Author: Jilavian Emma

U.S. SPORT ENVOYS VISIT ARMENIA

Aysor
March 3 2010
Armenia

Armenia’s National Gallery Film Bureau is organizing a meeting with
Amber Stackhouse and Erin Comstock, the U.S. Sport Envoys. Chief of
the Film Bureau of Armenia’s National Gallery Melik Karapetian told
Aysor’s correspondent that the meeting will take place on Wednesday
March 3 at 3.30 p.m. and in addition will include a master class.

Amber Stackhouse and Erin Comstock serve as Sport Envoys and are
paying a visit to Armenia within the framework of U.S. Department of
State’s Sport Envoys Program.

The six-day sport ambassadors’ visit will include trip to Tsaghkadzor,
meeting with middle school students, university film students,
and female athletes. Ladies will conduct two snowboard clinics,
give a snowboarding exhibition and judge a snowboard cross event
in Tsaghkadzor.

Outside of snowboarding, Amber Stackhouse, who is a film producer,
will present several films, including "Labor of Love", "Refreshments"
and "As If" and "Ro Sham Bo."

ARMENIA DOES NOT TAKE PART IN RESTORATION OF BRIDGE THROUGH ARPA RIVER ALONG BORDER WITH TURKEY

ArmInfo
2010-03-03 10:48:00

ArmInfo. Armenia does not take part in restoration of the bridge
through Arpa river flowing along the border with Turkey, as Hurriyet
Daily News recently wrote, Head of the Armenian Transport and
Communication Ministry’s press service Susanna Tonoyan told ArmInfo
when commenting on this news.

"We do not take part in this work and are unaware of whether such
is conducted. Restoration of this bridge is not yet mentioned in our
porgrammes", she said. According to the Turkish daily, this initiative
belongs to the Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV)
and it is allegedly supported by the Turkish and Armenian presidents.

AZERBAIJAN’S DEFENCE MINISTRY PRESS SERVICE MISREPRESENTS FACTS

Noyan Tapan
March 3, 2010

YEREVAN, MARCH 3, NOYAN TAPAN. A regular case of violation of the
cease-fire regime by Azerbaijan was fixed on the border of Armenia’s
Tavush region on March 1, in consequence of which RA armed forces
contract serviceman, junior sergeant Sargis Voskanian died. A number of
Azeri media referring to the Azeri Defence Ministry Press Service on
March 2 released information that allegedly the Armenian serviceman
was killed as a result of exchange of fire on Armenian positions,
there are injured and arrested.

In this connection the RA Defence Ministry declares that junior
sergeant S. Voskanian was killed from a bullet fired from Azerbaijan’s
side.

AZERBAIJAN DRUMS FORCE FACTOR, IMPEDES TO KARABAKH SETTLEMENT, FM SAYS

Panorama.am
16:12 02/03/2010

Armenian FM Edward Nalbandian referred at a press conference today to
Azerbaijan’s Aliyev’s statement over the force factor to be decisive
in the international practice of regulating conflicts.

"It’s the implementation of force factor by Azerbaijan that brought
about Karabakh conflict. It’s the drumming of force factor that
today impedes to Karabakh settlement. I don’t know how they reach
such conclusions in Azerbaijan or where they teach or learn such
things from. I am sure nothing of the kind is taught at Moscow State
Institute of International Relations," FM said.

EU TO TALK TO ARMENIA AND TURKEY ABOUT PROCESS OF NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS

ArmInfo
2010-03-02 13:16:00

ArmInfo. The European Union supports Armenia and Turkey for them to
remain wedded to the process of normalization, Foreign Minister of
Spain Miguel Angel Moratinos said at a joint press-conference with
Armenian FM in Yerevan.

According to Moratinos, they call on the both countries to ratify
and fulfill the bilateral Protocols without preconditions and
within a reasonable time. He expressed gratitude to the Armenian
president’s decision to submit the Protocols to the parliament and the
statements by the Turkish president to remain wedded to the process of
normalization. As Moratinos said, EU is going to talk to both countries
and support them in order to create the best atmosphere, since this
is a historical breakthrough. EU representative was present at the
protocol signing ceremony in Zurich, and he wants to be involved in
this process. Moratinos also said that signing of Protocols is a good
news over many years, and if it happened, it is necessary to continue
this process. He added that this is the message EU wanted to send us.

OPPORTUNITIES OF CONVENING FIRST SITTING OF ARMENIA-UAE INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMISSION DISCUSSED

Noyan Tapan
March 1, 2010

ABU DHABI, MARCH 1, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian Ambassador to the United
Arab Emirates Vahagn Melikian on March 1 met with the UAE’s Minister of
Foreign Trade Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi and the Executive Director of the
Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) Muhammad Al Suwaidi in order to
hand them the invitations and letters of thanks of the Armenian Deputy
Prime Minister, Minister of Territorial Administration Armen Gevorgian.

The latest developments in bilateral trade and economic relations,
the opportunities of convening the first sitting of Armenia-UAE
Intergovernmental Commission, and other issues related to bilateral
economic relations were discussed during the meeting with Sheikha
Lubna Al Qasimi.

The necessity to promote cooperation with ADFD was underlined at
the meeting with Muhammad Al Suwaidi. The sides attached special
importance to the implementation of joint programs with the private
sector and the participation in direct investment projects.

Nothing stops Turkey from opening border, says Armenian president

26.02.2010 12:56

Yerevan (Yerkir) – President Serzh Sargsyan did not have a meeting
with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Kiev, the
presidential press service has said.

Both the Armenian President and Turkish FM attended the inauguration
ceremony of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych in Kiev. At the
reception, the Ahmet Davutoglu approached the Armenian President and
exchanged views with him.

Sargsyan stressed that progress requires political will, and Armenia
believes that Armenia-Turkey relations’ normalization has to follow
to its logical end within the shortest period of time. Otherwise,
Armenia will withdraw its signature from the Protocols. The Armenian
President restated that involvement of Turkey in Nagorno-Karabakh
peace process is impossible, as it rendering unilateral military
assistance to one of the conflicting parties – Azerbaijan, making
regular biased statements on the settlement process.

`A country dreaming of a region without borders must be the first to
make moves and end the blockade of Armenia, which will enable opening
of communication in the region. If Azerbaijan’s pressure prevents
Turkish Parliament from ratifying the Protocols, nothing prevents the
Turkish Executive – even before the ratification – from reopening the
mutual border closed by itself,’ the Armenian leader said.

AZERBAIJAN WARNS OF ‘GREAT WAR’

Moscow Times
Feb 26 2010
Russia

BAKU, Azerbaijan — Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry warned on Thursday
that the risk of conflict over the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh
was rising and that a "great war" in the South Caucasus was inevitable
if Armenian forces did not withdraw.

"Diplomats could not achieve concrete results for 15 years, and
Azerbaijan cannot wait another 15 years," an Azeri Defense Ministry
statement cited Minister Safar Abiyev as telling France’s ambassador
in Baku, Gabriel Keller.

"Now it is up to the military, and this danger is gradually
approaching. If the Armenian occupier does not liberate our lands,
the start of a great war in the South Caucasus is inevitable," it said.

A NUMBER OF PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS DEMANDS TO REVEAL AND PUNISH THE PERSON WHO ATTACKED PHOTOREPORTER GAGIK SHAMSHYAN

ArmInfo
2010-02-25 10:22:00

ArmInfo. A number of public organizations disseminated a statement
today demanding to reveal and punish the person who attacked a
photoreporter of Aravot and Chorrord Ishkhanutyun newspapers Gagik
Shamshyan on February 24.

To note, Shamshyan was attacked and beaten by an unknown person in
front of the building of the Prosecutor General’s Office. According
to the eyewitnesses, Shamshyan took photos of high-ranking officials
of Armenia’s law machinery who attended the session of the Collegium
of Armenian Prosecutor General’s Office.

In view of the fact that the attacker entered the Prosecutor General’s
Office building just after the incident, he may be directed connected
with the law machinery. "If the guilty person is not revealed and
punished this time, there will be all the grounds to suppose that the
law machinery just avoids disclosing such crimes", the statement says.

THE NEW METHOD OF MARZ GOVERNOR WORK EVALUATION TO BE IMPROVED

Gov.am
Feb 25 2010
Armenia

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan called a consultative meeting to
review marz governors’ performance for 2009. In attendance were
members of government and marz governors. Emphasizing the importance
of the meeting, Tigran Sargsyan said in particular: "This the first
time we have been evaluating marz governors’ performance with the
government-approved new methodology of complex assessment. I suggest
that we should go through all the indicators and hear the comments
of marz governors concerning first of all those performances below
the nationwide average. Let us understand the reasons behind the
recorded shortfalls."

The ministers and marz governors concerned commented on the low grades
received for poor performance in respective areas.

Tavush marz proved to have scored the highest grades. Tigran Sargsyan
pointed out the gap between individual performances. The head of
government stressed that the marz governors concerned should understand
their failures so as to prevent them from recurring in 2010.

Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Territorial Administration Armen
Gevorgyan reported that notwithstanding the established benchmarks,
it was difficult to assess the activities of marz governors in a number
of areas. Therefore, the present methodology needs some improving. The
Vice-Prime Minister noted that at this point the ministers and marz
governors have a common understanding of the problem.

In conclusion, the Prime Minister emphasized: "It seems to be obvious
that the current methodology needs upgrading. We will have to finalize
the set of standards over the next 3 months so as to have them defined
from the very outset. Based on this first attempt, the ministers
will have to come up with proposals and recommendations to ensure
that the new methodology is more accurate and comprehensible."