with 12 points. He
is followed by Magnus Karlsen (Norway, 10) and Anatoly Karpov
(Russia, 9).

IRAN SAYS PIPELINE BLAST HALTS ITS GAS EXPORTS TO ARMENIA

NASDAQ
Nov 12 2009

LONDON -(Dow Jones)- Iran’s gas exports to Armenia were temporarily
interrupted Wednesday due to an explosion on the Armenian section of
their joint pipeline, an Iranian oil ministry Web site said.

Armenian officials informed Iran on Wednesday morning that an explosion
had occurred on the pipeline, the ministry’s Shana agency said,
without specifying the reasons for the blast.

Iran will resume gas exports to Armenia as soon as the Armenians
repair the pipeline, it added.

Iran started the export of natural gas to Armenia in May.

According to a deal signed in May 2004, Armenia will pay for the gas
with electricity it produces at a Soviet-era nuclear power plant.

Based on the agreement, Iran is supposed to transfer three million
cubic meters of gas per day to Armenia and from the beginning of 2011
will raise this volume to four million cubic meters per day.