Author: Kharatian Ani

ARMENIAN REVOLUTIONARY FEDERATION PROMISES CHANGE IN GOVERNING LEADERSHIP IF PROTOCOLS RATIFIED

Tert
Nov 24 2009
Armenia

"If the National Assembly ratifies the Armenian-Turkish Protocols as
they are now, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation [Dashnaktsutyun, or
ARF-D] will fight for a change in the country’s governing leadership,"
member of ARF-D Bureau, Leader of ARF-D parliamentary faction Vahan
Hovhannisyan stated at a press conference today.

Hovhannisyan also said that even if the National Assembly ratifies
the Armenian-Turkish Protocols with reservations, it’s all the same,
their party will not join them since it doesn’t think that those
reservations will be in line with the changes ARF-D proposed earlier.

However, Hovhannisyan didn’t exclude the possibility of discussing
proposals for serious changes.

As for ARF-D’s protest demonstration against the Protocols,
Hovhannisyan stated that "holding a rally" is not an end in and of
itself and, at this time, they chose the method of their struggle
which is most suitable for the present situation.

Accordingly, ARF-D is carrying out its "home to home" action, working
with members of parliament in joint communities, and realizing its
protest against the Protocols.

THE JOY AND APPRECIATION REFLECTED ON THE FACES OF OUR PEOPLE ARE SUFFICIENT "MOVING FORCE"
Appo Jabarian

Executive Publisher / Managing Editor
USA Armenian Life Magazine

On November 26 Thanksgiving Day, Armenia Fund will host a worldwide
international telethon to reach Armenian and non-Armenian audiences
across the globe through cable, satellite, and internet networks.

This 12th annual telethon is the continuation of a tradition that is
fueled by the unrelenting support and solidarity by Armenia-Artsakh’s
friends everywhere!

Recently, Appo Jabarian, Executive Publisher and Managing Editor of
USA Armenian Life Magazine, held an interview with Ara Aghishian,
the Armenian Fund’s Western Region affiliate’s President.

Mr. Aghishian was unanimously elected by the Corporate Board of
Armenia Fund to the post of Chairman/ President on Thursday, March 26,
2009. He has been Vice President of the Fund since 2001.

Below is the text of the interview:

USA Armenian Life Magazine: Recently several major Armenian-American
organizations in the Western U.S. have made a joint appeal to their
members to be in solidarity with the upcoming Armenia Fund Telethon
’09. How do evaluate that action?

Ara Aghishian/Armenia Fund:The Joint Appeal signed by the major
Armenian organizations is a reflection on how united and unified we
can be when it comes to helping our brothers and sisters in Armenia
and Artsakh. I view it as a sharing of unity among all sectors of the
Armenian Community in the Diaspora, to show to the world, once again,
that we are United and we stand behind our people in the Homeland.

USA Armenian Life: Why is Shushi the main objective for Armenia Fund’s
’09 Telethon?

Ara Aghishian: Historically, Shushi was a key City playing important
civic, cultural, economic, and social role in Artsakh. Today, the
Board of Trustees of "Hayastan" All Armenian Fund decided that it
is time to start the rehabilitation and re-structuring/re-building
this important city, by providing drinking water systems, re-building
hospitals, schools and other infrastructure necessities.

USA Armenian Life: Does Shushi Project serve certain long-term economic
plans for Armenia-Artsakh?

Ara Aghishian: Shushi project is a long term project, but we have to
start somewhere. By making Shushi the theme of Telethon "09, we are
embarking upon a project which, in time, will create significant job
opportunities and will enhance the lives of the people, which will
have tremendous positive economic impact overall.

USA Armenian Life: What’s the fundraising target for Armenia Fund’s
’09 Telethon?

Ara Aghishian: There are no "dollar figure" targets for any
Telethons, past, present or future. We are hopeful that Armenians
and non-Armenians will join forces and come together on Thanksgiving
Day and actively participate by donating whatever they can to this
year’s Telethon.

I will not accept the "economic crisis" as an excuse to turn our back
to the people of Armenia and Artsakh. I think if we have continued our
life styles, continued our travels and extracurricular activities,
during these "tough economic times", we can certainly donate to
Armenian Fund during the Telethon of 2009.

USA Armenian Life: It was learned that there has been a pledge
from Samvel Karapetyan of Yerevan. Can you please elaborate on that
impressive donation, and for what purpose/project(s) the proceeds
are going to be devoted?

Ara Aghishian: Mr. Samvel Karapetyan has made significant donations
to Armenia and Artsakh, and he did this year also during the Gala
recently held in Moscow. The amount of his donation and its purpose
will be revealed during the Telethon.

USA Armenian Life: What percent of last year’s Western U.S. pledges
were collected?

Ara Aghishian: As far as the Western U.S. pledges are concerned,
I can comfortably say that more than 90% of last years’ pledges have
been collected.

USA Armenian Life: How would you respond to those who question the
verifiability of the accounting of the Armenia Fund?

Ara Aghishian: I welcome those questioning the accounting to either go
"on line" and access the official filings/Tax Returns of Armenian Fund,
also review the Annual Financial Report which is also available,
and the audited report of Grant Thornton is also available as it
relates to the international accounting of Armenia Fund.

USA Armenian Life: To what extent was last year’s Telethon proceeds
have impacted the quality of life in Armenia’s rural areas and
villages?

Ara Aghishian: When I was in Armenia in May of 2009, this year,
we visited the projects implemented and completed by Armenia Fund,
as well as the projects that are still in progress. The conversations
we had with the people who now have drinking water, gas, new schools,
hospitals, clinics, were very touching as to how their day-to-day
lives have improved tremendously through the projects done by Armenia
Fund. The joy and appreciation reflected on their faces are sufficient
"moving force" to encourage us to continue this most valuable endeavor,
to improve the lives of our people in Armenia and Artsakh.

Aysor, Armenia
Nov 21 2009

Comrade-in-arms pay tribute to Leonid Azgaldyan

Today comrade-in-arms of Hero of Karabakh war, 1st degree Battle Cross
Medal awarded Leonid Azgaldyan, met with journalists on Leonid’s 67th
birth anniversary.

`Leonid was very talented. Still at soviet times he greatly
contributed to science,’ told Gagik Ginosyan, Karin Ensemble’s
director. As a physicist Leonid Azgaldyan alongside with his friends
Alexander Tamanyan and Karen Grigoryan worked up on weapons at early
wartime.

`Leonid was one of the first personalities who paid attention to
strategy of close-based military defense,’ told Colonel Hamik
Sayadyan. Being not professional educated man of arms Leonid was as
good in military as military specialists are.

Leonid Azgaldyan was a good tutor; he trained combat-ready soldiers
who were named `Leonid’s guys’.

Once on meeting with foreign journalist, when asked what `political
color’ Leonid belongs to, he scooped up a soil and said: `I am
soil-colored’.

Karabakh war hero Leonid Azgaldyan died on June 21 1992. Through his
comrade-in-arms’ efforts a bust in memory of Leonid Azgaldyan is set
up at Mashtots-Khorenatsi crossway in Armenian capital city of
Yerevan.

Aysor, Armenia
Nov 21 2009

`Yesterdays was decision based on the law’

`I don’t have illusions that the system of Justice of Armenia became
democratic at once’, – said Suren Surenyants the member of the
political board of the Republic Party referring to the decision taken
by Administrative Court.

Surenyants mentioned that in the last 10 years at least 2 times he has
get in touch with the judicial system and is sure that there is no
more corrupted and spoiled institution in Armenia than the judicial
system.

`Yesterday’s decision is based on the law. But here I can see several
contexts. Either the acting power has decided to show a political will
or to create a new scenario as if Pashinyan’s participation will cause
obstacles in other places’,- said Surenyants.

He also mentioned that he doesn’t have illusions and will believe in
positive changes of the authorities only in case of having honest
elections with equal rights.

SHAVARSH KOCHARYAN: AZERBAIJAN USES THE TALKS AS A COVER FOR ITS PROPAGANDA

armradio.am
20.11.2009 12:02

Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov has made statements
about the Azerbaijani view of the process of settlement and the
resolution of the Karabakh conflict. Asked to comment on the
statements, Armenian Deputy Foraging Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan said:

"It has already become usual for the Azerbaijani side to make
statements preceding the presidential meetings with a view of hindering
the progress that could be expected from those meetings.

According to Mr. Azimov’s comprehension of international law, the
perpetration of ethnic cleansing against a self-determined people,
the organization of terrorist acts with involvement of militants,
the launching of a large-scale aggression against Nagorno Karabakh
that resulted in a thousands of human and material losses, and the
unsuccessful attempts to lay the burden on Armenia correspond standards
of international law.

Unless Azerbaijan refuses from its militant statements, the propagation
of ethnic hatred, and the non-constructive statements severely
violating the international law, unless they realize that according
to the norms and provisions of international law, it’s he people of
Artsakh that should determine the status of Nagorno Karabakh, it’s
obvious that they are using the negotiations as a cover for their
groundless propaganda."

IRANIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS CRITICIZE RUSSIA’S DECISION TO POSTPONE BUSHEHR NUCLEAR STATION’S LAUNCH

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
20.11.2009 18:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Iranian Energy Commission will study Russian
activities at the Bushehr Nuclear Station due to delays in the plant’s
launch, the Mehr news agency reported today.

"We expect serous results at the Iranian nuclear station by the end
of year, but the launch will not take place," Russian Foreign Minister
Sergey Shmatko told journalists earlier in Moscow.

The station’s launch at full capacity has been temporarily postponed.

Russian and Iranian experts started trials at the station in February.

Officials from both countries said the station will be put into
exploitation in 2009. Bushehr will operate on Russian enriched uranium
as opposed to fuel produced in Iran.

Iranian parliamentary representatives criticized Russia’s decision
to postpone the plant’s launch, saying they will study the activities
of Russian experts at the Bushehr Nuclear Station.

The Iranian-Russian contract for the construction of the Bushehr
Nuclear Station was signed in 1995 in Tehran. The contract’s total
value is $1 billion. The construction was initially to finish by Jan.

8, 1999. Ten years have passed, but the station is still not ready
to open. The Russian AtomStroyExport company is building the plant,
Trend News reported.

LONDON LAB OFFICIALLY CONFIRMS "SWINE FLU" INCIDENCES IN ARMENIA

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
20.11.2009 21:08 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "The tests samples of 5 Armenian patients suspected
on A/H1N1 proved virus positive. London lab has confirmed incidences
of swine flu in Armenia," Health Minister Shushan Hunanyan told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

At that she noted that 6 A/H1N1-infected patients are now
hospitalized. "There are currently 22 individuals infected with ‘swine
flu’," she said.

Armenia continues implementation of relevant preventive measures.

Besides, there is sufficient quantity of Tamiflu, so there’s no need
to worry, Health Ministry reports.

RF MFA NOT AUTHORIZED TO COMMENT ON SARGSYAN-ALIYEV MEETING

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
18.11.2009 11:17 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not
authorized to comment on the impending meeting between the Armenian
and Azerbaijani Presidents, RF MFA spokesman said.

"As to Russia’s mediation for resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict we do all in our power to help sides reach an agreement for
the sake of people living in Karabakh," Andrey Nesterenko said.

Touching upon the Armenian-Turkish reconciliation, he said that
it’s a process between two countries which experienced hard times
in their history. "As far as we know, Karabakh issue was discussed
during Armenia-Turkey talks. We are hopeful that all problems will
be resolved in compliance with international norms," Nesterenko said,
RF MFA press office reported.

LEVON ARONIAN DEFEATED VUGAR GASHIMOV

news.am
Nov 18 2009
Armenia

Armenian Grandmaster Levon Aronian won Vugar Gashimov (Azerbaijan)
in the second round of World Blitz Chess Championship 2009 in
Moscow. Aronian had defeated another Azerbaijani chess player
Shakhriyar Mamedyarov in the first round of the tournament.

Aronian has scored 14.5 points and ranks 8th in the standings. Magnus
Carlsen (21 points), Viswanathan Anand (20) and Sergey Karjakin (18.5)
share 1-3 places.

Prize fund of the tournament is U.S. $ 25.000.

ARF FORECASTS 50% POVERTY LEVEL IN ARMENIA

news.am
Nov 18 2009
Armenia

With due implementation of the anti-crisis program, the poverty
index would not be so high, Artsvik Minasyan, member of the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (ARF) faction, told NEWS.am, referring to
the WB report on poverty level in Armenia. According to Minasyan, the
poverty level is Armenia is much higher than the 28.4% indicted in the
report. "The number of poor people is much higher. If we consider the
minimum social security budget, the poverty level will reach 50%,"
Minasyan said. According to him, even the WB’s report confirms that
the Government should revise its anti-crisis program.

The WB report indicates a sharp increase in the number of people
living in abject poverty in Armenia – 6.9% this year against 3.6% last
year. Minasyan said that social tension will soon be palpable. "Social
tension will grow, and more homeless people and beggars will appear
in the streets," Minasyan said. He pointed out the need for increasing
social payments.

Among "the poor" are also the migrants that failed to find jobs,
as well as small businessmen, who came under administrative pressure
and went bankrupt. The risk group also includes employees, whose wages
are insufficient for their families. "I think that most of the 100,000
citizens below the poverty line are women, as their employment problem
has not been resolved," Minasyan said.

According to him, the Armenian Government announced a "defective"
anti-crisis program, but failed to properly implement even such a
program. The Government failed to ensure macroeconomic stability. As
regards the industry, the Government supported individuals, rather
than industrial sectors. The Government failed to implement a consumer
promotion policy.

The WB report on poverty level in Armenia indicates that the poverty
level reached 28.4% in the country in the 2nd quarter of 2009 against
23.5% last year. The percentage of people living in abject poverty
reached 6.9% this year against 3.6% per 107,000 last year.