Author: Basmajian Ani

DAVUTOGLU WANTS SCIENTIFIC REVOLUTION IN CAUCASUS

Panorama.am
13/05/2010

Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglu assessed the signing of Russian-Turkish
deal on visa regime suspending as an "important step of revolutionary
significance."

Talking live to Haberturk TV Station Davutoglu voiced several issues
from Ankara’s agenda. He reminded that 4 high ranking meetings have
been conducted between Russia and Turkey within a year.

"Those ties aren’t hostile. Those are expressions aimed to cooperation
and integration of our economies," Davutoglu said.

Turkish FM has also spoke about Armenian-Turkish ties. He said Turkey
is to face number of difficulties in that process. The most important,
according to Davutoglu, is to persist those difficulties and not accept
pessimistic ideology. The decisive continuation of normalization policy
and appropriate terms to rule that forward are of great significance.

"As you know that process reached a certain advancement. To turn
that back isn’t beneficial of either side, neither for Turkey, nor
for Armenia and Azerbaijan," Turkish FM said.

Davutoglu stated that the normalization of Armenian-Turkish ties would
advance, underscoring Turkish wish to make a "scientific revolution"
in Balkans and Caucasus region.

EX-TEACHER PLEADS GUILTY IN SEX ABUSE TRIAL
Hasmik Smbatian

ticle/2040318.html
12.05.2010

Armenia — Levon Avagian, the schoolteacher at the center of a sex
abuse scandal, speaks at the start of his trial, 26 April 2010.

A former teacher of a boarding school in Yerevan faced 18 months in
prison on Wednesday after admitting sexually and physically abusing
his students during his ongoing high-profile trial.

Levon Avagian pleaded guilty to corresponding criminal accusations
following months of strong denial of any improper conduct. As recently
as last summer, the Armenian police cleared Avagian of any wrongdoing
and tried to prosecute instead a civic activist who had helped to
trigger the sex abuse scandal.

Mariam Sukhudian, a leader of the environment protection group
SOS Teghut, worked, together with several other young people, as a
volunteer at the school for children with special needs in April-June
2008. They said afterwards that some schoolgirls alleged abuse at
the hands of Avagian.

Sukhudian videotaped one of those girls and alerted Armenian media
about her claims in late 2008. The school administration strongly
denied the allegations.

Sukhudian was subsequently charged with "false denunciation," a crime
punishable by up to five years in prison. But in early March, state
prosecutors ordered the police to drop the extremely controversial
charge and again turn their attention to Avagian.

The gray-haired teacher, who left the school located in Yerevan’s
southern Nubarashen suburb last year, was subsequently accused of
committing "obscene acts against minors" accompanied by violence and
intimidation. He insisted on his innocence at the start of the trial
on April 26.

In a dramatic about-face, Avagian on Wednesday declared that he admits
his guilt and asked a Yerevan district court to continue the trial
under a so-called "accelerated procedure" that does not involve a
public questioning of witnesses and victims. Both the presiding judge
and the trial prosecutor accepted the request despite protests from
five former students who testified against Avagian.

The alleged victims argued that they planned to add new abuse claims
to their pre-trial testimonies, which could lead to the toughening of
the charges leveled against their former teacher. "When we studied
at the Nubarashen school, Mr. Avagian would also beat children. The
investigators did not ask us questions about that," one of them,
Hasmik Sinanian, told the court.

The prosecutor, Karen Batikian, likewise accused Avagian of routinely
ill-treating and bullying his underage students with methods
"characteristic of feudal systems." Batikian demanded a 18-month
prison sentence for the defendant.

Speaking to RFE/RL’s Armenian service afterwards, Sinanian criticized
the punishment sought by the prosecutor as "too mild." "I think that’s
enough," disagreed another victim, Diana Amirkhanian.

The Nubarashen scandal has raised more questions about Armenia’s
boarding schools, which are primarily supposed to educate orphans
and disabled children. They have long been notorious for a lack of
transparency, poor sanitary conditions and ill-treatment of students.

DASHAKTSUTIUN BOYCOTTS MEETING WITH CHAVUSHOGLU

Tert.am
17:13 11.05.10

The parliamentary faction of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
(Dashaktsutiun, ARF-D) will not participate in the meeting with the
President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
Mevlut Chavushoglu planned on May 13.

The decision was reached at a May 11 party session.

In a press conference today ARF-D faction leader Vahan Hovhannisyan
said that the decision was accounted for by the fact that Chavushoglu
will not attend Tsitsernakaberd – the memorial of the victims of the
Armenian Genocide perpetrated by the Ottam Empire in 1915.

Hovhannisyan also said that all the former PACE presidents, who came
to Armenia, visited the memorial.

Armen Rustamyan, member of the Armenian delegation in PACE and an
ARF-D MP, will not participate in the meeting with Chabushoglu either.

Secretary of the Prosperous Armenia Party Aram Safaryan declined
commenting on ARF-D’s decision, saying their party will participate
in that disputed meeting and will push forward a few important issues.

PACE PRESIDENT CAVUSOGLU EXPECTED TO VISIT ARMENIA THIS WEEK IF …

Panorama.am
13:49 10/05/2010

Politics

President of the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE)
Mevlut Cavusoglu is expected to visit Armenia this week if flights are
not cancelled due to the Icelandic volcano ash, Panorama.am sources
say. In the frames of the visit, Cavusoglu is expected to meet with
President Serzh Sargsyan, Parliament Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan, the
head of the Armenian delegation to the PACE David Harutyunyan.

Note that according to early reports Cavusoglu was due to visit
Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia in June.

UN HOUSE OPENS ITS DOORS TO STUDENTS’ ART EXHIBITION DEDICATED TO

Panorama.am
14:55 10/05/2010

Society

Time of Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives
during World War II Students’ arts exhibition dedicated to Time of
Remembrance and Reconciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during
the Second World War, organized jointly by the UN Office in Armenia
and Yerevan State Academy of Arts was opened today.

More than 100 works of art, including graphics, paintings, batiks,
ceramics, gobelins and statues were displayed at the UN House and
attracted attention of students, professors, international community,
civil society groups, media and general public.

Dafina Gercheva, UN Resident Coordinator said: "These talented and
bright pieces of art highlight how young generation understands the
essence of maintaining peace throughout the world and pays tribute
to all those who lost their lives during that terrible war. We are
pleased to host this exhibition and as always we are ready to provide
more opportunities for youth."

"The initiative of giving the young artists a chance to exhibit their
works in the UN House is a great opportunity for them. It not only
encourages but empowers them. Also in this way they can learn more
about UN values", said the rector of the Yerevan State Academy of
Arts Mr. Aram Isabekyan.

This is already the second such exhibition and several others
are planned for 2010. The series are within the framework of the
"International Year of Youth: Dialogue and Mutual Understanding" and
"International Year of Rapprochement of Cultures".

This is a joint initiative of Ms. Dafina Gercheva, UN Resident
Coordinator and Mr. Aram Isabekyan, Rector of the Yerevan State
Academy of Arts aiming to promote UN values by helping young artists
of Armenia. The project is also supported by the UN Department of
Public Information in Yerevan.

PRIVATE REMITTANCES TO ARMENIA TOTALED $261.7MLN IN FIRST QUARTER OF 2010

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 10, 2010 – 18:21 AMT 13:21 GMT

$261.7mln was transferred to individuals through the Armenian banking
system in January-March 2010. According to the RA Central Bank’s
monthly bulletin, 0.03% or $86,000 drop was recorded as compared with
the same period of last year.

Meanwhile, Russia keeps the biggest share of remittances to Armenia –
$162.8mln, followed by the US – $29.5mln and Germany – $4.7mln. The
amount of remittances from Turkey amounted to $665,000.

Besides, the amount of remittances from Armenia totaled $138.6mln in
January-March 2009 that is 5.4% higher as compared with the same period
of 2009. During the reported period, the net cash inflow decreased
by 5.5% amounting to $123.1mln against $130.3mln in January-March 2009.

KURDISTAN REGIONAL GOVERNMENT TO HELP ARMENIANS

news.am
May 10 2010
Armenia

Archbishop Avag Asaturyan, Leader of the Iraqi Diocese of the Armenian
Apostolic Church (AAC), paid a visit to Iraqi Kurdistan and met with
Prime Minister Azad Barwari.

The sides discussed issues of common interest. Azad Barwari assured
Archbishop Asaturyan that the Kurdistan authorities are ready to
provide all the opportunities to their Armenian and other Christian
brothers. "We do our utmost for our Armenian brothers to feel good
in Kurdistan."

Archbishop Avag Asaturyan expressed gratitude to the Kurdistan
authorities for good will and wished the two peoples to expand their
friendly relations.

An Armenian is among members of the Iraqi Kurdistan Parliament.

Armenians also hold government posts.

ACCIDENT AT VICTORY PARK: FOUR SUFFER INJURIES IN PARK ATTRACTION COLLAPSE
By Gayane Abrahamyan

ArmeniaNow
10.05.10 | 17:29
Yerevan’s Victory Park

Three teenagers and one adult suffered injuries in an attraction park
accident as chains of a merry-go-around at Yerevan’s Victory Park
broke on May 9, a public holiday. Sirarpi Mavoyan, 14, and Susanna
Galstyan, 13, were taken to children’s hospital #3 and were released
after receiving first aid.

Marine and Menua Vardanyans, 35 and 13, remain hospitalized at
Mikayelyan Medical Center’s resuscitation unit.

Nikolay Grigoryan, head of public relations department at RA Ministry
of Emergency Situations, told ArmeniaNow that the Vardanyans’ injuries
are not life-threatening, with, reportedly, no bone fractures.

The swinging type attraction called Typhoon – a black box making
360 degree vertical rotation – was, Grigoryan says, unlicensed and,
therefore, was operated illegally.

The capital’s major attraction park was particularly crowded this
Sunday (May 9) as Armenia celebrated the 65th anniversary of the
victory in the Great Patriotic War. The accident happened in late
afternoon (around 5 p.m. local time), the park’s busiest time.

FIDE Grand Prix in Nalchik Ws Unsuccessful for Armenian Players

10:44 – 08.05.10

Women’s FIDE Grand Prix chess competition in Nalchik,
Kabardino-Balkaria, is already over with Armenian players showing a
poor performance at the last 11th tournament.

With black figures Lilit Lazarian played with Russian Tatiana
Kosintseva who had already secured the title of winner. Lazarian
yielded after the 40th step, and the competition saw Kosintseva as the
winner with her 9 points earned.

Elina Danielyan was competing with another Russian player, Bayra
Kovanova. This match lasted a little more than the one that saw
Lazarian compete Kosintseva: Danielyan gave in at the 66th step.

With only 1.5 points at her disposal Elina Danielyan was the last in
the win list, while Lilit Lazarian was the 8-10th with her 5 points

Tert.am

Environmental challenges discussed at Model OSCE conference in
Armenia’s Syunik region

armradio.am
08.05.2010 11:22

Applying OSCE mechanisms to solve environmental security problems in
hypothetical countries of Valouchistan, Dakastan and Abrala was the
purpose of a student Model OSCE conference held in Armenia’s remote
Syunik region today.

The 1.5-day event brought together 24 students from various cities of
the region. The topics on the agenda of the simulated OSCE Permanent
Council session included chemical waste management, environmental and
economic disaster issues – the challenges inherent to the situation in
Syunik region.

"Enabling young people to learn about the OSCE structures and
decision-making processes is vital in promoting their awareness on the
international mechanisms to address security-related problems. The
experience will motivate them to get involved in the result-oriented
civil activity in their localities," said Grzegorz Michalski,
Politico-Military Officer at the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

Satenik Baghdasaryan, Political Science student from Yerevan State
University who participated in the event said: "The event gave us an
opportunity to use our negotiation, problem solving and argumentation
skills in close to real life situations. We realized that only by
joint effort and enhanced cross-border co-operation is it possible to
counter universal environmental challenges in today’s interconnected
world."

The conference was preceded by lectures on the OSCE structure, a
training session on environmental matters, public speaking and
negotiation skills, as well as presentations on the OSCE work in
economic-environmental dimension.

The event was the third regional conference of the kind held by the
OSCE Office in Yerevan to promote OSCE principles and values among
active young people in Armenia.