ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia Friday Professor: European Union requirements on the closure of the Armenian nuclear power plant concern the decommissioning of the first power unit of the station Yerevan October 27 Alexander Avanesov. The requirements of the European Union on the closure of the Armenian nuclear power plant concern the decommissioning of the first power unit of the plant. The Director General of the Scientific Research Institute "Armatom", Professor Vahram Petrosyan, stated this on October 27 at the press conference in Yerevan. According to him, the first unit is currently not in operation, and the second unit is carrying out measures to extend the period of its operation for a period of 10 years. At present, the block on the basis of international experience with Russian specialists is carrying out a program to extend the life of the A2A2 power unit until the year 2026, inclusive. In this case, the first power unit will become a donor for the second. Vahram Petrosyan reminded that, as a rule, 30 years or more extends the service life of such units. Examples of Russia, Ukraine, Hungary, Finland - a clear proof of this. The professor noted the need for parallel development of alternative and renewable energy, but nuclear energy has no alternative, since it concerns both the security of the energy complex of Armenia and the country as a whole. "We will not be able to provide other alternative sources of industrial importance in the coming years," Vahram Petrosyan said. He stressed that according to all international expert assessments, the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant is a safe facility that will function until alternative capacities are created. And these capacities are associated with the construction of a new block of medium capacity or several small units. In the next 2 years this project will be reflected in the decision of the Armenian government. The chairman of the Nuclear Energy Security Council under the President of the Republic of Armenia Miroslav Lipar (Slovakia), responding to the question of ArmInfo, noted that Armenia is visited periodically by various specialized missions, including the IAEA, which issue opinions and recommendations that allow to constantly raise safety level of the Armenian NPP. These works are carried out in accordance with the experience accumulated in other countries on similar blocks with the WWER reactor - Slovakia, Czech Republic, Russia, Hungary. In countries where nuclear power plants are in operation, extending their life is a standard procedure. Even in the United States, where the lifetime of nuclear reactors is limited to 40 years, work is now being carried out to extend the life of the reactors by another 20 years. "In Armenia and Slovakia, the operating lifetimes of operating reactors are 30 years, but there are all grounds for extending their operation for another 10 years, after which, after carrying out the relevant surveys, it will be possible to conclude that the future of the blocks will continue," Miroslav Lipar said. Armenia, according to him, benefits from constant inspections of the state of its nuclear power unit. Earlier, Minister of Energy Infrastructures and Natural Resources of the Republic of Armenia Ashot Manukyan noted that the capabilities of the second power unit of the ANPP are not infinite, but it will work as long as the resource allows. Only after that it will be closed, and in exchange a new atomic block will be built. The Armenian nuclear power plant consists of two units with Soviet (Russian) WWER reactors. The first unit was commissioned in 1976, the second - in 1980. In March 1989, after the Spitak earthquake, which killed 25 thousand people, the station's work was stopped. In November 1995, in connection with the most acute energy crisis, the second power unit of the station with a capacity of 407.5 MW was involved. In March 2014, the Armenian government decided to extend the life of the second power unit by 10 years - until 2026. The project is coordinated by the subsidiary structure of the State Corporation Rosatom - JSC Rusatom Service. Completion of work is planned for 2019. The Government of the Russian Federation allocated a $ 270 million state export loan to Armenia and a $ 30 million grant for these purposes. In March 2015, the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) was established to implement the program. So far, there have been five meetings of the JCC. The Council for the Safety of Atomic Energy under the President of the Republic of Armenia was established in 1996 by a presidential decree. This independent advisory body was created on the basis of the need to ensure the further safe operation of the Armenian nuclear power plant. The council is formed of scientists and specialists of the sphere, having international recognition and authority. The activities of the Council are carried out through meetings of the Council, which are convened once a year. According to the Charter, the main tasks of the Council are: formation of safety of nuclear energy and priority directions of its development, development of recommendations on problems and preparation of proposals, analysis and examination of draft normative legal acts submitted to the President of the Republic of Armenia regarding peaceful and safe use of atomic energy.
Author: Hovsep Chakrian
OSCE Co-Chairs Must Condemn Baku, Says ARF’s Rustamyan
ARF Bureau member Armen Rustamyan (Photo: Armenpress)
YEREVAN (Combined Sources) – According to Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau member and head of the party’s political affairs Armen Rustamyan, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs must make a statement condemning Azerbaijan and the country’s abnormal behavior.
Rustamyan responded on the matter when commenting on Azerbaijan’s recent ceasefire violations following the Geneva meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents where the presidents agreed to take additional measures to reduce tension at the line of contact.
“Experience has shown that during meetings, Azerbaijan demonstrates deceitful normal behavior, but following meetings it returns to its starting point,” said Rustamyan.
When one of the reporters claimed that “Armenia leaves a naïve impression by participating in meetings several days before the Azerbaijani president has accused Armenia of being unconstructive,” the ARF Bureau member said, “I can’t accept the approach where if one side is unable to negotiate, the other as well must act against the international community and adopt the same behavior. We should not avoid meetings. The meetings are necessary since the alternative is war.”
He added that currently, there are no negotiations for the settlement of the Karabakh conflict since all Artsakh does not play a role and has no participating in negotiations.
Rustamyan also explained that the conflict should be settled without any concessions from the Armenian side.
“It is very clear cut – we either negotiate or fight,” Rustamyan told reporters. “Azerbaijan tries to combine both, which is impossible. Our response should be very clear as well because we must work in both directions and be ready for both.”
Music: Serj Tankian: ‘Our treasures are not under the ground, they are here, on this stage’
Panorama, Armenia
Oct 20 2017
Culture 15:48 20/10/2017Armenia
“It is amazing that my symphony has been presented in Armenia by this amazing young people,” American-Armenian rock musician, composer Serj Tankian said following the Armenian premiere of his Orca Symphony No. 1 on Thursday, as part of the 5th Khachaturian International Festival.
“Frankly speaking, I am amazed, impressed and excited. I want to thank the State Youth Orchestra and Sergey Smbatyan. You did fantastic job. This is awesome. Thank you. Today I was thinking that our treasures are not under the ground. They are here, on this stage. We have such brilliant musicians. We must always encourage them,” the world famous rock singer said, according to the SYOA press service.
The Artistic Director and the Principal Conductor of the State Youth Orchestra of Armenia Sergey Smbatyan noted that it is an achievement that a world famous rock musician considers symphony genre important and composes symphony.
“Serj Tankian is a composer whose music should be presented often, and many people should communicate with his philosophy. And we are glad to present Tankian's art and ideology to people,” Sergey Smbatyan added.
The 5th Khachaturian International Festival is held under the high patronage of the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan. It is implemented thanks to the joint efforts of the State Youth Orchestra of Armenia (General Partner of the Orchestra – VivaCell-MTS), with the support of the Ministry of Culture, the “Khachaturian” Foundation and the European Foundation for Support of Culture.
Descendant of Armenian Genocide survivor awarded ‘genius grant’
PanArmenian, Armenia
Oct 20 2017
Descendant of Armenian Genocide survivor awarded 'genius grant'
John Hopkins University alumnus Greg Asbed, who is a descendant of an Armenian Genocide survivor, was awarded a MacArthur fellowship, or a “genius grant,” last week for his efforts to improve workplace conditions for farmworkers in Immokalee, Florida, The Johns Hopkins News-Letter said.
Every year, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation awards about two dozen $625,000 grants to individuals who have demonstrated “exceptional creativity” and “promise for important future advances.”
The MacArthur Foundation is a philanthropic organization that addresses global issues such as climate change, mass incarceration and threats to independent journalism. Recipients of the “genius grants” are anonymously nominated and selected by a committee, which has given 942 awards since 1981.
Asbed said that he is committed to improving human rights because of his family history as a first-generation Armenian American. His grandmother survived the Armenian Genocide after being sold to a Turkish family when she was 13.
“In our family, the idea of universal human rights has always been a central tenet, sort of our family’s 10 commandments,” he said.
Asbed co-founded the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW), a worker-based humans rights organization. Within CIW, he developed the Fair Food Program, a system that helps protect workers from human rights violations like workplace harassment, sexual assault and wage theft.
Asbed is currently developing the Worker-Driven Social Responsibility Network, which aims to spread systems like the Fair Food Program to underrepresented workers around the world to improve the livelihood of millions.
Asbed said that he feels lucky to be part of a community which shares his vision of universal human rights.
Russia provides new modern electric train to Armenia
ARKA, Armenia
Oct 18 2017
YEREVAN, October 18. /ARKA/. A new modern electric train has been delivered to Armenia from Russia, the press office of the Armenian transport, communication and information technology ministry reported on Wednesday.
Vahan Martirosyan, transport minister, visited the Yerevan Locomotive Depot on Tuesday to see the train.
The electric train with every comfort for passengers – there is also everything necessary for people with musculoskeletal problems. The train is equipped with an elevator for those moving on wheelchairs.
The train consists of two cars with 19 seats. It has air conditioners, fire protection and decontamination systems as well as emergency exits and information screens.
The new train is now being tested. It will be decided after the testing how many cars will be necessary for it in Armenia.
Locomotive drivers will be trained. The train is expected to be commissioned in early 2018. –0—
David Manoyan does not leave for Kazakhstan with the team
This morning, Armenian national football team with charter flight departed to Astana, Kazakhstan, to host the final match of the 2018 World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan. As reported by the press service of the Football Federation of Armenia, 23 football players left for Astana.
Goalkeepers: Grigor Meliksetyan, Arsen Beglaryan, Gor Manukyan.
Defenders: Taron Voskanyan, Varazdat Haroyan, Gael Andonyan, Hovhannes Hambardzumyan, Kamo Hovhannisyan, Gagik Daghbashyan, Artyom Mikaelyan, Robert Darbinyan.
Midfielders: Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Gor Malakyan, Edgar Malakyan, Marcos Pizzelli, Gegham Kadimyan, Edgar Manucharyan, Artak Yedigaryan, Artak Grigoryan, Artyom Simonyan.
Forwards: Tigran Barseghyan, Ruslan Koryan, Sargis Adamyan.
David Manoyan, Armenian national football team midfielder, is not going to participate in the meeting because of injury.
The Kazakhstan-Armenia qualifier is held on October 8, at 20:00 Yerevan time.
Violence lies ‘at the root of Turkey’s denial of Armenian Genocide’
PanArmenian, Armenia
Oct 5 2017
Violence lies 'at the root of Turkey's denial of Armenian Genocide'
Writer Dogan Akhanli has said in an interview with EUobserver that the Turkish regime had embraced violence as a means of rule.
He is currently stuck in Madrid after Spanish police arrested him while he was on holiday on the basis of a Turkish Interpol request.
Akhnali was born in Turkey but fled to Germany in 1991 after being persecuted for his views on the Armenian Genocide and on Turkey's repression of its Kurdish minority.
He said violence lay at the root of its denial of the Armenian Genocide in 1915 and of its killings of Kurdish separatists.
He also said the regime's nationalist ideology created a dangerous environment.
"Under the Erdogan government, the history of violence is not just a story. It is not passive. It is killing people before our very eyes," he said, referring to Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
He said Erdogan's mass arrests of people accused of sympathising with last year's failed coup, such as Ahmet Sik, another journalist, were part of the same pattern.
L’ambassadeur d’Arménie à Damas: Renforcement des relations syro-arméniennes aux niveaux officiel et populaire
La Nouvelle Gazette Française
1 oct 2017
Theater: Arthur Elbakyan establishes “American Theatre of Nations” theatre platform in Los Angeles
Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 23 2017
17:02, 23 Sep 2017
A new theatre platform “American Theatre of Nations” will be emerging this fall in Los Angeles. The creation of “American Theatre of Nations” pursues a very important purpose – to bring together theatre professionals from different nations who live and work in the theatre world in America according to the director of the project Arthur Elbakyan, the Broadway World reports.
The “American Theatre of Nations” will be born with Arthur Elbakyan’s “My Insane Shakespeare” performance on November 9th, 2017 at the historic Alex Theatre in Glendale, California.
The United States is a country where people from around the world live and create, and together they are all Americans. They all live, work, create, and serve one goal – to strengthen the land of dreams – the United States. And living in the United States, any representative of any nation never forgets their origin, their cultural foundation, and values, which have become a part of the wealth of the American society.
People from various nations, well-known and independent, award-winning and emerging directors, actors, authors, artists, and musicians can gather under one roof, the name of which is “American Theatre of Nations”, and share with each other their national theater’s history and modern day theatrical trends.
The world premiere of Arthur Elbakyan’s “My Insane Shakespeare” took place in 2014 at the world’s largest solo theatre festival, United Solo, in New York City. Sold out months in advance, “My Insane Shakespeare” was the festival’s bestseller and was performed three times. Elbakyan’s “My Insane Shakespeare” won the prestigious United Solo Audience award, created in partnership with Backstage Magazine. In 2016, “My Insane Shakespeare” also premiered in Montreal, Canada.
Arthur Elbakyan is a theatre, film, and television director, actor, writer, and producer. Having lived in Armenia, Russia, Europe, and the United States, Elbakyan has played over 30 leading theatre roles and has been the author and host of numerous television shows. Elbakyan was the founder of the Theatre Studio “13” and also co-founded the first independent television channel in Armenia, “AR”. Elbakyan’s passion for theatre was strong enough to bring theatre to television with his introduction of a series of television shows, “It’s Majesty Theatre”, on the National Television of Armenia, taking the audience to the unique world of the theatre and performing arts. Elbakyan has received Best Documentary Short Award at the Los Angeles Film and Script Festival. Elbakyan is an active member of the Dramatists Guild of America.
Azerbaijani Press: Lavrov’s plan: Yerevan ready to withdraw from occupied lands of Azerbaijan?
Trend, Azerbaijan
Sept 19 2017
Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 19
By Elmira Tariverdiyeva – Trend:
While addressing a panel session as part of the Armenia-Diaspora Forum in Yerevan, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian has not excluded the possibility of returning some territories around Nagorno-Karabakh region to Azerbaijan.
“The matter here rests in those territories that will not threaten the Nagorno-Karabakh region in terms of security," Nalbandian said, adding that he can not disclose any other details. "Otherwise, negotiations will fail."
This is an interesting statement as it seems that Yerevan has recognized the occupation of Azerbaijani territories for the first time.
Although Yerevan repeatedly hinted at the possibility of making such a compromise, this topic has been never openly discussed.
Apparently, the so-called Lavrov’s plan or the Kazan document, implying de-occupation of 5 of 7 districts around Nagorno-Karabakh region by Armenia, is slowly but surely coming into effect.
Following the escalation of violence on the line of contact in April 2016, Azerbaijan, Armenia and mediators realized that Baku's patience is not limitless and a lack of real actions to resolve the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will inevitably lead to war. Therefore, it is necessary to make a decision.
Perhaps, Yerevan has finally realized that it is necessary to move towards peace and this is the only chance to avoid a war which Armenia has obviously lost.
However, maybe this is a new original ploy to stall for time again, especially considering the UN General Assembly’s session, to be devoted to the aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan.