Author: nina hovnanian

SHUSHI HOSTS BARCAMP ARTSAKH IT CONFERENCE

news.am
Aug 12 2011
Armenia

STEPANAKERT. -Shushi, city in Nagorno-Karabakh, will host BarCamp on
September 2-5, which will be dedicated to the 20th anniversary of
Karabakh’s independence, Head of IT development center in Karabakh
Vladimir Grigoryan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“The participants will cover only travel expenses. The rest will
be covered by the company,” Grigoryan said, adding that over 60
participants will arrive from Armenia and other states.

The event agenda will include participation in events held on the 20th
anniversary of independence and various tours. Last year Karabakh’s
capital Stepanakert held the first BarCamp on August 10-13.

The philosophy of BarCamp is the following: all presentations are
given by participants themselves, with no formally invited guest
speakers and without the formality of traditional conference. The
first BarCamp conference was held in U.S. in 2005.

Canadian Foreign Minister to visit Armenia

news.am
Aug 12 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s Ambassador to Canada Armen Yeghayan met with
head of Bureau on European and Eurasian Affairs at Canadian MFA John
Carey on Friday. The officials discussed Canadian Foreign Minister’s
visit to Armenia in the near future.

The sides stressed the friendly relations between Armenia and Canada
and favorable conditions for bilateral cooperation. They attached
significance to development of cooperation, particularly in trade
and economic and cultural spheres, the press service of Armenian MFA
informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

In this context, the Armenian diplomat emphasized the expedience
of organizing Canadian Foreign Minister’s visit to Armenia in the
near future.

Yeganyan also thanked Carey for Canadian government’s decisive attitude
towards the recognition of Armenian Genocide.

CANADIAN FM TO VISIT ARMENIA

Panorama
Aug 12 2011
Armenia

Ambassador of Armenia to Canada, Armen Yeganyan met with General
Director of the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs of the Canadian
Foreign Ministry, John Kerr, MFA press office said.

During the meeting, the two sides reaffirmed the friendly ties between
the two countries and favorable grounds for cooperation. In this
context, the Ambassador stressed the expediency of Canadian Foreign
Minister’s forthcoming visit to Armenia.

Armen Yeganyan thanked Canada for its inflexible position on the
issue of the Armenian Genocide.

ZOLAKAR AND MARTUNI PUMPING STATIONS PLACED IN SERVICE

ARMENPRESS
AUGUST 12, 2011
YEREVAN

During a visit to Gegharkunik Marz RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
partook today in the opening of Martuni and Zolakar pumping stations.

The Millennium Challenge Account Armenia invested USD 6 million in the
construction of the pumping stations, which are situated in “Sevan”
national park and operate through the water of Sevan. Ara Hovsepyan,
CEO of MCA-Armenia, says the normal operation of the pumping stations
was not possible because of the lake level variations. For solving the
matter, a new 2nd level pumping station building was built in Zolakar,
and sink pumps were placed in the two pumping stations. In the result
of the implemented works 9000 water users in three communities of
Gegharkunik may make use of reliable irrigation.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said the US Government’s investments in
Armenia’s agriculture and irrigation systems make USD 177 million. US
Charge d’affairs to Armenia Bruce Donahue highly appraised the
implemented work and stated that the US Government is always happy
to support the Armenian people for improving the agriculture sphere
in Armenia by this promoting the poverty reduction. He expressed
satisfaction about the fact that the provided means were used
efficiently.

RIDDLE OF NATURE: ARMENIAN POPULATION GROWS DESPITE MIGRATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 12, 2011

PanARMENIAN.Net – Head of the Census and Demography Department of the
National Statistical Service of Armenia Karine Kuyumjyan said that
as of July 2011 the Armenian population stands at 3 266 400 people.

As she told a press conference on August 12, the index has grown
by 3800 compared to the beginning of the year and by 11800 people
against July 2010.

Within 6 months of the current year, 16238 people were registered and
17831 were taken off the books at Police Passport Department. Hence,
migration balance appears as unfavorable: 1593 people against 1546
in 2010.

The demographer noted, that within 6 months of the current year,
754371 people arrived and 821644 people left Armenia, the difference
amounting to 67273.

368753 citizens of Armenia left and 458098 arrived in the republic
during the first six months of 2011.

VAZGEN SAFARYAN: THE EARLY ELECTIONS WILL NOT RESOLVE THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC ISSUES

armradio.am
12.08.2011

For the Progressive United Communist Party of Armenia the special
elections are not an urgent topic, this was said by the Lieader of the
political force of this party Vazgen Safaryan while he had a meeting
today with journalists. He is sure, that today there is no need for
erly elections and the forces that require special elections today
are not able to change the economic policy, which, in its formulation,
does not result an economic development.

“Therefore, we believe that elections should be used, but must be
based on the ideology that forces the Parliament, which struggle to
change their ideologies to form the economic policy,” said the head
of the Progressive United Communist Party.

People today are interested in the socio-economic problems, but they
do not want to see early elections. According to the ruling coalition,
the Armenian National Congress of the dialog should be assessed. “What
concerns the Dialogue for the reformulation, we believe that this
dialogue can not be a serious process for the socio-economic issues
to be resolved, because there are pending issues from discussions of
social and economic problems.”

PRE-TAX PROFIT OF HSBC BANK ARMENIA FOR THE FIRST HALF YEARS WAS 3.5 BILLION DRAMS

/ARKA/
August 12, 2011
YEREVAN

HSBC Bank Armenia announced its financial results for the first half
of 2011. Pre-tax profit increased to AMD 3.5 billion, a 48% increase
compared to the same period of 2010.

Total assets of the bank as of December 31, 2010 increased by 7%,
amounting to 155 billion drams. Gross customer loans increased by 6%
to AMD 91 billion, with credit portfolio being AMD 69 billion.

Customer deposits increased by 4% to AMD 109 billion as of June
30, 2011.

In the reporting period HSBC Bank Armenia conducted a number of
important events and services, including implementation of transfers
and payments on foreign trade for legal entities in Chinese yuans,
15th Anniversary Celebrations of HSBC Bank Armenia and launch of
unallocated gold metal account services.

Together with 30 leading companies of Europe HSBC Bank Armenia
participated in a “Trade Connections” event in Shanghai.

HSBC allowed the Armenian companies to participate in the European
Business Awards. Three companies from Armenia (HSBC Bank Armenia
customers) have been recognized as winners and awarded with a “Ruban
d’Honneur” prize.

HSBC Bank Armenia cjsc is the member of the group of “HSBC Bank plc”
registered on September 25, 1995. The holding company “HSBC Europe
BV” possesses 70% of portfolio of shares of HSBC Bank Armenia and 30%
belongs to “Wings Establishment”.Since the end of January 2009, CJSC
“HSBC Bank Armenia” is the member of NASDAQ OMX Armenia. ($ – 368.52
drams).

RICCIARDONE CLAIMS PRE-1915 CHRISTIAN CHURCHES STILL OPERATING IN TURKEY

Tert.am
12.08.11

Ambassador Francis Ricciardone, US President Barack Obama’s “recess”
appointee to serve as US Ambassador to Turkey claims that “most of
the Christian churches functioning [on the territory of present-day
Turkey] prior to 1915 are still operating as churches.

Ricciardone made the patently incorred claim in a written response to
questions submitted to him by Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

“Ambassador Ricciardone’s demonstrably false assertion betrays a
callous disregard for Ottoman Turkey’s wholesale destruction of
Christian churches, and for the fate of the millions of Christian
faithful, who worshipped in their homeland within these holy sites
until their genocidal annihilation,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive
Director of the ANCA. “Whether his response is due to a truly
remarkable lack of awareness or, instead, to a willful distortion

of the facts of history to fit Ankara’s genocide denial narrative,
this nominee has clearly shown he’s unable to effectively advance U.S.

interests or American values as our nation’s representative in Ankara.”

The historical record shows that of the over 2000 Armenian Churches
that were functioning on the territory of present-day Turkey in 1915,
less than 50 operate today.

ARMENIAN FAMOUS DUDUK PLAYER DJIVAN GASPARYAN LEAVES STAGE HAPPY WITH HIS WORK

news.am
Aug 11, 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – World music legend, famous duduk player Djivan Gasparyan
is leaving the stage, he told journalists on Thursday.

“I plan to be engaged in something of another kind. I want to teach
children,” he said adding he will probably undertake social activities.

The musician does not rule out he will give concerts in the future
while saying that his age does not allow participating in big projects.

“I am happy with myself, I have really done much. When they say I
am a world legend – it’s not like I call myself. People call me so,
among them many prominent musicians, artists, composers, and those who
are versed in music. I’ve been playing duduk for 72 years. Sixty-five
out of them I spent on the stage,” he added.

A big concert will take place in Yerevan’s Opera House dedicated to
the anniversary of master’s work on stage.

“Yerevan never hosted such a concert, I assure you,” Gasparyan
emphasized saying only Armenian musicians, including his grandson,
Djivan Gasparyan Jr., will participate.

Similar concerts are planned in Gyumri and Spitak, the only difference
is that residents of these cities event will be able to enjoy the
concert free of charge.

“I want people affected by the earthquake, just to come and listen
to Djivan,” he concluded.

TENSION CONTINUES ON CONTACT LINE

Trend
Aug 11, 2011
Azerbaijan

The Armenian Armed Forces opened fire at the Azerbaijani troops
from positions in the nameless heights in the Khojavend region at
10.02-10.07 on Aug.10, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported.

Further, the Armenian Armed Forces opened fire at the Azerbaijani
troops from positions outside the Tapgaragoyunlu village in the
Goranboy region at 10.00-10.15, from positions outside the Sarijali
and Shuraabad villages in the Agdam region at 13.50-14.00 and
14.05-14.10, from positions in the nameless heights in the Dashkesan
region at 13.10-13.35, from positions outside the Horadiz and Ashagi
Abdulrahmanli villages in the Fuzuli region at 03.55-04.05 on Aug.11,
the ministry said.

The Azerbaijani troops answered their fire.