Author: Mamian George

EU EXPERT: ONE SHOULD NOT EXPECT CUSTOMS BODIES TO MONITOR THE MARKET FOR COPYRIGHT COUNTERFEITS

ArmInfo
2010-04-15 16:53:00

ArmInfo. The private sector should display initiative in the work
with customs bodies to reveal and prevent counterfeit products in
the market, said EU expert for customs control Chris Page at today’s
conference on raising awareness of copyright protection.

He thinks that the companies themselves should inform the customs
bodies of the forgery cases. The customs bodies’ goal is to ensure
implementation of the relevant laws and not to monitor the markets.

Page said one should not ask them, for instance, whether they have
seen Rolex counterfeits. One should specify what counterfeits they have
seen, in this case it will be easier for the customs officers to find
them, he said. For their part, the customs bodies should also exchange
information with the private sector, as well as with their colleagues
from other countries. Information exchange may be very useful in
revealing the routes of forgeries from one state to another, he added.

ARMENIA’S DEFENSE MINISTER MEETS CIS-STATES’ COUNTERPARTS

Aysor
April 15 2010
Armenia

Armenia’s Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian participated in the 58th
session of the CIS Ministerial Council, which took place on April 14
in Russia’s capital, a spokesperson for Armenian Defense Ministry said.

The session was aimed at discussing of a range of items related
to cooperation between the CIS states. Participants also discussed
program of the events to be timed to the 65th anniversary of the end
of the WWII.

Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian held bilateral meetings with
counterparts from Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine and is reported to
return back to Armenia on April 15.

HEAD OF ARMENIAN POLICE IS READY TO STIFLE ANY ATTEMPT OF REVOLUTION

ArmInfo
2010-04-14 14:51:00

ArmInfo. Head of the Armenian Police Alik Sargsyan rules out the
possibility of implementation of the "Kirghiz scenario" in Armenia.

When replying to the relevant question at today’s press conference,
Alik Sargsyan said that such a variant is simply impossible in Armenia
for two reasons: first, the police is ready to maintain the public
order, and second, there is no "such a mass" in the country. On the
whole, the head of the Armenian Police expressed an extremely negative
attitude to the revolutionary methods to change the power. "Actually,
it is anarchy behind democracy",- said Sargsyan and added that such
color revolutions are planned and carried out by the superpowers,
and the small countries suffer from them.

"The people of Armenia will not admit this",- said the head of
the Police with confidence. He promised to stifle any attempt of
destabilization of the situation and violation of the public order.

"The fight should be held at the political level, in a civilized way",-
he said.

To recall, on 1 March 2008 Armenia also witnessed tragic events that
followed the presidential election. The first day of spring was marked
by a confrontation of demonstrators and police troops. 10 people died
and hundreds of people were injured.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Tel: (212) 686-0710; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

April 14, 2010
________________________________________

HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II MEETS WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF FAR AT THE MOTHER SEE
OF HOLY ETCHMIADZIN

On Monday, April 12, His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and
Catholicos of All Armenians, received the Fund for Armenian Relief’s
executive director Garnik Nanagoulian and FAR’s Armenia country director
Bagrat Sargsyan at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

Mr. Nanagoulian and Mr. Sargsyan reported on FAR’s accomplishments over the
past year. "In spite of the challenging global economic and financial
realities, FAR was not only able to meet its commitments to address the
complex social issues that our brothers and sisters in Armenia, Karabagh and
Javakhk are facing, but it also registered notable progress in a number of
projects," Mr. Nanagoulian said.

His Holiness Karekin II also spoke about the success of the gala held last
January, which celebrated FAR’s 20 years of providing strength and
opportunity to the Armenian people, and honored one of the organization’s
founders, Dr. Edgar M. Housepian. His Holiness Karekin II presided over the
event in New York City, which drew more than 450 people.

Dr. Housepian’s efforts to improve medical care in Armenia have led to the
success of programs like the Continuing Medical Education Program (CME),
which enables physicians in Armenia’s rural regions to gain advanced
training and enhance their skills to better serve the Armenian people.

Also during the April 12 meeting, Mr. Nanagoulian and Mr. Sargsyan discussed
with His Holiness the major impact of FAR’s programs in the region,
including the Gyumri Information Technology Center (GTECH). GTECH is the
only educational institution that provides training in IT technology in that
particular region of Armenia. It is helping to transform Gyumri into a
center for this industry, and opening up more job opportunities for the
Armenian people.

FAR’s other achievements over the past year include the renovation of the
FAR Vanadzor Old Age Home, which has enhanced the supportive and caring
environment for the home’s 55 elderly residents. The project was sponsored
by the Karamanuk Foundation in the Lori Marz region. His Holiness Karekin II
presided over a ceremony at the Old Age Home to honor the institution’s
benefactors in 2009.

The Children’s Support Center Foundation (CSCF) continued its work of
providing outreach services to some of the nation’s most vulnerable youth.
And FAR’s many scholarship programs continue to enable hundreds of children
to obtain an education year after year.

His Holiness Karekin II congratulated FAR on its accomplishments and its
effort to alleviate the numerous social hardships that impact Armenians in
the motherland. "The spirit and the caring attitude of the Armenian
Apostolic Church towards the pious Armenian nation is expressed through
FAR’s charitable programs," His Holiness said.

He was especially pleased with FAR’s collaboration with the parishes of the
Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, as well as the church’s
dioceses in Armenia. His Holiness encouraged FAR to expand the collaboration
and to explore new opportunities for joint projects. His Holiness also
expressed his appreciation to FAR’s president, Archbishop Khajag Barsamian,
Primate of the Eastern Diocese, for helping foster such initiatives.

FAR is working actively to build on these relationships. Since its
establishment under the umbrella of the Eastern Diocese, the organization
has become one of the leading American NGO’s working in Armenia. FAR’s staff
members are now working to establish an effective framework that will
develop and maintain productive and mutually-beneficial partnerships between
FAR and the parishes in the Eastern Diocese.

One example is the partnership developed with the Eastern Diocese’s Women’s
Guild Central Council. FAR and the Women’s Guild work together to run the
Children of Armenia Sponsorship Program, which supports children and
families in Armenia.

In the future, FAR plans to start a dialogue with young people and to
organize annual pilgrimages to Armenia for parishioners across the Eastern
Diocese. FAR’s "Hayastani Kidak Society" already works closely with parishes
in the Diocese to help members of the diaspora connect with one another and
possibly take part in FAR’s annual Young Professional Trip. FAR has been
hosting events in conjunction with local parishes and their ACYOA Senior
members to introduce young people to the trip.

"I am very pleased to see the impact FAR is having here in the homeland.
Learning about all the work that has already been done and hearing about the
great plans of FAR, gives me a very optimistic sense of the future in
Armenia," said His Holiness Karekin II.

###

Photo attached: His Holiness Karekin II received the Fund for Armenian
Relief’s executive director Garnik Nanagoulian and FAR’s Armenia country
director Bagrat Sargsyan at the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin on April 12.

TURKISH PM WON’T BACK IRAN SANCTIONS
Tom Evans

CNN News
April 13 2010

Washington (CNN) – Turkey’s prime minister declined to support
President Barack Obama’s push for tough new sanctions against Iran but
said his country was willing to act as a mediator in the diplomatic
standoff over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey has had a strategic
alliance with Iran since the 17th century and wants a diplomatic
solution to end the deadlock. Erdogan spoke to CNN’s Christiane
Amanpour while in Washington to attend the Obama administration’s
summit on nuclear security, saying, "I believe that we can find a
way out."

"I am here for a diplomatic solution," he said. Countries that
are members of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the 1968
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) "must all work together on this, and as
(for) Turkey, we could act as a very important intermediary."

Turkey is a rotating member of the United Nations Security Council,
which has demanded that Iran halt its nuclear fuel program. Iran
has refused the demand and continued to produce enriched uranium,
which in high concentrations can be used to produce a nuclear bomb.

Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but the
United States has accused it of trying to develop a nuclear bomb.

The IAEA – the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency – reported in February that
Iran has begun enriching uranium to higher levels without necessary
safeguards, and the agency has said it has been unable to rule out
the existence of an Iranian nuclear weapons program without further
cooperation from Tehran.

While declining to endorse the idea of new sanctions against Tehran,
Erdogan also said Ankara does not want to see any nuclear weapons in
the Middle East. He noted that Israel, which does not recognize the NPT
and is believed to have nuclear weapons, remains a member of the IAEA.

"Why do we not say the same thing to the country that does not
recognize the NPT? That is also a cause for concern for me," Erdogan
said. "It is important that we try to take steps to overcome those
difficulties, so that we can strengthen peace in the Middle East."

Erdogan said he wants Israel to make a contribution to peace. But
he said that was proving difficult because when Israel’s coalition
government speaks, "it’s not a symphony, it’s a cacophony."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week suddenly called
off plans to attend the summit, apparently in an attempt to avoid any
scrutiny of his country’s nuclear policy. Though independent analysts
estimate Israel has a stockpile of up to 200 nuclear warheads, Israel
has never confirmed or denied whether it has the bomb.

For his part, Erdogan is trying to avoid the scrutiny of U.S.
lawmakers who recently supported a resolution in the House of
Representatives that branded the World War I-era killings of
Armenians by Turkey as genocide. After the resolution was passed,
Turkey temporarily withdrew its ambassador from Washington.

Armenians say up to 1.5 million people were killed in organized
killings and deportations under the Ottoman Empire between 1915
and 1917. Erdogan said Turkey cannot accept that the killings were
genocide, and he was confident Obama will not use the term either.

"That would be my expectation, because to this day, no American leader
has uttered that word, and I believe that President Obama will not,"
he said.

Erdogan said the time when the killings took place was a period of
war and revolts, and pointed out that the Turkish people also suffered
terrible losses during the 1914-18 conflict.

"No nation, no people has the right to impose the way it remembers
history to another nation or people – and Turkey does not try to do
that," he added.

Erdogan was due to meet Obama on the sidelines of the nuclear summit
on Tuesday.

US UNDERSECRETARY PHILIP GORDON MEETS WITH SARGSYAN AND ERDOGAN

Tert.am
12.04.10

Armenia’s President President Serzh Sargsyan and Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan are holding a meeting with US Undersecretary of
State Philip Gordon at the moment.

Tert.am’s correspondent in Washington says it is not known yet whether
or not a statement will be made after the meething.

Earlier a meeting took place between Serzh Sargsyan and Recep Tayyip
Erdogan in the framework of the World Nuclear Security Summit.

Earlier there were reports that the main issue on the agenda would be
the Armenia-Turkey normalization and the ratification of Armenia-Turkey
Protocols.

Besides Serzh Sargsyan Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan,
President’s Deputy Chief of Staff Vigen Sargsyan were participating
in the meeting.

>From the Turkish side together with Erdogan Turkish Foreign
Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Turkey’s Deputy Undersecretary Feridun
Sinirlioglu participated in the meeting that took place in a room
behind transparent windows in the background of the World Nuclear
Security Summit wallpaper.

Serzh Sargsyan is expected to lay a wreath on former US President
Woodrow Wilson’s tomb in the Washington National Cathedral.

KIM KARDASHIAN DEFENDS HER ACTIONS

Examiner.com
792-Kardashian-Examiner~y2010m4d12-Kim-Kardashian- defends-her-actions
April 12 2010

Kim Kardashian has built a successful career out of her fame and
celebrity endorsements. It is safe to say that Kim relies heavily
on the support and loyalty of her fans to remain relevant in this
volatile reality industry. In a recent preemptive move, the reality
star defended her future actions to save face with fans and critics.

Kourtney Kardashian is preparing to turn 31 later this month. In
honor of her big day, sisters Kim and Khloe have planned a trip to
Vegas together. The three sisters will be partying at Wet Republic
as Kourtney gets the star treatment at her party.

With an April 24 date set for the big bash, Kim felt compelled to
bring attention to a more somber occasion. This date also marks the
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. In reverence to this important
day, Kim defended her future actions. "I don’t want anyone to think
we are being disrespectful at all, because our Armenian heritage
is very important to us and our father always taught us to respect
our history and embrace our culture. On the anniversary we will be
celebrating life, family and the future and honoring our past and
all of those that died during that terrible time in history."

Kim recently gave an interview to Armenian Pulse in which she proudly
described her Armenian heritage. The reality star talked about her
growing Armenian fan base. "I am so proud to be Armenian and so happy
that I can identify with my Armenian fans!"

RESEARCH FROM ARMENIAN NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCE YIELDS NEW FINDINGS ON PHYSICS

News of Science
April 11, 2010

"We propose a method that enables efficient conversion of the quantum
information frequency between different regions of a spectrum of light
based on recently demonstrated strong parametric coupling between
two narrow-band single-photon pulses propagating in a slow-light
atomic medium [N. Sisakyan and Yu. Malakyan, Phys. Rev," scientists
in Yerevan, Armenia report.

"A, 75, 063831 (2007)]. We show that an input qubit at telecom
wavelength is transformed into another at a visible domain in
a lossless and shape-conserving manner while keeping the initial
quantum coherence and entanglement," wrote A. Gogyan and colleagues,
Armenian National Academy of Science.

The researchers concluded: "These transformations can be realized
with a quantum efficiency close to its maximum value."

Gogyan and colleagues published their study in Physical Review a
(Qubit transfer between photons at telecom and visible wavelengths
in a slow-light atomic medium. Physical Review a, 2010;81(2):4304).

For more information, contact A. Gogyan, Armenian Natl Academy Sci,
Inst Physics Res, Ashtarak 2, Yerevan 0203, Armenia.

Publisher contact information for the journal Physical Review a
is: American Physical Society, One Physics Ellipse, College Pk,
MD 20740-3844, USA.

ARMENIAN MINISTRY OF DEFENSE REFUTES AZERI MISINFORMATION

armradio.am
12.04.2010 14:55

Some Azerbaijani media outlets consistently disseminate fallacious
information, alleging that division of the Armenian Armed
Forces violate the cease-fire regime in different parts of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani border the fire upon the Azerbaijani posts.

The Azerbaijani media gave birth to the recurrent mendacious
information on 12 April, 2010. The misinformation sometimes even
gets hilarious.

The Armenian Minister of Defense once again announces that the Armed
Forces strictly follow the armistice rules and take appropriate
measures only in cases of infringements from the enemy’s side.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defense calls on Azerbaijani media outlets
to avoid disseminating misinformation and not to create artificial
tension at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

Gas: the most available energy resource in Armenia?
The situation is controversial: despite obvious dissatisfaction with
raise in gas tariffs, number of gas consumers in Armenia keeps
growing.

Concurrently to an increase in gas tariffs on April 1, 2010, prices at
gas stations also went up, reaching AMD 200 per 1 kg instead of the
previously established AMD 180. As a PanARMENIAN.Net correspondent was
told at the transport department of Yerevan Mayor’s Office and at the
RA Ministry of Transport and Communication, transport workers have not
requested price increase so far.

April 10, 2010 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

Gas prices in Armenia went up from AMD 96 to 132 per cu m. Enterprises
consuming over 10 000 cubic meters monthly pay $243.13 per 1000 cu m.
The Public Services Regulatory Commission explained the 37% rise in
prices for population and 13% for enterprises by a 17% up for Russian
gas, AMD/USD reference exchange rate, 20% reduction in natural gas
consumption and necessity to compensate ArmRosgazprom’s investments.

Despite the rise in prices, gas remains the most available energy
resource in Armenia, a spokesperson for ArmRosgazprom, Shushan
Sardaryan said.

`The company repeatedly expressed concerns over the socio-economic
situation caused by the rise in prices. But gas can’t be sold below
cost,’ the spokeswoman stated.

`Raise in pensions and benefits in connection with the increase in gas
rates is a small positive step, which, however cannot be a radical
solution to inflationary pressures,’ Artsvik Minasyan , Deputy
Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Financial, Credit and
Budgetary Affairs, ARF Dashnaktsutyun member told a news conference on
March 5.

"Inflation has "eaten up" all these increases in pensions and
benefits. The government’s steps towards overcoming the crisis are
very cautious and superficial," he stressed.

RA Deputy Finance Minister Vardan Aramyan disagreed, noting that the
expected increase in benefits from May 1 to AMD 3.5 thousand will not
only compensate the rise in gas prices, but also cover increasing
prices for other products in inflation circumstances.

"In the minimum consumer basket of AMD 28.8 thousand, the share of
utility expenses is AMD 2.6 thousand, including AMD 500 for natural
gas, increased to AMD 700 after the 37.5 per cent raise in gas
tariffs," RA Deputy Minister of Finance explained.

According to recent official data, the number of gas consumers has
increased by 10 000, totaling 600 000 regardless of the scheduled
April 1, 2010 tariff increase. The situation is controversial: despite
obvious dissatisfaction with raise in gas tariffs, number of gas
consumers in Armenia keeps growing.

Victoria Araratyan / PanARMENIAN News