Author: nina hovnanian

What Interests Iran in Armenia

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 13:57:32 – 14/05/2011

The special envoy of Iran’s president visited Yerevan. Mohammad Reza
Rauf Sheibani met with the leaders of the country and the ex-president
Robert Kocharyan, which was expected.

Earlier the Iranian government had invited Kocharyan to Tehran where
he met with the president of Iran.

Today the embassy of Iran released a statement which actually explains
the purpose of the visit of the special envoy, `since the Islamic
Republic of Iran is the only country bordering on the conflict area,
it is concerned by any effort to cause tensions in this region and
will not allow these provocations to lead to the presence of foreign
forces in the region.’

The border with Karabakh which runs 170 km from Meghri to Horadiz is a
vital issue of national security for Iran. This border is currently
controlled by the Armenian force. The status quo and the presence of
the Armenian force only on its border is favorable for Iran.

Iran has reason to worry. The home political developments in Armenia
may lead to a lasting division of power between the Armenian National
Congress and the ruling majority. These two poles have the same
approach to the settlement of Karabakh, both support a compromise,
that is the return of four territories bordering with Iran to
Azerbaijan.

If the settlement takes this path, deployment of peacekeepers in the
region will appear on the agenda. The contingent is one of the key
issues of international diplomacy. Should it be Western, Russian or
mixed? None of these is favorable for Iran. The presence of
peacekeepers is viewed as a threat to its security, in particular,
secession of the northern states of Iran. Russia has made two similar
efforts in the 20th century.

Hence, it was expected that the special envoy of Iran’s president
would meet with Robert Kocharyan whose approach to the settlement of
Karabakh and relations with Turkey differs from the approach of the
Armenian National Congress and the government.

Iran needs partners in Armenia who share its geopolitical approach.
And an interesting situation occurs. Iran must try to persuade the
Armenian not to return the territories.

200 Hamshen-Armenian families wish to resettle in Nagorno Karabakh
14.05.2011 14:44

Anna Balyan
`Radiolur’

Around 200 Hamshen-Armenian families living in Kyrgyzstan are opting
to resettle in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

Armenians of Hamshen in Western Armenia were conquered by the Ottomans
in the 15th century. The majority of them were forced to convert to
Islam. A resurgence of Hamshen Armenians has begun in recent years,
with a group in Armenia forming community organizations and publishing
a newspaper.

The Hamshen Armenians settled in Adjaria, from where they were driven
out and a large majority settled in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

Head of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau’s Hay Dat
and Political Affairs Office Kiro Manoyan welcomes the decision of
Hamshen Armenians. `We should help them reintegrate with us, as long
as they feel themselves Armenian,’ he said.

The Nagorno Karabakh is willing to organize the process of
resettlement, said David Babayan, Spokesman for NKR President. `The
authorities are doing their best to give new momentum to the process.’

A serious and realistic program of resettlement of Hamshen Armenian
was worked out still in Soviet times. However, the program failed
because of the lack of proper state approach.

About 150 thousand Hamsehn Armenians reside in Turkey today. 40
thousand of them have preserved their national identify, their unique
Armenian dialect and a number of Christian traditions. What’s the most
important, they have a great wish to become part of their Motherland.

Arzni-Kat owner involved in scuffle

14:39 – 14.05.11

The owner of the Arzni-Kat Dairy Products Factory has been involved in
a scuffle that ended with a few warning gunshots before the police
took the weapon for examination.

Speaking to Tert.am Armen Malkhasyan, a police press service officer,
said that at 5:30 pm on May 11 Marat Janvelyan, together with his
sons, had an argument with a local resident named Gevorg Mekhakyan and
his nephew.

The incident took place in Hatis village located in the region of
Kotaik where they exchanged verbal assaults and beat each other.

Further, the scuffle escalated to the extent that one of Marat
Janvelyan’s sons fired in the air from a hunting rifle to ease the
tension.
Malkhasyan further said that the rifle has been confiscated and sent
for examination.

A criminal case has been filed and investigation is underway to find
out the motives of the scuffle, he added.

Tert.am

Haykakan Zhamanak: What will Serzh Sargsyan do?

11:18 – 14.05.11

The paper says that according to the rumors circulating in Armenia’s
the political circles, the political prisoners may be set free through
a pardon as an alternative to an amnesty.

It says that the Armenian Catholicos, the Public Council and other
public figures are set to ask President Serzh Sargsyan to grant pardon
to all the political prisoners by May 28.

“There is some 14 days remaining until May 28; let’s see which of the
options Serzh Sargsyan may choose,” the paper comments.

Tert.am

RECORDS
David Fahradian dans le Livre Guinness des records une nouvelle fois
d’une seule main il fit durant 2 minutes des tours sur une barre fixe

David Fahradian, professeur à l’Université des langues à Erévan et
gymnaste confirmé était entré en 2009 dans le Livre Guinness des
records en effectuant 354 tours sur une barre. David Fahradian vient
de conquérir un nouveau record et entrer une nouvelle fois dans le
Livre Guinness des records en effectuant durant deux minutes des tours
complets d’une seule main sur une barre fixe. Le 11 mai il reçut le
certificat de son record et une chaîne en or qui lui furent remis par
le Président du Comité national olympique arménien Gaguik Dzaroukian.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 14 mai 2011,
Krikor [email protected]

BAKU SAYS ARMENIAN DEPUTY MINISTER’S STATEMENT ‘TACTLESS’

news.az
May 13 2011
Azerbaijan

‘The lack of tact and ignorance of Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister
Shavarsh Kocharyan is surprising.

He apparently does not realize that he is a member of the diplomatic
office where he is supposed to use diplomatic phraseology, but not
words that more inherent in street conversation.’

The statement came from spokesman for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry
Elkhan Polukhov while commenting on Shavarsh Kocharyan’s interview
with panorama.am news portal.

“Trying to deceive his own public by such clumsy phrases and silly
expressions, Shavarsh Kocharyan is aware that the reality is inevitable
and this reality is gaining more and more support throughout the world,
which recognizes the right of Azerbaijan to restore the territorial
integrity and the fact that Armenia is a country-occupier in the 21
century,” said Polukhov.

It is necessary that the Armenian leadership realizes all the lies,
which it tells to its own people, trying to cover up own aggressive
policies, both internal and external, Polukhov added.

BEGINNING FROM 2013 ARMENIA WILL HAVE TO PAY $220-$230 MILLION A YEAR TO CLEAR ITS FOREIGN DEBT

/ARKA/
May 13, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, May 13, /ARKA/. Head of an Armenian parliamentary oversight
body warned today that beginning from 2013 the government will have
to earmark $220-$230 million a year to clear its foreign debt Ishkhan
Zakarian, chairman of the National Assembly’s Audit Chamber, said
during a discussion on last year’s budget performance that calculations
show that Armenia’s foreign debt may rise to about $4 billion in 2012,
which means that beginning from 2013 the government will have to pay
annually $220-$230 million to clear its foreign debt.

According to him, the payment of foreign debt will become a heavy
burden on the budget.

‘This is why the Audit Chamber suggests that the government increase
the share of domestic debt in the overall debt composition as a
factor of less risk,’ he said adding that additional budget funds
should be directed towards paying off the loans provided at higher
interest rates because that would reduce the risks.

‘At any rate, the figures are large and it is evident that we are going
to face serious problems which would affect the government spending,’
he said.

According to government data, as of 2010 December 30 Armenia’s overall
foreign debt stood at 1.379.3 trillion drams. According to finance
ministry’s numbers, domestic debt stood at 180.3 billion drams and
the foreign debt at 1.198.9 trillion drams, an equivalent of $3.299
billion. Last year the debt, denominated in Armenian national currency,
increased by 4.8% (or 108.5 billion drams ) from 2009.

ARMENIA TO PARTICIPATE IN ENVIRONMENTAL FILM FESTIVAL IN SPAIN

ARMENPRESS
MAY 13, 2011
YEREVAN

May 13-21 “Ecozine” festival of environmental films will take place
in the Spanish town of Saragossa. For the first time films shot by
“Arevordi” (“Sunchild”) non-governmental organization will take part
in the festival. Coordinator of “Ecozine” environmental film festival
of the NGO Varvara Hovhannissyan told Armenpress that two works will
be presented at the festival. The authors are students of “Arevordi”
NGO’s Yerevan and Gyumri eco-clubs. The film of Yerevan’s eco-club
“I do not agree” tells about the issue of stroll dogs and the solution
of the issue. The Gyumri’s eco-club presented film “Aznavour’s Square”
which tells about the pollution of the town and the indifference of
people toward it.

The films are included in the film’s contest program and in case of
winning they will get diplomas. Besides the festival the films of
children have been elected to participate in the festivals in Brazil,
Russia, South Korea.

The students of Yerevan eco-club started the works over scenario of
new film and soon the film will be shot.

HOVHANNES MARGARYAN: GUILTY IN THE VIOLATIONS REVEALED BY THE OVERSIGHT CHAMBER MUST BE PUNISHED

ARMENPRESS
MAY 13, 2011
YEREVAN

The guilty in the violations revealed by the Oversight Chamber must
be punished, member of the Orinats Yerkir faction Hovhannes Margaryan
sad today at the briefing at the NA. According to him, everyone must
be successive to finally reveal all the violations.

“It is an inhuman step, how one can enter the pocket of a poor person.
All the guilty must be punished, they stole billions of drams”,
Margaryan said. He noted that President Serzh Sargsyan will be
consecutive and has tasked to reveal all the crimes till the end.

Head of the Republican party’s faction Galust Sahakyan noted that
there are concrete guilty persons for each phenomena but the ruling
authorities too have their share of responsibility.

KIRO MANOYAN: ARMENIAN-TURKISH NEGOTIATIONS ENTER DEADLOCK BECAUSE OF TURKEY

ARMENPRESS
MAY 13, 2011
YEREVAN

The Armenian-Turkish negotiation process entered a deadlock because
of Turkey as the latter forwards Nagorno Karabakh as a precondition,
head of the ARF Bureau’s Armenian Cause and Political Affairs Office
Kiro Manoyan said at a news conference, adding that it will be right
to conclude these statements with Armenia’s withdrawal of signatures
under the protocols. “In this case the protocols are favorable only
for Turkey, certain countries started commenting on them like the
Turkish side. That is to say if the Armenian-Turkish relations may
bring peace, the Artsakh issue may also be solved in one package”,
Kiro Manoyan said, pointing out that it is unacceptable for Armenia.