Stepan Demirchyan Not Going To Run For Mayor Of Yerevan

STEPAN DEMIRCHYAN NOT GOING TO RUN FOR MAYOR OF YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.03.2009 11:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Leader of opposition People’s Party of Armenia
Stepan Demirchyan has no intention to run for Mayor of Yerevan.

"The rumors are untrue," Mr. Demirchyan said in a conversation with
a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

"The Armenian National Congress has held no discussion on the issue
yet. It’s only known that the ANK will nominate a single candidate
for the Mayor’s post," he said.

Russia assures readiness to take part in new nuclear energy block

Russia assures about its readiness to take part in construction project
of new nuclear energy block in Armenia

2009-02-28 19:03:00

ArmInfo. Russian authorities have assured us about their readiness to
take part in the construction project of a new nuclear energy block in
Armenia, Armenian Prime Minister, Tigran
Sarkisyan, told Armenian journalists at the plane board yesterday when
coming back to Yerevan after his working visit to Moscow.

He also added that within the frames of the visit the Russian party was
aware that the tender on selection of an international operator for the
energy block construction will end on 13 March.
"We shall invite investors to take part in the project and naturally,
South Caucasus countries will be also interested in the project. We are
open for our neighbours as well",- Sarkisyan said.

To note, construction of the new nuclear energy block along with
construction of Iran-Armenia railway and restoration of the Spitak
earthquake zone and its infra-structures are priorities of the
incumbent authorities. To recall, nuclear energy block construction
will cost $5,7-7,2 bln. Russian, French and other companies show
interest in the project. The new block will be ready in 2016 when the
resource of the functioning energy block is exhausted.

Head Of Armenian Police And US Department Of State Have Different Vi

HEAD OF ARMENIAN POLICE AND US DEPARTMENT OF STATE HAVE DIFFERENT VIEWS

ArmInfo
2009-02-27 17:31:00

ArmInfo. Head of Armenian Police Alik Sargsyan categorically does not
agree to assessment of the actions of the police bodies during the
events of the 1 March 2008, presented in the reports of US Department
of State and Human Rights Watch.

‘The police was acting within the frames of the law and did not nothing
beyond these frames’, – head of Armenian Police, Alik Sargsyan, said
at today’s press-conference in Yerevan. He also added the police is
cooperating with human rights protecting organizations, and every
critical note is taken into account and investigated if necessary.

Asked about adequacy of the police actions on 1 March 2008, first
Sargsyan was surprised by such interest of the press to the "March
events" and advised journalists to ask more serious questions. He
also recalled that at present the fact collecting group and the
parliamentary commission are investigating the case.

Syria’s President To Visit Armenia This Year

SYRIA’S PRESIDENT TO VISIT ARMENIA THIS YEAR

armradio.am
27.02.2009 11:44

Within the framework of his visit to Damascus, the Foreign Minister
of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian, had a meeting with the President of
Syria, Bashar Al-Asad.

Greeting the Armenian Foreign Minister, the President said Syria
attaches importance to the development of multifaceted relations with
Armenia, underlining that they have the necessary political will and
a broad legal-treaty basis for it.

Conveying the Armenian President’s message and an invitation to
visit Armenia, Edward Nalbandian said our country is interested in
expanding and reinforcing the mutually beneficial cooperation with
Syria – one of the leading countries in the Arab world.

President Al-Asad and Minister Nalbandian exchanged views on the
settlement of issues existing in the Middle East. The Armenian Foreign
Minister presented the process of negotiations on the Karabakh issue
and the opportunities for normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations.

President Asad welcomed Armenia’s steps towards establishment of
relations with Turkey, expressing confidence that those will contribute
to the reinforcement of stability and security in the region. The
President of Syria asked to convey his greetings to RA President
Serzh Sargsyan and said he would be pleased to visit Armenia this year.

Double Dream/Letters To Milena, Kings Place, London

DOUBLE DREAM/LETTERS TO MILENA, KINGS PLACE, LONDON

Independent.co.uk
Tuesday, 24 February 2009

If classical improvisation is difficult, it’s doubly so when the goal
is transposition into jazz; how two pianists can combine together
in this way is hard to imagine. But for the Russian pianist Mikhail
Rudy, two heads have long been better than one. His defining infant
experience was hearing phrases which came through the wall from a
violinist who was practising next door, and finding he could answer
him on the piano. Later in life, rehearsals for Double Dream – in
which he and the Ukrainian pianist Misha Alperin would turn Bach,
Chopin, and Debussy into jazz – have had, for logistical reasons,
to take place over the telephone.

And with their Steinways interlocking in the perfect acoustic of
Kings Place, we heard the results. They started with the lights
down, opening with a rumination on Schumann’s "Prophet Bird" which
rang out gorgeously in the gloom, then, with twin video screens
focusing on hands and faces, they embarked on the most extraordinary
classical/jazz conversation I’ve ever heard. Sometimes the classical
pieces were first played straight, and then ingeniously messed with –
subverting a poised Chopin mazurka by suddenly dropping it a semitone,
letting a Debussy Etude with a walking bass suddenly run so fast that
it took off into space. Using a cross between a bagpipe and a mouth
organ, Alperin launched into an Armenian dance by Komitas, which Rudy
countered with mournful Arabic octaves; Stravinsky’s "Petrushka"
came in obliquely and stratospherically high, then found its feet
in a majestic full-dress performance. A dainty tune by Haydn seemed
to close the proceedings, was blown to smithereens by monumental
crashing chords, then resurfaced like a perfumed musical box amid
smoking ruins: in this interplay between seriousness and mockery,
nothing was what it seemed for very long.

The following night’s collaboration was between Rudy and the actor
Peter Guinness: in Letters to Milena, Kafka’s love letters to his young
paramour were accompanied by a selection of pieces from Janacek’s
In the Mists and On an Overgrown Path. The result was hauntingly
dramatic: the morose urgency with which Guinness infused the words
was answered by a kaleidoscope of emotions from the piano; each art
form was enriched by the other.

40% Of Electricity To Be Produced By Nuclear Power Sector In Armenia

40% OF ELECTRICITY TO BE PRODUCED BY NUCLEAR POWER SECTOR IN ARMENIA BY 2025

ARKA
Feb 24, 2009

YEREVAN, February 24. /ARKA/. Armenia is to get 40% of its electricity
produced by the nuclear power sector by 2025, Armenian Deputy Minister
of Energy and Natural Resources Areg Galstyan said at a round-table
discussion with a Russian delegation from Sverdlovsk.

By the same time, renewable energy sector will be providing 30%
of energy produced in Armenia with the remaining share provided by
thermal radiation power sector, he said.

Galstyan reported that for this a number of strategic documents
were adopted based on four principles – nuclear power development,
maximal use of own renewable resources, diversification of routes of
energy resource supplies and maximal integration in regional energy
markets. He added that Armenia has also the obligation to close down
its current nuclear power plant (NPP).

Galstyan reported that a tender was announced for management of the
NPP closing-down process and a feasibility study was conducted.

The country is also taking measures to attract foreign investors in
its renewable energy sector, he said.

Midget power plants are expected to provide 5% of the overall volume
of energy produced in Armenia. Achievements in wind power sector are
less tangible, yet several licenses were issued for this activity,
Galstyan said.

The Deputy Minister said that Armenia is making attempts to move
forward also in=2 0development of geothermal power plants. In
particular, territory is assigned for construction of such a plant
and the issue is to be settled by the end of the year.

Armenian is underdeveloped in terms of biogas production, waste
recycling and wastewater treatment.

Energy savings field is also in its initial stage despite the
respective strategy developed by the government. Yet, use of energy
saving technologies will help Armenia save up to 15% of primary energy
resources, Galstyan said.

The Deputy Minister also reminded that Armenia had the most developed
export-orientated energy system in the South region and that it was
exporting 30% of its energy production. This structure is maintained
in Armenian energy sector despite the hard period.

"Our energy sector is one of the most developed ones both in
institutional and export terms on the post-Soviet area," Galstyan said.

Energy production totaled 6,114.3mln kilowatt-hours in Armenia in 2008,
which is a 3.7% increase against the level of 2007. Energy yield of
Armenian NPP was 2,461.6mln kilowatt-hours in January-December 2008,
which constituted 40.3% of the overall volume of energy production
over the period under period.

Heat stations produced 1,831.9mln kilowatt-hours or 30% of overall
production. Midget power plants generated 1,818.9mln kilowatt-hours
of electricity or 29.8% of the overall yield in the country.

Armenia Announces Tender For Nuclear Reactor

ARMENIA ANNOUNCES TENDER FOR NUCLEAR REACTOR

RIA Novosti
18:32 | 23/ 02/ 2009

YEREVAN, February 23 (RIA Novosti) – Armenia announced on Monday a
tender for the construction of a new reactor for the country’s sole
nuclear power plant.

Armenia seeks a new 1,000 MW reactor for the nuclear power plant,
built in 1980 about 30 kilometers (19 miles) west of the capital,
Yerevan, which was shut down after a devastating earthquake in 1988
but reactivated in 1995 due to energy shortages caused by blockades
imposed by Azerbaijan and Turkey.

The ex-Soviet Caucasus state’s energy and natural resources ministry
estimated the project at about $5 billion.

"Individuals and firms are welcome to take part in the tender,"
ministry spokesperson Lusina Arutyunyan said. "The deadline for filing
bids is April 1."

Armenia’s parliament abolished state monopoly on the ownership of new
reactors at the plant in 2006 in a bid to attract foreign investment.

Russia, the United States and France have shown interest in the
project.

One of the plant’s two VVER-440 Model V230 reactors has been shut
down. The other generates 40-50% of the country’s electricity.

The plant has been operated by Russia’s Inter RAO UES since 2003, as
part of a 10-year deal to help pay off Armenia’s debts. The facility
will reach the end of its operational life by 2016.

Brain Drain From Armenia Continues

BRAIN DRAIN FROM ARMENIA CONTINUES

Panorama.am
18:01 20/02/2009

"Today very little money is disposed from the state budget to
the science, I have been stressing it for many times," said in a
press conference the President of the National Academy of Sciences,
Academician Radik Martirosyan.

He says that the scientists participate in many international projects
to earn money. In 2008 the scientists of the Academy participated in
52 international projects, said R. Martirosyan.

"20% of the international grants are spent to buy to equipments,
and the rest forms the salaries," he said and added that not all the
scientists have opportunities to be involved into those projects.

Regarding the "brain drain" the Academician said that in 1990
the Academy had more than 7000 employees and 60% of them were
scientists. Today this figured is halved, but not necessarily all
of them left the country. But Martirosyan has also mentioned that
"brain drain" has been and will continue in the future.

43 Extra Detainees At "Vardashen"

43 EXTRA DETAINEES AT "VARDASHEN"

A1+
[04:47 pm] 19 February, 2009

With the assignment of the RA Ombudsman, Ombudsman’s office officials
paid a visit to the RA Justice Ministry’s "Nubarashen" penitentiary
and met with prisoners M. H., V. S. and also visited the "Vardashen"
penitentiary to meet with prisoners and investigate the conditions.

Prisoner of the RA Justice Ministry’s "Nubarashen" penitentiary
M. H. had already ended his hunger strike at the start of the visit.

M. H. informed Ombudsman’s officials that he has been at the
penitentiary for five months and he has never left the building, has
not ate breakfast for two months and his food is less than usual. He
also said that he is in poor health conditions. The officials met with
the penitentiary’s doctor Hrant Muradyan who informed that the prisoner
is diagnosed with heart illness and is receiving the needed medicine.

Another prisoner V.A. who had declared a hunger strike at the
"Nubarashen" penitentiary also ended his hunger strike when the
officials stopped by.

V.A. informed officials that he has no complaints against the
penitentiary and had declared a hunger strike because they had
sentenced him from a period of a year and a half for committing an
act foreseen by the 1st part of article 362 of the RA Criminal Code
without taking into account the motives for that. He also said that
he has no demands.

During the visit to the RA Justice Ministry’s "Vardashen" penitentiary
the Ombudsman’s representatives studied the conditions of the doctor’s
room, the kitchen, laundry home, library and the cells.

The doctor’s room was equipped with the necessary equipment, medicine
and there was a dentist’s office as well. In general, the conditions
of the kitchen and laundry room were satisfactory.

The Ombudsman’s representatives expressed serious concern about the
fact that there are 67 detainees and 130 sentenced prisoners instead
of the foreseen 154, meaning that there are 43 more people and as a
result, there are more prisoners in a number of cells. Officials say
that they were forced to turn the hospital rooms into cells.

After studying the general conditions, the officials met with the
people who wanted to visit the detainees and sentenced. Sentenced
prisoner, Russian citizen R.V. told officials that the preliminary
and current investigation officials have violated his judicial and
material rights. He also said that he has not been able to contact
his wife and son living in Russia for the past three weeks. He asked
the officials to call them and tell them about him.

Detainee S. H. informed that his right to create is being violated
because police officers are not giving him his laptop computer.

Detainee V.T. asked for the copies of the RA laws on "Ombudsman" and
"State and Service confidentiality".

Detainee A. H. said that he was subjected to a cruel beating on 2008
August 21 at the moment of his arrest and at the Lori Marz department
of the RA Police, but his protests have remained unanswered. He also
informed that he suffers from diabetes. Head of the medical service
of the penitentiary Manucharyan informed officials that the RA Justice
Ministry’s penitentiary department has appealed to the RA Ministry of
Healthcare to provide the detainee with necessary medical treatment
within the framework of the order.

After having separate talks with all detainees and sentenced, the
officials registered that the majority of them have not expressed
complaints and most of the complaints refer to the disproportions of
charges and period for penalties, according to the press release of
the Ombudsman’s office.

ANKARA: Film Inspired By A Column By Hrant Dink

FILM INSPIRED BY A COLUMN BY HRANT DINK

Hurriyet
lifestyle/11009358.asp?scr=1
Feb 16 2009
Turkey

ISTANBUL – Volunteer artists have gathered to adapt Agos’ late
editor-in-chief Hrant Dink’s article ‘Kertenkele,’ published in
daily Birgun in October 2004 to the silver screen. The film has been
directed by national and international award-winning documentary
maker Ozgur Arık

Volunteer actors and actresses coming together under the slogan, "Our
struggle is until this country becomes the land of brotherhoodÃ~I,"
have shot a 32-minute short film in honor of slain journalist Hrant
Dink.

The product of months of work the film, "Kertenkel" (Lizard), was
inspired by a column published in daily Birgun in October 2004 written
by Agos editor-in-chief Dink, who was assassinated on Jan. 19, 2007.

Ozgur Arık, a documentary maker who holds many national and
international awards, directed the film. The film’s budget was 40,000
Turkish liras, provided by the Green Agency and it was shot in the
Mediterranean city of Antalya.

Although the film cannot find a movie theater that will screen it,
there are plans to show it to audiences this year in many national and
international film festivals, including the International Istanbul
Film Festival that will be organized by the Istanbul Foundation for
Culture and Arts, or IKSV, in April. One of the most important planned
destinations for the film is the International Golden Apricot Film
Festival to be organized in Armenian capital, Yerevan in July. From
Feb. 17, the film will be screened with English and Turkish subtitles
at the Nazım Hikmet Culture Center on Istanbul’s Asian side in
Kadıköy.

"Being inspired by the painful events Armenians went through and
with the words of Dink, this film aims to draw attention to the
pain people are experiencing throughout the world. Unfortunately,
we fight to live in an environment in which people are moving away
from each other and becoming enemies," said Arık.

Arık said the film was based around a character named Abdullah. "A
lizard, when it feels danger, it shelters in the smallest hole it
can find, just like Abdullah." He said the content of the story was
traumatic, "Yes, there is violence in the story but it is based on
causality. We wanted to highlight once again the cost of excess in
this film."

"I have read almost all articles written by Dink," said Arık. He
said "Lizard" was very important to him, "As soon as I took the paper
and started reading the article, scenes from the film took shape in
my mind."

Supporting characters from local to general Even though Arık
sticks to the original story in the film, he also backs it up with
supporting characters. "Rather than localizing the story, we wanted to
draw attention to pain in the world by showing incidents in our own
land. Materiality is what lies behind pain all around the world. I
think economic worries nourish nationalism," Arık said. Arık
added a hodja character to the film. He said the character, hiding
behind religion, behaves cruelly toward people and confiscates their
land. "The hodja prays five times a day but all he thinks about is
owning more."

Arık said the film was set in the time of World War I, "While watching
the film, viewers will be able to see events that happened during the
war and the effect on people’s psychology." He said he intentionally
shot a short film and that its message was very short and certain. He
added the film had a mission in addition to commemorating Dink. "With
this film, rather than agitate, we try to highlight once again that
everyone who shares this land is a brother."

The End of the World War The film depicts the end of World War I. A
young Armenian person, who survived the painful events of 1915,
shelters in a village in the slopes of Mount Suphan in eastern
Anatolia. He does not play on the streets like the other young
people. He lives in the shed of a villager named Ismail and tells
people nothing except that his name is Abdullah. One day when he is
in the toilet, other children see he is uncircumcised, and start
throwing stones at him. With fear, Abdullah shelters in the shed
and circumcises himself with a sharp tool and then throws the bloody
piece of skin at the people.

http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/